"George!!"

"For the last time, I'm not drunk Clementine, It's what I saw."

"You're definitely not sober, the very idea of you being drunk on the first day of our second honeymoon too."

"But she was there—. "

So you're saying that on our first day here, you saw a woman streaking in nothing but a tattered coat and shoes when I was talking to you?

"But Clementine, you saw her too, hells bells you're the one who pointed her out to me! I bent over to get the camera then suddenly it starts raining out of nowhere," And when I look up you're just standing there like a statue in the bloody rain looking at the sky.

"You're blaming me George? you're daydreaming about some naked hussy and you're blaming me? is that what's happening."

"Clementine...... look just forget it."

Oh, I'm forgetting things, am I like you who forgets birthdays and anniversaries, did I forget something George?

"Alright, alright, good grief you redheads try to make everything into an argument."

"So you imagining a random woman sauntering by and it's suddenly my fault and I imagined that girls' number in your phone too."

"...that was work."

"Kiki the flight attendant is work, then this vacation must be a pain, you must really love your job."

"Your loosing it, Clementine."

"Oh, so now I'm the crazy one? You're the one that seeing a naked woman walking around the place and this is after drinking half a bottle of Mountgay rum while you're on pain medication. Okay, fine you want me crazy I'll show you crazy."

"Clementine!!!!"

---------------------------

[Pain, so sharp, sweet debilitating and utterly exquisite ripped through the of the flesh of my ward. The metallic arrowhead her adversary managed to puncture the flesh with was a distraction an almost debilitating one, stopping her from tracking her quarry it was a distraction that needed care before she could route the foe.

Essence flowed as she absorbed as much of the magical essence as she could from her surroundings, this served to empower her and repair the damage she'd awoken to find. The wound on her limb had already healed since she had first entered the woods in search of her quarry, now the magic was slowly working on her wounded core, the metal arrowhead was working it's way out, it just would take time.

So she took the time to find a secluded place away from prying eyes to collect herself and allow her senses to expand and track her quarry.

To imbibe more essence to strengthen and build her form to what it should be, would take time she did not yet have and the distraction of the act would let the young one wake.

She loathed to admit that she was interested in her ward's trick of movement she saw glimpses of it during the young ones fight with their adversary, not something that she had ever thought of, the joy of running across the landscape was a pleasure that could not be matched, still, the utility of movement in the any situation would be a great boon when properly learnt and mastered as it should be, if, the young one ever learned it, she didn't see that happening in any sensible span of time or even if she would still be awake or alive when her other self came of age.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

As her senses expanded and her body finally expelled the small bit of metal the release of pain and discomfort washed over like a rainstorm, dropping to the ground her form shook as the last dregs of agony eased. In that moment her ward stirred in slumber, for an eternal moment then yielding back to sleep.

The pain gave way to a full flowing wave of relief then a rush of air and essence filling her lungs and body, finally bringing her the peace and clarity she had not felt after Awakening in this strange new world.

Her senses soared in every direction, awake and alive with a challenger to vanquish, nothing more for her was needed at this moment.

With no effort just the twitch of ready muscles she was again on her feet and moving with a purpose.

In this new land the sunset came much faster than expected but in the end of the sun's light she felt that it was a fine time to begin a true hunt.

It was difficult to track the adversary without crossing paths with manthings ever so often, even at the eve of night she was better at stalking but still needed to grow accustom it seems to this new form.

Manthings bodies were strange, it perplexed her that they prospered despite of all their shotcomings in this place and her previous land. It was a mystery, but not one she needed to solve so she struck it from her mind and focused on her prey.

His heart beat was distant, at the edge of her range even as she moved, her eyes finally finding his trail it wasn't hard, she didn't even need to utilize her eyes fully. Her nose burned with the unfamiliar smells of burnt things, bad water and joy, it made him easier to follow.

Her pace picked up as she closed in on her quarry.

She moved rapidly across the grassy wood, weaving a path through old trees twisted from age and time, young strong unyielding saplings that reached for the sky, past fallen branches and tangled roots with sure steps, the natural earth unveiled itself as she passed flowers of such startling colors that she wouldn't see in her old cold land, fields sparse with roots now covered with purple flowers ready for the new dawn to bloom once again.

For the first time she ran between green hills as streams of light and shadow flickered around her, she realized the size and shape of manthings had advantages that she had not even considered. The ease of movement was not as graceful or swift as she had known, bit the places that could be traveled at this size made up for it in some small way.

Jumping over obstacles and only seconds later twisting away from new growth as hills and plants came and went she maintained her pace. She found flowing streams of which the views almost made her pause if not for her hunt.

Her eyes brightened in pure joy of motion and wonder of this strange land. Creatures abound, hares, deers, waterfowl the signs of them clear to see as she passed.

Now as she finally closed in on her quarry, the remaining heat from his body was slowly becoming visible as she got near enough to him for it to be noticed by her gaze. She felt better knowing that her gifts had not left her in this new place.

As she approached him from the shadows of the trees, her pace slowed to steady steps as she neared him, watching him getting ready to scamper away in his metal tube.

Finally she was ready to pounce.]

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He wasn't running he was retreating tactically to his car then to Plymouth to get a ferry and be in France by the next day.

"I shot her and she tossed me. The grenade was overkill though, I'll send her family a card..... maybe some flowers!?." He rambled on still in shock that it got so violent, normally work for him was quick, quiet and mostly at night with only the occasional running for the hills when something went wrong, now everything changed with her attack at his early morning job.

"Either way, time to go and live my best life. Maybe buy a house burn it down get the insurance then get a bigger house....." Pain brought him out of his musings, the pain in his hip from the throw had abated but with the rough terrain it did twinge from time to time.

"Still don't know how in the hell she found me." He had made good time and made sure not to park the car too close but with his sour hip close would have been better.

"I should have just waited until she was home and then burned the place down, a twofer but she was just there walking, damn me for being over eager." The arsonist known as firebombing fumbled his pockets for his car keys.

Looking up he saw her in the reflection of his car, Alice Thornhill in all her glory moving forward to strike.

"........."