The Count of Castle Rock

Chapter XXXV- Sword and Spear

The sounds of combat are loud and immediate. The training and better crafted weapons of the castle guards dominate the field of battle in these first moments. The feliruu, armed with stolen weapons and woodcraft are at a disadvantage against the expedition's forged steel, but their numbers and nimbleness are a surprising equalizer.

The clashing of weapons and the cries of pain are jarring and despite the blade in her hand, Leesa is too afraid to fight. A feliruu bounds toward her on all fours and it is Alice's sword that halts its charge. The warrior lunges towards the guardswoman and she parries, slashing her sword up the man's chest. The blood sprays on both women. Alice wipes it away and engages another attacker, but Leesa can't stop staring at the red stain on her hands.

"Ms. Talbert, snap out of it," Alice says. "We need to keep moving or we'll be surrounded." When Leesa doesn't immediately move Alice grabs her by the arm and pulls her along. "Wake up, girl!"

A catkin drops out of the trees and slashes Alice's back. Screaming at the sudden sharp pain, she nearly drops her weapon. The feliruu lands with a hiss and rushes forward, pressing the attack. One moment she is raking her claws across Alice's shoulder and the next she is clutching at the wound across her gut. Leesa doesn't remember moving, but her knife and is wet with blood. Her heart thunders in her chest as memories of the Lia'chem attack fill her head. She felt useless then. She vows never to feel useless again.

A feliruu warrior lopes forward then leaps high, a dagger in each hand. His face meets the giant's fist and he is driven to the ground in a mass of fur and broken bone. Hans uses his staff to keep an attacker just out of range, poking and shoving to keep the man at bay. Alice swings her sword with deadly strokes and Leesa guards her bleeding side. Olivia huddles in the middle of them, wide-eyed and fidgeting with her hands.

The battle rages outside of their little circle. A guard strikes the arm from a slashing and hissing warrior only to have a second take his place. Juanita stands alone, fighting three feliruu with shield and sword. Luis and Captain Carlos fight back to back. Everywhere Leesa looks there are spinning and whirling catkin. Free Dancers, the name suddenly makes sense. Their style of fighting is a dance of blade and claw. As she observes, Leesa sees through the snarls and hisses, watching the leaps and spins. They dance as one, ebbing and flowing like a single organism, like one great cat. Through the chaos of combat, she watches in awe.

A fast-handed catkin spins around Hans, scratching and clawing at every opening he can get. Hans clumsily tries to evade with little success. The warrior faints left then right and Hans swipes his staff sideways, smacking the catkin unconscious. He looks down in shock at his handiwork, leaving himself open to a rushing catkin eager to capitalize on his mistake. Before the feliruu warrior can strike, the blue giant snatches the woman by the collar and punches her in the chest, sending her flying off into the trees.

The sapphire man moves with his own dance. It lacks the grace of the feliruu, but is tight and full of powerful thrusts. His body rocks back and forth as he lashes out with quick hand motions. His shovel-like fists act as buckler and cudgel, felling each spinning free dancer who draws too close to Hans. The giant protects Leesa's farmboy with deadly determination. He is a boulder in the middle of a raging river, unmoving, but ultimately inconsequential. There are too many feliruu and their numbers begin to win the day.

Hans catches Leesa's eye as he reclaims his dropped staff. Those grey orbs are full of fear and his fear drives her to be brave for the both of them. She looks for an opening, an opportunity for the two of them to flee. She doesn't want to abandon the expedition or the search for Methuen, but she doesn't want to see Hans dead in the dirt. Or Olivia. Or the enigmatic blue giant, Juanita, Alice or Captain Carlos. As no obvious route of escape presents itself, Leesa realizes she can't run knowing she'd be leaving everyone else behind.