The Mustache and The Beard

Tasha didn't look back but she did keep an ear out and kept an eye on the rooftops as they rode out of town.

Several hours later they finally struck camp in a small clearing next to a pond. It was a mild night so there was no need for a fire - after all, they'd already eaten - and so they soon wound up sitting silently in the darkness.

James had grown paranoid.

He couldn't help it. Every sound of the forest - a crack of a branch, a brustling of leaves - everything was putting him on edge. Even as they set up camp in the darkness, he felt he couldn't be sure that they were alone. Someone could've been watching, or listening. But as they finally settled down, he could feel the tension, even if it was barely, begin to release.

As he sat down beside Tasha, he tightened his hands into fists before speaking. He looked at her out of the side of his eye.

"What the hell what that?" he whispered in a hiss.

“That was the most efficient way of getting the information we need, James. It’s unlikely someone will follow us. I do apologize, however; I know that was anything but pleasant. Before you chew me out for it - which, you do have a right to - let me explain myself. Ardeshir is wanted alive but Amy was just a bonus werewolf, and werewolves are worth more as a head than anything else. The longer we wait the more likely she’s dead if she isn’t already, and that was the fastest way to get what we needed.”

James's gaze flicked down to the ground.

She was right. Right that Amy could be dead already, and that the longer it took for them to get to them, the more likely she was to be dead. They didn't have a lot of options, and they could only move so fast to try and catch up to them. He knew how high the stakes were.

"But you could've told me," he said, staring down at his hands. "I could've at least... prepared myself."

"First of all, that's exactly how I wanted you to look, because that's what's convincing. I know you're a good liar but it's an unnecessary risk when walking into a tavern literally full of people who have lived their lives by finding people who don't want to be found. Second of all, I wasn't sure if you'd agree, and I found that arguing with you was neither productive nor likely to be successful."

James's mouth tensed up into a small, frustrated, frown - one he was trying to diminish.

He hated that he couldn't argue with her logic. It made sense, even if it was unfair. Even if it meant he was far more shaken up than he ever would've wanted to be. Even if it meant his nerves were frazzled and he was on edge even more than usual.

He turned his face away. He didn't want to describe to her the memories he was re-living, and he didn't want to make a case for himself. He just wanted to find Ari and Amy alive. If he could focus on that, he could remind himself it was worth it.

"Look, I'm sorry. If you think I'm wrong we can discuss it but I honestly think it was the best move. I get it, I know what it's like to be hunted, and I know what it's like to wind up smack dab in the middle of it. But that werewolf won't live for very long and if we want to save her we needed to go as quickly as humanly possible."

"I know," he said quietly. "I know. I... I forgive you. Just please, never do that again."

She studied him for a moment, then nodded and looked away. "Yeah, that's fair. I'll take first watch - you get some rest."

"I won't be able to sleep," he said plainly. "Not for a while. You should, if you can."

"Well, that makes two of us. If we ain't sleeping, we may as well ride and get our a***s far from Lewick," she points out.

"What about Nightmare and Bane?" he asked, looking to the horse.

Tasha shrugged. "We've done it before, they'll be fine. If we can do it, an animal born and bred to move sure as hell can. We'll just slow the pace a bit and walk instead of ride."

James nodded and got to his feet. "Alright."

She untethered Nightmare and whistled to her dog. With no fire to put out, all she had to do was loosely put the saddle on her horse's back and head off.