The walk through the forest

[Kahlan]

Kahlan stepped back to avoid the man who fell in her direction. She dropped her arms along her body and tried to breathe calmly. A few minutes earlier, she thought that her time had come, and now she was standing up, alive, looking at her attackers, spread on the ground all around her, dead.
When Archer talked to her she looked up at her and replied "I'm fine."
Then she walked toward the man she had killed to save the woman and recovered her second dagger, avoiding the gaze of the one who had saved her. Even if without her, she could be dead by now, Kahlan didn't know if she could trust this woman came out of nowhere.

[Kriss]

Kriss suspiciously observed the woman, she did not look familiar and for sure she did not trust anyone.
The archer put her bow at shoulders to have a free hands, then she recovered one of her arrow. She smilled at the stranger
"I am Kriss" she decided to introduce herslef to clear the atmosphere a bit.

[Kahlan]

Kahlan looked up this woman named Kriss, surprised. She watched her for a moment. Kriss seemed to be a cold and distant person, but her smile and her voice showed a different one.
Kahlan decided to trust her for now. After all, she saved her life and she was the only person she knew in Basra. This was no time for making enemies.
"I am Kahlan," she replied with a hesitant smile. She put her daggers on her boots and added "You know, you shouldn't have helped me. You have no idea the impact it could have."

[Kriss]

Kriss knew that the woman is right. Her impetuosity could kill her someday but that was nosey Kriss de Valnor. Always there where something is happening.
"Yeah, I shouldn't but I don't like when someone disrupts me my walk" she said with simle and then added more seriously
"How's that guys? I guess, they are not the tourists."

[Kahlan]

Kahlan knew that question would come. She had spent her days on the boat thinking about what she could respond without revealing the whole truth. Nobody should know who she was. It was the only way for her to hide from Marek as long as possible.
"I ran away from home after seeing my family being killed. These men have followed me so far. Apparently, they were determined to finish the job."
She paused a moment and picked up one of the arrows belonging to the archer. She approached Kriss and added. "And they would have succeeded if you were not arrived. I think I ought to thank you for this," she said, holding out her arrow.

[Kriss]

Kriss quickly figured out that it was not the whole true but it was not her stuff. If woman wanted to tell her, she would do this. The one thing was patent, the stranger needed the help and Kriss was the only help around.
The archer took the arrow from woman, smiled
"You have not stayed beholden for a long" she said to the her and asked
"What are you going to do now? You cannot stay in the forest."

[Kahlan]

Kahlan smiled when Kriss took her arrow. She liked that woman, She seemed very independant, just like her. Besides, she was not very curious and Kahlan was delighted for that.
She answered her relevant question.
"That was not my intention. I just needed a little fresh air after all those days spent on the ship. And I love walking into the forest, even if this one is different from the one where I come from. I was going to go to the village, find a place to eat something and get some rest and then...I'll see what I can do with the few money I have."
The truth was that Kahlan had almost no money. Forced to run away quickly, she had taken with her nothing else than her daggers. Fortunately she always kept some pieces with her, just in case.

[Kriss]

Kriss expected the similar answer. She exactly knew how the fugitive feels and thinks like. Avoiding the city is good solution but to the best of her knowledge, there was not any village around. Besides, people who were looking for her probably knew her track of the argument and they would seek for her there. There was only one good solution.
"You can go with me. I can help you." The archer finally suggested.
"I am the tavern's owner. You can stay in my tavern in Basra." she added and looked at woman with the query.

[Kahlan]

When she arrived in Basra, Kahlan didn't know what she was going to do. Now she had two solutions. Find a small village even if she had no idea where was the closest one, or follow that woman, and take the risk to come back to the village that she wanted to avoid.
The only thing she was sure, is that as soon as Marek would know that his men had failed on their mission, he would try again to kill her. And he would also kill all the people around her.
"Thank you, but you already have done well enough for me. I don't want to disturb you anymore." She said with a smile. Then started to walk away...

[Kriss]

Kriss knew that was the big risk to the woman to the tavern. It could endanger her and her son but she did not think about that then. She wanted help that woman. The archer watched how she is leaving and said to her.
"And where are going to? You don't know this forest, neither the countryside."
Kriss tried to change Kahlan's mind.

[Kahlan]

Kahlan stopped and closed her eyes while Kriss was trying to convince her. Archer was right, she had not idea where she was going to. She turned around and faced Kriss again. There was something she needed to know before accepting her proposition.
"Why do you want to help me? You don't even know me."

[Kriss]

Kriss had expected this question. Even she did not know why she helped that woman but she knew how it is to be the fugitive. She had been travelling for many months with a little child and without people who had helped her then, she had not done it.
She looked into the woman's eyes and said
"Because I know that you won't survive here without any help and I know you won't find other help..." she stopped for while and continued "There is no village around. Only this little forest and behind that, the desert." The arecher said that to the woman with the dignity in her voice.
"So, once again I offer you my help. Will come with me?" she aksed.

[Kahlan]

That woman seemed to know what it was to be running away, said Kahlan to herself. Kriss probably had her own secrets too, but that was not the point. Kahlan saw in her eyes that she knew what she was talking about and that she really wanted to help her. Kahlan finally resigned to accept her help.
"Fine, you won. I will come with you. Finding a tavern's owner is the best thing that could happen to me after all." she said with a little laugh.
"But I warn you." she added "I don't like being indebted to someone. I'll find a way to repay you the favor someday."

[Kriss]

Kriss laughed with Kahlan. She was gald that she finally changed her mind.
"I'm gald you agreed and don't worry you won't stay indebted. I will use you sooner that you think" She joked and smiled at the woman. Then she looked around.
"We can't leave it like that" she pointed at the bodies "We can cover them with the branches and we will back at night and burn the bodies"

[Kahlan]

Kahlan looked at the bodies that she had forgotten for a moment.
"Hmm I agree. We don't have a choice, if we don't want this story to be known."
She started to cover the bodies and added to Kriss.
"You're a very good archer, by the way. I was impressed."