She was generally more agile than most people here. He, however, seemed to be faster than she was. She could hear him catching up. The streets had too many people. Maybe she'd make better time on open ground. She turned, breaking to run off of the paved areas. Onto the grass. Which would have been fine.... Except in snow. She still was not used to snow. And so, once again, her foot caught in a root almost as soon as she left the paved areas, and down she went.

Why? Why did this keep happening? "Just go away," she called back to him as she tried to pull her foot free.