06-25-2009, 06:36 PM
Heh. Was working on the new forum.
2)
They were no more than a dayâs journey from the sanctuary caves of Javon. To rebuild their homes, it was unlikely anyone would follow. Certainly none of the sentries.
Robin knelt over and slipped her hands around her bow while Marcus drew back and set the heavy cord of his crossbow in place. Daniel hesitated a moment before drawing his elven blade. Marcus glanced at the boy and saw a look of unease over his face.
Good, the old man thought. Itâs still him instead of -
The snapping of foliage crushed under foot alerted them all the more. It wasnât too close, but the fact they were in the Ironwood Forest, miles from any town or village meant they were likely being followed. Or hunted. Whoever found them must have been an expert tracker. Marcus took extra precautions by using fallen and broken branches to conceal the clearing they camped
She held her breath. In the distance, a shadow moved. Robin couldnât tell what it was, but it was there, moving closer. Robin slowly drew back her bow. Marcus and Daniel took notice just as she hoped and scanned the trees before her.
âLeather armorâ, Daniel whispered.
Robin nodded. The figure was coming closer and she could see light reflecting off something he wore. Was it a sword? The snaps or buckles that held the leather in place? She couldnât tell.
Another crack sounded. Expert tracker he may be, but still fallible. And the figure continued to approach.
Marcus took aim to Robinâs left.
There was another.
Daniel took note and his grip around his swordâs hilt tightened. Robin also noticed and began to tense up. Thereâs two of them? Oh, no. What if thereâs more!
âFire.â Marcus whispered.
Robin hesitated. She didnât know if she could hit the figure from this distance. And if she missed...
She pulled back the string ever so taunt with her two fingers and lined up the arrow with her mark. There was nothing else. Just her and the figure ahead. It moved to another tree and she could see the steel blade more clearly. He was still far away.
âFire, girl,â he muttered again.
She raised her bow ever so slightly. She could see the figure a little more clearly. Less shadow and more substance. She held her breath.
And fired.
Marcus released his crossbow bolt at the same time, the resounding thud of the bolt hitting its mark echoed in the woods. Both Daniel and Robin turned to the sound of strike, the sound of a large weight collapsing in the heavy undergrowth. Then they heard something else. A sharp scream.
Like a blur, Daniel dashed through the forest towards the sound. Robin stood frozen as she saw him glide effortlessly from tree to tree as fast as he did. It surprised her. It worried her.
He stopped at the body, its chest pierced with an arrow.
He was one of them.
One of those bandits he fought off that attacked Taruko.
2)
They were no more than a dayâs journey from the sanctuary caves of Javon. To rebuild their homes, it was unlikely anyone would follow. Certainly none of the sentries.
Robin knelt over and slipped her hands around her bow while Marcus drew back and set the heavy cord of his crossbow in place. Daniel hesitated a moment before drawing his elven blade. Marcus glanced at the boy and saw a look of unease over his face.
Good, the old man thought. Itâs still him instead of -
The snapping of foliage crushed under foot alerted them all the more. It wasnât too close, but the fact they were in the Ironwood Forest, miles from any town or village meant they were likely being followed. Or hunted. Whoever found them must have been an expert tracker. Marcus took extra precautions by using fallen and broken branches to conceal the clearing they camped
She held her breath. In the distance, a shadow moved. Robin couldnât tell what it was, but it was there, moving closer. Robin slowly drew back her bow. Marcus and Daniel took notice just as she hoped and scanned the trees before her.
âLeather armorâ, Daniel whispered.
Robin nodded. The figure was coming closer and she could see light reflecting off something he wore. Was it a sword? The snaps or buckles that held the leather in place? She couldnât tell.
Another crack sounded. Expert tracker he may be, but still fallible. And the figure continued to approach.
Marcus took aim to Robinâs left.
There was another.
Daniel took note and his grip around his swordâs hilt tightened. Robin also noticed and began to tense up. Thereâs two of them? Oh, no. What if thereâs more!
âFire.â Marcus whispered.
Robin hesitated. She didnât know if she could hit the figure from this distance. And if she missed...
She pulled back the string ever so taunt with her two fingers and lined up the arrow with her mark. There was nothing else. Just her and the figure ahead. It moved to another tree and she could see the steel blade more clearly. He was still far away.
âFire, girl,â he muttered again.
She raised her bow ever so slightly. She could see the figure a little more clearly. Less shadow and more substance. She held her breath.
And fired.
Marcus released his crossbow bolt at the same time, the resounding thud of the bolt hitting its mark echoed in the woods. Both Daniel and Robin turned to the sound of strike, the sound of a large weight collapsing in the heavy undergrowth. Then they heard something else. A sharp scream.
Like a blur, Daniel dashed through the forest towards the sound. Robin stood frozen as she saw him glide effortlessly from tree to tree as fast as he did. It surprised her. It worried her.
He stopped at the body, its chest pierced with an arrow.
He was one of them.
One of those bandits he fought off that attacked Taruko.