There was a sound like rapidly approaching wind gusts, the sound of leaves and branches giving way to a body as it passed quickly through the heavy forest foliage. Startled, Adrastea snapped her gaze around, terrified of what could be tumbling in her direction so fast.

The creature which emerged from the shadows was unlike any she’d seen before. His face was a gruesome mess. The stilts he called legs gave him a waifish, surreal look. Was this some kind of forest spirit she had disturbed? For a moment, Adrastea felt a shock of fear shiver down her spine. Then her senses returned, and she reasoned that this was, instead, simply an unfortunate-looking mortal like herself.

She smiled, trying to relax. If he had meant to hurt her, he would have already done so.. right?

”Actually, I… I think I am.” Her voice sounded strange and thin against the bubbling rush of the falls. She laughed nervously, her tail wagging slowly behind her. ”Is it that obvious?”

Perhaps he was planning to leave her behind, but he would find himself sadly mistaken if he imagined that she would let him out of her sight. It’d been days since she’d seen a canine face, and she wasn’t going to set him free easily.