The river's chill clung to Angela as she trudged beside Edmund, their soaked clothes weighing them down like anchors. The forest around them had thinned, and the rising sun cast long shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly across the rugged terrain. But the light did little to dispel Angela's lingering unease.
"Do you think they'll catch up to us?" she asked, her voice low and hoarse from exhaustion.
The terrain grew steeper, the air thinner. Angela's muscles burned with every step, but she pushed herself to keep up with Edmund's relentless pace.
Edmund scanned the area, his sharp gaze combing the horizon for signs of pursuit. "Not if we keep moving," he said. "The river will have thrown them off, at least for now. But we need to put as much distance as we can between us and that ridge."