It was odd how quickly Angelic was too act, but Duade seemed a bit more connected with the elven girl. She had fallen to the ground and seemed in pain, not of the physical realm, but emotionally. Angelic stared at Duade as he knelt down by Antirne. Emotional pain, she thought to herself, remembering her family -

- No not my family, what family was willing to - so much pain -

"Are you serious!? Bu-But Duade!" Flitz shrieked. Angelic blinked, finding Duade carrying the unconscious elf. Flitz shrieked and shouted, but it was distant to Angelic. Her thoughts shrouded reality, at times, Angelic would snap out of it, shaking her head, struggling to clear her mind. The forest along the path seemed to thicken around them, growing taller, almost blocking out the sun. Angelic paused for a moment. Duade stopped behind her, still carrying Antirne in his arms.

"What's the matter?" Duade asked as he shifted Antirne in his arms. She was small, but you could tell that Duade was beginning to get tired. Angelic looked up for a moment, the trees had gotten taller, and the sun had already begun to set behind the far away mountains. She shook her head a little bit then turned toward Duade.

"I apologize, it's getting late and I'm sure you're getting tired from carrying her," Angelic began as Duade set Antirne down at the edge of the path, "We should find a place to rest for the night," Duade nodded, placing a gentle hand on the elf's forehead. She moaned turning her head. Duade took his hand away as she did so. Antirne turned her head again, then blinked open her eyes. Duade smiled.

"Ah, I see our friend is finally awake,"

There was a moment of silence as Antirne rubbed her eyes. She looked about for a moment, her eyes widening suddenly. She stood up quickly, turning pale as the blood rushed away from her face. Angelic took a step foreword, as Antirne stumbled away from Duade.

"Why!? Why did you bring me back here!?" She shouted at the other two. They stared blankly back at her for a moment, Flitz poking her head out of the pouch around Duade's neck. Angelic took another step foreword, hands away from her sword hilt, away from the warmth of her cloak. She held them up, showing how callused and scarred they were. Her journey's had brought her this far and no injuries were going to keep her from her chosen path. Angelic didn't reach out toward the stumbling elf, yet she held them out in case the elf fell.

"Be calm," Angelic began, eyes hardening, "I'm not even sure where we are exactly, but no harm will become of you," Antirne stared at the half elf.

"Why should I trust you? Just because you had rescued me from those - those sorry excuses for piles of dung," she spat at the ground, "what makes you think I will trust you, or you!" she shouted, turning from Angelic to Duade.

"Because," Angelic began, turning the shivering elf's attention back to her, "Because, as a Paladin of Helm, I am bound to these lands to protect those who dwell upon it," as she spoke, she placed a fist to her heart as if she spoke the words of her sworn oath -

- I have to -

Antirne didn't calm, her face still pale of color and her body shivering from the coming night. Angelic slowly took her cloak off, gently putting it on Antirne's chilled shoulders. The warmth of the cloak soaked into her body, halting her shivering. Her pale face, soon became the fair color it had been before. Antirne looked straight into the paladin's eyes, as if hoping to find the truth in her words. Angelic's eyes were soft and kind, yet hard and willing at the same time, they were nearly impossible to read.

Angelic stared back seeing that Antirne's eyes, they seemed sad and swollen, not physically, but not emotionally either. Many days of tears could be seen within them. The light within her eyes seemed to be fading -

- Her spirit is strong, yet - Angelic blinked, breaking away from Antirne's blue eyes.

"You are ill, let us find a place where you may rest," Angelic began, walking away from Antirne's side and into the forest, "Where all of us can rest," Antirne watched as she walked into the darkness of the forest. Ill? What did she mean by that? Sure I'm a little cold - Duade watched her as her elven eyes allowed her to watched Angelic's figure in the dim light.

"What?" Duade smiled a little than followed Angelic's trail. Antirne stared into the forest for a moment. Shaking her head, she began to follow the other two into the forest with a shrug -

- Where else am I supposed to go? -

"Away from here would be nice," she puffed as the darkness of the forest engulfed her.

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