Raven

6

Raven could hear the footsteps behind her sounding more and more like a shuffle.

She had to admit to herself, she was struggling too.

It must have been half way through the night without any breaks but the city was still a dark shadow in the distance behind them.

While the darkness was necessary to remain unseen, it was also proving to be one of their greatest struggle. On the sand every single step was uneven and different than the one before so without the vision to show them when they needed to adjust their footing, they didn't have it.

She couldn't say for the others, but her ankles were a little worse for wear.

She finally conceded on a small break, one where they could eat, drink, gather their strength and head out again.

"We should stop for a few minutes."

"Thank the lord," Falcon breathes as she falls backwards into the sand where she stood.

The boy takes an unsteady step back before falling back on the sand too.

Raven carefully lowers herself, the cool sand welcome on her clammy hands, chafed from her grip on her straps.

Her nerves immediately heighten at the lack of movement her eyes never straying from the city.

She had no way to tell the time but after so many nights running across rooftops she could guess a somewhat accurate time.

It had to be past midnight at this point and if she was correct they had the best part of 3 hours before the sun would illuminate their figures enough to sow them.

In the direction they were heading she could tell there was a shallow difference, a small hill in which they could hide behind from the great distance.

She couldn't quite make her mind up whether it was close or far away, the distance seeming to be a measurement she was unable to decipher after such long walking.

Vaguely in the distance she spotted a shadow. It looked somewhat like the city behind her, a large black line in the distance.

She didn't want to assume in was the trees, she didn't want her own hopes skyrocketing, but it was the only thing she could think it would be.

Raven shakes her aching muscles out, her feet aching ten times more now that she was finally off of them.

She gulps a little of her water, reminding herself that she must preserve it and numbly eats a few crackers from her bag.

"2 more minutes and we leave. We still have a long way to go and I don't want any time wasted."

The two make subtle noises of protest but follow instruction with no argument.

Soon they're up again and walking their way to the shadowed horizon, feet cramping in protest even more after the short pause.

———

The shadow in the horizon was in fact a forest.

Raven had never seen anything to compare it too but the beauty of something so natural was breathtaking.

She slowed looking around at the colossal trees surrounding them in their comforting embrace. It was still too dark to make out details and the lack of sight made this place treacherous but her awe far exceeded any worry she was feeling.

If her sources were correct they just needed to follow a short vague path between the trees until they reached a clearing where they could settle for a bit.