Ronan held the woman close in his arms. She was beautiful, like the purest image one had ever seen in a noble portrait gallery. Her hair was soft as spun silk, flowing about her shoulders like a golden waterfall. Her eyes were flaming jewels, her lips a pure red cherry upon the white-frosted cake of her snowy, perfect complexion. His eyes were filled with tears as he held her in a passionate embrace, pulling her close, his lips so very close to hers that he could feel her breath upon his stubbly muzzle.

Then a heavy blow to his chest from a leather-gloved hand made him start awake. He shouted aloud, jumping immediately to his feet with a cry of rage. [b]"Oi! That was a damn good dream - which one of you scumbags woke me up!?"[/b] he yelled, glaring around furiously. The group, sitting amongst the many branches of a huge old tree... or perhaps a lazy ent, one could never be sure... looked at him and shrugged. Eventually Ronan's eyes settled on Huxley, a portly man who nevertheless could be trusted with his keen senses to give advanced warning of any quarry that came by. He sighed slightly. [b]"What is it, Hux?"[/b]

[b]"Noble lady, sir - jewels and all. Not much security on her, roads are so safe these days that they're barely bothering to have more than a couple guards when they travel."[/b]

Ronan's eyes lit up, and he scrambled to his feet before adopting a more stable perch upon the thick branch, which would allow him to get at his weapon without toppling out of the thick canopy. He grinned madly, an arrow knocked and the bow ready to draw at any moment.

[b]"Alright boys, quiet - let's wait for the lady to come by, then take her stuff nice and easy..."[/b]