And the slower she went, the more afraid Illianah became. The forest was still dark, although when Illianah looked up, she could see the blackness was beginning to fade. As Kasba ambled near the river, Illianah noticed the forest noises for the first time. The cracking of branches. The moaning of trees. At times, she even thought she could hear breath coming from behind her, as if a mighty horse was breathing down her neck. It was as if every forest creature was watching her as she passed, questioning her right to be there. She kept her hand on the dagger—ready to defend her right to pass if necessary. It seemed that the farther she went, the more delirious she became. Every tree looked like a man, poised with an arrow aimed at her chest. As the light gradually began to reach the bottom of the forest, she actually wished it would retreat, as it now looked as if the moss which carpeted the forest was crawling. Her body was entirely drained and had she not been so scared, she would have stopped and found a tree to sleep underneath.
