I felt like I was running through water. My feet stuck to the ground with every contact and slurped back up, flinging mud up my back. It was aggravating, but Kiyenta was having the same problem.

She glanced behind her, saw me, cursed, and turned abruptly passed a tree. As I turned to follow, my shoe got caught in the mud and my foot came out. I had too much forward momentum, and my next step landed with my sock sinking in the squishy mud. I groaned, a look of disgust on my face, and pulled my shoe back onto my foot. It felt gross, but I had to keep going as quickly as possible.

Ahead, Kiyenta darted around another tree, and I followed, careful not to catch a shoe in the mud again. I grabbed the bark and slung around the tree, then ran toward... nothing. I couldn't see Kiyenta anywhere. "Stupid mist," I muttered.

A flash of white danced at the edge of my vision. I glanced upward and saw the Silver Heron flying above me. Keeping my eyes locked on the bird's grace, I raised a hand and waved slightly.

The bird dipped one wing and circled, silver eyes shining. Suddenly, a rock flew up from in the trees somewhere. It struck the bird's left wing, and it began to fall.

Why didn't it protect itself? I screamed in my head, watching it fall. Without any thought as to the consequences of it, I ran forward and leaped to catch the Heron.

Its wings flared and it glided forward suddenly. I missed it completely and fell toward the ground. I noticed with horror that I was heading straight for a thick stick sticking out of a log. Reacting quickly, I twisted and slammed into the ground just inches from the log. A spear of pain pierced my body, and I felt the air in my lungs get squeezed out. I lay there for a second, trying to catch my breath, then stood shakily and turned to the bird.

"Are you trying to kill me?" I screamed, glaring into its eyes.

Their cool silver color drained the anger out of me, leaving me feeling almost guilty about how I'd yelled. It lifted its left wing and shook it out, snapping it open a few times to shake out the pain.

"Of course not. That wasn't your fault." My cheeks were burning. I turned around and began to trudge back to camp, feeling stupid.