Chapter 2 -- Hunters and Hunted ; Part two

Dath and Natalya raced through the forest as if their lives depended on it, which they did. Ducking branches and dodging trees, Natalya felt her heart pounding in her ears, her lungs strained for breath as an irrational fear filled her. Glancing back, she saw the assassin pounding ever closer. A fierce stony determination marked his features, filling Natalya with more fear than any other expression could have. It told her that she meant nothing to that man, not as a life, not as another human being. She was just a target. And that was the most terrifying. Beside her, Dath filled his lungs and roared out, "Wake! Flee! Wake!" Then he suddenly skidded to a halt, plucked a knife from his belt, and flung it at the approaching assassin. It struck deep in his shoulder. The assassin stopped and dropped to one knee, clutching the wound. He lifted his head to watch his quarry flee farther away, but made no further move.