Running-1- Runaway and Two Travelers

     "Goddess, where'd she go?"

     "I don't know, but we better hurry up if we're going to find her!"

     The two men raced through the woods, their bags' contents moving around and bouncing against their backs. As they rounded a corner, they came to a quick halt. Had they not have, they would have run into the very girl they were after. She stood there, arms folded and hair slightly amiss. Both of the guys looked at her, eyes wide with surprise and mouths agape and panting from the recent run. She stared, or more so, glared at them. Finally, when the two had caught their breath, she spoke.

     "Who are you two, and why are you following me?" Her voice was nothing they had expected. It was like a bell ringing, as cliche as that sounded. She was small, yet she gave off such a demeanor of dominance, it was misleading. She sounded so... innocent. Dirk was the first to snap out of their distracted mood.

     "Why, we're travelers!" Dirk smiled charmingly, as he always did around the ladies.

     "Adventurers, if you will." Kana smirked, placing his hands on his hips. "You had seemed to be in trouble, or something, so we decided to follow you and see what it brought us!" Dirk nodded, giving the girl confirmation of their reasoning. She seemed hesitant to accept it at first, but finally gave a curt nod and peered around the corner, suddenly anxious. She turned back to the boys and sighed.

     "Well, you were right about me being in trouble." She looked at Dirk, then up at Kana. "Is there somewhere you know where I can hide?"

     "Well, uh-" Dirk scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. "You see, we're actually trying to find our way around here as well. We have a map, but neither of us are too apt to reading any sort of them."

     The girl blinked, taking in what he said. What kind of adventurers didn't know how to read a freaking map? She tilted her head, and folded her arms once again. "I could help you."

     "YOU COULD?!" Kana yelled, then noted his loudness and blushed slightly. "I-I mean, you could? It'd be really cool if you did!" He smiled, hoping to regain some of his cool.

     Lillian nodded and held out her hand, to which Dirk placed the map in. She opened it up and analyzed it, pointing her finger and trailing it along some paths. Dirk and Kana watched in both curiosity and amazement as she mapped out exactly where they were in only a few seconds. She looked up and down the pathway leading towards the thicker parts of the forest. "We have to go that way." she said. Dirk and Kana exchanged wary glances.

     "Are you sure? That part of the woods is pretty dangerous, yo." Kana's hesitance was evident in his voice. Lillian answered with a nod, closed the map, and started in that direction. As soon as she was a good distance away, Dirk elbowed Kana and leaned in to whisper to him.

     "Is it worth it, man?"

     "Well, she does have our map..."

     "Good point." Dirk started after Lillian, waving his arm. "Hey, wait up!"

     "We don't even know your name!" Kana ran and caught up to the two, and began walking alongside them.

     "I'm Lillian, and you are?"

     "I'm Dirk!"

     "And I'm Kana."

     "It's lovely to meet you both, boys." Lillian smiled at them both and then faced the forest, ready for whatever it brought her. Dirk and Kana smiled as well and walked with her, glad to have another member of their adventure party.

     And thus, their journey began...