The forest seemed to come alive around the cloaked figure. The dark green shroud made it's wearer almost one with the treetops of which the hooded one darted through. The branches barely groaned in protest as practiced feet crept across them, the leaves brushing by were almost an embrace. The cowl wearing wanderer was at home in the trees. The fact that someone was chasing the concealed character was almost irrelevant.
Her assailants were rendered useless once she was able to scramble her way into the thick of the arbors. With inspiring grace and agility the girl bound from each tree as if she had been born among them. Within moments the attackers could only catch glimpses of the end of a emerald colored cloak and then the creature was gone entirely.
When it became entirely certain that the adversaries were gone the one in green slid down a tree and into a nearby thicket where it was sure to be safe. Dawn pushed her hood back and tried to catch her breath. She was used to being on the run but the cold air was dry and took it's toll on her lungs. She concentrated on the rise and fall of her chest until the labor of the chore became as nothing. She lay in the thicket and played with her wavy dirty blonde hair.
It had been a close call. The men had caught her unaware and would have quickly apprehended her if she hadn't taken to the trees. She wasn't sure what they wanted but they made a point to show that they weren’t of the friendly sort and a five on one match would be too much even for her.
Despite lying in the dirt, surrounded by leaves Dawn couldn't be more at home. She had spent the last few years traveling, but nothing put her more at ease than the smell and feel of the forest. This was her domain. She wasn't sure why the men had started chasing her. It wasn't abnormal. Aurora wasn't safe anymore.
Once her breathing was perfectly normal Dawn rose up from her hiding place and replaced her hood. Using her cedar walking stick to hold most of her weight she continued westward, back toward her campsite, hidden deep in a cave.
The idea of being around people again frightened the wanderer. It had been years since she had even had to be around another human, let alone tried to talk to one. These days she seemed more feral than human.
Dawn knew that she looked different than most. Not many traveled covered in layers of grime and smelling as if they were born of the forest themselves. Dawn was aware of the stares followed her when she neared civilization. They were wary of her, and she wouldn't have it any other way. People put her on edge, she was more wary of them than they would ever be of her. She was happy with a comfortable distance.
Not that she could ever go into town. If she was recognized she would be dragged to the castle, and she and her family would be executed, if they had not been already. This is where she belonged now, and in all honesty she found it to fell like home.
She made sure she had not been followed and then made her way into her cave, covering her tracks. There she ate a small dinner of a rabbit she had caught the day before and an apple she had found among the trees. She checked her bow. Without proper supplies she went through them pretty often, and her handmade weapons were nothing compared to one made by a real bowman.
With a sigh she fell back on her animal skins and let herself fall into a slumber. She dreamed of her family, happily eating around a dinner table in an age where Bandrial was gone.