The tree branches whipped across her face, she darted past large tree trunks and jumped muddy bogs. The clothes on her back were filthy, her forehead soaked with sweat.
She couldn't stop now,freedom was just up ahead.
The shouting from behind was getting louder, the sound of a galloping horse drew in closer and closer.
Just a bit further and she'd be free of whatever wrath her hunter would dish out.
All she needed to do was escape this wilderness, dive into the nearby river and swim away to safety.
Whoosh, thunk.
Her chest erupted in pain, a slight gasp of air escaped her throat.
Shake it off, don't give up yet.
There's still a chance.
Wheezing slightly she carried onwards, slashing at vines with a shortsword as she ran.
Can't afford any more slip ups, not now.
Just up ahead she heard the whooshing sounds of the river, the rushing waters lay just beyond the treeline in front of her.
A few more feet.
Whoosh, thunk!
ARRRGGHH!
A guttural scream lept out of her, drowning out the noise from the river.
Hitting the forest floor, face first into a shallow puddle.
She turned back over to look at the damage done. A mighty arrow had pierced her right knee. It stuck out, blood now dripping onto the rain soaked grass below.
In a panicked fashion she then swiped at the other arrow, she now realised was sticking out the left side of her chest.
Her clothes once creamy white now stained with blood and mud.
She briefly thought of what she'd left behind at the factory, who she'd left behind.
All those helpless souls.
All those faces.
Her face.
Gods, her face.
Although just a little rest and all this pain would be over.
NO. She shook off that thought, no matter how tempting it may be right now.
Push through. Keep moving. Dagna needs me.
Slowly she crawled on, through the pain.
The river was soo close.
Just. A. Little. Further.
The sound of heavy boots was now upon them. Still she kept on crawling to freedom.
"Gods you are persistent" a sly familiar tongue entered her dying ears.
Blood soaked the land on which she lay.
Still she was determined to crawl just that little more.
Realising how close her hunter now was, she looked around for her weapon.
Where oh where did it fall?
"Looking for something?" The rangers' foe had clearly picked it up off the ground before they even had a chance to spot it.
"My what a fine blade you have here, I shall add it to my collection."
A tall dark figure now stood over the dying FaeFolk.
He looked down at her curiously and wondered to himself;
If not for those ridiculous ears poking out of her hood, she'd almost pass as presentable.
A much more wicked thought entered his mind as he held the hilt of the shortsword out between two fingers. Casually he swung the blade slowly back and forth.
He truly did enjoy this part, watching his prey desperately try to escape the unavoidable.
"Tis a shame, you were very handy in the beginning. You did wonderfully convincing your people to help in our plight." A terrifying smile spread across his face.
"Fuck you."
"My, my. What a wicked tongue your kind possess. I shall add that to my... other collection."
Her fate was sealed, she knew that now. Knowing in her heart of hearts he wouldn't end this quickly, it was the least she deserved. After what she'd put her people through.
She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the dirt
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Cecil was usually awake early for the morning shift, despite not drinking for a full two hours before bed his bladder couldn't contain itself for a full eight hours. He was pretty sure he'd inherited his weak bladder from his grandpappy, he was going all hours of the day.
It had bothered him when he was younger, especially when others had made fun of him, but now, since reaching adulthood the pains of the past now washed over him.
The thought of anything washing over him had definitely done it, he had to run out the guardhouse, past his colleagues to relief himself into the nearby bushes.
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Much better.
After he was done he pulled out a bar of soap out from his pocket and wandered over to the river to wash his hands and face.
A good day always starts with a fresh face and clean hands his granmamma would tell him.
After cleaning up he went further upstream. Before breakfast he went to visit the Rollerbug herd that woke up early to graze on the weeds that grew nearby.
Cecil believed, rightly, that the herd preferred the morning weeds as this was when they were juiciest.
After a minute of walking he spotted the small herd up ahead.
Crouching down low, he watched as the female of the herd watched over her young.
Cecil smiled as he caught sight of the young bug nibbling away, clearly enjoying the weeds the forest had provided for them.
Pulling out a small pad of paper he began drawing the herd elder, making notes of the scarrings that covered its' carapace.
Clearly this elder had put up many a fight in order to protect his herd and position within.
He looked down at his own scarred callous hands and nodded in understanding at the kindred spirit stood just in front of him.
As long as Cecil didn't get any closer or make any sudden sounds the male would pay him no mind.
Suddenly the male grunted a command to his herd while his antenna twitched about frantically.
Cecil wondered in that moment if he'd disturbed them with his scribbling, until his own ears twitched in recognition at the noise he now picked up echoing across the landscape.
ARRRGGHH!
The herd darted back into cover of the surrounding trees, clearly disturbed by whatever had made that horrible sound.
"What in the?...."
Cecil, equally disturbed, pulled his scabbard from it's holster. He'd been positioned at this guardhouse multiple times, heard and seen many an odd thing spring forth from these woods. But not once had that kind of noise invaded his ears. Without so much as a second thought, he darted in the direction of the sound, leaving behind his pencil and drawing.
The drawing now featured a large thick line over the head of the Rollerbug, a result of the scare he'd just received.
----------------------------------------
The hunter knelt down over his prey, he grabbed ahold of her ears and pulled her head up slightly off the ground.
He knelt closer to her face so she could look upon him.
"Now I know I said I'd take your tongue but I'm afraid my employer needs more concrete proof you are slain."
He relished explaining the horrors he was about to inflict.
"You talk too much."
She looked more accepting of her fate than he had hoped. Still her reponse did impress him greatly
He leaned back up, shortsword in one hand, her ears in another and prepared to swing.
In that moment, however, his attention was taken away from the task at hand.
A small creature was on the other side of the river, it was looking directly at him.
Whatever it was had unlocked a primal urge within to squish said creature just for glancing his way.
A mix of fear and confusion washed over Cecil as he looked at the tall figure across from him, cloaked in black.
How a human being had gotten so close to the guardtower, he had no clue.
All he needed to know at that very second was there was an innocent creature in need of his help.
Cecil pulled his shortbow off his back, reached for an arrow and fired.
The arrow struck the shortsword he was holding with enough force it flew backwards.
Disbelieved at what had just occured the hunter forgot to pay attention to his prey.
Seeing an opportunity, the ranger, mustered up enough strength within her to reach back and pull an item lose from his belt and slammed it into the side of his face.
Panic instantly set in as he felt the glass jar shatter against his face.
SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!
WHAT THE!?!
"AAAAAGGGGHHHH!!"
He fell back, screaming and clawing at his face. He splashed a nearby puddle in his face but it was not enough. He needed his saddlepack. He darted back the way he came, through some of the trees, back towards where he'd left his horse.
Edda looked out at the river, a small green figure was making noise, as more green figures appeared beside it. She tried hard to focus on what was happening but the pull was far too great.
Finally she closed her eyes just as a small team of Goblins argued over what to do before realising a small boat was the best way to save her.