Spirit Animals: The War For The White Bloom

So This Is An Assassination

Raisha tried to keep her face neutral. Her senses were going overdrive, and she could feel that the four were just about a dozen feet behind her.

"Abandoned by your wealthy parents as you were captured for helping a wanted criminal, weren't you? I would suppose that you have nowhere to go now. I also know some who hold personal grudges against you. You are making a mistake, roaming in the open, open to attacks. Or, are you lost in the jungle?" he smiled.

Raisha did not. The man seemed to take offence.

"I do not know you." Raisha said, hoping her voice would carry without a hint of fear, and that the man would say that he was just another traveller who wanted to warn her against walking in jungles. 

But she realized that a regular traveller wouldn't have known that she was the summoner of Gerathon or that she was an ex-convict. She felt let down.

"Oh, you don't need to," he said so smoothly, Raisha would have let down her guard if not for Gerathon hissing in alarm on her shoulder.

The man pulled out twin blades from his coat. This man was definitely not just another traveller. Regular travellers definitely did not carry knives while talking to little girls lost in the jungle.

That's right, Gerry. He isn't very nice. 

Gerathon hissed sharply. Had she heard what Raisha had said her mind?

He slashed. Gerathon moved first. She attacked in an arc, perfectly dodging the first blade and moving Raisha's arm with her, preventing a sure wound or a possible amputation, and sank her fangs into the man's right shoulder. He screamed and shook himself furiously, trying to shake the serpent off. Gerathon leapt clear, and slithered onto Raisha's forearm again.

Raisha barely registered what had happened. She glanced back at the man. The bite on the shoulder was not two punctures.

It was not venomous.

She marvelled at Gerathon. They'd had a talk about not killing strangers, even those who came with the intention of killing them. 

The fact that Gerathon had refrained, impressed Raisha.

Raisha heard the rustle of leaves behind her and turned right in time to see a small guy running towards her. He wasn't fast enough though, and she held his wrist and flipped him over, using his own momentum against him. 

He fell on his back, and was clearly not a fighter. His face turned red and he was choking on his breath. She felt a pang of guilt.

"Sorry!" She said quickly as she turned around, and for a moment, she only saw a bulky fist headed straight for her face. 

Gerathon came to her rescue, again. The snake moved faster than her enhanced eyesight could follow, and darted at his shoulder. The big guy lost his balance and fell backwards, startled by Gerathon, who landed a few feet away.

Raisha turned back and another tall, lanky guy tried to catch her off guard. She whirled around, jabbed at his stomach, and three swift punches at his side later, he crumpled to the floor.

She saw someone running away, and as soon as it had started, the fight was over. 

Or not. A click echoed behind her.

Raisha spun around and her doubt as to why she never heard the release of the crossbow was answered. Directly opposite to her, holding a charged crossbow at her chest, was a masked person. 

Raisha analysed her situation. Her dagger was in her cloak, and by the time she took it out and leapt to attack, the bolt would have hit her. Even if she tred an audacious shot... no. Too difficult angle, and there wasn't much light, and her aim wasn't that good either.