He knew he couldn't stay put too long, or he ran the risk of falling asleep, but pushing himself further would only serve to leave him face down from exhaustion. Now was the time to rest. He stretched the pain out of his joint with a great sighed then opened at his hip pouch. From what he could tell, he had just enough rationed for three days if he was careful not to push himself too hard. Taking a protein bar, he proceeded to eat, it was somewhat meager compared to his usual meals, but something about eating it in the woods brought him a strange satisfaction. With his belly full enough to hold off his hunger pains for the moment, his mind wandered back to the bundle lying by his side.

Undoing the twine by where the dead woman's face, he pulled the cloth away. Dale thought as he looked down upon her. You're safe now. I won't let anything hurt the one I love again. It will be just you and me from now on. The moonlight seemed to filter through the forest canopy to only shine upon her face.

Her hair was dark brown and braided over her shoulders already down to her chest, though pale with death, her skin looked once to be brown like honey. The eyes trapped under sealed lids were brown washed with green, from what Dale could remember. Even in death, she appeared pretty beautiful to him. Cupping her cheek, he leaned down he placed his lips to hers just as Dale's lips touched the woman's own.

"Hehehe" A giggle came from somewhere near to him...

A chill ran down Dale's spine at the sudden noise, clamoring to his feet, and he regarded his surroundings, searching for the source of the sound.

"Who's out there!?" Yelled Dale drawing the blade at his hip, unsheathing a hunting knife.

The answer Dale received sounded to be a child's laugh ending with a snort. Scanning higher, he saw what he was looking for, the faint silhouette of a figure standing in contrast with the moon's light. Dale could see it now, on an upper branch half-concealing itself behind the mass of the tree it stood watching. Pointing his knife in the silhouette's direction, Dale called out again.

"show yourself now, or I'll come up there and cut you out!"

"Ah, very well... it looks like I've found me..." Said the figure in a disappointed tone.

Without noise, the figure stepped out from hiding and walked half the span. Its tree branch and stood with the moonlight behind its back.

Dale asked again, "Who are you, and how long have you been spying on me?"

"Spy?... Ah yes, spying, why not guess?… it will be more fun if you guess," Said the figure. Its voice was sweet and, with a doubt, belonged to a young girl.

"Don't toy with me, girl. Answer my question, and while you're at it, get down from that tree!"

"I don't think I want to, to both of those requests. You're turning out to be less fun than I thought you would be. Plus, you have that weapon pointed at me," said the girl with no attempt to hide the annoyance in her voice. She sat herself down, draping her legs over the branch she stood on.

Though the darkness muted many of the girls' features, Dale discerned she was wearing what looked to be some robe with a hood that hid her face in the dark.

"Fine, if I put my knife away, will you at least come down so we can talk?" Said Dale, sheathing his weapon.

"Hmmm, I'll think about it… y. Thee, I wasn't expecting to get caught so soon, but seeing you put your mooooves on the dead lady was so funny I couldn't keep my laughter in hehe haha 'snort".

Dale felt fear boil up through his entire body. The thought of a little girl toying and laughing at him was more than he could take. But more than that, he was sure now that this little girl knew what he carried with him if she were to tell another person what she saw, it would risk his escape. The thought didn't enter his mind quickly, but it came to the forefront of his mind. I must kill this girl.