Artemis stared at Oseely with wet, intense eyes. Then she spun where she stood to face Nura. The gryphon's wings were splayed out, restlessly flapping, kicking up ash and dust as she trilled. 

[color=darkturquoise]"[i]Nura[/i]."[/color] The name was a sharp command. The sound of her name snapped Nura to attention and immediately she stilled, golden eyes watching Artemis. Stepping forward, Artemis raised a hand to cup the side of the gryphon's face. 

Artemis' eyes flicked skyward. The black dragon lumbered through the sky like a coming storm. Pinpricks of fury infected her blood, spreading like venom.

She looked back down at Nura, who was watching her with wide eyes, waiting for direction.

[color=darkturquoise]"To the Witch."[/color] Her thumb ran over Nura's white feathers in a small, quick motion. Her expression faltered and she pulled Nura's face to her own. She bent her head, touching her own forehead with Nura's. Her eyes squeezed shut. Another surge of emotion rose in her throat, and Artemis clenched her jaw, trying to hold it back. Nura gave a small, confused chirp. Then Artemis pulled away and put on the rabbit mask again. She marched to the gryphon's side to climb up onto her back. Nura, growing more and more accustomed to having Artemis as a rider, knelt down for her. Once Artemis was secure, Nura took off into the sky. 

Nura cut through the air, flying towards the great plume of smoke coming from the Witch's cabin. Artemis was frozen, muscles locked in place. They were too fried, too wired with energy. Too much emotion. Artemis couldn't think – she couldn't afford to let herself think. 

Because if she thought, she'd run. And Artemis couldn't afford to run anymore. Not with her family so close. Not when there was a chance she could get them back. 

They flew low over the trees, just above the canopy. Shouts and inhuman screeches, the chorals of a coming war, echoed from the forest. 

But then there was a familiar red glow filtering through the trees. A shock of energy jumped through her blood. [i]There[/i]. 

Artemis realized she had no idea how to make Nura stop mid-flight. They were flying towards the ruined cabin, but the Witch was there, the Lantern – her family was [i]there[/i].

The mask's energy flowing through her body, Artemis forced a leg over Nura's side and dropped from the gryphon's back. The forest was quick to meet her. A green light shined against the skin of her hand, and the branches parted for her, almost without her command. She landed on the forest floor in a crouch, her ankles and knees bending to take the shock of the impact. Both hands – one still curled around her stolen staff – hit the ground to steady herself. Then Artemis stood. 

She straightened to see the Witch standing ten feet in front of her, alert yet tired. They stared at each other for a long moment. Artemis found herself at a loss, now that she was in front of her. Slowly, a hand raised to pull the mask from her face.

She'd last seen the Witch mere hours ago, but somehow it felt like years. She couldn't imagine what the Witch would think of her now. The wayward thief, lost and asking for help only to run from it the moment it was offered. And now here she was again, in stolen clothes, dropping from a stolen griffon, wielding the Witch's stolen staff. The scarf around her hair had been lost in the flight. Her hair, white as the moon, had turned ashen. Soot coated her clothes and face, save for the clear tracks of brown skin, cutting through the dirt on her cheeks below her eyes. 

Artemis opened her mouth. Nothing came out. She closed it again. Her grip tightened around the staff. She looked to the Lantern. Finally, she spoke.

[color=darkturquoise]"I'm sorry I ran."[/color] She was sorry for [i]so many[/i] things. Her voice was still raw. She looked again to the Witch. [color=darkturquoise]"I can help. But I need the Lantern."[/color]