She knew she made yet another mistake when he spoke, when simple words spoken so calmly suddenly felt like an earth-shaking threat. Her eyes widened slightly, only sensing based on guess that he must have done something more, something she didn't want to learn about. Something that made certain she couldn't escape him. No amount of hiding, no amount of running, could save her now.
Then he made the night darken further, so deeply that she could no longer see much of anything around them. Her silver-grey eyes darted around to confirm that, her little body shrunken down defensively a short way before him, and she prayed that he wouldn't make the sun rise. Take the moon, but please don't bring the dawn.
A chill breeze whipped around their feet, combing invisible fingers through her coat and stirring the forest debris to circle around them. Then he asked, or rather suggested firmly, that she tell him what she was running from.
She had no reason to lie. It wouldn't help her either way.
Besides, they would fear him far more than they ever feared her.
She was almost captive once, and she wondered so briefly if this will be that.
Her body stayed low to the ground, staring up at him in understandable fear, nearly cowering. Sometimes that helped, to cower. She adapted so quickly. She was not fearless, not invincible. And her fear was genuine, not as bold and foolish and naive as it was a few minutes ago as she ran from him. Like a game.
Now he was dangerous.
But she still had no reason to lie.
"I run from Unicorns."
And in this world, they don't even know what that means. He may even be one yet, the most successful so far. She was hunted by her own kind, and yet she could never belong with them. Every kind soul she ever knew wanted her dead. Except Mother. But she was likely already dead herself.
