They walked for hours, through a forest that seemed to be constantly closing in on them. In the corners of their eyes, branches, leaves, even tree trunks moved and shifted, reaching out for them. Sometimes they'd pass a tree or bush, only to see the same one farther down the path. Laughter echoed from the canopy overhead, and strange lights winked and bobbed in the distance. Once, a fox peeked at them from beneath a fallen log, a human skull perched on its head. None of this bothered Grimalkin, who trotted down the forest trail with his tail up, never looking back to see if they followed.

It bothered Lise, and quite a bit too. But she didn't look back either.

Isiea follows, no longer riding Ares but constantly stroking his neck and sides.

Night had descended, and the enormous blue moon was high overhead, when Grimalkin stopped, flattening his ears. With a hiss, he slipped off the trail and vanished into a patch of ferns. There were a pair of riders approaching, glowing bright in the darkness. Their mounts were gray and silver, and the hooves didn't touch the ground as they broke into a canter, straight for the girls and Ares. Ares also didn't like the riders that were approaching, backing up a good bit.

She hops back onto Ares, stroking his ears.

Lise stared at them. She knew she couldn't outrun a horse. She could barely out run goblins!

As they got closer, they were able to really see the riders: tall and elegant, with sharp features and coppery hair tied into a tail. They wore silver mail that flashed in the moonlight, and carried long, thin blades at their sides.


The horses surrounded the girls, snorting steam, their breath hanging in the air like clouds. Atop their mounts, the knights glared down with unnatural beauty, their features too fine and delicate to be real. "Are you the Chase sisters?" one of them asked, his voice high and clear like a flute. His eyes flashed, the color of the summer sky.

(are they? I guess so lmao)

" um.." She glanced at Isiea. " Yes..."

"Lise. Get on Ares." She mutters to her sister.

" I am not getting on your kelpie. " she muttered back.