Pursued

Two friends, far beyond exhaustion, eventually collapsed in grateful heaps. Any respite would be brief, though right now their aching lungs and tired limbs did not care. Neither risked speaking, aware that even the deep, rasping sound of air being drawn into them could alert anyone listening.

Water, greedily consumed, helped relieve parched throats. Ten minutes passed swiftly. Harris gestured his companion, begging for five more. She shook her head, forcing herself to stand, wary legs threatened failure, but need defeated common sense. Reluctantly he rose too. Rebsla smiled as familiar voices sounded nearby, reinforcements had arrived at long last.