The Awakening

After running for about two more hours, Shina stopped to listen for guards that might have been alerted to us crossing the border and coming after us. When she's sure nothing is coming our way, she motions for me to remove a still-sleeping Odett from her back before shifting back to her human form and putting her clothes back on. She takes our bags, and we continue walking for another mile or two before we come to a creek with a beautiful little waterfall.

"My father used to bring me here when he was still alive, but I haven't been back since the attack." She says, with pain and longing in her eyes as she relieves those memories. "There's a small cave behind that waterfall we can sleep in for a few hours. No one knows about it but my father and I, so we should be safe."

Once we're in the cave, Jess lays down the blanket, and I place Odett on it, and we lay down on either side of her to make sure she gets our body heat and is safe. Then we dose off. I wake up to a strange voi