The forest arrived around them in a jolt that rattled bone and breath, damp earth underfoot and bark close to Therell's shoulder, the teleport frame collapsing into a dull ring that sank back into her palm.
She bent forward at the waist, hands on her knees, lungs scraping as air forced its way in, the aftertaste of arclight bitter on her tongue and crawling along her teeth.
Malox staggered two paces away and dropped to one knee, fingers digging into moss as if the ground might slide out from under him.
For a stretch of heartbeats, neither spoke, the woods holding its breath with them, leaves trembling high above as something small fled through the canopy.
Therell straightened first, spine protesting, eyes sweeping the tree line by habit rather than hope.
"We lost him," she said, voice rough and thin.
Malox dragged in another breath and huffed out something close to a laugh that broke halfway through.
"Finally," he echoed, breath shaking. "After all that running."
