A small town called Red Oak Town that   new day suspended in a silent spell of predawn and the people in it were mostly asleep or showing signs of waking up from their good sleep like every other day.

The Same couldn't be said to the poor guards who were doz- ahem guarding the check posts not far away from the town that morning destined to be an annoying one for them.

About a couple of miles away from the small town stood a decades old tattered check post still guarded by few guards and an bald incharge who had been sleeping soundly a low menacing growl disturbed the silence of this beautiful morning.

A tall skinny dog tied to one of the beams started to growl at something as it spring to its feet and seemingly locked onto something in the distance not long after that a small boy around age of six to seven stumbled out from a tall bush groggily the bushes are not that far from the thin forest area.

So it was not wrong to assume he came out from the forest and was lucky enough to survive the journey there even though his condition doesn't seem that bad for a survivor.

He was in rags and all over his body was, bloody and muddy his eyes were filled with grievance and bloodshot and his steps were unsteady there was a trace of limping overall his whole appearance portrayed miserable beggar child. 

The child's eyes gained focus as soon as he heard the low growl, his wary eyes lit up with happiness as soon as he noticed the building in front of him. In the very next second he had no choice but take a few steps back in fright as he took note of the menacing looking skinny dog.

*Woof, Woof, Woof* *Rrraaahhh* *woof WOOF,WOOF *

The thin dog started to growl and bark at him with menace, the boy gulped down and quivered on his spot very frightened by that thing making one wonder how the child did survive the dangerous forest but he didn't run away or try walk towards the building like before but hesitantly standing there.

Maybe he noticed the strong chain on its neck or something to do with the thing in his hand. The boy showed an enormous amount of courage and next second he took steady steps towards the building.

He struggled to stifle the pained gasps or fear towards the beast he felt like if he showed his fear the dog would get more aggressive and loud but he stayed little away from the dog movement range.

He was at a loss what to do from this, he was never put into such a situation like this he was clever enough to understand they were guards resting in there and better not try to approach or knock the door as he could tell dog range also covered that area.

But not clever enough to know his arrival might have really annoyed the guards as there were muffled shouts from the building and hurried footsteps he could hear the chaotic yelling and curses.

" Damned dog " *Tak tak tak tak * " What happen to this annoying thing "

" Could some wild animals come out from the forest? "

"Nah, if so it wouldn't barking this long like other dogs dragged away "

*tak tak tak tak *

"Yeah" the voice was little unsure

*Wuff Wuff Wuff **Wuff Wuff Wuff *

" Probably a snake or something should have bitten that dumb thing," the first voice replied with some irritation.

" Even if it wasn't… lieutenant going to chase it away when he wakes up with its behavior "

" Yeah, most likely "

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* Creak! * *Wuff Wuff Wuff *

"The ****! "

"Len look it was a little kid "

"You can also see him, sigh! Thank God, thought I was seeing things" Len looked much relieved.

"Kent, what do you think…. Was he a brat from red oak town "

" Who should I ask? "

The little boy also looked at them with wide eyes, also confused. They were nothing like patrol or guards he had seen, the two men had no uniform and had spears on their hands and faded trousers bare foot.

*Wuff Wuff Wuff *

His father said every soldier must wear uniform and all he encountered are friendly and approachable so far not like this bare chested irritated men before him.

" Oy, Shut It or you wouldn't get anything to eat this morning as well" one of them said.

The little boy flinched at the shout, at least the dog became quiet as it whimpered then lay down back and looked at the three of them with its big eyes.

" Hey brat, what are you doing here? " the man Tone was stern " You brats thinking this was a good place to play or something? "

He took a menacing step towards the boy " Do you believe I wouldn't hang you on the roof butt naked all morning? "

The little boy took a few steps back staring fearfully at the man his companion spoke up patting the menacing looking guy on the shoulder.

" Kent, don't scare the kid, do you think he was playing around here?" Len point at the scratches and Bloody marks on the kid "You better go inform lieutenant about the situation here"

" Yeah got it " ' What's with this brat, I swear I saw hatred in his eyes just now ' he thought to himself " Alright be careful" he walked in with that.

Like what Kent was wondering , the boy subconsciously expressed hatred towards him for a few seconds.

" Hey kid, are you even listening to me? " Len asked as he stepped down the building and walked towards the kid who took a few steps back with a weary expression.

Len frowned, noticing this but he stopped himself from approaching the kid he once again asked " Kid what happened to you? Why are you…looking like this?"

The kid didn't answer and looked at him blankly " Are you injured anywhere? " Still no reply, the guard Tsked at this but didn't continue to bother with the kid anymore after that about five minutes they heard footsteps.

Three people come out of the building, a fat bald man and a middle aged man with stocky build and Kent from before all of them looked at the kid. 

As soon as they came out their eyes were drawn to the kid. The only difference was that all of them were wearing their uniforms and their identity plate.

The bald man asked Len "Did he tell you anything?" to which Len shook his head in denial.

Then they heard soft sobbing all four of them stimulant in turn to look at the boy. Who was now sobbing as tears streaked down his dirtied face.

"Hey kid, what happened, has guard Len here bullied you? " The fat man's face sifted at the sight of the kid Len who was standing not far away speechlessly looking at his lieutenant and the other two not knowing what to say.

' Do I look like someone who bullies little kids? I guess the lieutenant might have felt grumpy to wake up this early, ' he secretly thought to himself.

"Wuwuwuwu, Y-yo-ou ave t-to" *Hicc* " h-help my f-father wuwuwu, he get st-tabbed " *Hicc *

" Grandpa-pa Will wouldn't hold them off long" *sobb sobb!*

Everyone's face changed. The fat man lounged and grabbed the kid and hurriedly asked " Kid speak clearly… Are you talking about some bandits group if you aren't Clear we can't save them "

He lost his composure from what he heard. The other guards looked very nervous as Len dashed into the building shouting " Bandit " and " Ambush " . The fat man shook the kid.

" Boy speak, are they chasing after you? When did this happen? Are you from Red Oak Town or returning there from somewhere? Did you know… How many of them-"

He fired question after question as he shook the little boy by the grip on his shoulders. The stocky one gripped the lieutenant's arms and stopped him. 

" Sir, don't get too agitated, you aren't going to get any answers like this… look, the kid gets a bit peaky from all that shaking let him breath "

He gently patted the fat man on his back to try to make him relax from his sudden agitation and talk sense to him "We are short on time… why don't you let me take care of this matter hmm? You also should relax a little bit… Kent! help our lieutenant a bit " a gesture for him gave a hand who led the Fatman to the stairs and made him sit.

About a dozen guards rushed out with weapons looking menacing; they were taken back from seeing their lieutenant's pale face and agitated expressions; some of them enquired what happened to Kent while rest walked up to stocky middle aged man.

" Kid, have you got chased by those bandits?..Did you know where you and your father encountered a bandit group? Can you lead us there?" all of the guards looked at one another. The kid was looking dumbly at the uncle.

"I fo-forget, it's the road inside this forest… those evil bandits ambushed our caravan my father got into fight with them" *sob sob* 

" Grandpa Will protected me" *hicc* " When he defeated one of them he shouts at me to run away from there" *Hicc* "I got scared when few of them come after me I ran ran " * Hicc* he fell silent as he started to rub his eyes and sobbing silently.

Everyone looked at each other not knowing what to do, at some point the fat man walked up to them Clearly listening to what the kid was saying some of them looked at the kid with pity, especially Kent who looked a little guilty.

None of them was surprised by the event. These bandits are liked to lawless killing and plundering; they also have a fearsome reputation in these parts of the kingdom.

Most of the guards here were secretly relieved than anything else, they would end up losing their lives if they were to encounter a medium size group.

If it's not for the kingdom's elite patrol teams this lawless bunch would have been wiped out of these border area towns. They couldn't help but pity the fate of the little boy's family. From the look of it, this doesn't look like capturing the caravan but standard robbing and killing.