We travel at a break-neck speed. Mina's strides are long and graceful, she keeps a swift pace. She only stops once to grab Emmett and swing him over her shoulder.

"I'll carry him, Mina." I pant, catching up.

She gives me a sharp look, and seems as if she will snap back a defensive retort, but suddenly a shadow of doubt crosses her face, and she wordlessly hands him to me. After a few miles, I question, no, demand she tell me what is wrong.

For a moment, she seems like she is relieved to have a confidant for her conflict inside. Then, softly, she says "Emmett, could you please go and see if those berries are edible?" She points to a scraggly bush alongside the highway.

"Okay, Mina. You can count on me." He proudly replies. As he swaggers over to it, she whips her head around as if she will finally tell me.

I can't help myself. This is my first time alone with her. I lean forward, and kiss her.

She falters, and her eyes widen in surprise, but she doesn't pull away. In fact, she pushes back. It is electrifying, being so close to her, kissing her, it sends my heart flying. I open my eyes, and stare at her beautiful emerald eyes. The eyes I had grown to love. How long we stood there, locked in that embrace, I don't know, because it felt like seconds, but it also felt like hours. I was heaven, pure, blissful heaven.

Suddenly, she pulls away, and slaps me in the face, hard, hard enough to leave an angry red mark. I am hurt, knowing that she rejected me after what felt like a connection. I hang my head so she can't see the tears that are forming.

She hisses, "Sorry. Look behind you. In the distance. We have a little follower."

I feel a wave of relief she doesn't hate me, and casually glance back without turning my head. A tottering dot, slowly closing in.

"Keep walking. Act like we're talking, and we are going to pick up Emmett on the way." She whispers out the side of her mouth.

I nod, and take off at a normal pace.

"See that bend? We will ambush them there." I murmur.

She blinks her agreement, and we continue on, hands skimming our weapons, me my sword and her her spear. She motions Emmett over, and explains quickly. He solemnly gazes at Mina, grim and resolute. He didn't seem like a four-year old.

We continue on, attempting to make it look like everything was fine, and that we were completely unaware that we were being followed. I had to fight against the instinct to turn and face it, not ignore the threat. I ground my teeth and push forward.

Finally, we reach our destination. Mina glances behind, so quickly it merely resembled a toss of her head, and reports, her voice strained, "Whatever it is, we don't have much time before it arrives. Emmett, go to the forest and hide."

"But...." Emmett protested. He wanted to fight.

"Go. Emmett, go if you love me because if you die, I couldn't live with myself." She interrupts, raw emotion making her voice break.

"Never." He replied stubbornly.

And then, they had no more time to argue. The mysterious follower was upon us.