[b]"You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you."[/b] Katiel whispered in Kari's ear as she clasped her arms around him, more quotations coming to his mind. It was all he could do, in a situation like this - he barely knew the girl, and so replaced his own words of comfort with words he knew so very well. [b]"It is the Lord who goes before you; he will be with you, he will not fail you or forsake you; do not fear or be dismayed."[/b]

Kari was, quite clearly, worn out and in no condition to travel. The bridge they stood on was not in a crowded area, and the occasional passer-by was not so frequent as to make Katiel scared that the two of them would be seen together. He looked at her for a moment sympathetically, before he put his arms around her and held her to him tightly. Katiel was obviously quite strong - though he initially looked somewhat thin, Kari could feel the strength of his arms. A moment later, two great white wings had burst from his back. They shimmered like silver, and loose feathers were shed from them in that first instant like a splash of cool, crystal-clear water across hot sand. It was almost as if the wings were ethereal - they seemed almost not-there, as if the sight of them was simply a trick of the light bounding off an energy field. But they were strong, too, and fit for purpose. Tongues of fire lingered at the spot on the ground where the pair had been standing, Katiel bursting into the sky with immense speed.

He looked down at Kari, wary not to drop her and doing his best to make the trip as comfortable as possible. He soared through the air, back toward Kari's apartment building.