The sky begins to lighten in a soft gray bleeding into the inky blackness of the night. A few birds begin to sing with soft chirps that prelude the coming of the day. The air takes on a crisp, morning chill, and the magic of the full moon begins to fade.
Amias stops, chest heaving, and body slick with a sheen of sweat. Heidi stands opposite him, panting. Her limbs are aching with a wonderful, bone-deep exhaustion. She's covered in dirt, her hair is a mess, and her body is a landscape of tiny scrapes and bruises. But she feels more alive than she has in her entire life.
He looks at her with a new kind of respect. "You made it. Are you okay?"
"I think so," she gasps, a breathless laugh escaping her lips.
