This is a disclaimer!
ok this is my first fic and i hope i am good. there is no one keeping you here so if you dont like it leave, if you do then it would be appreciated if you read and reviewed.
ok? ok on with the show!
Prologue
The men stormed through the forest chasing the small black figure. Occasionally one would lift a crossbow to his shoulder and fire a bolt towards the figure. The figure was swift though, as it went running through the snow and trees dodging left and right. However, the men knew the figure could not keep pace forever as he was carrying a heavy load for his size.
The figure wore a black cloak with a satchel bag on its back. The cloak he wore slowed him and made him very visible in the snow. The men thought him foolish for this fact, still they followed relentlessly.
The figure then ducked through some bushes and the men quickly followed. After struggling through the bushes the men came into a meadow but could no longer see their target. They checked the ground looking for tracks, yet they found none. They ran back to the bushes frantically looking for any remaining trace, but there heavy studded boots had obliterated everything on the way through. Enraged, the tallest figure yelled and punched the nearest tree. Snow and a flash of black fell toward the ground, and suddenly the figure launched itself onto the man, a glint of silver in hand.
It happened so suddenly that the men had no time to react. One yell and a quick scuffle later the figure darted to the middle of the meadow. The man currently closest to the figure yelled savagely and threw his crossbow to the ground in a sudden fit of rage as he marched towards the figure. The other men made a semicircle. The figure then stated in a mocking tone, "You think I ran all the way to this meadow out of fear?" The men looked to eachother, unsure of why the figure would say something like that cornered as it was. The figure continued, "That just shows how thickheaded and brainless you really are. I ran out here so you families didn't hear your screams." The bold statements caused the advancing man to falter. The figure immediately took his chance and attacked. He moved his hand in a throwing motion as a fireball sprang to life and shot towards the man knocking him to the ground. The fire went out almost immediately, though it had fulfilled its purpose of giving the figure the time he needed to drop his cloak for the fight.
Before the men stood a Jakkai, a small kangaroo/mouse like creature, with a long sword fitting of his size in his furry right hand. His hair was a stark gray, contrasting his white pelt nicely. His fur markings matched his hair and ran in a pattern down both his arms and in a flame-like pattern on each cheek from his chin to just below each eye. His eyes were jade green that seemed to pierce them as he scrutinized them. He had a short sleeved white shirt on, wore blue pants on his short digitigrade legs, and had his long hair pulled back in a ponytail with vivid green hairband. Perhaps, without the cloak and other clothes, he would blend right in with the snow.
Without warning he charged the downed man, however his allies were not shocked this time and lifted their crossbows to open fire. The bolts buried themselves deep…into the snow. These men must be the worst shots ever. Who authorized them to touch a weapon, was the thought of their downed comrade before the Jakkai had him. This strategy paid off, as it forced the men with the crossbows to stop firing out of fear of hitting their comrade. The man on the ground was too easy for the Jakkai, he had limited motion and could not fend off the rending pain of a blade scraping against his skin. As the man lifted his hands to his neck to try and stop the searing pain, the Jakkai finished what he had been doing and bashed the hilt of the sword against the man's face. Unfortunately it wasn't enough; it only resulted in the man crying out in pain. Well that didn't help him, thought the Jakkai as he slammed him with the hilt again. This time the man fell unconscious.
In the time it took to hit him twice the man's three other companions had dropped their crossbows and drew knifes and started to surround the jakkai. "Aaah so you not as stupid as your aim made you seem." The jakkia said cheekily. This enraged one of the men to dive at the jakkai, but the small creature jumped up above the man and came down on his back. Planting one foot on his back he used the other to stomp on his head, two, four, six times in rapid succession, but he was still screaming in pain and his friends were advancing. The jakkai gave the man one last good kick before dodging. Just in time to avoid a dog pile. Good news the dog pile seemed to knock out the man on bottom. Bad news is one of the men had him by the tail. "Crap." Was all the little jakkai could say before he was yanked backwards. Dropping his sword also.
"Ha ha! Got you! Now you gonna die Rist." The man holding Rist said as he got to his feet. "Wait he still needs to tell us where the potions are." Said the other man rising as well. "Whoa whoa, wait a minute backup." Rist said looking confused at something. "You idiots can talk?" the men looked at each other stupidly. It took a while but the insult sank in, but Rist didn't let them act on their growing anger. He managed to regain his short sword and drive it into his captors' foot.
The man let go immediately and he grabbed his foot spouting a couple of colorful swears. Also a couple of pretty good ones that Rist hadn't known but he does now. Not giving the man time to recover Rist looked quickly for something to help him. A good sized branch hung above the men. "That will work." Rist thought quickly. Using the still cursing man as a spring board Rist jumped up to the branch. "Oh magic don't fail me now." He begged quietly. He lifted his sword and swung at the branch, lighting it on fire as it fell. The sword sank through the branch like butter. The branch fell right after he had cut it landing on top of the men, and sending Rist a couple of feet away nearly on his head. "Ok, should have thought that over a bit more." Rist groaned as he staggered up. He looked to see if the branch had done its job. Now this isn't right men who were unconscious shouldn't be moving towards their crossbows. "Dang it." Rist said and started towards the men staggering. Apparently that fall disoriented him a lot.
Sadly before Rist could reach the men one had his crossbow in hand and had swung around to fire at Rist. On the hilarious side he knocked his own companion out in the same motion. Saying a quick sorry to his unconscious companion the man aimed at Rists chest and, for the same reason he and his friends had missed the first time, he closed his eyes to fire. To say he missed is what most people would think unfortunately he did hit, but not a crippling blow. All the bolt managed to do for the one who shot it was pierce Rist's ear. It did make him flinch though. The man seemed amazed he had hit, just like all of us. In his amazement he forgot to load his crossbow or pick up another weapon.
Now it was Rist's turn to be raged. Forgetting his stagger he full out charged on all fours dropping his sword. Just before he got hit the man realized his blunder, and had tried to dodge. All to no avail, for he took the full force of the hit as the small creature barreled into him. He and Rist rolled in the snow for a minute or so before Rist managed to get his hands around his neck. The man seemed to do all he could to get away. Rist just tightened his grip. Soon the man's struggles stopped. Rist came to himself and let go.
Rist sat back and took deep breaths. Reminding himself through his breathing Rist checked the fallen man's. He was still breathing. Sighing Rist stood up and walked over to a bush and grabbed his pack that he had stashed there just before the fight. Checking the contents to make sure they were all there he went back to his sword and cloak. He sheathed his sword and dawned his cloak. Rist then noticed some blood in the snow.
He reached up to scratch his ear in confusion he reminded himself of the small wound. "Ouch." He muttered reaching automatically for the base of his shirt to tear a piece off for a make shift bandage. He then stopped as a thought came to him. "Why rip my own shirt when there are perfectly good one lying around Me." Rist walked over to the closest of the fallen men and took his shirt off. Ripping a small piece off his washed it in the snow as well as he could. After rapping his bleeding ear he ripped the rest of it up and put it in his pack for later use. He was about to walk away when he glanced back at the shirtless man. "It seems unfair to leave him the only one shirtless in the snow." Rist muttered to himself. So he went around to every man and stripped them of their shirts. "Aw now they look cold lying in the snow." Rist then maneuvered them into a ring and he put their shirts into the middle of them. He then proceeded to light them with fire. "Hmm, those shirts won't last long." Rist said while looking for something to keep them warm. He went over and picked up all their crossbows and bolts and proceeded to toss them into the small fire. "Well that ought to do it until they wake up." Rist said looking pleased with his work.
He then climbed a tree and started traveling south away from the men who had attacked. He traveled through the trees to leave no tracks for his pursuers to follow him by.