Stalking through the shadows, Alith watched her prey settle beside the fire, wrapping a dark green cloak around itself. Her eyes narrowed. She couldn't believe that Tiara was taking off on her like this. Leaving her behind.
She moved through the underbrush as silently as a cat, placing each foot carefully so she would avoid stepping on a tell-tale stick and snapping it in half. The shadows were wrapped around her. They were silent now though sometimes they'd whisper to her information from far off places. Only when she bade them to, however.
Alith smiled as she stepped into the camp. Tiara wouldn't even see her. The shadows would hide her. No matter that Tiara could wield the shadows, too. She was fast asleep and Alith had command of them.
She stepped closer to the fire and suddenly was flying backwards, slamming into the trunk of the nearest tree. Tiara rose from her place beside the fire and stalked towards her. The hood of her cloak was up, but pushed back enough that Alith could make out Tiara's pale face, a hint of her white hair, and her gold flecked, green eyes. The gold flecks danced in anger. Alith couldn't move. She tried to release herself from the shadow bonds which pinned her there. And couldn't.
"I told you to remain behind. You have duties here which you can not shirk. You are not strong enough to join me. This is my task. And my task alone."
Alith frowned. "I am strong enough. I can guard you while you sleep, because even the mighty Tiara must close her eyes every now and then. The elves will take care of things around here. I am not needed."
"Perhaps..." Tiara paused, hesitating, then her face grew firm again. "Absolutely not. I go alone. It is the only way I can do what needs to be done. If you are with me, you will distract me. I will spend my time worrying about you. You are not enough of a master at weaving the shadows as you think. See how easily I hold you?"
Alith's brow furrowed, her frown growing sharper, her dark eyes flashing with anger. "You can teach me more as we travel. I can help you!"
"I don't have time to teach you. I must move swiftly. Besides, there's not much more you can learn from me. You are no longer my apprentice, Alith. You are not yet a master but can no longer be an apprentice. My time of teaching is done. Only I can enter the Waste and scout the Lair and return. If you come along, you will die. I will not have that on my conscience. Not one bit. I am leaving now. Nothing will harm you here. If you follow me again, I will kill you." Tiara's voice was hard. There was no denying that Tiara meant exactly what she said.
Alith's bonds tightened slightly and she watched in growing horror as the shadows wove themselves into knots so tight and so intricate that she didn't think she'd ever get loose. Suddenly the tightening ended, the bonds were complete. When she looked up, Tiara was gone into the night. Shivering slightly at the thought of what Tiara could have done instead, Alith set to work trying to untie the knots. She would not follow Tiara, and she knew that she also would never forgive the woman for this humiliation.
Alith smiled as she stepped into the camp. Tiara wouldn't even see her. The shadows would hide her. No matter that Tiara could wield the shadows, too. She was fast asleep and Alith had command of them.
She stepped closer to the fire and suddenly was flying backwards, slamming into the trunk of the nearest tree. Tiara rose from her place beside the fire and stalked towards her. The hood of her cloak was up, but pushed back enough that Alith could make out Tiara's pale face, a hint of her white hair, and her gold flecked, green eyes. The gold flecks danced in anger. Alith couldn't move. She tried to release herself from the shadow bonds which pinned her there. And couldn't.
"I told you to remain behind. You have duties here which you can not shirk. You are not strong enough to join me. This is my task. And my task alone."
Alith frowned. "I am strong enough. I can guard you while you sleep, because even the mighty Tiara must close her eyes every now and then. The elves will take care of things around here. I am not needed."
"Perhaps..." Tiara paused, hesitating, then her face grew firm again. "Absolutely not. I go alone. It is the only way I can do what needs to be done. If you are with me, you will distract me. I will spend my time worrying about you. You are not enough of a master at weaving the shadows as you think. See how easily I hold you?"
Alith's brow furrowed, her frown growing sharper, her dark eyes flashing with anger. "You can teach me more as we travel. I can help you!"
"I don't have time to teach you. I must move swiftly. Besides, there's not much more you can learn from me. You are no longer my apprentice, Alith. You are not yet a master but can no longer be an apprentice. My time of teaching is done. Only I can enter the Waste and scout the Lair and return. If you come along, you will die. I will not have that on my conscience. Not one bit. I am leaving now. Nothing will harm you here. If you follow me again, I will kill you." Tiara's voice was hard. There was no denying that Tiara meant exactly what she said.
Alith's bonds tightened slightly and she watched in growing horror as the shadows wove themselves into knots so tight and so intricate that she didn't think she'd ever get loose. Suddenly the tightening ended, the bonds were complete. When she looked up, Tiara was gone into the night. Shivering slightly at the thought of what Tiara could have done instead, Alith set to work trying to untie the knots. She would not follow Tiara, and she knew that she also would never forgive the woman for this humiliation.
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