To Kill A Gladiator

Chapter Five: Felix

I wake up with a start.

Blinking out the sleep from my eyes I listen intently. I can here dogs, big dogs, baying excitedly not too far away but getting closer. I quickly throw some earth over the dying embers of my fire to put it out. Shame, it had taken me an age to get it going. But the possibility of being seen is too great, I can't risk that the dogs don't belong to the city guard.

The barking is getting louder, closer. I grab my dagger and slot it in to my leather belt. Making sure the fire is completely out I hide behind one of the small trees surrounding the clearing I had made my camp in.

Clouds are covering the moon so I can't see quite so clearly as I would have liked, but I soon find out I don't need to.

A mounted man enters the clearing and stops, I shrink further back into the shadows.

"Here, this is as good a place as any."

I realize with a jolt who the speaker is, how could I not forget the heated debates the laughter whilst we discussed our plans for a better future, it was Marcus.

Three other shapes move into the clearing, one massive, one short and slim and the third small and wriggling frantically against the grip of the short one, probably Magnus. Three great hounds, muzzled are being lead by Cato who is struggling to keep a hold of them.

Marcus dismounts elegantly and walks slowly over to the wriggling shape. I can see a short sword, sheathed on his belt.

"So girly... How do you like it?"

"If this is where I'm going to die, then no. Any other time of day I'd say it was quite nice."

I gasp, Cami! Marcus had found her, and probably wants revenge for her knocking him out.

Marcus laughs, "No girly, hopefully you will die somewhere much nicer, probably about a mile or so from here."

"What do you mean?" She says bravely, but I can tell she's scared unfortunately Marcus can to.

"You're going to find out," Marcus replies, turning away from Cami he moves towards the dogs.

"These dogs have been specially trained to hunt, to run, to kill..."

Magnus releases Cami's arm but keeps a restraining arm on her shoulder.

"I've trained them well... Cato... Release the hounds..."

Magnus lets go of Cami whilst Cato undo's the dogs leashes, Cami stands still for a moment confused, but when one of the dogs looks her way and growls she catches on, and runs.

She runs into the trees passing me without noticing as she does. Three black blurs race past my hiding place. Suddenly I stand up, wait what, and start chasing after them.

'What am I doing?' I think to myself as I hurtle through the under growth. I hear a small shriek up ahead and I start to run faster. I find Cami with her back up against the trunk of a large tree. One of the dogs, I can't see the others, is slowly advancing towards her, head low snarling menacingly. Her face is a mask of terror, eyes wide open, her breathing jolted and unnatural. From even where I am standing I can see the saliva dripping from the dogs mouth, the large, yellowish canines on show for all to see.

A crazy idea comes into my head, I try to shake it away but I know that it's the only plan I have. Moving slightly to my right so I can see more of sleek black hair and rippling muscles (I probably shouldn't think of that seeing what I'm about to do) I position myself carefully and draw my dagger.

The dog makes a snap at Cami's legs, shaking my head in disbelief as to what I'm about to do, I run forward yelling and throw myself onto the dog.

Surprised it yelps then snarls as we tumble to the ground. I am lying on top of the squirming dog, it turns its head around snapping and growling. I plunge my dagger into its side, the dog yelps, then stands up, pushing me off. I stumble backwards almost knocking into Cami.

"What the heck are you doing here?" She hisses into my ear.

"What does it look like?" I reply keeping one eye on the dog that was slowly advancing towards us.

"I don't need your help." Came the answer.

"I'll happily go if you want."

Pause.

"Your daggers still in him." She says pointing to the now bloody dog with my dagger sticking out of his side, "Go finish him off."

So I do running forward again knocking it over. It makes wild bites in my direction, until one hits home.

I gasp and close my eyes in pain as the jaws lock shut, my fingers scrabble and slip on the blood covered fur desperately trying to find the dagger as the dog lurches and wriggles beneath me. I groan as the dog bites down harder on my stomach but my fingers suddenly find the leather bound handle. With a desperate groan of relief and pain I pull it out. The dog whines in pain but still squirms. I lift the dagger and stab the dog again and again and again until the hold on my stomach is released and the wriggling stops, again and again until I'm stabbing a dead dog.

Shuddering I stand up, my front and face covered in blood.

I turn to Cami who is watching me carefully, almost scared but thankful.

"Please tell me we're now even?" I say remembering how she had knocked Marcus out. I lean against a tree, I lift my shaking hand to my side to check the bite wound, my hand comes away covered in blood.

"You're hurt!" Cami exclaims running towards me. She too checks my side and gasps a little, "Are you alright, does it hurt?"

"I'm fine," I grunt glaring at her, "I was only bitten by a great big dog!" We both look towards the carcass, which now doesn't seem so big.

"Thank you." Cami says suddenly, "You didn't have to come."

"Well..." I say shrugging my shoulders, suddenly awkward.

"Come on we need to go."

"Yes I was going to mention that, there were three dogs weren't there?"

"Yes, I'm sure there was..."

A low growl softly came from the darkness surrounding us, followed by a mournful howl.

"Come on we need to go... Now." Says Cami tugging gently at my arm. I'm still clutching my side in agony but I nod and follow her as we leave the dead dog behind.

Okay, so this chapter is unedited (sorry) so if you see any mistakes or anyway I could improve please comment, but if you love it please vote :D

Thanks for reading :)