He was trapped. That much he understood. They were closing in around him on all sides, sealing the exits and blocking every hope of escape. He looked over at the human who had helped him this far; what was her next idea? She looked back at him, anxiety and anger in her eyes, but not fear. Never fear. She stared at him for a millisecond longer, then her eyes flickered up a few feet above his head.

The window was right at human height. Luckily, it was right at his height, also. He looked human, that much he knew. Or he at least resembled something of the sort, even though he wasn’t even remotely close. They could get out.

She ran at him, his previous captors following closely behind. He stood there, staring at the beasts as they ran clumsily after her. She snarled at him to get him moving and grabbed his wrist as she went by, slamming her shoulder into the window and forcing it open. She motioned for him to go through, and before he could climb through the window, he found himself already outside.

The human gaped at him through the opening, then sprang through the window herself. She slapped the glass shut behind her, and they leapt over the fence surrounding the enemy’s camp. Together they ran through the woods. He stopped at intervals to catch his breath, but she didn’t let him rest for long. They had to get away; there was no time for stopping. Not until they reached the Safe Zone.

Finally, some ten minutes after their abrupt escape from the camp, she stopped. The foliage had turned from a sparse, sickly green to a flourishing deep emerald. They were safe now; it was contaminated in this part of the woods, and the enemy wouldn’t dare enter there unless they were well prepared.

The human sat down on a fallen log, gasping to catch her breath. He leaned against a tree, mindful of the Twisters--vines that grabbed a hold of anything within reach and constricted like a boa-- and likewise gulped down air. When he looked up, he found the human staring at him.

“What are you?” She asked, the first time he had ever heard a female voice. The first time he had heard a human voice.

“I was hoping you could tell me.”