Rhaven slipped silently through the forest, his carefully placed footsteps barely raising a rustle as he walked among the cool, frost-covered autumn leaves that covered the ground. The sun had just crested the horizon and its path was shrouded in heavy, clinging fog, suspended in damp, silent clouds from where its rays warmed the air; it was the perfect time to leave. Traveling quickly away from the village, his mind touched thoughts of his mother. The pain of his departure would not make goodbye easy for her. He hadn't left any words or notes, but she would know that he was gone for good this time, if she didn't, then Tynea, her twin sister, surely would. She had an extraordinary talent for knowing his every thought and he hoped, in this case, that she would keep the knowledge to herself, at least long enough for him to escape. He didn't feel any guilt or pain for leaving that path. In fact he felt nothing more than a strong conviction that he simply had to leave. The pain of others was not something that generally occurred to him as worthy of consideration. It wasn't that he was trying to cause pain to others, he simply acted as he felt he had to, often even when he knew the consequences for himself could be severe. This lack of empathy was particularly unusual among his people who were essentially immortal, their many years of life making them wise to the needs of others and the need for compassion and understanding. No doubt this was one of the reasons he lived on the fringes of the community. He was capable of charm and even kindness when it served his purpose. He understood how to operate in a community, that rules were necessary to maintain peace, but he found no joy in it as an end in itself. Others... half the paper... ckly.""No need to worry. I'll lead them on a chase or two for you." Rhaven turned and crouched, his dagger appearing in his hand as a slender figure fell from the branches of a nearby tree." Tynea, by Herne's beard, what are you doing here?" she cursed, relaxing when she saw that it was only her sister. "Do you mean to add assault on a brother to your ever-growing list of crimes?" she replied, pointing to the dagger still drawn and clutched in Rhaven's fist "No, of course not," he said irritably, putting the blade back into his boot "But then again, what are you doing here? Oh, and thanks so much for the heads up Wolf. It might have been a Fomorian hiding up there waiting to eat my face." Tynea giggled as Rhaven scolded Wolf. He was completely lost in the animal who was completely absorbed in trying to gnaw a slime from the thick fur of his hind leg.