Deep doubts.

It was an exciting memory, forcing him to look around to make sure she was still following him.

Nope. Anna was kneeling by the side of an old fallen tree, picking tiny mushrooms into her palm.

"Do you want to try some? It will make your senses a bit sharper for a few minutes." She smiled, looking up at him when she noticed his figure towering by her side.

"I don't need such a thing. My senses are good enough." He leaned lower, unable to keep his hands off her and scratched her behind her ear like a stray cat.

"I have to rest, probably for several hours. Eight, maybe ten. Could we set up a camp nearby?" Anna whined with a desperate plea etched across her face. She had a constant feeling of being a burden to him, but her endurance was ridiculously low.

"You mean right now? It's not even night yet." He made sure he understood her request correctly.

In response, she simply nodded, but a wave of deeper guilt washed over her, making her feel even more useless. As if her inability to fight wasn't enough.

After stealing another fleeting caress of her skin, he turned towards the dense foliage of the forest "Can do. We should find some ditch under a fallen tree or something to keep a low profile. I could use some nap too." The sensation lingered on his fingertips, igniting a longing within him to seek her warmth again. His heart raced with a mix of exhilaration and unfulfilled desire, aching to be near her.

"Just give me a few minutes to find something suitable for us, Anna." Bugak glanced back, determined to provide all the comfort she could possibly need. A companion, she said, right? He was more than willing to go above and beyond to fulfill this role in order to be with her a bit longer.

Anna moved cautiously, her eyes fixed on his large figure as he weaved through the uneven terrain of the dense forest. She walked carefully to avoid tripping over exposed roots and jutting rocks.

The exhaustion made her fight for every step in order to keep up with him.

Anna couldn't help but admire the way his muscles rippled with every movement. The low berry branches scraped against her skin, but she barely noticed, enthralled by the sight in front of her. His confident strides and powerful physique were captivating, drawing her deeper into the wilderness.

As she trailed behind him, a sense of excitement and anticipation welled up inside her. The wildness of the surroundings seemed to mirror the untamed desire that grew within her.

 However, as the distance between them grew, her body unexpectedly collapsed on the ground, abruptly shattering her newfound confidence and leaving her bewildered and vulnerable. The power went out again.

"You should have told me earlier, that you are this exhausted." Murmuring to himself, he slowly squatted down in front of her, when he returned after noticing her absence. He found her curled on the moss and he wasn't even able to be mad at her for making him worried.

"I like you so much. You gave purpose to my existence once again. I'll guard you so please, return back to me after your rest, so I can tire you out again, Anna..." Bugak said with a sad smile as he secured the battle hatchet on his belt, carefully scooping her body off the ground to carry her somewhere safer.