Lysander sunk deeper into the lake, trying to rinse off the dirt and grime he had accumulated over the week he had been away from the palace.

The forest was quiet, almost too quiet. The only sounds he heard were the sounds of wildlife and the wind in the trees. But that serene atmosphere was dashed when branches crunching reached his ears. He stood up, water dripping from his toned abdomen. "Who's there?" He called out warningly, trying to reach the lake's edge where his weapon sat.