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Blood speckled the slick foliage under the sallow moon as the two silhouetted figures scrambled through the underbrush. maeve knew the blood was a compass for the darkness that hunted them but avriana's wound demanded attention and there wasn't much time. somewhere ahead stood the only defense against this darkness.
Avriana's foot caught an obscured root and she tumbled to the ground, taking maeve with her. a stream of blood erupted from avriana's wound painting the weedy undergrowth, in the anemic moonlight the stuff was black and viscous. it was more blood than maeve had ever imagined could come from a person. panic seized her, a weighty guilt filled and bound her. maeve was new to the art, inexperienced and hadn't fully appreciated the dangers of what she and avriana had attempted to do earlier that day. now it was all too clear, and possibly too late to save avriana.
A weak, wet cough from avriana pulled maeve out of her panic and into action. she heaved avriana up with a grunt, steadied her as best she could and set off once more in the direction of what she hoped would prove to be their salvation.
The looming darkness closed in on the pair, maeve could sense its presence though it made no sound, formed no shape. a profound dread permeated the whole of their being, threatening to snuff out the light within. just as maeve felt herself slipping into the boundless embrace of the eternal veil a beacon of light pierced the shroud, showering her in warmth. the darkness retreated in terror and anger, defeated. maeve and avriana slumped to the ground, exhausted.
Before them stood the witching tree, ancient and gnarled dotted with knuckles and knots. a friend and protector to all who practiced the art, the tree basked maeve and avriana in it's soothing aura. maeve watched in wonder as avriana's wound closed before her eyes, though a deep scar remained. the two drifted off to a deep dreamless sleep. tomorrow their next adventure would begin.