An Unwilling Path

[Note::.]

The sun's morning light shimmered through the trees as it rose slowly to meet the clouds. Birds began to sing their early song as dew collected lightly on blades of grass. These sounds usually went on with any interference; rarely having travelers dare to make their way through the forest's deep maze.

But, this morning was new day; a new day when the peaceful sounds of the forest became... interrupted.

"Ah... I'm so exhausted..." Alexei mumbled to himself as he stumbled along an aimless path, stopping for a short moment to lean his side up against the nearest tree. He sighed, exhaling deeply as he shifted the rest of his back to the tree, carelessly slumping down to the forest floor. The boy’s blue-gray eyes drifted over to the rising sun, only being able to see the rays of light that escaped past the trees. He winced suddenly as his stomach grumbled painfully, his arms wrapping around his sides in starving agony. Clenching his eyes shut, the boy let his head fall back heavily against the tree’s bark. Ugh. Bad idea.

As the grumbling emerged from his stomach again, Alexei gritted his teeth in mild frustration.
“I know you’re hungry, okay? Stop making me feel so miserable!” the boy whined aloud, bringing his legs up to chin as he wrapping his arm around them.

“I haven’t come across anything in the past day… so just be quiet and deal with it.” He mumbled to himself, resting his forehead pathetically on his knees.

Stupid forest… way do you have to be so confusing!?

[Tempest]

"Ow..my neck.." Ada grumbled to herself, her right hand tenderly rubbing the sore spot. The Selkie didn't know if she had ever had a worse night's sleep..it was all those bastards fault..

The previous night when she had just been preparing to settle down a small group of bandits had ambushed her. Or at least, that's what they called themselves. To her they seemed more like a group of ragged idiots with a shared superiority complex; but that was kind of beside the point.

It still pissed her off. At any other time she would have had no problem taking down a group of incompetents like that..but ever since that night..she seemed to have a problem getting back into the mindset that had always allowed to her kill without feeling.

"Damn it all.." The girl sighed, and rolled her neck on her shoulders. So she'd ended up running from them with only half her rations and spent the night crouched behind a bush before falling asleep on the hard ground.

So now Ada tramped across a quiet path, her pack swung across her shoulder and significantly lighter because of the small item's she lost. At least she still had all her weapons. The Selkie just hoped that the bastards had left the area..for their sakes.

She stopped suddenly then, head tilted slightly, choppy black just barely brushing her tan shoulder. A voice? Who else could be out here..unless with was one of those damn bandits. Ada grit her teeth at the thought. She'd show them what happened when you messed with her.

"Hey!" The Selkie shouted irritably, fists clenched at her side. Scowling, she pushed her way through a few in the way shrubs to the other side of the path where she heard the voice. "You think you can just--!?"

Ada paused blinking as Alexei came into view. It was..just a kid, who looked around her age.

"..Wrong person."

[Note::.]

"--Hey!"

Alexei's eyes widened in shock at the sudden shout. He lifted his head up too sharply, making the back of his head hit the runk of the tree.

"SHIT! OW--! Ow! Ow, ow, owww!" the boy cried out in pain as he jumped to his feet, bending over as he clasped his arm around the back of his neck.

"That really hurt! Ow! Ow, ow, ow..." gritting his teeth in pain, Alexei glanced forward at the figure who was emerging slowly from the brush.

They were saying something else, but the sharp pain in Alexei's head distracted him from picking them up. He straightened himself up as the figure approached, his eyes widening in fear. He staggered back, once again slammng his back into the same tree. His teeth grinded together in agony as he held back another scream.

He quickly collected himself, his eyes then focusing on the stranger in the brush. It was... a girl? A girl caused him all of his unnesscary pain? Argh!

"Owww..." he mumbled to himself, ruffling the back of his hair once more before focusing all of his attention on the Selkie.

"W-What do you want?" Alexei fianlly asked in the most confident voice he could muster, stepping, though stumbling, away from the tree.

[Tempest]

Ada watched, somewhat mollified as the boy cried out in pain. Normally, she didn't have a problem with causing other people to be hurt..but only if they deserved it. While it could have been comical at another time...the Selkie just ended up feeling a bit bad.

"Ah..I'm sorry.." The girl said, looking mildly sheepish. "I heard you and thought you were someone else." She looked over the boy momentarily, taking in his tense posture--even though he was trying not be, everything about rang nervouness. What a weary kid.

"There were just these bandits and..." Ada trailed off, feeling annoyed at herself for the misconception. She had enough skill not to be making stupid mistakes.

"Are you..okay?" The Selkie asked, shifting her pack on her shoulder as she took a few casual steps out of the brush and toward him.

"I didn't mean to scare you." Well..maybe she had. A little, when she thought he was one of the men who attacked her last night.