when I pretend everything is what I want it to be

I look exactly like what you had always wanted to see

Roland did not have long to wait before he heard the sound of rapid footsteps behind him, swiftly drawing up along his side, though their tread was too light to be that of the Time Mender’s. Imogen raced towards him on light paws, her excited calls gathering his attention as he ran, and he glanced down to see her white form snaking towards his feet. Roland laughed, surprise causing his step to falter for a moment before he changed his pace and leapt out of her reach, dancing across the grass and sidling away as nimbly as he was able to avoid capture. No doubt Lena wasn’t far behind, though for the moment the Thief was far more concerned with avoiding the kitsune’s grasp, twisting away whenever she drew near. It wasn’t until he turned to face the white beast, stopping in his tracks to face her down, that he realized Lena was nowhere to be seen. He expected to find her close at their heels, poised for retribution, yet there was only Imogen. Roland glanced around, ears perked as he paused to catch his breath. Then he looked down to the kitsune, quirking a suspicious brow. “What have you done with her?” He asked, though he didn’t expect to receive an answer from the mischievous creature.

When he turned again to search the meadow, it was clear Lena had vanished. He had not simply lost her behind the dip of a slope, and a glance over his shoulder revealed she was not circling around his back to take him by surprise. Was this all part of her game? He suspected as much, for it was unlikely she would go missing in the midst of their competition unless taken by some devious intention; but that did not solve the question of where she had escaped to. Had she disdained the fields in favour of the forest? Was she, perhaps, winding about through the trees, beneath the shadows, while he searched the empty air for a glimpse of her dark hide? Once again he scoured the meadow, but saw no hint of movement, no flash of colour beyond the grass and the dancing of pastel petals.

He considered his options, eyes roving over the pasture in hopes of catching a glimpse of auburn, but there was nothing. He turned briefly to study the forest, but it was too vast, too wide, full of twists and turns, shadowed hallways and crooked columns, a shroud of greenery encompassing its winding halls, and he would have no hope of finding her beneath its canopy, for she would have already been lost to him.

Instead he turned, with a shred of hope, to the stream. With a final accusatory glance at Imogen- for she had no doubt been an accomplice in her companion’s ploy- he paced towards its edge and listened, though there was no whisper of sound above the rippling tune of water, rolling over the rocks and licking at the embankment. He recalled this had been the catalyst of their mischief the last time, in the sanctuary, though a glance downwards revealed she did not await discovery within the stream. So he looked across the trench, to the tall grasses along its edge, and wondered if she might be hidden beyond them. It would not be so difficult a maze to maneuver as the woodlands around the meadow; perhaps he would have better luck across the bank.

Roland crossed it with a running leap, swinging his tail out for balance as he landed, while making his best attempt to remain silent. He hit the opposite bank heavily, remaining still as he scrutinized the foliage for any dark shadows hidden amongst the reeds. There was something there, some form burrowed amongst the stalks; perhaps Lena, perhaps nothing but a piece of driftwood. Clever, he thought to himself, and stepped as softly as he could towards her hiding place, though he did not move to oust her yet.

It was possible she had already heard him coming, for he had not been incredibly stealthy in his arrival; still, Roland made the effort to tread carefully, eyeing the ground as he stepped to avoid the crackling of a brittle reed, or the snapping of a twig. As he wound his way around the bulrushes he listened to the apprehensive beat of his heart, a hesitant smile playing upon his lips. When he could no longer hesitate, for fear of spoiling the suspense by giving himself away, he leapt through the grasses at her, emerging at her side with a grin upon his face. “You really must learn the rules to tag,” he informed her with a teasing chuckle. “Last I checked you were supposed to run towards me, not away.”

@[Lena]