"Dominique, hold up! Is that you?"

A million questions raced through Crow's head as he stared at the tree in front of him. Pinned to its trunk, was a small poster. It had a picture of Dominique, and the word "WANTED" written across the top.

Dominique spun around and glared at Crow.

"No, it's my identical twin"

Crow could almost touch the sarcasm that dripped from her voice.

"What are you wanted for?"

"Mostly robbery, a little bit of alleged murder."

"MURDER?!"

Crow took a few steps away from her and prepared to run.

"Relax, I didn't do it. But I was a criminal without an alibi, so naturally I was framed."

"You're still a thief, so I don't trust you."

He wrapped his arms around himself in an act of protection.

"If I wanted to hurt you, I would have already. We've been alone for hours."

Dominique was right. About thirty minutes after they left Auntie Rosa's, they reached the end of the small village. Since then, the two teenagers hadn't seen another sign of civilization.

Dominique promised Crow that they would reach the edge of the next city soon, but the night was drawing to a close. The sun would be up in an hour or so.

"There's the campground."

Dominique pointed to a small clearing in the distance. A mountain rose up behind it.

"We can't sleep in there," Crow observed.

"You're right, we'd be spotted easily, but once we're in, we climb the mountain. There's a small cave a few feet up that we can hide in for a couple hours."

"Okay."

The two of them trudged up to the gate that surrounded the property. Crow jiggled the lock, but it wouldn't budge.

"Wait here."

—

Dominique sprinted off to the left, and started making her way around the perimeter of the camp.

She ran her hand along the chain mail fence, counting the poles. When she reached the twenty-third one, she bent down and rang a small bell that was attached to the bottom.

She heard a rustle nearby, and a twig snapped. Dominique's heart leapt into her throat.

What if it was a stranger, or worse, an enemy?

"Dominique!"

A tall girl emerged from the bushes and leaned over the fence to greet her friend. Her dark hair was braided down her back, and she wore a tattered dress with a blanket tied around her shoulders.

"Clio." Dominique smiled. "Can you unlock the gate?"

"Of course!"

Clio was overly chipper especially compared to Dominique. She smiled and urged her friend to follow.

The two of them walked along the fence, with Dominique on one side, and Clio on the other. Dominique took the opportunity to inform her of the situation.

"Let me get this straight, you and the most important person of the century are traveling (unaccompanied, I might add) to the castle, so that you can save the world?"

"Something like that," Dominique grumbled.

"Dominique! That is so cool!"

Dominique shrugged. She could see Crow a few feet away. He was sitting on a log with his back to them. He didn't look all that important to her.

"Is that him?"

Clio raced along the fence once Dominique nodded her head.

"Crow! Hi, I'm Clio."

Crow spun his head around and looked at her.

"Um hello."

"Let me just get this gate opened for you guys, so you can get back to saving the world."

"Sorry about her," Dominique whispered to Crow.

"No, it's fine," Crow replied.

"Here you are!" Clio swung the gate open and rushed out.

She gave Dominique a little hug, and then walked back inside. Clio pointed in the direction she had come from.

"I'll be right over there if you need anything."

And just like that, she disappeared into the shrubbery.

—

Crow let out a small laugh as he looked over at Dominique. She wore a slightly appalled expression, but there was a hint of a smile in her eyes.

She spun around to face him and gave a little shrug.

"So that's Clio. She's a bit much. I'd say that you get used to her, but..."

She trailed off, clearly lost in thought. Crow decided not to push it and changed the subject.

"So, where is the five-star hotel service I was promised?"

Dominique returned his joking smile and replied, " right this way Your Majesty."

She led him for a few meters, until they were at the edge of what most people would consider traversable terrain. Then Dominique pulled a small hook and a bit of rope from her pack.

She tied the rope around the hook and threw it up to a ledge a few feet away. She thrust the other end of the rope in Crow direction.

When he made no move to grab it, she sighed in exasperation.

"Ever been rock climbing before?"

Crow had, but he was pretty sure this would be different from the colorful plastic handholds and padded floors he was used to.

"Yes, but-"

"Just climb!"

"Okay."

Crow didn't want to anger Dominique, so he took the rope. He held on tight with one hand and used the other to grab the side of the mountain.

Crow stuck his foot on the side, but it slipped down.

Dominique wrapped her hands around his waist to give him a little boost.

"Just place your foot in that little groove to your right", Dominique instructed.

Crow thought "groove" was a bit generous for what it was, but he listened anyway.

He pushed his foot onto the wall and heaved himself up. He slid his hand up the rope and tried not to let go when it burned him.

Crow continued like that for a few more steps, placing his feet in any minuscule hole he could find and sliding his hands up. Eventually, Dominique was forced to let go, and he was on his own. His fingers gripped the ledge that the hook was on and he heaved himself up.

He lay there, breathless, for about a minute before Dominique joined him. She dislodged the hook and began looking upward.

"What are you doing?"

Looking for the next place to hook this, why?"

"I thought we were done climbing!"

"No, the cave's up there."

She pointed to a spot that looked to be about five times higher than the distance they'd already climbed.

Crow groaned, " you've got to be kidding me."

Dominique didn't respond as she threw the hook up to the next spot.

—

It took them an hour to reach their destination. Crow's muscles were shaking as he lay just inside the cave.

Dominique emerged from the shadows and urged him to go further inside.

"You could be seen out there."

"But I don't wanna moooove," Crow complained.

"Fine."

Dominique set her jaw and moved around to the other side of Crow. She stuck her hands under his side and rolled him over.

"There. Now you're out of sight," she grunted.

"And I've got a mouthful of dirt."

Crow heaved himself up and coughed.

"So, now what?"

"Now you need to sleep, I'll watch."

Crow wanted to protest, but he was exhausted.

"Wake me up when it's my turn."

As soon as he closed his eyes, he was out cold.