She made a small moan of irritation, raising her eyes to the heavens.

"Certainly not if you keep scowling like that!" she told him. "Why does everything have to be serious? It's called 'fun' Tahl, fun! You might have heard of it? You don't have to brood over every little thing! Just let life happen!"

She smiled, trying to provoke him into something, anything but this infuriating stoicism. Elina dropped her voice, holding his eye.

"I know you can do it," she said, "I remember."

But he wasn't done. He fixed her with such a supercilious expression that she felt overcome with the need to slap him.

"How do you know where I live?" Elina demanded, "hm? It's a big forest, Tahl, you don't own it, you don't know everything that happens in it. You think you and your friends are the only people who sleep here?" She tipped her head to one side, staring him down sneer for sneer. "How naive are you, exactly?" Elina wondered,

His last comment set her laughing.

"Oh yes, Tahl," she sniggered, fighting for a straight face, "Do tell me more about wolves."

Her gaze darted downwards as he took hold of her wrist in a vice-like grip. He had something of a thing about that. Last time she'd appreciated it, enjoyed the implication that he might enjoy other things, but that had been different. This was something else, and a voice in her head, a voice that hadn't troubled her since she got back, started to scream at her.

"Let go of me Tahl," she warned him, eyes flashing, "or I really will start not-joking." Elina perked an eyebrow and waited, keeping her eyes firmly locked on his.

"Horse-shit," she smiled, "might I remind you that our trip to that island had nothing to do with me and my relationship with this forest? because, as I seem to recall, you and your little camping friends were there too. And as for the first time, things happen in forests, Tahl." She shook her head, "there are wild animals, and uneven surfaces and idiots with traps. If you spend enough time in a forest, even a completely ordinary one, chances are you'll run into someone who hurt themselves in it. It's not a conspiracy, it's not a sign, it's just life."

The boy just did not know when to quit.

"The arrogance on you!" Elina laughed. Her mouth twitched. "At what point in our interactions did I ever suggested I wanted you to trust me? That would be a terrible idea, really."

She didn't really do trust. Trust was for other people. "I don't have to prove myself to anyone. If you don't want to help me, I can do it on my own."

"I'll be seeing you, Tahl."

She turned to walk away.