I push Kane's face as I struggle to get a better view of my current surroundings. I guess he can hardly take any offense considering that his flailing resulted in his knee jabbing into my abdomen.

"What the hell Kane!" I grunt,"That's my stomach you just jabbed you moron!"

"And that's my face your elbow's poking you daft prick!"he retorts.

"Shut up."

"No, you shut up!"

"Well I told you to shut up first!" I yell back enraged at him.

"Why don't you both shut up." a voice huskily hints from the behind the tree holding us.

I feel Kane tense beside me. Every muscle in his body grows rigid like a spring being compressed waiting for the moment it can spring up again with renewed vigour.

I force my breath to slow down. I've never felt so much like the prey before that the mere thought of it seems atrocious and alien; yet, true.

A hooded archer strides into the open and picks up my dagger. Then looking up, the archer lowers the hood. He is gorgeous.

Not Kane gorgeous by being silvers and reds with the most refined features; he bears a look more predatory. His eyes were a flashing emerald glinting with a hunter's satisfaction as he examined the prey his snare had caught. His russet locks fell around his broad frame. He had the eyes of a predator emphasized by his knightly stature not Kane's eyes of an intellect reinforced by a slender hunger pang frame.

He smirks.

"Well, aren't you two a bit big for rabbits?"

"Sorry to burst your bubble." Kane snarled looking at me and then back at the archer.

"Kane!"

"I don't regret it."

"NOT AGAIN. ugh!" I exclaim utterly exasperated by his sudden childish behavior. Of all times Kane chooses to be rude it had to be now. What in the world happened to his usual charismatic politeness scratching the time he attempted to kill me.

"Ummm, I was wondering if you would oblige in cutting us down, good sir?" I say turning towards the archer.

"Would I?" he chuckles.

"I don't know! Would you?" Kane snorts ever so sarcastically.

"Shut up Kane. He could be a cannibal for all we know."

"Which is why we'll be safer up here!"

The archer grins as he swiftly cuts the rope. I feel the icy touch of the snow as I fall onto the ground. Kane breaks my fall. Overcoming the horrible feeling of gravity pulling me down I blink wearily at the glove hand extended towards me. Accepting his help, I'm pulled back to my feet.

I gaze even more deeply into his eyes' emerald depths. He radiates danger- and I can't help but feel drawn.

"You're tall." I say bluntly.

God Almighty help me. What kind of a compliment was that!? He simply laughs while I awkwardly join in.

"Are you sure, miss?" he laughs, " That is considering your companion here."

I glance at Kane who's grumpily dusting snow of himself before engaging in collecting the scattered weapons. Okay, so maybe Kane was also attractively tall but I already knew that.

"Anyways," he continues as I accept my weapons from Kane," what's a pretty thing like you doing in a soul devouring forest like this?"

"Why? Am I not supposed to be here?" Kane immediately answers.

I bring my hand to my face. The archer meanwhile looks stunned.

"What?" he asks.

"What?" Kane repeats," I was just answering your question. You know- the one about a pretty thing like me doing here."

"I know what question you idiot! I was talking to the girl not you!"

My face begins to redden at the fact that he called me pretty. No stranger openly told me that.

"There I must correct you my good hairless baboon," Kane continues, " if you were referring to her you would have replaced pretty with beautiful."

"Can you both just stop!?" I interject feeling very red.

They grunt but oblige. Shaking off their flattery and resolving to keep one of the straightest faces I could muster I turn towards the archer.

"We are travelers good sir and need to pass through this damned forest of the dead. We fell prey to the souls and are most gratified for your help."

"Of course. In fact there's a town close by. Allow me to accompany you there before night fall. That's when the souls are at their worst."

"Thank you good sir. I'm Drevial and my companion here is Kane."

Kane lifts up a hand in acknowledgement still bearing a slightly hostile appearance though he says nothing.

"And you are?" I continue even more intrigued by his nature.

He smiles. A wickedly mysterious sort of smile.

"They call me Wolf." he grins before adding jokingly," The Big Bad Wolf."