Paths (unfinished story)

The forest floor was dark and cool. The ancient trees made a vast canopy that virtually blotted out the sun. Ardwic crept softly along the narrow game trail, tracking the girl. He was impressed with her resilience. He had never expected her to make it this far on her own. She knew he was following her also. He had expected that to discourage her enough that she would turn back. No such luck. Her trail was not so easy to follow as it should be either. He'd been led to believe she was inexperienced at this sort of venture. Water from the recent rains dripped down to the forest floor obscuring the normal forest sounds, except the birds and frogs, which are always louder after a good hard rain. The occasional droplet of water fell to coolly christen him as he moved along the trail. Ahead was a series of actual paths that crisscrossed several of the game trails and the main road. Ardwic wondered which path the girl had chosen. He hoped the recent rains hadn't muddied up her tell-tale tracks too much.

Jules kept moving through the forest. She knew Ardwic would be able to track her. She just needed to stay far enough ahead of him to evade his capture. It was tempting to just let him catch her. Why had her father chosen him, out of all the loyal men in the palace guard. Jules had always had a crush on Ardwic. She could hear him last night while he'd made camp, he'd stopped that close to her own camp. She'd gotten up early to regain her head start. She was so fortunate he'd no clue how close he was to her. Now she moved through the forest consulting her map under it's dim emerald light. By nightfall if all went according to plan she would be in Echerand. Echerand, where she would go to King Albius and ask for his amnesty.