Blood roared in her ears and her heart pounded painfully in her chest as the bandit scrabbled at her throat, trying to get a good grip and close off her windpipe. She scratched and clawed at his face, trying to dig her nails into his eyes, rip an ear off, or somehow break his nose. His weight pressed her into the cold snow, pinning her legs while she tried to kick. He was far too heavy for her, and even though she was a strong woman, she couldn't get him off. When he suddenly reared back with a horrifying wail, Katelyn tried desperately to wiggle out from underneath him.
Then he was gone, and she crawled fearfully through the snow until she managed to get her knees beneath her and look around. Narrick had the injured man by the throat, and the man was going limp, falling into unconsciousness driven on by the agony of his wound. Even as she watched, he slumped in the Squire's arms, color leaving his face and blood slowly saturating his side.
"Thank you," she gushed, voice rough with fearful adrenaline and thick with emotion.
Her body was trembling so hard that it was hard to stand, but she found her footing on the slick ground and rose unsteadily with some effort. When Archailist's voice suddenly boomed through the trees, Katelyn jumped and looked around. She couldn't see him, but could hear their enemies firing arrows into the trees. The redhead hoped he would get away, but suspected he would. Spurred forward by fear, she snapped her dagger up from the snow and jammed it back into its sheath, then motioned at Narrick.
"Come on! Do as he says!" she growled before turning back the way they'd come and fleeing straight through the tangled brush.
Limbs tore at her clothes, snagged her hair, and scraped her face, but her focus was so intent on the task of running away that she couldn't make herself care. When she broke through the trees, she stuck her fingers between her teeth and let out a short, piercing whistle. The sudden sharp sound startled some nearby birds and they screeched frantically before fleeing in a hurried flurry of wings. In response to her cue, she heard a nearby whinny and the drumming of hooves approaching. Sebastian broke through the trees, head high and ears perked. When he saw his rider, he veered toward her and slid to a clumsy stop in front of her, gouging the earth and snow with his shod hooves.
Narrick's horse soon followed, trotting after the other horse instinctively, not wanting to be left behind. She wasted no time in climbing into the saddle, clumsy from adrenaline, and yanked her pony around to face their escape route. When Narrick was in the saddle, she kicked her horse into a gallop and hung on tight as he launched into the wild gait. They tore back down the way they'd come earlier, running alongside the stream and spraying snow in their wake. Katelyn didn't dare look back. She hadn't seen the bandits' horses, but knew they were somewhere nearby. If they were following, Kat wanted to put as much distance between them as possible.
Sebastian began to flag before Narrick's larger mount did, and she reluctantly slowed their pace for fear of injuring the little gelding. They cantered alongside the stream for several ticks before finally reining the horses in and allowing them to cool themselves at a quick walk. Katelyn glanced over her shoulder, but didn't see anyone. The trees were silent behind them as well--no thundering hooves in hot pursuit of shouting voices.
"Do you think they're following us?" she asked the Squire in a low voice, too afraid to speak above a moderate whisper.
OOCHope this is okay!
Then he was gone, and she crawled fearfully through the snow until she managed to get her knees beneath her and look around. Narrick had the injured man by the throat, and the man was going limp, falling into unconsciousness driven on by the agony of his wound. Even as she watched, he slumped in the Squire's arms, color leaving his face and blood slowly saturating his side.
"Thank you," she gushed, voice rough with fearful adrenaline and thick with emotion.
Her body was trembling so hard that it was hard to stand, but she found her footing on the slick ground and rose unsteadily with some effort. When Archailist's voice suddenly boomed through the trees, Katelyn jumped and looked around. She couldn't see him, but could hear their enemies firing arrows into the trees. The redhead hoped he would get away, but suspected he would. Spurred forward by fear, she snapped her dagger up from the snow and jammed it back into its sheath, then motioned at Narrick.
"Come on! Do as he says!" she growled before turning back the way they'd come and fleeing straight through the tangled brush.
Limbs tore at her clothes, snagged her hair, and scraped her face, but her focus was so intent on the task of running away that she couldn't make herself care. When she broke through the trees, she stuck her fingers between her teeth and let out a short, piercing whistle. The sudden sharp sound startled some nearby birds and they screeched frantically before fleeing in a hurried flurry of wings. In response to her cue, she heard a nearby whinny and the drumming of hooves approaching. Sebastian broke through the trees, head high and ears perked. When he saw his rider, he veered toward her and slid to a clumsy stop in front of her, gouging the earth and snow with his shod hooves.
Narrick's horse soon followed, trotting after the other horse instinctively, not wanting to be left behind. She wasted no time in climbing into the saddle, clumsy from adrenaline, and yanked her pony around to face their escape route. When Narrick was in the saddle, she kicked her horse into a gallop and hung on tight as he launched into the wild gait. They tore back down the way they'd come earlier, running alongside the stream and spraying snow in their wake. Katelyn didn't dare look back. She hadn't seen the bandits' horses, but knew they were somewhere nearby. If they were following, Kat wanted to put as much distance between them as possible.
Sebastian began to flag before Narrick's larger mount did, and she reluctantly slowed their pace for fear of injuring the little gelding. They cantered alongside the stream for several ticks before finally reining the horses in and allowing them to cool themselves at a quick walk. Katelyn glanced over her shoulder, but didn't see anyone. The trees were silent behind them as well--no thundering hooves in hot pursuit of shouting voices.
"Do you think they're following us?" she asked the Squire in a low voice, too afraid to speak above a moderate whisper.
OOCHope this is okay!
