[center][h2]Anne Mayer[/h2][h3]??? — Ruined Church[/h3][/center]
For all the obvious differences in this ragtag group, they'd all clearly experienced conflict before. It took only moments for them to put their ideological differences aside and move with a speed and urgency befitting the deadly situation, their assault as coordinated as anything a gathering of strangers could muster. There were still so many unanswered questions, and probably many more obstacles waiting beyond this fight, but for the first time Anne felt a spark of hope in her chest—a sense that together, they might just be able to find a way through this mess.

...Also, none of her allies had tried to kill her yet. That was [i]definitely[/i] a relief.

She looked over to the civilian boy, and tried to meet his eyes with her own. Sanae's warning about the smoke probably hadn't done anything to calm his nerves, but Anne could at least let him know someone was looking out for him, and give him something to focus on besides the blood and carnage all around.

"What's your name, young man?" With a tilt of her head, she invited him to follow along with her. "You did well to protect Millie up until now. If you'll come with me, I can keep you both safe while the others take care of rescuing your home." Assuming he showed no objection, she'd move out the door and into the woods with Millie in her arms and the young man in tow, carefully skirting around the bodies as they went. On the way out, she glanced towards the masked boy as well, her expression curious but not unkind. "You can come as well. If you'd rather not fight, then we can at least assuage your doubts in the meantime."

Her main goal was to put some distance between them and the church in case of a second attack. For now she followed roughly the same path as the others, only at a much slower pace, one that would keep her and the kids well away from the fighting up ahead. Once they were into the trees, hidden from view by trunks on either side and the rustling cover of the leaves up above, she'd seek out a place they could hide and lie low until the sounds of conflict died down.

She kept the conversation going as they went. The young man was her main concern, both as a civilian victim and a vital source of information. "Can you tell me anything more about the church here?" she asked him, her voice soft. "Or about the Heralds?" She couldn't think of them as Ravens anymore; these were clearly something different from what she knew. Less dangerous in the physical sense, maybe, but she had no idea what their goals or allegiance might be.