Red Glass

18.

Galloping through the forsaken darkness into the blue light, the quite of a clear sky brings no comfort to the splintering cold. Full Steel armour takes its toll upon its wearers, especially through the frost. Weapons, leather, steel, supplies; everything adds up when worn for days, even when mounted. Cautiously checking the perimeter for signs of life, Rohain Pulls up to the freezing stream, dismounting Phantom after a long ride.

"Finally, clean water." Rohain says in a tone of despair.

Loosening his joints, Rohain removes his utility belt and the saddle from his companion.
"I know buddy, it's been a rough night. A long night."

Phantom looks at his road partner, grateful for the weight lifted and eats the apple from Rohain's hand.

"Don't go far, okay?"
The metal face voices in sadness.

Walking arms wide, the knight enters deeply into the ice clear lake, sharpening his senses. Thin ice adorns the banks, the water ripples beautifully as the sun cuts through it all.

~ How could she only only be half a day in front yet I've still not caught up with her? I must of been out longer than I thought. Could it really of been a day and a half?~

Looking at his wet silver, he realizes things could have been worse.

~Maybe it's hopeless ~

Muffled voices echo from within the trees. Rohain paddles his arms in the water bathing and cleaning his armour. He looks into the trees where the disturbance emanates, cautious not to be caught at a disadvantage. A flock of birds abruptly disperse from inside the trees. Rohain continues to take a moment for himself long due...

"Dammit!"

He marches out, flooding water from his helmet, gauntlets and body plates. Equipping his utility belt, picking up his crossbow and patting his horse affectionately, he makes his way in the woods.

-

Hopeless, cold and faint, the air thins without mercy.

"Lude? Lude!" Harron looks up at flimsy silhouette hanging onto the tree.
"She's dead! Dead!"
He shouts, firing with greif.
"YOU STUPID GIRL, I'll rip your eyes out with my teeth!!!"

Barely able to keep hold, Daniella watches as Harron ragefully prepares to climb the tree a second time. His long arms grip the branches roots to pull himself up, using his feet for support. Climbing recklessly fast the branches snap below the weight of vengeance. Danielle's breath barely catches, her little heart flutters lightly. Harron begins to close in, cursing and snarling his rotten teeth.

Her eyes roll back.

Her arms loosen.

She slips.

Hitting branches on the way down, Daniella's limp body thuds hard on the frozen mud. Harron looks down but hesitates to jump, it's too far down. He snarls with a thousand thoughts of the mutilation she deserves once he gets to her. Close enough to the ground he jumps and turns around knife in hand.
Approaching the girl's lifeless body, she is still breathing, just about. Crouching down he puts his bowie to her eye.

"Good, you'll live to suffer."

-

Rohain tactically manoeuvres through the trees, getting the drop on target never hesitating. Acquiring, aiming and firing at the monster's arm.
Piercing right through his arm, Harron stands up, shocked to see this silver tower approach.

"Vomit slopping shit tongue!"Harron painfully curses as he makes a run for it. 

Rohain cocks and fires, sending a bolt through the air piercing through Harron's left knee.

"Arrrrrr!!!!" He screams as he falls turning upwards, seeing the metal poking out the blood soaked pant leg.

Rohain slowly walks over, picking up the large knife from the ground. Grabbing Harron's hair he yanks his head back and runs the bowie through Harron's throat, watching as he chokes and gargles on his own blood. Letting the head go, Rohain wipes the blade clean on the corpse's top and removes the knife's sheath for the keeping.
The warrior looks around holding his breath for a moment, he kneels over the girl.

~She's alive, barely.
Her skin looks bloodless beneath the dust and dirt. She must have been running for a while. Fallen a few times.
I wonder what she did?~

He looks at the dead dog lying by the tree's base, bloody on one side of it's face.

"Well, that explains what he was doing. The thing must have been bleeding for a while to die from an injury like that, should have bandaged it, rather than keeping this girl up a tree all night."

Taking a closer look at the girl he spots her skirt is torn from the bottom, wrapped around her hand like an aid rag.

"Smart girl. That will need treatment, honey and coffee will fix that."

Rohain whistles to his trusty steed and lifts the girl up. Phantom gallops like there is an emergency situation whenever summoned, ready to heed his riders call. He lays the young woman over the horse and they both walk back to the lake side by side.

"Sorry boy, I know you're tired too."