West pushed herself up from where she sat on the forest floor, no longer able to justify her inaction. She'd spent too long sitting, knees curled up to her chest, her fingers worrying at sticks and grass, mindlessly tearing them apart. Her eyes had been unfocused for so long, staring at nothing, that when she finally forced herself back to reality she had to squeeze her eyes shut against her swimming vision. Now she leaned against a wide, rough tree brow furrowed. 

She was alone. She'd never been alone before.

She'd had a small village, in the beginning. And a mother. They'd left the village when West was old enough to know it was a mistake – that being alone meant quick regret and a slow death. But her mother had killed a man who'd stolen from them and they'd fled before justice could find them. 

They'd spent a terrifying, exhausting week on their own before a group of nomads found them and took them in. The group had been a few dozen strong, at the time. It'd dwindled to seven people. Six now that she'd left.

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She'd left. How [i]stupid[/i] could she be? It didn't matter how good she was with her swords, people just didn't survive on their own in this world. 

And the others… would they be alright? West didn't agree with them but… didn't she owe them something? Her protection? Her loyalty? They'd taken her and her mother in when they'd had nothing to offer. They'd taken care of West when her mother was lost.

A monstrous rumble caught her attention and made the hair stand up on the back of her neck. It sounded close. It rumbled like thunder, sending a jolt of nerves through the forest and down her spine. The monsters meant death. Not fear, not danger, not warning. Just death. 

West finally pushed herself away from the tree and began moving through the forest, away from the rumble.