There was this hidden fear hiding under the confusion that bugged her. No matter that Saleh was a stranger to her… He could have been a the most dangerous person or something completely different. Either way he was the only one capable of giving her answers. Answers to all questions she didn’t even thought of yet. For this reason or something completely else she was more frightened to be left alone than following a figure like him. So Mntui jumped carefully and ran after Saleh as graceful as she could.

Alas, her moves could be called anything but that. It was as if the agility of the tiger left her. In its stead there was something else, something different she did not understand yet.

Scratched by the branches of trees and bushes, stumbling on rocks and clashing with these mentioned things she arrived at the bottom of the hill. The fact was that Saleh did wait in the end. He didn’t comment, his face expression wasn’t different than before. It was impossible to tell what was he thinking. One look is what all he wasted of precious time on Mntui. Then he turned around and started to run as there was a long way ahead of them.

“Why were we at Bone-White Rock?” as a few minutes passed Mntui caught up to him with relative ease feeling she has to ask. It was a place where she’d never venture on normal circumstances. Every one in the tribes living closer knew not to disturb such places. They said either some ill omens or the bonesplitters will get you. Which knowing how the actual caves looked like seemed to be true.

“It’s one of our havens. If you come across one it is safe assume you can hide there. From the sun to rest, or from enemies…”

“From the sun?!” Mntui burst out in disbelief.

“Oh you’ll know soon enough. You’ll feel it.”

As they went fort there was an other question building up in Mntui. Even if she felt the tension building around them. It was clear Saleh was not only not fond of asking questions but answering them as well.

“Where are we going Saleh?”

“To an other haven. And after that to an other. We are heading towards the front lines.”

“Can we go back to my tribe to warn them what happened?”

“No.”

“But why?” the young shadow burst out.

Even if Mntui had no other choice she was agitated by following an unknown person just because of idle threats. They hadn’t been traveling that long but she was already tired of attempting to force out answers. Just as Saleh was bothered by meaningless questions.

“The old crow we left for your tribe to find should be enough warning. She was confused but not senile…” Saleh glimpsed at her seeing Mntui grimace. She clearly wasn’t satisfied with the answer. “No” the man continued answering the untold question. “Before any stupid idea gets in your head about leaving on your own, just don’t. And because I said so” Saleh’s eyes narrowed.

“But…”

Saleh stopped totally before Mntui could finish.

“Did your parents not tell stories about the Shadows? Do the people not speak of us lately?” his eyes narrowed just slightly.

“What that you take the misbehaving children away?!” Mntui almost laughed bitterly yet facing the man was more frightening than she thought at first.

In this moment of truth there was a strange expression on the elder’s face, as if behind all this charade he found this last comment funny.

“That’s only what overbearing parents made up I can assure you, but only you. If anyone else ask I won’t deny it… And there is one more thing you can count on: If you ever try to run away, or as just act against my orders you’ll regret it, dearly. I thought it was clear but it seems I overestimated you.”

“Regret it?” Mntui stepped away puzzled. “You mean more than I already regret just existing?!”

“Clearly you have no idea” there was smirk on Saleh’s face barely noticeable before it disappeared completely in the matter of seconds.

They marched on and on in the forest while both of them fell completely silent. Mntui concentrated on keeping up with Saleh. Only later did she notice that the elder vampire increased his speed ever so slightly when she did catch up. Yet with simply noting this to herself, she didn’t complained or reacted to the fact in any way. It was the cold slowly surrounding her what bothered her more than this. It was one thing they moved farther and farther away from the lands she knew. There was a sort of displacement engulfing her.

‘Where there no spirits in these parts?’ she wondered. It couldn’t be the case. It would make no sense. Spirits were every where. A tribesman could always notice them. Would their presence friendly, neutral, or hostile she should feel it. But now there was nothing. Somehow she knew it wasn’t the spirits’ fault. It only was logical. Not to mention she noticed a similar phenomenon stumbling down the hill. Her movements were clumsy, no part of the Great Tiger’s grace was left in them. The problem was what she became. Now she understood… She clearly felt just a shadow of her formal self. How could anyone bare this loneliness? Even in the presence of another there was nothing there just the cold embrace of the night.

And when that late night stroll seemed to never end something changed. They have been running for hours and Mntui never thought about taking a break. It was as if all the tiredness of this prolonged journey should have caused suddenly caught up with her. She still tried to keep up the pace but after a few more steps she suddenly collapsed.

Saleh turned around just to see the woman fell to the ground. He was keeping it slow for her to be able to follow but now he dashed forward. In one moment he disappeared and appeared almost the same time before her. He grimaced disappointed looking down on Mntui. Snapping with his tongue in irritation he reached down to lift her up. For a moment he looked up the sky slowly turning into dawn.

‘What was I thinking? Me, caring for a rookie? Hubris…’ he thought and hurried to his destination now with his full speed carrying the unconscious newborn shadow in his arms