So kind, isn't he? She couldn't help but think so. Even through the haze, she could see him feeling sorry for her. Elara wasn't opposed to that. In fact, she agreed with him. She felt sorry for herself too, though she felt a little guilty for having been the one to make him feel that way. She would have felt guilty making anybody feel sorry for something they hadn't done. All she could do though was try to grin and bare it, as if she wasn't something to pity in that moment.
In any case, she liked what he had said. It made her grin more earnest, more tangible. It was true, after all. Better to be 'barely' than 'not at all.' There were at least some things she did know: they were on a path in the snow. She'd been on paths in the snow before. It made her breathe out in relief, steadying herself on her hooves with a sudden strength as she straightened up. Even if her head was still spinning just enough to make the world not-quite-right, she could at least start grounding herself. Though he might not have meant it, his words had been motivating in that regard.
"Normally I'd say 'to hell with walking - let's run,' but perhaps today's not the right day for it," she replied, a little more pep in her voice. She grinned, for herself and for him, as she glanced towards the tree he had spoken of. It wasn't so far away, and she sighed in relief again. "If you don't mind, I may take you up on the offer. Let me get ahead at the last moment though - I do like to win." Slowly, she felt more like Elara and less like a ghost, but she could still feel her mind swimming in and out of the 'here and now.' Really, she still hadn't decided if she was in a dream or not. If she were, she supposed it might not be so cold, but then again, dreams weren't always the kindest of places. She snorted, holding back her laughter this time. If she laughed, she might cry, and if she cried...Well, she didn't want to make him feel any worse, did she?
She took to his side then, half to steady herself (after her momentary display of strength had turned out to be a rather exhausting feat) and half to conceal her efforts to swallow back her emotions. It was easier to concerntrate on the feeling of his shoulder rather than anything else; it was warm, or warmer at least, and she felt a pulse somewhere beneath the skin. Elara could feel her own too, and she grinned to herself: she was alive, at least.
"Elara...That's who I am, or who I was. I guess I'm still Elara despite it," she said with a glance over her shoulder. The sea lurked somewhere behind her, waiting to swallow her up. It had spat her out, but she was sure it wasn't finished with her. If it could, she knew it'd come and take her back. The thought made her shiver and she tried to hurry forward several paces, silently wishing her companion would get her even further away from it all.