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Tristan glanced over at the bitter agent as she slept, noting how her mouth wasn't twisted into her usual feral snarl, nor did her eye's glint with contempt. Sleeping, she almost looked angelic. What was he thinking? He only preferred her that way because she couldn't bother him with her loud comments.

From his position riding at the rear of the group, Tristan watched as after half an hour of near slips, Leo had shifted the bleary-eyed assassin to his horse where she would not fall off unaware. Elle's saddle bags still strapped to her horse who plodded beside them.

He kept a careful hand upon the hilt of his sword, watching the trees as if something would jump out of the swaying branches. All he had to do was remain focused, keeping the team on track and then wash his hands of the mess they were bound to leave behind.

When Tristan called Leo's name he turned in his saddle, slowing both his beast and Elle's. He cleared his throat, "what of her sleep schedule? Surely you have noticed it as well."

Leo's incredulous look quickly cleared when he saw that Tristan's flat expression didn't waver. "She doesn't sleep much, taking over from whoever's on watch. Even if I convince her to go back to her bedroll the stubborn thing doesn't budge."

A small nod and Tristan let his beast fall back in line. Leo turned, careful not to jostle Elle who leant against his chest. "Can I ask the grounds of this query?"

"We cannot afford to have an agent lacking due to their sleep deprivation." There was nothing particularly spiteful in Tristan's carefully chosen words. Purely a matter-of-fact inquiry that Leo should know not to read into too heavily. "Perhaps some sleeping pills?"

Leo nodded slowly, "I shall ask Kath if she has some in her medical satchel."

Tristan crossed his arms and focused his sight elsewhere, missing Leo's little smirk before he swivelled to face the front once again.

#

Elle awoke to bickering.

She shifted in the saddle, stifling a groan. Leo chuckled behind her, "morning. Or should I say evening?" Shooting him an unamused look, she elbowed him until he shut up with a quiet "ow". Peering forwards at where they had stalled, they idly watching as Jax and Tristan quarrelled.

It seemed that Jax had led them to god-knows where with this superior mapping skills.

Tristan scowled down at the torn map, then up to the stars, all the while grumbling, trying to pinpoint which direction was North towards Lorel. The stars were clouded over with a haze of clouds, making it difficult to distinguish their patterns. Leo's chuckles reverberated through her body, he too finding entertainment out of the dire situation.

"Leo! Stop laughing and help us—we will become just another set of travellers lost in Orioch until we starve at this rate!" Kath hissed, squinting at the sky.

As she slid off the horse, Elle noticed that the old path they had been following had dwindled into nothing but forest floor; and with it, their sense of direction.

She almost sighed and went back to sleep but a niggling notion hindered her slumber. Elle sat straighter, peering around until she saw it. Just past the dark trees lay a hazy blanket of mist, travelling closer and closer by the second. A poison ready to smother.

The nearer it grew, the more the cloud expanded until it settled on the branches of trees, tendrils tangling down to stroke her cheek. "Ilartems." She whispered, eyes wide. In her history books she had read about Ilartems, a fog so thick travellers lost each other from a hands-breadth away. If a traveller let its poison take over their mind, the stories say they would lose control of their limbs and walk deeper into the woods, never to return.

The fast approaching mist had caught the others' attentions, and they all clambered down from their horses who had grown skittish, pulling against their reins. Elle tied hers to a nearby tree, praying that it wouldn't canter off with the supplies.

Moaning wind whipped through her hair and the assassin ducked down to shield herself from the howling gale that had been unleashed in only a matter of seconds. Ilartems absorbed sound, so any shouts from the team drowned in the haze. Horses' whinnies were swallowed and even her own voice ripped from her throat.

Stretching her hand out in front of her face, Elle found she couldn't make out the outline of her fingers. The swirling mass enveloped her, its cold temperatures chilling her to the bone. The assassin could do nothing but grit her teeth, find some sort of hold to ensure she wasn't swept away with the storm and keep her mind focused on the mission.

Her fingers loosened of their own accord, releasing their iron grip on the rock they clutched. "No, damn it, no." She muttered, scrambling to regain control over her limbs. Taking deep breaths, she could only pray for the ordeal to be over. She didn't know which gods to pray to—none had been too kind to her, so she prayed to any one who might listen.

Time moved sluggishly.

Well and truly frozen, her body felt moulded to the ground. Hair ratty and knotted, lips chapped and bleeding. After god knows how long, the storm began to retreat as a booming crash echoed in the forest, ringing in her ears.

Elle jumped, eyes squinting into the film of white. Faint ghostly figures of trees loomed above her. The assassin lifted her icy cheek from the ground, "Hello?" She yelled into the blankness.

Her cry shredded through the fog; there was no reply.

Spurring into action, she shuffled forwards, whipping her head around. "Anyone hear me?"

An echo came from her right, "Elle?" Her heart pounded as she scrambled up, bracing herself against a trunk. Shouting at the person to keep calling. Little by little she edged forwards, until she slammed into something and was roughly grabbed by the shoulders.

"Who is this?" A hoarse voice sounded. Leo.

"It's Elle," she breathed, both their chests rising and falling rapidly. She pulled away, "we need to find the others." He didn't reply, but glancing up she could just make out his grim expression. He grabbed her ice-cold palm and stumbled through the camp, calling at the top of their lungs. Not a sound greeted the pair, the quiet woods growing eerie.

The fog's tendrils had retracted into fuzziness, revealing the strewn-about saddlebags, contents ripped open and blown away as if an army of thieves had passed through. She ran to the beasts who were snorting, pulling against their binds. "Ssh." Stroking their soft noses, eyeing Leo as he squatted down to attempt to salvage what he could from the turmoil.

A tree had fallen a few metres ahead of them, cutting the bindings on one of the horses who had bolted. A taste of fleeting freedom. It is one matter to have freedom, and another matter entirely to be free.

Scooping the remaining supplies into satchels, it wasn't going to last them more than a few days. Basic items like blankets and bed rolls had been shredded or lost. Elle didn't need Leo to tell her how dire their situation was.

Beginning to shout once more, the two agents found Jax next, his arm trapped underneath a thick branch, just by following the foul language he spewed. The team had been scattered in the confusing winds. Kath had been beside him when the haze descended, but they had become separated after the tree had fallen.

They heard Tristan's calls next—finding him just North of the camp, wandering. He shook his head, "I heard Kath's shouting earlier." After tirelessly searching for almost two hours, it was decided that just as the Ilartem had dematerialised in a blink, Kath had disappeared along with it.

The sun had fallen from its place in the sky, the moon starting its ascent by the time they regrouped. The team, like the stars, didn't rest that eve, scanning the forest meticulously for the pink-haired assassin. None of them spoke of what might be happening to her, nor upon whose shoulders would bare the fault. In complete darkness there was little point searching, so their efforts ground to a halt.

Elle busied herself fetching water for the horses, while the boys used their spare shirts as makeshift blankets. Meagre food had to be rationed, and it did nothing to quell her pangs of hunger. To avoid thinking about such discomforts, the biting cold, Elle settled down on the forest floor, counting the branches obscuring the sky.

Unsurprisingly, she wasn't the only one kept awake that night. When morning broke, the team had already packed and rode on the four remaining beasts, slowly making their way East. Somehow the map had survived, in a somewhat tattered state but legible nonetheless, and Tristan had finally figured out his constellations during his sleepless night.

Weapons in hand, they scanned the forest, calling Kath's name. The only clue they had was a pink clip Jax had come across in his search, so they headed further East. "What's the plan?" Tristan spoke to the sombre group.

Leo drew his brows, speaking slowly, "my plan was to follow...your plan."

Jax huffed, "of course."

Tristan turned to her, "Elle?" He said, snapping her out of her daze.

"Oh. I wasn't listening but I strongly disagree with Jax." She clicked her horse onwards, brushing off the others' chuckles. Jax crossed his arms and glared at her, grumbling. "Must you always attack me with your words?"

"Would you rather I use rocks?" She simpered. A muscle feathered in Tristan's jaw as he held back a chuckle. Jax swallowed a retort to her prickly remarks, deciding not to argue over petty things today. "When we find Kath we don't know what condition she will be in...we cannot stay in these damned woods for much longer with our lack of supplies," Jax said.

Sobering up, the group nodded. Elle pressed her lips tightly together. They would find Kath and be on their way, and by the looks of the assassins around her—running on a mere few hours of sleep, nobody wanted to think of the alternative.

Despair weighed down the air around them after yet another few hours of fruitless searching passed. Disturbing their solemn silence, a tinkling giggle sounded from the canopies. Elle creased her brow, catching Leo's eye. "You heard that too?"

She rested her hand on Ravaryn, whipping around sharply as branches rustled. Leo's throat bobbed as another titter echoed through the trees. "Keep your eyes up," Jax instructed quietly. Elle did so, narrowing her eyes at the leaves above her. Tristan remained a strong and steady force by her side, clutching his sword. His features set into a determined scowl, a muscle in his jaw feathering.

Since when did she ogle at men while on the job? Handsome men, sure, but still a distraction. Bah! This was why she preferred to work alone.

Bare feet landed on the woodland floor with a soft thud as a dark-haired woman emerged from the trees. A golden breastplate had been fitted to her upper torso, acting like an armoured corset, finishing around her waist. The assassin noted the intricate designs etched into the shining piece of metal. This plate was attached to a flowing ivy-green skirt embroidered with depictions of nature; images of plants and flowers adorned the bottom of the gown.

Her silky hair fell in coils and waves, settling just below her shoulders. A dark-haired beauty, one that the men were immediately transfixed by—that was, until she opened her mouth. "You're awfully deep in Orioch's land for a pleasant stroll."

Her nasally voice caused Elle to flinch, sounding like the mystical woman was dragging sharp nails down a chalkboard. "Tell me one good reason," she slinked closer, examining her talons, "that I shouldn't kill you all where you stand for disturbing my territory."

"We didn't know." Tristan said, palms splayed open.

She turned to him, lips tugging upwards. "And you're a pretty one. Perhaps I'll let them all go and keep you for myself."

Jax jumped in. "We will be out of your way as soon as we find our friend. Did you see a girl come through here? Pink hair, about this high." He indicated to a point around chest height.

"I might have," she mused.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Elle said coldly. The woman shrugged and—gods above—flashed her blackened teeth in a feral snarl. "You do not scare me, little girl."

Leo placed a hand on her shoulder, firmly holding her in place. Careening into a confrontation would do them no good. She kept Ravaryn half out of its sheath even so. The woman cocked her head, bearing her blackened canines once more.

The grin quickly disappeared when she beheld the dagger clutched in Elle's hand. Tristan took the opportunity to add, "surely, as this is your territory you know what occurs within its borders. You must have seen—"

Stepping back and straightening up, the woman beheld the assassins. "I am old. I have seen it all—war, death, murder. Some things never change." A beat of silence, she straightened. "I know where the girl is."

Elle looked down at Ravaryn, puzzled at the woman's sudden change of heart. The relief that flooded through the group was almost palpable, Leo's throat bobbed. "Is she—?"

"Alive? Yes."

Elle spoke slowly, tasting each word on her tongue. "How can you expect us to trust you?" She shrugged. "It is your choice. What other option do you have hidden up your sleeve, hm?"

She turned, dark hair falling behind her. "Consider it a debt paid, little girl." Elle bristled at the nickname. "Just because of that." The woman inclined her head towards Ravaryn.

"I don't understand."

"I didn't think you would. Unspoken gratitude is unuttered for a reason."

Tristan was the first to follow her retreating figure, Leo trailing behind leaving just Elle and Jax. Gesturing for the brown haired boy to keep ahead of her with a jerk of her head and a wave of her hand, he growled in response, stalking forwards. Elle found herself stalling for another second, glancing around the small clearing, then down at Ravaryn, the fiery blade flashing in the midday sunlight.

She didn't fail missions.

The assassin lifted the tips of her fingers to her cheek, feeling the phantom iciness of the alley's cobbles. Flashes of burning agony resounding within her. Glancing down, the assassin knew her legs weren't twisted beneath her, unable to support her own weight.

Now, there lay something new inside her. A force just pushing, pushing her onwards, to the uncertain future. A morally starved individual needs something to trust in just as much as a parched person needs drink. And as Elle caught the eye of Leo who had paused, Jax overtaking him to wait patiently for her she felt that pull again.

A tug North. To Lorel. And the uncertainties beyond. It was almost as if the gods willed it themselves. 

(edited)