Over the course of the next few hours, footsteps followed me. When I stopped, they did as well. The second sun was well past its zenith, and my trek had led me down a long open path. As I was mid-way down the trail, intense rustling emanated from the sidelines.

All right, that’s it. After hours of this nonsense, I stopped, a heavy and irritable sigh escaping me as I turned around and crossed my arms. “I know you’ve been following me! Just come out!”

My proclamation settled over the surrounding forest, startling it into silence. The rustling had stopped, as well as the animals in the near vicinity. Minutes passed, and all normal sounds returned. Resisting the urge to tap my foot, my gaze focused sharply on a rather large bush not too far from my location. Soon enough, it began to rustle violently, and out emerged the young man I had bumped into earlier. Once he’d managed to untangle himself from said bush, he proceeded to casually walk up to me, his expression indifferent.

… Though I know he couldn’t see my expression, I raised an eyebrow. “You know, if you’re going to follow someone, at least try to be discreet about it.”

A look of bewilderment flashed across his face as he placed his hands in his pockets. “I wasn’t following you.”

My irritation came to a boil as I tightly clenched my fists, my arms remaining crossed. “Then what would you call what you’ve been doing for the last few hours?” I asked tightly, attempting to reign in my annoyance. “Taking a stroll through the enchanted forest?”

He shrugged nonchalantly, as if the situation were a simple matter. “As a matter of fact yes, but since when was this forest enchanted?” He spoke condescendingly, then added with a small gesture, “I wasn’t following you. We just so happen to be headed in the same direction.”

… Did he really just say that? Really? And he expects me to believe this crap? “Didn’t you say that you’d been lost for a few days now?”

Once again he shrugged. “Maybe I remembered.”

The long silence that followed was enough proof that his lie had not worked. With a heavy sigh, I swiftly turned my back to him, “If you’re going to follow me anyway, at least stay on the path.” Glancing back, I caught the brief flash of relief before it was replaced by the same disinterested look. He followed that with a light shrug as if it made no difference to him either way. Continuing down the path, I added, “But, you’re on your own when we make camp.” I could almost hear his intake of breath, but not a sound escaped him.