The Heartwood and i pray to god you dont come back here anymore

onward she went to the lake, lead by flurries of ash which seemed to fall down in pale sheets of white. caiaphas was alone for a time, but knew when her solitude ended. old enough now to have seen many summers (and many crueler winters) caiaphas gave no notion she knew she was being followed  -- until abruptly, when she sensed the lurking marauder too close, drew around with a lavish snap of her fangs.

"you best find other pickings, boy." the crone snarled, rueful gaze forbidding any further advancement. she might be small, and older than many -- but caiaphas was damned if she'd let a skulking dog be the end of her.

then she noticed a troubling vision: a far larger beast lurking in the distance.

pride, insufferable pride, compelled her to lift her chin and harden her gaze. either they were following her out of idle curiosity, or they were hungry -- and in these times, the latter was far more likely. "i'm going to the lake. you may accompany me, but if you try anything -- you'll end up like the bastard i'm visiting. dead and marinating in your own intestines." time alone and starvation had stripped most of the tact from caiaphas -- she stood there before the two of them aware of her odds, and ready to fight until the bitter end.