'Dogs, why do they always have to not like me!' Noth swore to himself as the shadow leapt at him. It gripped the padded cloth around his forearm and the teeth of the animal pierced a little through the thick heavy padding, biting into the arm but not mauling him as he began to react. The blade of the gladius came forwards, before being turned sideways so the the flat of the blade was pushed in between the teeth. In a single motion he pushed up on the hilt and twisted it left over the snout as the blade edge bit deep into the animal's gums. The circular motion of the blade, combined with pressure snapped the creatures jaw open , dislocating it painfully a split second before Antar kicked the animal painfully to one side.
The dog crashed against the side of the alleyway as noth cursed as the pain came to his arm. But he ignored it long enough to leap forwards to try and chop downwards to sever the animal's head but it was too quick for him. It dived back towards the center of the alleyway towards Malone's fallen sword, and in a flashy haze of light a man with a hanging jaw appeared , frantically grabbing at the blade. Uncaring to ask questions, only knowing that something which attacked him should die, Noth struck at the figure again. The point of his blade thrust forwards towards the man's abdomen.
But the man evaded with lupine like agility and blocked the death blow , swatting it to the side with a wild swing putting Antar off balance. Pushing backwards with his front foot Noth leapt back away from the counterstrike. The sideways swing of his opponent's blade cut through the air just two inches past his sternum. The rogue's boots hit the dirt and cobbles of the alleyway and he returned back to the offensive as soon as he recovered a stble position. The rogue pressed the attack, pushing the injured and bleeding kelvic backwards long enough to make a high feint with his blade before sneaking through the beast's defenses with a low thrust which sunk deep into the leg.
Form followed momentum as Noth's body entered the 'inner circle' of his opponent's defense, and his left hand with the cloak wrapped around it reached up to grasp the kelvic's sword arm. The man tried to bite him instinctively, but it was no use with the flapping jaw, and a punishing elbow into the throat stunned the kelvic enough to rip his sword sideways from the leg , cutting through the flesh back to the tendons. The sword came from the left side of his body out to about arms length before Noth spun the hilt around in his hand to a backhanded grip and around his right side. It was a blind stab, behind his back, but it did its job well, piercing the torso of the kelvic before it snaked up and under the ribs deep into the lungs and heart.
The killing blow had been struck.
It was over. Turning towards where he had seen Fallon last he readied himself for trouble but stopped and smiled as she seemed unsteady on her feet. She was standing over the man's corpse, the evidence of her actions plainly speaking for themselves.
He wiped the blood off his blade and sheathed it as he smiled and started to approach her but rushed forwards as the woman dropped unconscious to the ground, only barely in time to prevent her head from crashing into the ground. As he bore her gently to the cobbles he muttered in her ear."My newfound thiefling friend, you're going to have to do much better in the future if you fall unconscious at the sight of a little blood. But good work so far... very good work."
Laying her on the cobbles he frisked the rest of the dead man, finding a second smaller money pouch on the merchant's person, as well as taking the silk shirt, it was a burgundy red made of silk and the blood would come out of it quite easily with a little cold water. That was when his mind retraced his steps around the corner to his earlier desire to field strip the headless corpse of Malone of his armor to sell it for later.
So he did the only thing he could do really, he lifted the thiefling up an over his shoulder like a lump sack of potatoes and carried her there to keep an eye on her as he looted the corpse, finding another small money pouch. He didn't miss the jingle of mizas in Fallon's pockets, but he wasn't about to take anything from her on her first real job. Whatever she had managed to filch would be enough for her to start out. Though... he hoped she would start out a little better by improving her ability to defend herself. The rogue wouldn't be around all the time to help with that, so he reminded himself to tell her a few knife lessons wouldn't hurt.
In fact they'd greatly improve her chances of living more then next season.
WIthout further ado , with his time done he gathered up the unconscious woman in his arms and slowly walked back towards the outskirts where the Crimson Edge Camp had been made for the night, and where Fallon's tent was at. It was a successful first job to be sure, but like all little thieflings, he presumed it was time for her to rest. So he laid her gently in her tent before returning to his own, content that the next day might be a little more profitable then the last.
~Fin
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