I had no recollection of ever experiencing a silence more tense than the one that I shared with Matthew on the way back to his pack, him leading the way with me bringing up the rear. As tempting as it was for me to attempt another escape, I knew that he would be on my heels in an instant, the sideways tilt to his head a clear indication that he was listening to my footsteps. He knew what I was thinking and he was prepared for me to act on it.
I, myself, was painfully aware of the way that the leaves crunched beneath my feet, causing me to let out a wistful sigh as I started paying attention to the forestry around us. I took in the sight of the moon that illuminated the darkness around us. The signs of Autumn was all around us, the leaves scattered around the floor being the most visible
