The bandit gang was fighting their stomachs as the followed their glorious leader's instructions. They, ahem, [i]borrowed[/i] a few horses from the stables, and Siiga, being Siiga, conjured herself a massive flaming lion to mount up and ride. It was quite a sight, seeing this young lady leading a gang of rough and scarred thugs away on a glorious burning beast. Anyone watching it would be telling stories to their neighbours, I'll tell you that much right now.

They rode as hard as they could, discounting the occasional stop to empty their stomachs and/or bladders of their contents, and they thought they were making good pace towards the mountains. They were lighter than those they were outrunning, but they didnt have the benefits of the fancy armours and horses that had been gifted to their rivals. This was going to be close, even if Siiga didnt realise it yet.

The land here was scarred and battered. Ruined by generations of kings squabbling over petty territory disputes no doubt. In her mind, the injuries of the land just compounded why she couldnt let the king get this artifact. What would he use it for other than conquest and expanding his dominion? At least she was honest about her goals. She wanted money. She was going to get money. And fuck anyone who was going to take that money from her.

They came to a forest when the bandits finally decided to stop. The horses were getting tired, they said. Liars. They were too blasted to even know how tired the horses were.

"Boss, maybe some of us should stay behind." One of the more sober thugs offered.

Siiga turned, her face lit from the blazing corona that made up the lion's mane. "And why, pray tell, should we do that?"

Stretch, for once in his fucking life, actually had a good idea. "Those knights will be following us, right? We should stay back and ambush em! Then no one will be chasin' us and we can go a little slower"

Siiga could see through their petty excuses. They wanted to stop and wait for the buzz to pass. Still, an ambush did sound appealing. It would get rid of those fucking knights, thats for sure, and they might have some good loot they could use or sell.

"Alright, alright, fine. Who wants to stay behind for the ambush?" Everyones hand went up. Of course they did. "Fine. How about you set up by that stream and I'll carry on..."

"Boss, we could really use some help, y'know?"

Ugh. Fine! If these shitheads needed to be fucking babied all the way there, then fuck it! "Alright, alright! Stretch, you're in charge! Have your boys set up some caltrops in the stream! When the horses hit them, stick em with arrows from a range. And keep out of sight, y'hear?"

She dismounted from her lion and starting walking, turning her back on the gang of ruffians. "If shit goes down, set the big guy on em. Ride up to me as soon as they're gone. As soon as, got it? You'll have no trouble catching up if you keep your horses out of sight."

Leaving Stretch and his men behind to prepare the ambush by the stream, Siiga herself starting hoofing it. Trust those bandits to take the lazy way out