I'm not so sure what I should do - or what I can do, really. He's definitely got the upper hand when it comes to a fight and I'm not as young as I used to be; still as proud, but just not as young. He just stares though and if I didn't know better, I would have been unnerved by it. I just don't understand why he does the things he does; why he stares and how he stays so still. It's not natural and it's not right and yet, he's alive and he's here. Even when I speak, he just stares and drools like I'm some piece of meat - I have to swallow a hard lump that's formed in my throat. Usually I'm good at getting out of these messes but right now I am not so sure. I can't run and I can't fight and now, I don't think I can even talk my way out of it. He repeats Judila again and I just nod. Right now, thinking is much more important than trying to work out what words mean anything to him.

Something happens though when he repeats me. His eyes move just a little bit and I take the chance to try and look around him better. I haven't stopped looking for an escape route since I first saw him but maybe I've found one. If I run forward, he surely can't turn fast enough to gain too much ground, right? I can lose him in the maze of stone and disappear back to Cobryn. Of course, I'll have to run through water first because I do not want him anywhere near Cobryn or Covet. I can't help it though and even though I'm so prepared to run for it, I can't help but look to the other girl. She's massive but I mean it in the most respectful way; she's just so... strong looking, even next to Tobias. I make eye contact with her as she speaks and I can't help but smile just a little bit. She's so confident but maybe that will be her downfall. Nobody has ever defeated Tobias - not even all of Trenus' warriors could.

"We cannot fight him," I call to her, motioning to Tobias with my eyes. I know enough about him to know that he won't understand what I'm saying so it's okay to talk. "Maybe we can distract him long enough to get away."

I don't want there to be violence - I don't want this stranger to lose her leg or life just for me. She acts like she knows him though which makes me curious. I have never seen her before and I don't know her scent; she never lived in Judila. I just hope she doesn't make this situation worst though right now she's making it better; at least Tobias is no longer looking at me. I wonder if I can inch away a little bit... so I try. I wiggle my body just an inch back, my eyes locking onto Tobias in case he looks my way again. I've never really had something like this happen, not even far, far in the North. Even bears were more reasonable than this. I feel bad thinking it, but maybe this stranger is a good distraction. Like I said... I have to survive. I have too much to protect to not live another day and if this one has met Tobias before and survived... maybe I will too. Again, I start to look around in search of my escape path; it's right there - so close - and yet, Tobias is even closer.