[ He could have left her behind. Might have, under different circumstances. But despite his less than friendly exterior, he's not dumb enough to overlook an advantage in numbers. More hands in a fight, the better the odds.

He nods again, watching those lights waver in the distance. They're past the trees, now, and it seems once again impossible they were ever lost in there, to begin with. ]

I should be thanking you, for whatever you did back there. Don't think I stood much of a chance against that thing.