The girl did not know how much time had passed. It had been more than a day. Perhaps two. Perhaps three. Time had long since lost meaning to her. All that remained was pain.
Pain pulsed through her ankle, sharp and relentless. The gash on her shoulder burned with every shallow breath she took. Scratches covered her body, remnants of the thorned bushes she had dragged herself through. Each movement reopened something. Each breath reminded her she was still alive.
"Why… why am I still alive?"
She had been moving slowly. Too slowly. Any beast could have taken her. A free meal, barely capable of resistance. A few had come close. Some had even sniffed her. Yet none had attacked. None had ended this suffering.
"Why do even the gods reject me?"
