Lenae ran until her legs gave out and even then she refused to stop, refused to stay.
Her sides heaved, as she dragged herself along the floor, like a deer who'd broken it's hind legs. Each movement was agony and yet she crawled on, pushing herself through the snow till... she could go no further. Her body wouldn't allow it, she had no strength left, nothing more to give. She slumped down, her chin hitting the ground as she stared up at the towering poplars.
The timbers. She knew this place, not as well as she'd like but...It was better than the alternative, if she was going to die then at least she'd have the trees for company.
In her heart of hearts she knew she shouldn't have left, or at least not like that but...Even time wasn't unable to shift the haze in her mind, the sense of panic and terror, as unrelenting as it had been that day in the mountains. When she closed her eyes she saw them, her family, Deron and Wraith, all mangled and twisted, be it by disease or violence. Wretched ends for those who deserved so much more, so much better.
What was she supposed to do? What would the other's think of her? What of Cyril? Piety? They had lost the most and yet Lenae had left them to fend for themselves, to mourn their father and lover. A vicious, spiteful, part of her spat at the thought. So what? She'd been through it, suffered alone, at least they had one another. Lenae had no one left and it was all her fault.
She deserved no less.