Serenity Painted Death (Day 183)

"Where is she?" Terakiel asked as he peered into the impenetrable sea of trees before him. 

"I don't know," Aisen replied honestly. "I"m not sure why she would have decided to go on so far ahead."

Terakiel paused to consider these words. "Do you think. . .that she was trying to escape?"

It was a troubling thought. The forest was vast and thick--and not one of them knew a thing about where to find civilization. Not even Terakiel, whose home lay nearby, could tell them anything about where to go. If she had set off on her own under those conditions, then she must have had a very good reason. Aisen could not come to terms with the idea.

"I very much doubt that," he said finally. "I feel she knows the dangers associated with traveling alone. She doesn't know us--that much is true. None of us really know each other, but. . .I trust you. I think she trusts us as well."

"How can you be sure?" 

"I can't," Aisen admitted. "But it's a feeling. I have a good feeling."

"Then why isn't she here?"

"It's hard to say."

"Something must have happened that set her running off into the forest," Terakiel ventured. "Maybe she caught sight of something."

"Like what?"

"I don't know--maybe she could see a source of water in the distance? Or maybe even. . .a break in the trees?"

Aisen took a moment to look around him. As far as he could see, trees engulfed the landscape, twisting and tangling into one large, shapeless mass. He couldn't make out any remarkable features at all that might tell him which direction would be best. It was overwhelming. He was sure Casnie would have been similarly at a loss. 

"I don't know about you, Terakiel, but I can't see anything."

The other man nodded slowly. "You're right. Maybe we should call out to her?" 

Aisen could tell the man had little faith in his own words just as surely as they were enveloped by the impenetrable thickness of the surrounding woods. Sound had a way of being swallowed up here. He was only dimly aware of the sounds of nature surrounding him, but those sounds too seemed to evaporate only a few paces ahead of him. He was sure their calls would not be heard--and nor would hers.

"We have to find her," Terakiel continued. "Maybe we should split up and search the surrounding area." 

"How then would we find our way back?" 

"I can't imagine that would be difficult. We'll just walk a straight line, but in different directions. If one of us happens to find her, we return the same way we came." 

It sounded logical enough, but something about these woods was profoundly disconcerting to him. He felt his field of vision distorting every so often. It was subtle--almost imperceptible--but it was definitely there. He felt he might lose his way in the area very easily. 

"I'm not sure that's the best course of action."