Aurelia quickened her pace, feeling the presence of something following her.
But as she picked up her steps, the rustles were quicker too. She turner her gaze to the trees behind her and saw a tail like braid of red hair fly behind some leaves high in the trees.
"Shit."
Aurelia broke into a run. She knew she was no match for a fae but luckily they were known for be lone creatures.
Now she was sweating and panting. She had never needed to run before, not since playing as a child or physical exercise in school so it had been years. Luckily she was merely 5 foot 5 inches tall with a small figure so her weight wasn't what what holding her back. It was her belongings.
She flung her bag into the bushes and felt a surge of energy from not being so weighted down.
However, the noises were no longer coming from above. She knew the fae was right behind her. She heard it thud to the ground and it was now chasing her on the same level.
"Arghh!" She screamed as claws swiped at her back, tearing through her hoodie and shirt, exposing her birthmark just below the back of her neck. Birthmark in the shape of a spiral.
The force propelled her forward and she landed practically on her face.
She could feel her hot blood running from her wounds and the sting as she rolled onto her back to face the beast head on.
To Aurelias complete and utter surprise, the Fae screamed.
"Ahhhh! That mark!! Who are you?" Its hissing voice asked her as it recoiled as if burned by her skins mere sight, the tone of fear did not go unnoticed by Aurelia.
She stared into the Fae's wide green eyes. Like the forest around them, the images of the Fae in the books were a severe understatement.
This Fae was around 7 foot tall, thin slender body in clothing made from woven leaves. Her long red hair was braided to her feet and her skin was olive. In short, she was beautiful. Her ears poked out of her hair and her eyes were the most amazing shade of green.
Her claws had retracted into her slender hands but Aurelia noticed that all of her teeth were sharp spikes behind her full lips. One of the only correct depictions form her books.
"Its a birthmark. I am from the Eclipse Pack. I don't have any ill intentions, I am not here to hint I am just trying to leave for the Human Realm." Aurelias words came out faster than she ran. Luckily for her, the Fae caught every word.
"You smell of wolf and you bare that mark... what are you?!" The fae seemed terrfied but did not back away.
"My name is Aurelia. I am a wolfless shifter, please let me go." Aurelia was slowly getting to her feet, her back so sore ambut she could feel the wounds weren't too deep. She need only now fight infection.
"...You bare a cursed mark. I will spare you for my own safety but you don't come back here", the Fae turned to leave but Aurelia sought to try her luck.
"I will leave but please, am I headed in the right direction? I mean you no harm I promise. I will disappear." Now stood, she could fathom just how tall the Fae was. Aurelia felt tiny in her pack but even more so in the presence of the tall, slender Fae.
"No, you need to go right for 300 yards and you will come to a path. You should be at the border of the forest by nightfall.", the Fae turned to leave again, hunger rumbling in her stomach.
"Please, what is your name?" Aurelia had never felt such confidence, there was a feeling her gut that this Fae was not the muderous trickster that her books contained.
"Did your mummy and daddy ever tell you to not trust a Fae? Pathetic dog." The Fae replied, but she did not leave. She faced Aurelia, intruiged by the little creatures will.
Aurelia merely gave the Fae a small smile.
"My name is Ola, of the Sarza family." The Fae sighed, unable to understand why she was still here.
"Its nice to meet you Ola... you hurt my back a little. Am I poisoned?", despite her heartache at the Eclipse pack, Aurelia wanted to live. She would live up to everyone expectations of her if she died in the forest less than 12 hours after leaving.
"Poisoned?! I am a Fae, not a piece of vegetation. Those are merely scratches. You will be fine by the morning." Taken aback by Aurelias question, Ola sighed.
"You are clearly a hazard. Follow me, I will take you to the path out of here." And like that, Ola walked past Aurelia without another word.
Aurelia followed behind as closely as she could.