Gunnaya leapt to her feet, and spun around to meet her adversary. As she did so, however, a bolt of pain shot up her right leg. It gave out and she sluped herself against a nearby tree. The force of Blithe's impact had twisted her ankle, and broken at least one toe. She was relieved, at least, to see Blithe struggling to rise from the ground, swatting the two falcons away from her face. It seemed that what struck Gunnaya's foot was Blithe's own. 
	With a smirk, she plunged her hand into her traveling pouch, and withdrew a vial of deep red liquid. Popping the cork, she lifted the bottle to her lips and consumed it all in a single swig. Nearly instantly, a wave of warmth ran down her body, removing all pain from her injured ankle.
	A loud *KONK* drew her attention away from the potion's effect. The elf had slammed her shield into one of the falcons, sending its lifeless body hurtling into the snow. With that, Blithe began to hoist herself up from the ground.
	Gunnaya gave another shrill screech, as she swooped down, picking her quarterstaff from the snow. More birds would soon be on their way. As her opponent rose to her feet, Gunnaya swung her staff through the air, knocking all the snow from it. She struck a firm battle stance, thrusting her staff forward, ready for combat. The skulls hanging at its upper tip gave an eerie rattle, swinging in the winter breeze.

	"Tell me, elf.", Gunnaya requested, "Have you ever been to war?"