Lise stared at the horrendous monster, attempting to put on a brave face. She didn't know whether the boy was aiming the arrow at her or the monsters. But either way, they needdd to get out of here.

The leaves above the hunter rustled, and then a large branch swept down, striking the boy in the arm just as he released the string. It was possible to feel the hum as the arrow zipped past Lise's head and lodged into a pine tree. A spiderweb of frost spread out from where the arrow hit, and Puck's equine head whipped toward the source. The hunter fit another arrow to the string, and with a shrill whinny, Puck reared and leaped over the dogs, somehow avoiding their snapping teeth. When his hooves struck dirt again, he fled, the hounds barking and snapping at his heels. Ares did the same, getting lucky.

An arrow whistled past Isiea's head, and the other horse was pursuing them through the trees, its rider reaching back for another shot. Puck snorted and switched directions, plunging into a deeper part of the forest.

She wishes so badly she had brought her gun. She could so easily be shooting back right now.

She ducked down and tightly held onto the horse, hoping she wasn't hurting him. But any pain she caused would hurt a lot less compared to the pains the hunter and wolf creature's would cause.

The trees here were monsters and grew so close together that Puck and Ares had to swerve and weave around them. The hounds fell back, but it was still possible to hear their bays and occasionally catch a glimpse of their lean black bodies, hurtling through the undergrowth. The rider had disappeared, but he probably still followed, his deadly arrows ready to pierce our hearts.

As they passed under the boughs of an enormous oak, Puck skidded to a halt, then bucked so violently that Lise flew off his back. She landed with a jarring impact in a crossbeam of connecting branches. With a snort, Puck galloped on, the dogs following him into the shadows.

Ares, however, headed to the nearest pond, eyes wide.

She forces the reigns attached to the bridle to face back towards Puck. ,, Worry about swimming later! ,, She scolds the kelpie.

She winced upon impact, but didn't say anything as the monsters chased puck away. She debated whether she should follow, although it would basically be a suicide mission.

Ares jerked his head, refusing to go after Puck or anywhere near the tree where Lise was in.

Moments later, the black horse and rider passed under the tree.

He slowed for a chilling heartbeat, and it seemed certain that he would look up and see either of them. Then the excited howl of one of the dogs rang through the air, and he spurred his horse onward, following the hunt into the trees. In a moment, the sounds had faded. Silence fell through the branches, and they were alone.

"Well," someone said, very close by. "That was interesting."

She huffs. ,, Fine. ,, She hops off, keeping a firm hold on the reigns. ,, But only the shallows. ,, She ties the reigns to a nearby tree branch overlooking the pond, then sits down. Shes fairly certain shes safe now.

Ares goes as far into the pond as the bridle would allow, struggling against it