The scent of campfire smoke wafted through the still crisp air of the morning, it was only a few hours before dawn and Black Fox had made good time by dim grey light of the waxing moon. She could see the dying orange glow of the camp coals below from where she knelt on hills ridge. Earlier that week there had been talk among a few of the outskirt farmers that three unsavoury sorts on horseback had been seen skulking around the crop borders of Thrivenshell, once word had reached the Baron's guardhouse Black Fox suggested that she was the one to investigate. Performing her own private rituals she donned her tribes charcoal stain hunting markings across her face and set off on her fastest horse.

 It hadn't taken more than a few hours to find the group of after she picked up their trail. The 'yellow-skin' or Wasichu by her native tongue were obviously inexperienced or careless, perhaps both as they left the Thrivenshell boundary and followed them from a distance as the twisted burning sun set behind the dry barren landscape. 

 Scrawny tired looking horses were tethered not to far from where three sleeping bodies lay in the dirt around the campfire and Black Fox slowly began her silent decent down the ridge towards their temporary camp. Earlier in the evening Black Fox had listened to the fools talk of their plans to begin raiding the outer farms of their supplies or ever they could get their grubby fat hands on as they sat around their fire filling their bellies with drink. They didn't know how well voices carried in the darkness. A distant high pitch howl echoed in the distance as Black Fox Swift moved in on the trio, unsheathing her smaller pointed skinning knife she whispered a prayer into the morning air.
Her decision was made without hesitation.
Her method would be quick but brutal.
Her ancestors would be pleased.

                                       *** 

Dust kicked up and swirled around her tall bay mounts causing him to snort heavily as rode along the road, reaching down she rested a hand on the crest of his long black mane.  It was just before mid morning when she reached the guard camp with three extra horses in tow, the guards on duty knew better and took the horses without question as Black Fox continued on towards the town plaza.