"Come on," a gentle voice whispered as something warm was tossed over my shivering body. My eyes would barely open it was so cold, but when they did, there was the faintest bit of light from the rising sun, "You're freezing Annika. We still have an hour before we leave, come warm up by the fire."

I would recognize that western accent anywhere, "I'm fine, Elias, leave me alone." I sighed as I pulled away but still sat up.

My body shook as he stayed kneeling in front of me, "You really don't like to be touched, do you?" I looked down and said nothing, "Or is it just me?"

"Can it be both?" I muttered.

Elias actually laughed softly, trying to keep his voice down for the other tents nearby. "Yes, but can we argue about this as we're getting warm?" He stood up and offered me his hand. "I'm sorry about what I said last night, but that doesn't give you the right to do something as stupid as to sleep out here alone. We could have left you behind and never known."

I could imagine of worse things which could happen. I curled up in the blanket, my own cloak slightly covered in dew from the night. "I'm fine, Elias. Let me be, I'd hate to be another distraction."

I couldn't tell is Elias was tired or just didn't have time for me. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "If you change your mind, I'll have a cup of hot tea waiting for you. If not, we leave in an hour. If your legs are still frozen, ride in a cart."

For an hour, I was left to the peaceful bliss of being alone. The forest started to come to life with the rising sun. It was still too early for the noise of people to taint the pure sounds of the waking wilderness. Curled up in the thick material of the blanket, I shifted around the tree as I found a spot of sun which the dark blanket absorbed. My head rested against the mossy white bark.

It started with , calling good morning to one another in different tones and frequencies. Their cries woke up the larger, sleepier creatures. It was the Tryre, a small mammal which could swing from tree to tree which woke up next with its indistinguishable howl, so loud it could be heard for miles. I smiled, excited to see who woke up next when a shadow fell over me, making me shiver. "Elias was worried, but I guess he had no reason to be. You look fine to me," it was Edwin.

"Good morning," I opened my eyes and grinned up at him. "How was patrol?"

"Probably better than your night... I'm sorry for what Elias said last night."

"Why are you sorry?"

"Because he won't be." We laughed softly together as he reached out and offered me his hand. "Come on, people are starting to wake up and I don't like the idea of you being alone. I'm on scout today, why don't you come up front with me? I could use the company and a second set of eyes."

I didn't know why I never tried scouting before. Edwin and I were approximately half a kilometre in front of the group for the entire day. While most of the walk was in silence, eyes wide for trouble, there was occasionally a short, laid-back conversation. Edwin was easy to talk to, laugh with, he even didn't have a problem joking about Elias now that he wasn't within earshot.

The walk was easier today and before I knew it, the sun was setting on another day. "This should be good enough. We can start getting fires ready as the rest of the group catches up." Edwin suggested, swinging the bag from his shoulder and resting it on the ground. A faint bit of sweat had gathered on his brow from the days travel. "We aren't too much further now. Three days tops." He was grinning as he reached down into his bag and pulled out his waterskin, offering it to me.

Waving him off, I took my own bag off my shoulder and grabbed out my own. "I'm good, thanks," I said politely as I took a sip where he nearly gulped his entire thing in one go. He had been carrying more than me. "But what-" I never finished my sentence as in front of us came a blood-curdling roar, so loud even the trees trembled.

Edwin had his sword drawn before the waterskin hit the ground, what little was left inside spilt onto the dirt path. "Sprint back to the others, Annika," Edwin said forcefully.

I didn't budge, calmly forced the cork back into the neck of my water-skin. "I'm not leaving you here alone," I said, setting it down on the ground as I took a step away from Edwin, my eyes trained on the road ahead of us. "They heard that; they're coming. Until then, I'm your backup."

"Annika-!" The rest of Edwin's protests were drowned out by another growl, this time was closer and I could almost smell the decay on its breath, but still couldn't see it.

"It's here." The blade in Edwin's hand trembled slightly as he held it up, ready for a fight. I stood just a step away, weaponless, but ready.

I could tell that whatever was approaching was large and incredibly fast. There was a gust of wind that past us and Edwin gasped out, swinging his sword blindly, a scratch of blood appearing on his face. "W-Where is it?" He was yelling.

There was no time to answer. My already light grey eyes turned completely white and almost seemed to glow in the dark. My hand started to rise as the world around me became brighter. It was then I saw a figure standing in a cloud of black smoky-shadows. Ram-like horns came out of its head and came to a pointed beak that didn't join up with any noticeable bottom jaw. Another cry revealed its true mouth below the bone mask and three rows of white teeth with torn flesh stuck between them hissed as it rushed towards us.

If I were to blink, I would have been too late, but my reflexes were just as fast as its. My hands shot up at lightning speed, sparks gathered between my fingers and in one, powerful bolt the area light up the creature's bellows turned into screams. "Annika!" Edwin shouted, his blade raised, his eyes wide as the creature was frozen, jolting and seizing as the stream of lightning hit it.

From behind us, more cries approached and sparks shot off from my hands and between my cuffs and I let out a soft, pained groan, not stopping until the creature's screams faded. I dropped the spell and collapsed to my knees, my eyes returning to normal as I clutched both of my wrists against my chest as I bent in half. The pain went from unbearable to a dull echo and I knew I had given myself a third-degree burn under both of my cuffs.

Edwin was frozen as others came sprinting up, a body came rushing and sliding in the dirt beside me. A sword raised as Elias used his body to shield my own. "Annika, are you alright, what happened?"

"Is it dead?" I whispered, letting out a shaky breath. While the pain itself was gone, the memory of it still remained.

"Edwin," Elias started to bark orders, "Is it dead?"

As I looked up, Edwin came back to life at the orders of his Captain, walking forward, now with torchlight over to the smoking creature. He poked it with the edge of his sword, slowly nodding. "Yes, Captain... What was it?"

"A demon." Elias has no doubt in his mind as his sword lowered and turned back to me.