One Tail at a Time

A Trial of the Spirit - 1

Quietly inching forward, the womans eyes scanned the surrounding field for any movement.  The battle had lasted seven days, and now that the living had moved on, she came to see what could be salvaged among the dead.  It was a dirty job, but highly lucrative especially when she stumbled on a high ranking officer who always had wealth hidden in his inner pockets and even the lining of his jacket and pants. 

Nothing moved, not even an ant and having worked the battlefields on many occasions, she had learned when to move in and when to wait.  Inching closer to a pair of fur lined boots, she quietly assessed their worth.  She could get maybe three bronze coins for them and the sword that came into view was worth maybe two more.  But knowing she did not have a lot of time before the troops returned to bury their dead  having left to celebrate thier win.  And with hundreds of dead to sort through before night fell, she did not bother with him, instead she continued to inch her way through the next lot of soliders while taking the smaller coins and fob watches from their pockets as she passed by.

Now and then, a colonel and even a lieutenant came within arms reach and inch by inch she filled her pockets with the extra weightier gold pieces and Emperial coins they no longer needed.  Rings, necklaces and badges were also taken because they could sold quickly and ornate belt buckles and intricately carved daggers were thrown into her back pack to be sorted  into either trading for her immediate needs or gambling when she needed a little entertainment.

It was a lucrative day and her smile was bright by the time night began to fall.  The celebrations would go on all night before the living returned to bury them and no doubt plunder the enemy.  It made no difference in the end, because dead was dead, and wanting to get home quickly to tally up her loot, she began the long crawl back only this time she inched her way to the right where her horse was waiting and seeing as it would soon be night, she would be well hidden from any other looters who might be lurking nearby.

Preparing to rise and run the final few yards, she let out a soft squeal when a hand suddenly clamped down hard on her ankle.  In horror, she looked back only to realize one of the soldiers was still alive and had been left there to die.  It was very rare for a dying soldier to be left behind, because they were normally always killed if they were on the enemys sides or they were rescued and carried back with the living.  Only it looked as if this one had been missed, because the eyes that were staring straight at her, were definitely filled with life though he was obviously heavily wounded, he was covered in blood.

"Let go you crazy fool." she hissed at him angrily.

"Help me...." he whispered, his eyes pleading with her to either save his life or take it.  Either would be a blessing rather than being left out there in the fields for the scavengers who would also move in if they were not buried quickly.

"Let go."she hissed again and this time pleading with him.  She had never killed anyone in her life.  She knew that what she was doing was immoral, but she had to earn her living somehow and being alone in the world, she did what she had to do, everyone did, that was life.

"Please.... don't leave me here....." he begged with eyes pleading for her mercy.  Eyes that suddenly had her looking a little closer.  They seemed familiar, even though she knew she didn't know him and for a second she contemplated on taking his life so he could go to his ancestors in peace.

"I can't kill you.  "I don't know how.... I don't want to......" she whispered back before yanking her foot out of his hand and quickly moving out of reach.

She could hear him groaning, but he said no more as she slowly raised herself to her feet and took off running for her horse who was waiting patiently.  Night was now edging over the battlefield and soon the scavengers would move in, but the moment she dragged herself onto her horse, the guilt and agony of having left him out there to the elements and nature had her belly twisting so painfully, that she knew she just couldn't leave him there, and nor could she kill him.