To my credit, even with the rustle of the leaves, none of them see me coming. As soon as Shirtless says those words I feel apprehension leave me as determination takes its place. The bag launches from my hands, a twenty pound black bulk hurling straight for Blondie while I launch myself immediately after towards Gruff voice. My pack slams Blondie in the back of the head, almost pushing him over his steroid horse. My arms are out as I crash into Gruff Voice. He does fall, taking me with him though. That’s when I realize how this is not like the movies and I am not a badass assassin like the Black Widow. We crash to the ground, me on top of Gruff Voice. My head slams into his shoulder as and my body into his torso. I don’t have long to lay there though, instantly I feel him moving beneath me. He must have hit his head on the ground or something because his slow movements seem stunned. But not for long. I scramble to my feet and grab the sword from his waist. It’s heavier than I thought it would be, so much so that I have to use two hands to drag it away from him. I may not be able to use something this heavy, but now neither can he. Struggling grunts reach my ear and my attention turns over to Blondie. He and shirtless guy were both on the ground wrestling for control. Shirtless got in a few blows but they didn’t seem to effect Blondie at all. Either way, it was obvious from his physical condition that in a few minutes he would lose the battle. The wounds that had stopped bleeding were open once more, weeping blood at full force. I looked down at the sword in my hand. There was no way I could use that, it was too heavy for me to control. I might hurt either one of them. My eyes searched for my pack. It was to the side of the struggling guys. Sword in tow I rushed over to it and tore it open. I needed something, anything that would help, that I could actually use. I didn’t have to look over at the battle when I heard a strained noise, I knew what it was. I’d always recognize that practically silent gasp. Blondie’s hands were Shirtless’ throat, trying to knock him out, and Shirtless was doing his best to breathe. I had to find something, now! Finally my hand clasped a familiar bottle of hair spray. I had no time for any further thoughts. I abandoned the sword by my pack and raced over to the front of Blondie’s face. My sudden presence there was a shock to him, I could see the questions in his expression as he looked at the foreign thing in my hand and then at me, the foreigner. I didn’t give him time to ask as I pressed the button and pressurized coconut scented chemicals shot out at his face. From his scream I guessed my attack was super effective. He had to take his hands away from Shirtless’s throat in order to try to clear his burning eyes. The moment he released him, Shirtless attacked. Blondie was pushed back onto the ground, as Shirtless shot to his feet. I could feel a stupid grin spread across my face. Challenge completed right? Obviously not based on the scowl that Shirtless is giving me. My smile goes away as his dark eyes bore into me, distrust evident. The middle of his brow furrows slightly, like he is trying to make a decision about me. Whatever it is he obviously doesn’t like the options because his scowl only deepens. With the enemy incapacitated this was our moment to flee. I say moment because it looks like that is all we have. Blondie’s eyes are recovering and Gruff Voice is staggering to his feet, no doubt a bit dizzy. I rush to my pack, sealing everything in there once more. Shirtless comes up behind me and grabs the sword. I recognize the instant he was there, but then instantly he was gone. I whip my head around and saw him mounting Blondie’s blood horse. Hauling my pack up, I rushed over to Gruff Voice’s horse but I don’t can’t even reach its back. I silently curse this giant mock unicorn for being so flipping tall but I replace it with a new curse as I feel myself being hauled up by my pack. This time I’m in the air and I didn’t throw myself there. As quickly as I’m lifted I’m set down again, this time on the back of Blood Horse, right in front of Shirtless. He cuts off my protest with a sharp kick of his heel into Blood Horse which sends the creature flying over the plains. I glance over my shoulder to see what Gruff Voice and Blondie are doing but all I can see is a bloody torso. There’s no way they would just let us go, from the way Gruff Voice is shouting I bet he’s ready to take after us. But I wonder how Blondie’s eyes are doing. I hope I didn’t cause him to go blind totally. He may be a bad guy, but my intention was not to permanently harm him. The thought made my stomach twist tighter than before. No time to focus on that now though. Instead I hope that Shirtless Guy knows where he is going because it’s not towards the lake. He’s heading in the opposite direction towards a black line in the distance. Our approach is quick and with each passing second the black line becomes clearer. The line begins to transform from smooth to jagged and uneven. Then I start to see that it’s not a line at all, it’s a row of black. No, not just black, black talons. Behind that first row of talons, there are more, and even more behind that. It’s a forest of talons, all stretching up, trying to claw the sky with their twisted reach. That’s what we’re heading for. There’s no way that Blondie and Gruff Voice will follow us here, there’s no way in hell anyone would. So how did I get landed with the one lunatic who is charging us straight forward into the Forbidden Forest.
I looked down at the sword in my hand. There was no way I could use that, it was too heavy for me to control. I might hurt either one of them. My eyes searched for my pack. It was to the side of the struggling guys. Sword in tow I rushed over to it and tore it open. I needed something, anything that would help, that I could actually use. I didn’t have to look over at the battle when I heard a strained noise, I knew what it was. I’d always recognize that practically silent gasp. Blondie’s hands were Shirtless’ throat, trying to knock him out, and Shirtless was doing his best to breathe. I had to find something, now! Finally my hand clasped a familiar bottle of hair spray. I had no time for any further thoughts. I abandoned the sword by my pack and raced over to the front of Blondie’s face. My sudden presence there was a shock to him, I could see the questions in his expression as he looked at the foreign thing in my hand and then at me, the foreigner. I didn’t give him time to ask as I pressed the button and pressurized coconut scented chemicals shot out at his face.
From his scream I guessed my attack was super effective. He had to take his hands away from Shirtless’s throat in order to try to clear his burning eyes. The moment he released him, Shirtless attacked. Blondie was pushed back onto the ground, as Shirtless shot to his feet. I could feel a stupid grin spread across my face. Challenge completed right? Obviously not based on the scowl that Shirtless is giving me. My smile goes away as his dark eyes bore into me, distrust evident. The middle of his brow furrows slightly, like he is trying to make a decision about me. Whatever it is he obviously doesn’t like the options because his scowl only deepens.
With the enemy incapacitated this was our moment to flee. I say moment because it looks like that is all we have. Blondie’s eyes are recovering and Gruff Voice is staggering to his feet, no doubt a bit dizzy. I rush to my pack, sealing everything in there once more. Shirtless comes up behind me and grabs the sword. I recognize the instant he was there, but then instantly he was gone. I whip my head around and saw him mounting Blondie’s blood horse. Hauling my pack up, I rushed over to Gruff Voice’s horse but I don’t can’t even reach its back. I silently curse this giant mock unicorn for being so flipping tall but I replace it with a new curse as I feel myself being hauled up by my pack. This time I’m in the air and I didn’t throw myself there. As quickly as I’m lifted I’m set down again, this time on the back of Blood Horse, right in front of Shirtless. He cuts off my protest with a sharp kick of his heel into Blood Horse which sends the creature flying over the plains. I glance over my shoulder to see what Gruff Voice and Blondie are doing but all I can see is a bloody torso. There’s no way they would just let us go, from the way Gruff Voice is shouting I bet he’s ready to take after us. But I wonder how Blondie’s eyes are doing. I hope I didn’t cause him to go blind totally. He may be a bad guy, but my intention was not to permanently harm him. The thought made my stomach twist tighter than before. No time to focus on that now though.
Instead I hope that Shirtless Guy knows where he is going because it’s not towards the lake. He’s heading in the opposite direction towards a black line in the distance. Our approach is quick and with each passing second the black line becomes clearer. The line begins to transform from smooth to jagged and uneven. Then I start to see that it’s not a line at all, it’s a row of black. No, not just black, black talons. Behind that first row of talons, there are more, and even more behind that. It’s a forest of talons, all stretching up, trying to claw the sky with their twisted reach. That’s what we’re heading for. There’s no way that Blondie and Gruff Voice will follow us here, there’s no way in hell anyone would. So how did I get landed with the one lunatic who is charging us straight forward into the Forbidden Forest.