Different Chapter 4
#4 of Different
Different
Chapter Four: Bandits
We had been walking for several hours, the sun was soon to set in less than an hour I guessed. We had stopped in a clearing a few minutes ago and were setting up camp. Of course, Serra and Blake had tents, I did not. I was used to it though. We set up wood for a fire and Serra used her fire breath to start the fire itself. So with a warm flame going and the sun soon to set, Serra and Blake sat by the fire talking. I sat over in my 'bed' which is really just a blanket laid out on the ground.
From what I could tell about Serra and Blake's conversation is was just idle chat. I yawned, looked around and then laid back on my blanket. I stared up at the slowly darkening sky. I heard a rustling in the woods off to my right. I turned and looked, I saw five figures moving in slowly. Great I thought to myself. I figured they were bandits or robbers of some sort. I reached for my dagger then remembered that Serra still had it.
I started to jump up when one of them ran out and grabbed me, and without my dagger I was near useless even with all the hand to hand combat training I had. I grabbed the man's hand and pulled him over using his own weight against him. He fell over just as the other four came out. By that time Serra had caught on to what was happening and was up with a sword in hand. Blake was also up, he had a bow and arrow in hand.
One of the bandits, the second one to come out of the woods, charged at Serra. He got an arrow to the neck from Blake. Two this time went after them. I didn't see what happened as the person who attacked me punched my muzzle causing blood to come out of my nose and gums. I quickly rolled away from the man and stood up. He charged at me, these bandits were unskilled and most likely only prayed on farmer and unguarded caravans. He threw a punch, I moved to the side making him miss and go off balance. I kicked him in the side of the head causing him to fall to the ground.
I was about to continue the attack when the fifth bandit attacked me, he grabbed me around the throat and started to choke me. I grabbed his arm and knelt down using his weight to make him fall over me. I went to punch him in the head when the first man tackled me sending me to the ground on my back, with him on top of me. He punched me twice in the muzzle. He reared back to punch a third time when a sword pierced through his chest. He grabbed for the sword for a moment then went limp, his blood spilling onto me.
The man fell off of me and off of the sword, which I saw belonged to Serra. The last person ran off into the woods. Blake started to go after him but Serra held up a hand to stop him. Serra grabbed me and pulled me up to my feet.
"Are you ok?" She asked me.
"I'm fine." I said, blood dripping from my maw and nose.
"You're bleeding." She told me.
"Yeah I know." I said wiping some of the blood away.
"Come here." She said and walked me over to the fire, by then the sun had set and night was upon us.
"Careful!" I said as I winced.
Serra opened up my mouth and looked around. I could feel my cheeks getting red again. Why am I always blushing around her I asked myself. She closed my mouth causing me to wince some. She handed me a cloth.
"Use this on your nose to stop the bleeding." She told me.
"Why are you so helpful all of the sudden?" I asked her doing as she said.
"I don't want a friend hurt." She said as she sat down by the fire.
"You consider me a friend? After not even two days ago I tried to kill you?" I asked her as I sat down as well.
"Yes, the past is the past, leave it there." She said with a smile.
"Well....I have never really had a friend before." I told her.
"I'm glad to be your first." She said. "And hopefully Blake will be your second, right Blake?"
"I don't mind being fiends with an assassin." Blake said, as he moved the bodies of the bandits out of the campsite.
"T-thanks you two." I stumbled.
I had never had friends, I hardly felt feelings at all, but now, I felt happy. I smiled and looked up at the sky. The stars were out. I looked around in the sky.
"Their beautiful aren't they?" Serra asked me.
"The stars? Yes they are." I said.
"I think it is time for me to sleep." Blake said crawling into his tent.
"Night Blake." Serra said.
"Yeah night." I said as well.
"Good night you two, and keep it down, I'm kidding." Blake called back.
"So what's the plan for tomorrow? Wake up, eat then start walking again?" I asked Serra.
"That's the plan." She said with a smile.
"Sounds like a good plan." I said smiling back.
"Good, we need to rest now." She told me.
"Yeah, rest right out here on the 'comfy' ground." I said with a sigh.
"Hm...I only have two tents...." She said.
"I don't mind I'm used to it." I said and laid down next to the fire looking up at the stars.
"Well, as long as you don't mind. Good night Drake." She said.
"Night Serra." I said as she crawled into her tent.
I laid there looking up at the stars, thinking about what had happened that day. I felt, strange, a feeling I had never felt before. I felt it mostly when I was around Serra, I had no idea what it was. I decided it was best not to think about it. I rolled over and curled up next to the fire, and after a few minutes I feel asleep.