you //still\\ have all of [me]~crystalfrost <3~

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Elend galloped after her, resisting the urge to look back. It wouldn't help. "Faster, boy," he urged the horse.

[~echo~]

Anne urged her horse faster, starting to tire out swiftly due to their rapid pace.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Elend noticed her tired face. He felt the same burning in his muscles, the same shortness of breath. "We have to keep going," he said.

[~echo~]

Anne nodded but didn't really reply, simply continuing to run as fast as the horse could go. "We should find a body of water to cross so they lose the trail," she suggested breathlessly.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"There's a river not to far away," Elend said. "Of course, that's exactly what they'd expect us to do." He paused and furrowed his brow. "We need to outsmart them."

[~echo~]

"We should wade the river and run there a few minutes then wade back over and continue. That would theow them off very well."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Or we could wade in and stay in, at least for a bit," he said. "Then they wouldn't know where we came to shore. They'd have to search up and down the bank."

[~echo~]

"With the horses?" She turned her horse towards the river.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Yes. They can handle it," he said.

[~echo~]

"Wait, I've got a better idea. Instead, let's let the horses go on by themselves- they'll run from the dogs due to the noise and, meanwhile, we can slip into the river and onto the opposite bank. We can work our way on foot from there to another city or something."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Elend was hesitant. "You want to travel on foot? If they see through the ruse, they'll catch us without any trouble."

[~echo~]

Anne nodded. "I am sure it'll work. But we have to hurry. We could also leave something of our scent on the horses and slather ourselves with mud to mask ourselves from the dogs."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Okay," Elend said. "Let's do it."

[~echo~]

"Let's get off the horses in the water so the scent trail is unbroken," she said, rushing over to the water. She dismounted in water up to her waist and then slapped the horse so it would run away.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Elend followed suit, jumping down from the horse into the water. He almost lost his footing on the slick riverstones, but managed to keep his balance and set his horse free. It took off into the forest, never to be seen again.

[~echo~]

Anne waded through the water, until it was up to her chest.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Lead the way," Elend said, gesturing up the river.

[~echo~]

The river flowed in the direction they wanted to do and so Anne let her feet off the ground, beginning to swim.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Elend shivered from the cold, but kicked off and stroked his way downstream.

[~echo~]

Anne tried not to complain as she swam. She wasn't the best swimmer but she could get by.