Outracing the Flames RPG - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Folwren · 04-19-2006, 01:41 PM

The light was dim when the attack broke out upon them. Athwen couldn’t tell which direction the arrows came from - probably because they were completely surrounded - nor where to look for the men who uttered such horrible cries. Parith’s head went up and his nostrils flared at the sound and without warning he reared and screamed. Athwen clutched his mane with one hand, and with the other, pulled on one rein. His head came around and his dropped back to his forefeet, spinning about and half cantering downhill, before he turned again and tried to bolt back up.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Athwen saw the figures of horsemen start up the hill after her. She couldn’t count them, there were too many things going on. An arrow passed her head and she heard the whine of wind behind its feathers as it flew by her ear. Then another one grazed her arm and she clenched her teeth at the sudden, sharp pain. Hardly a moment was given her to glance down, and barely had she realized that the blood she saw was from her, that a new worry caused her to forget it.

She had reached the company again, and they were facing around to meet their assailants. Athwen tried to urge Parith forward between two of them, she was weaponless and would be of no use, but he balked, and pawed, and then tried to rear again. Athwen wanted to shriek in frustration and fear, but no sound or voice came to her throat. Her mind was numb and frozen in terror.

And then the Easterlings reached them. The sound of clashing steal invaded upon her ears. She cowered and shrank where she sat upon her trembling horse. But then a hand touched her, reaching across a gap between her and another horse, it closed on her hair, the long, damp locks, close to the scalp. It sent a spark of shattering pain through her head. Her head dropped back, her mouth opened - it was a most vulnerable position, and suddenly she knew it.

She found control of herself at that instant, and when she did, she also gained control of her horse. She grasped the reins and pulled, and he backed obediently, then she rocked forward, bowing over the saddle horn. The grip on her hair didn’t give an inch, and now he yanked, hard, and he very nearly succeeded in his purpose in pulling her from her horse. Athwen screamed involuntarily, and once more her head went back, and her body slipped towards him. She clutched at Parith’s mane.

An unexplainable fierceness flowed through her body. Her eyes darted towards her assailant. She spotted his curved dagger in his belt and she let go of Parith with one hand to reach it. Her fingers closed on the hilt, but before she could draw it out, her hair was released, her hand struck away and then another stunning blow was added to her head. Her senses reeled, but she managed to right herself on the saddle and pull away from the enemy.

But there was another Easterlings, and another, and another, and Athwen suddenly doubted that any one of them would get out alive.

04-19-2006, 01:41 PM	#11
Folwren Messenger of Hope Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States. Posts: 5,076	The light was dim when the attack broke out upon them. Athwen couldn’t tell which direction the arrows came from - probably because they were completely surrounded - nor where to look for the men who uttered such horrible cries. Parith’s head went up and his nostrils flared at the sound and without warning he reared and screamed. Athwen clutched his mane with one hand, and with the other, pulled on one rein. His head came around and his dropped back to his forefeet, spinning about and half cantering downhill, before he turned again and tried to bolt back up. Out of the corner of her eyes, Athwen saw the figures of horsemen start up the hill after her. She couldn’t count them, there were too many things going on. An arrow passed her head and she heard the whine of wind behind its feathers as it flew by her ear. Then another one grazed her arm and she clenched her teeth at the sudden, sharp pain. Hardly a moment was given her to glance down, and barely had she realized that the blood she saw was from her, that a new worry caused her to forget it. She had reached the company again, and they were facing around to meet their assailants. Athwen tried to urge Parith forward between two of them, she was weaponless and would be of no use, but he balked, and pawed, and then tried to rear again. Athwen wanted to shriek in frustration and fear, but no sound or voice came to her throat. Her mind was numb and frozen in terror. And then the Easterlings reached them. The sound of clashing steal invaded upon her ears. She cowered and shrank where she sat upon her trembling horse. But then a hand touched her, reaching across a gap between her and another horse, it closed on her hair, the long, damp locks, close to the scalp. It sent a spark of shattering pain through her head. Her head dropped back, her mouth opened - it was a most vulnerable position, and suddenly she knew it. She found control of herself at that instant, and when she did, she also gained control of her horse. She grasped the reins and pulled, and he backed obediently, then she rocked forward, bowing over the saddle horn. The grip on her hair didn’t give an inch, and now he yanked, hard, and he very nearly succeeded in his purpose in pulling her from her horse. Athwen screamed involuntarily, and once more her head went back, and her body slipped towards him. She clutched at Parith’s mane. An unexplainable fierceness flowed through her body. Her eyes darted towards her assailant. She spotted his curved dagger in his belt and she let go of Parith with one hand to reach it. Her fingers closed on the hilt, but before she could draw it out, her hair was released, her hand struck away and then another stunning blow was added to her head. Her senses reeled, but she managed to right herself on the saddle and pull away from the enemy. But there was another Easterlings, and another, and another, and Athwen suddenly doubted that any one of them would get out alive.