Snippet #2167035

The pace of Jenna's flight had slowed. Not because she did not want to make haste but because she needed to outsmart her pursuers rather than outrun them. On the soggy ground it was difficult to run full pace regardless. The mud sucked at her boots, threatening to remove them. Her hastily prepared bag thumped against her back, worsening with speed. Between her and the unseen pursuers the rain seemed strangely thick. A heavy curtain of darkness she brought down behind her to block sight and keeping the water dropping on her already damp form merely a drizzle. She couldn't even afford to keep this exercise of her abilities maintained for too long. She had to find cover and someplace to hide. In that case she was well prepared. She knew almost every spot around Ley where a child could hide and just as many suitable for an adult. She reached one of the scattered tree lines throughout the marsh, this one wasn't too far from the path and Jenna was slightly anxious at being so near an obvious escape route. A sudden rustle broke arrested her attention. She froze, perhaps hoping that whoever caused sound didn't spot her. She didn't even know if it was a pursuer or even a person but her nerves were somewhat on edge. Shouts arose in the distance and in the low light she could pick out a figure making some attempt at running through the marsh.

I took her a moment break out of her shocked stillness. She immediately dashed towards the treeline, aware that her path was roughly parallel to the figure's. Yet she was confident that in the trees should would difficult to spot and to find. Yet something about that figure's slowing run brought her to a halt at the each of the wooded area. Whoever it was stumbled and collapsed, seemingly incapable of moving further. For a moment Jenna watched, to see if the figure would rise again. There was no movement and she could hear the shouts in the distance. Yet they were coming from another direction, it seemed the stranger was running from someone like she was. Still doubting herself she carefully moved over to the spot where the young man went down. She only knew it was a young man because his face began distinguishable as she approached. She barely stifled a gasp of surprise when she boy she recognized the boy from earlier. The one who was so afraid, now she understood why he was. Someone was after him, like people were after her. She couldn't leave him there, his breathing was heavy. Like a animal in pain, she couldn't quite locate the wound but he obviously wasn't in peak condition. She didn't move too close, instead glancing out over the open ground. Trying to pick out the sources of the shouts but they weren't visible through the rain.

"Look, I don't know who you are or who you are running from but this time listen to me." She whispered across, although it came out more like a hiss. Urgency in her voice. "I think I can find a place where we can have little shelter and hide from whoever are chasing you. I need to know about this boy you brought to the village before and perhaps we can help each other." She waited anxiously for his response. She considered bullying him to the spot she had in mind anyway. She needed to know about this boy that the stranger mentioned. She had little doubt that he was the cause of all that happened. If anything two people on the run might be safer then being alone.