Slowly, the path they were following grew fainter and fainter. After awhile, they lost it entirely. Stopping, they decided what to do.
"We could go back," Alisa mused.
"But what fun would that be?" Renee grinned.
"You're right. So what kinds of landmarks should we be looking for?"
"Mountains, the ruins themselves..."
Renee got an odd look on her face. Her nostrils flared as she took in a deep whiff of the air around her.
"...streams."
"Something wrong, Renee?"
"No, nothing wrong. There's a stream near here."
"How do you know?"
"I can smell it. Running water."
Renee cocked her head, bending at the knees, her posture oddly predatory as she began to avidly sniff at the air. Alisa's cheeks flushed as something in her stirred at seeing the girl's strange behavior. She ran a hand down the front of her bodice and began to sniff as well, her stance twisting similarly.
"Come on," Renee said, "it's over here."
They shared a nod and both took off at a hunched, loping gait. They were running remarkably fast, hair streaming behind them. It felt good to Alisa, invigorating.
The horizon was growing red by the time they reached the stream. Neither of them was very sure how long they had run, or how they had smelled the stream from so far away. Neither of them could put their finger on why that was odd, either.
Renee stretched, her joints popping before she sat down on a rock. Alisa kneeled by the stream, pulling her hair back as she lowered her lips and quenched her thirst by lapping at the running water.
Each was the picture of health, their appearances having shifted subtly, nudging ever closer to the fantasy women they played at being.
Alisa sat up, wiping her mouth on her cloak.
"It's getting dark," she said, "we should make camp."