Running
Chapter 2
The party moved soundlessly through the trees. They blended in perfectly because of the brown and green coloured clothes they wore. Each of the men wore a hooded cloak and had a scarf pulled up over his face. They were all alert for any sound, any movement, especially the scouts who walked slightly ahead of the group. When they reached the edge of the forest a strange sight met their eyes.
The scouts in front stopped dead in their tracks, slightly shocked. Their leader came up behind them.
"What have you stopped for?" He asked.
"Look, Captain." One of them pointed to a large bush a hundred paces from them.
The Captain looked and saw that there was something on the ground in front of the bush. He held up his hand to signal his men to stay where they were and cautiously approached the shape on the ground. As he got closer he realised that it was a person, lying face down, a girl. His eyes were fixed on the girl and he was wondering what she was doing there. He walked past a clump of long grass and disturbed a bird that was hidden there. The bird took to the air with a loud warning screech.
The girl on the ground was on her feet in a flash. Her eyes widened when she saw the men. Before any of them had the sense to move she had turned and was running down a slope in the opposite direction. The captain ran after her calling to two of his men as he went.
"Damrod, Mablung!" The two followed instantly.
The girl was surprisingly fast but the men were much faster, so it didn't take them long to catch up. Just as the girl began to climb another slope, heading for an area of undergrowth she felt a hand tighten on the neck of her clothes. Because of the speed she was running she was pulled backwards, her collar tightening around her throat. She fell backwards onto the ground with a yelp. The captain bent down to pick her up but as he did the girl reached for a knife that he had failed to notice before. In one movement she drew the knife and slashed it across his outstretched hand. Blood spurted from the wound as the captain cradled it with his other hand for a moment. The girl took that opportunity to get back on her feet and once again tried to run. Damrod and Mablung drew level with their captain just as he resumed the chase.
The girl had almost reached the undergrowth. She had run that way hoping to be able to lose her pursuers by hiding in the scrub. The plan did not work. All of a sudden she felt a sharp, burning pain in her right calf. The pain was so great that she cried out and fell to the ground. Before she could register what was happening, someone grabbed her by the top of her arm and wrenched her up. The grip on her arm was so tight it was painful and she tried desperately to get free. She spun around to face the man who was holding her and began hitting every part of him she could reach, using her free right hand. The man ignored her blows and grabbed her wrist. He then twisted her around and pinned both of her arms behind her back.
Another man came up behind the girl and attempted to tie her hands. Still she struggled, though it was obvious that she was tiring. The man holding her still pushed her forwards onto her knees. This caused immense pain to shoot up her leg from the point where she had first felt the pain. She was slightly dazed which allowed the second man enough time to get the rope around her wrists. She realised what was happening and tried to shift her arms away from him but stopped when a sword was pointed right at her throat.
The captain surveyed the girl in front of him through narrowed eyes. He held his sword with his left hand because of the knife wound on his right, which was bleeding profusely, leaving a puddle on the ground. He watched Damrod as he finished tying the girl's hands and stepped back. Mablung still kept a tight grip on her shoulders making sure that she did not move. The girl lifted her head back as the blade was raised, so that she was looking right into the face of the captain. She saw that he was a lot younger than the other men near her and he had gingery brown hair hanging down to his shoulders. There was a deadly look on his face.
As he watched, the captain saw the wild fury that had filled the girl quickly drain away. Her expression changed completely; her eyes took on a far-away look and her face turned extremely white. She began to tremble violently and her breathing became fast and shallow. She looked directly in to the captain's eyes and he saw great fear and desperation in hers. The next second her head drooped and she went completely limp in Mablung's grip. She had fainted.
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Author's note: Don't worry if you don't know what is going on – everything will be explained in future chapters.
Chapter 2
The party moved soundlessly through the trees. They blended in perfectly because of the brown and green coloured clothes they wore. Each of the men wore a hooded cloak and had a scarf pulled up over his face. They were all alert for any sound, any movement, especially the scouts who walked slightly ahead of the group. When they reached the edge of the forest a strange sight met their eyes.
The scouts in front stopped dead in their tracks, slightly shocked. Their leader came up behind them.
"What have you stopped for?" He asked.
"Look, Captain." One of them pointed to a large bush a hundred paces from them.
The Captain looked and saw that there was something on the ground in front of the bush. He held up his hand to signal his men to stay where they were and cautiously approached the shape on the ground. As he got closer he realised that it was a person, lying face down, a girl. His eyes were fixed on the girl and he was wondering what she was doing there. He walked past a clump of long grass and disturbed a bird that was hidden there. The bird took to the air with a loud warning screech.
The girl on the ground was on her feet in a flash. Her eyes widened when she saw the men. Before any of them had the sense to move she had turned and was running down a slope in the opposite direction. The captain ran after her calling to two of his men as he went.
"Damrod, Mablung!" The two followed instantly.
The girl was surprisingly fast but the men were much faster, so it didn't take them long to catch up. Just as the girl began to climb another slope, heading for an area of undergrowth she felt a hand tighten on the neck of her clothes. Because of the speed she was running she was pulled backwards, her collar tightening around her throat. She fell backwards onto the ground with a yelp. The captain bent down to pick her up but as he did the girl reached for a knife that he had failed to notice before. In one movement she drew the knife and slashed it across his outstretched hand. Blood spurted from the wound as the captain cradled it with his other hand for a moment. The girl took that opportunity to get back on her feet and once again tried to run. Damrod and Mablung drew level with their captain just as he resumed the chase.
The girl had almost reached the undergrowth. She had run that way hoping to be able to lose her pursuers by hiding in the scrub. The plan did not work. All of a sudden she felt a sharp, burning pain in her right calf. The pain was so great that she cried out and fell to the ground. Before she could register what was happening, someone grabbed her by the top of her arm and wrenched her up. The grip on her arm was so tight it was painful and she tried desperately to get free. She spun around to face the man who was holding her and began hitting every part of him she could reach, using her free right hand. The man ignored her blows and grabbed her wrist. He then twisted her around and pinned both of her arms behind her back.
Another man came up behind the girl and attempted to tie her hands. Still she struggled, though it was obvious that she was tiring. The man holding her still pushed her forwards onto her knees. This caused immense pain to shoot up her leg from the point where she had first felt the pain. She was slightly dazed which allowed the second man enough time to get the rope around her wrists. She realised what was happening and tried to shift her arms away from him but stopped when a sword was pointed right at her throat.
The captain surveyed the girl in front of him through narrowed eyes. He held his sword with his left hand because of the knife wound on his right, which was bleeding profusely, leaving a puddle on the ground. He watched Damrod as he finished tying the girl's hands and stepped back. Mablung still kept a tight grip on her shoulders making sure that she did not move. The girl lifted her head back as the blade was raised, so that she was looking right into the face of the captain. She saw that he was a lot younger than the other men near her and he had gingery brown hair hanging down to his shoulders. There was a deadly look on his face.
As he watched, the captain saw the wild fury that had filled the girl quickly drain away. Her expression changed completely; her eyes took on a far-away look and her face turned extremely white. She began to tremble violently and her breathing became fast and shallow. She looked directly in to the captain's eyes and he saw great fear and desperation in hers. The next second her head drooped and she went completely limp in Mablung's grip. She had fainted.
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Author's note: Don't worry if you don't know what is going on – everything will be explained in future chapters.
