~Mina~

She knew it wouldn't be long now.

All of her arrows had been fired and though none missed their mark it was no where near enough. She had set several traps while moving the battleline further back. Most of them were successful, then the enemy decided to get smart and start looking out for them. This in turn had allowed her brief periods of rests before trying to think of another way to stall the enemy and survive. However, before too long she noticed that they were getting close to the border of a village and she knew that she could take it no further. She couldn't possibly involve the innocent villagers in this. So she did what she feared the most. She took a stand.

Now she was surrounded. Like a caged animal, she had managed to take down any of the attackers that approached her with her two knives, but not without sustaining her own injuries adding onto the ones that she already had. It was like a game of cat and mouse. They would would attack, she would dodge as quickly as she could and counterattack hoping that all of her training would save her.

It continued like this for what seemed an eternity. Her breathing was ragged and her knees shaking. She could barely see due to the loss of blood, her vision was getting blurry. The attacks had stopped for a total of 93 seconds so far. Not even a faint was attempted. The wait was putting her even more on edge. Finally a man with a pike charged forward in an attack thrusting his weapon directly ahead of him. Mina turned to face the oncomer and with expert persision took the double blade knife and knocked the force of the attack to the side. Then immeadiately turned on her toes and took the smaller knife and brought it across the vulnerable neck of the warrior. He fell instantly and just as quickly Mina let out a deep breath and was back in her defensive stance waiting for the next attack.

What she heard next, when asked later, she could have sworn sounded like angels singing.

~Halt~

They had been riding for nearly half a day when they arrived, and he wasn't too sure that he wanted to believe what it was that he was seeing. At the base of the hill that they were on stood nearly thirty to forty fully armed men surrounding one figure. What was even more disbelieving was the pile of those same armed men that littered the ground surrounding the single person in the middle of the center. This person was standing in a defensive stance hold their Saxe knives in front of them ready and poised for an attack that could happen at any second. It was like watching a cat waiting to pounce on its prey they were wound up so tight.

It was also obvious to Halt's keen eyes that that same person was injured and on their last footing.

"My goodness," said the battlemaster as he brought his battlehorse next to Halt's pony. "I can hardly believe what I'm seeing. You really think that one person brought down all of those men?" He asked in total disbelief.

"From where I'm sitting that's what it looks like," Came Gilan's equally shocked response.

Halt only grunted. They need to do something and do something fast. "Gilan, you will accompany Rodney and his men into the battle. You are to secure the safety of Mina. Understood?" After his former apprentice nodded he turned to his current one. "Will you and I will stay at a distance and provide cover for them."

"As you say Halt." He agreed pulling out an arrow from his quiver and knocking it to his bow.

"Rodney, I'd appreciate if you acted quickly," He added to the battlemaster

The old general didn't need telling twice. With the Baron at his side they charged forward.

"Gin," Halt called for the canine not noticing him around he looked ahead of the charging calvary and noticed that while he had barking orders the canine took it among himself to go to the side of his master who was desperately in need of help. He watched as Gin reached the outer ring of men and tore his way through tearing the throat out of the man who was in the process of attacking Mina. At the sight of this the rest of the men took a hestitant step back and stared at disbelief as the Ranger and Canine stood back to back in a fighting stance, ready for anything. He smiled a little to himself thinking She was right. He would be a good partner to have.

He then took an arrow, knocked it, and with uncanny percision fired straight into the throat of the enemy.

~Mina~

At the sound of the familiar growl of her loyal companion Mina stepped to the side and watched as Gin tore out the throat of her most recent attacker. She smiled at the thought of seeing him again, then turned so they were in the fighting postion they had trained day in and day out to perfect. "I'm glad you're back, Gin. I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever see that face of yours again,"

To this Gin barked and stayed poised for attack.

At the sound of the thunderous hoofbeats she tore her gaze away from the enemy and watched as fully armed knights charged at the men surrounding me. She could hear the sounds of the screaming coming from the approaching warriors then watched as the man closest to her fell at her feet with an arrow shaft protruding from his neck. She quickly looked up searching for the one who fired the arrow. Then she noticed them. Two men on top of which seemed to be no more than ponies, aiming their long bows down at the enemy preparing to fire again. At the familiar sight a rush of energy came back to her "Well what do you say Gin? Want to show these warriors how Ranger's fight?"

The charging knights ran over and through the opposing forces crushing them under the hooves of their steeds and with the mere force of their attacks.

Mina was trading blows with a swordsman who was starting to gain the upper hand. Her injuries and weariness was starting to catch up to her and she was gaining the the footing she had before. Making clumsy moves and basic mistakes. When the swordsman attacked with full force she was barely able to get her knives up for defense. The grunt of the attack forced her back and then she slipped dropping to her to one knee. The swordsman saw the advantage and immeadiately raised his sword over his head and prepared to strike down. Before he was even able to start his downward strike a blade pierced through his side. When Mina looked up to see who her savior was she was more than surprised to see that he wore the gray cloak of a Ranger.

She smiled slightly as the Ranger bent down to check on her. "You alright," He asked with concern

"Do you know how pointless that question is," Mina asked looking into his eyes

He smiled at this knowing that is she was still able to joke around she might just survive this "Well considering the pile of bodies surrounding you, I suppose it is."

Mina laughed slightly at the genuine compliment of the man. How someone could possibly find a way to keep their manners in a time like this, she couldn't understand. Instantly regretting the giggle because of the pain that was sent through her side from her broken ribs. The man looked at her quickly and Mina looked back up at him. Right behind him stood a man beginning to take advantage of the distracted pair. Mina, gathering all that was left of her energy, pushed the her savior to the side and stood bringing her large knife up to block the strike. She then took the small knife and stabbed it into the attackers leg causing him to fall to his knees. Just as quickly she unleashed a kick to his neck that broke it instantly.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself she turned and offered her hand to the man she so ungraciously shoved to the ground. "My name is Mina, by the way." She said with a full smile

"Gilan," The man replied and took the offered hand. As soon as he was standing Mina had a full wave of dizziness take over and the next thing she was was darkness.