He still doesn't know that though ^^;
Nice! I got one more in too
Nice! I got one more in too
Trash Panda Member
STATUS: Does this mean we can call you abmin now? 2 yrs ago
- Last Seen: 9 mos ago
- Old Guild Username: Lokki
- Joined: 12 yrs ago
- Posts: 6374 (1.46 / day)
- VMs: 9
-
Username history
- Trash Panda 1 yr ago
- ███████████ 3 yrs ago
- ██████ 6 yrs ago
- ██████ 12 yrs ago
-
Latest 10 profile visitors:
-
Most recent →
Vaunivor,
Tlazolteotl,
Syrenrei,
AHeartlessNobody,
nachonacho,
Vampiretwilight
Status
Recent Statuses
2 yrs ago
Current
Does this mean we can call you abmin now?
9
likes
2 yrs ago
300 word minimum is pretty standard for casual level and up in my experience
4
likes
2 yrs ago
Just discovered Dog TV. My pitbull and I have a new shared hobby.
6
likes
3 yrs ago
Barbenheimer 2023
6
likes
3 yrs ago
There's a panhandler who hangs out on the street corner by our dispensary every afternoon with a sign that just says "Green 4 Green?" and tbh, I respect my boy's confidence.
2
likes
Bio
Personal Profile
Name: Taylor
Pronouns: They/them
Age: Mid 20s
Relationship: Married (happily, I might add)
Time Zone: Arizona (we hate daylight savings, so it's MST year-round)
Writing History: I've been on a number of different roleplaying websites for over a decade and a half
Hobbies: Writing, fitness, driving/exploring, hiking, camping, traveling, tabletop games, anything NEW (I love trying things I've never done before)
Roleplayer Profile
Format: 1x1s only. Maybe I'll try a group RP again someday, but I've never had one last longer than a few months
Posting Speed: Depending on my schedule, I can usually post at least once per week
Favorite Genres: Modern, Historical, Romance, Action/Adventure, Horror/Dark, Fantasy, Slice of Life, Dystopian, can be convinced to write some Sci-Fi
Hard 'no's: Fandoms. Sorry, but I can't maintain interest in characters/worlds I didn't build with my partner
Template: Public threads or PMs. I prefer to keep all my RPs in one place, so no emails or G-docs or the like
Rating: Comfortable with 18+ content, but it's not a necessity and I prefer not to center a plot around explicit scenes
Level: Advanced. Will consistently provide around 400-700 words per post, but can occasionally leap to 2000+
Character preference: One main character, but large side casts are greatly enjoyed. Because I write long posts, I prefer not to double
Gender preference: Male. You'll be hard pressed to convince me to play a female that isn't a background character. It's just not my forte
Romantic Relationships: MxF or MxM (currently prefer MxM)
Character Images: Faceclaims or detailed descriptions only. I envision the characters like real people in my mind, so I can't take anime seriously
OOC chat: Yes please! I'm a total extrovert who loves to get to know the amazing minds behind my partners' characters
Most Recent Posts
Crow could feel Penelope’s eyes on his back as he ran to engage in battle with another Younisian knight. His heart pounded as her shocked face flitted through his mind. He didn’t know what she had been thinking when she had looked at him, but he could take a few guesses. He clashed blades with the knight with a new wave of energy, taking out his frustration on the man in front of him.
Damn it, he thought, viciously breaking past the Younisian’s defense to leave a gruesome cut down his arm. As the man turned around to retreat, the thief threw the dagger in his right hand. The blade connected, landing squarely between the knight’s shoulders and sending him toppling to the ground.
Why do I still care what she thinks? Crow frowned as he walked up to the knight’s body and retrieved his weapon. We’re not even friends anymore. It shouldn’t matter this much. But it did. As much as he tried to convince himself that it was over between them, there was still a part of him that craved her respect and approval. He wished they hadn’t crossed paths in the battle so she wouldn’t have seen this side of him. He never wanted her to find out about it.
As the fighting dragged on, Crow noticed that the knights from his kingdom had managed to push the Younisians back to their side of the border. He looked up from the last enemy he had taken down to see that a second battalion had arrived to reinforce the Brerratic troops. He let out his breath in relief. With the Younisians far outnumbered, it seemed that the village would be safe for now. His part in the battle was over.
He caught sight of Alistair and Simon and signaled to them to fall back to the camp. The three thieves retreated, vanishing into the eastern woods as they left the war-stricken village behind.
--
“Ow, ow, ow,” Crow winced as a peasant woman poured alcohol over the open wound in his arm. He and the others had stopped by to see the villagers for treatment for their injuries before heading back to their hideout.
“Relax, dear,” the woman said calmly, reaching for a roll of bandages. “It stings now, but it will keep that nasty cut from getting infected. You don’t want to lose your arm, now do you?”
“Yeah, Crow,” Alistair snickered from where he at nearby. “Don’t be such a child.”
“Like you’d be any better,” the thief rolled his eyes. He flexed his arm after the woman finished dressing it, testing to make sure the bandages would hold.
“Of course I would,” Alistair snorted haughtily. “I have the highest pain tolerance between the four of us. A little alcohol is noth—” he stopped short, letting out a howl of pain as Simon snuck up behind him and poured alcohol over his wounded shoulder.
“Surprise, surprise,” the blonde thief said dryly. “Seems like you’re nothing but talk.”
“That’s not fair,” Alistair rubbed his watering eyes. “I wasn’t ready.”
Simon just shrugged and walked away to begin packing up their supplies. Having received the least number of injuries among the thieves, he was already finished being treated.
“Come on, Sir Pain-Tolerance,” Crow drawled. “Stop being such a child.”
“Oh, shut up,” Alistair threw a small rock at him.
Once all of his injuries had been dressed, Crow got up to look for Rikki. Having not seen her since the middle of the battle, he wanted to make sure that she was alright. He found her in a tent that the peasants had pitched, sitting up on a bedroll and eating porridge. She looked up when he stepped inside, grinning enthusiastically, “Hey, boss. How’d it go?”
“Better than I expected,” Crow said with a one-shouldered shrug. He moved to sit down at her side and glanced at her bandaged leg. “How are you doing?”
“Better now,” Rikki swallowed another mouthful of porridge. “The villagers left some of their supplies in here with me, including the alcohol they use to treat wounds…” she leaned in a little closer to Crow and lowered her voice. “I’m pretty sure I’m drunk right now.”
Crow laughed, “Oh, are you?” He wasn’t the least bit surprised to learn that the female thief had dipped into the alcohol.
“Yes,” Rikki smirked mischievously and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him to herself to plant a kiss on his lips.
After a moment, Crow drew back from her with a grimace, “Gods, love. Your breath is awful.”
“Maybe,” she winked at him. “But you lingered.”
“Fair enough,” Crow chuckled before going on more seriously. “Do you think you can make the trip back with that wound in your leg?”
“Think so,” she nodded. “Though I don’t think I’ll be leaving the camp for a bit when we get back, if that’s alright.”
“Of course,” he said. “I’ll go tell the others.” He climbed to his feet and exited the tent, heading back to their makeshift camp where Alistair and Simon had just finished packing up the rest of the supplies. The two turned to him as he approached.
“We should get going as soon as we can,” he said. “Rikki says she’s well enough to come with us, but we might need to travel a bit slower to accommodate her leg. Also, I’d like to take a more direct route back to the camp while the knights are still licking their wounds in Whitebridge. There are a lot more of them that need treatment, so we should have enough time to cut near their camp before they start making their way back south.”
“Sounds good to me,” Alistair said in agreement. “As long as we make a quick detour to raid their liquor stock, that is.”
“Of course,” Crow smirked. “You and I can do that while Simon takes Rikki back to the camp.”
“I’ll make sure she gets there safely,” Simon nodded.
With plans having been made, Crow glanced up at the sky. Even though the battle had been long, it looked like it wasn’t even noon yet. If they left soon, they would easily return to the ravine by dusk, which would be perfect since he still needed to meet up with Penelope that night.
At the thought of the knight, Crow’s throat tightened with anxiousness. It had been hard enough to meet with her when things were merely tense between them, but now that she had seen him kill in battle, he dreaded to face her even more. Part of him considered sending one of the other thieves to meet with her in his place, but he didn’t know if he trusted any of them enough to be alone with her. Simon was still openly hostile, Alistair was too reckless, and Rikki was still injured. He sighed. It looked like he would just have to go and pray that she wouldn’t bring up the subject.
I hope it goes by quickly, he thought, shouldering his bag as he prepared to leave.
Damn it, he thought, viciously breaking past the Younisian’s defense to leave a gruesome cut down his arm. As the man turned around to retreat, the thief threw the dagger in his right hand. The blade connected, landing squarely between the knight’s shoulders and sending him toppling to the ground.
Why do I still care what she thinks? Crow frowned as he walked up to the knight’s body and retrieved his weapon. We’re not even friends anymore. It shouldn’t matter this much. But it did. As much as he tried to convince himself that it was over between them, there was still a part of him that craved her respect and approval. He wished they hadn’t crossed paths in the battle so she wouldn’t have seen this side of him. He never wanted her to find out about it.
As the fighting dragged on, Crow noticed that the knights from his kingdom had managed to push the Younisians back to their side of the border. He looked up from the last enemy he had taken down to see that a second battalion had arrived to reinforce the Brerratic troops. He let out his breath in relief. With the Younisians far outnumbered, it seemed that the village would be safe for now. His part in the battle was over.
He caught sight of Alistair and Simon and signaled to them to fall back to the camp. The three thieves retreated, vanishing into the eastern woods as they left the war-stricken village behind.
--
“Ow, ow, ow,” Crow winced as a peasant woman poured alcohol over the open wound in his arm. He and the others had stopped by to see the villagers for treatment for their injuries before heading back to their hideout.
“Relax, dear,” the woman said calmly, reaching for a roll of bandages. “It stings now, but it will keep that nasty cut from getting infected. You don’t want to lose your arm, now do you?”
“Yeah, Crow,” Alistair snickered from where he at nearby. “Don’t be such a child.”
“Like you’d be any better,” the thief rolled his eyes. He flexed his arm after the woman finished dressing it, testing to make sure the bandages would hold.
“Of course I would,” Alistair snorted haughtily. “I have the highest pain tolerance between the four of us. A little alcohol is noth—” he stopped short, letting out a howl of pain as Simon snuck up behind him and poured alcohol over his wounded shoulder.
“Surprise, surprise,” the blonde thief said dryly. “Seems like you’re nothing but talk.”
“That’s not fair,” Alistair rubbed his watering eyes. “I wasn’t ready.”
Simon just shrugged and walked away to begin packing up their supplies. Having received the least number of injuries among the thieves, he was already finished being treated.
“Come on, Sir Pain-Tolerance,” Crow drawled. “Stop being such a child.”
“Oh, shut up,” Alistair threw a small rock at him.
Once all of his injuries had been dressed, Crow got up to look for Rikki. Having not seen her since the middle of the battle, he wanted to make sure that she was alright. He found her in a tent that the peasants had pitched, sitting up on a bedroll and eating porridge. She looked up when he stepped inside, grinning enthusiastically, “Hey, boss. How’d it go?”
“Better than I expected,” Crow said with a one-shouldered shrug. He moved to sit down at her side and glanced at her bandaged leg. “How are you doing?”
“Better now,” Rikki swallowed another mouthful of porridge. “The villagers left some of their supplies in here with me, including the alcohol they use to treat wounds…” she leaned in a little closer to Crow and lowered her voice. “I’m pretty sure I’m drunk right now.”
Crow laughed, “Oh, are you?” He wasn’t the least bit surprised to learn that the female thief had dipped into the alcohol.
“Yes,” Rikki smirked mischievously and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him to herself to plant a kiss on his lips.
After a moment, Crow drew back from her with a grimace, “Gods, love. Your breath is awful.”
“Maybe,” she winked at him. “But you lingered.”
“Fair enough,” Crow chuckled before going on more seriously. “Do you think you can make the trip back with that wound in your leg?”
“Think so,” she nodded. “Though I don’t think I’ll be leaving the camp for a bit when we get back, if that’s alright.”
“Of course,” he said. “I’ll go tell the others.” He climbed to his feet and exited the tent, heading back to their makeshift camp where Alistair and Simon had just finished packing up the rest of the supplies. The two turned to him as he approached.
“We should get going as soon as we can,” he said. “Rikki says she’s well enough to come with us, but we might need to travel a bit slower to accommodate her leg. Also, I’d like to take a more direct route back to the camp while the knights are still licking their wounds in Whitebridge. There are a lot more of them that need treatment, so we should have enough time to cut near their camp before they start making their way back south.”
“Sounds good to me,” Alistair said in agreement. “As long as we make a quick detour to raid their liquor stock, that is.”
“Of course,” Crow smirked. “You and I can do that while Simon takes Rikki back to the camp.”
“I’ll make sure she gets there safely,” Simon nodded.
With plans having been made, Crow glanced up at the sky. Even though the battle had been long, it looked like it wasn’t even noon yet. If they left soon, they would easily return to the ravine by dusk, which would be perfect since he still needed to meet up with Penelope that night.
At the thought of the knight, Crow’s throat tightened with anxiousness. It had been hard enough to meet with her when things were merely tense between them, but now that she had seen him kill in battle, he dreaded to face her even more. Part of him considered sending one of the other thieves to meet with her in his place, but he didn’t know if he trusted any of them enough to be alone with her. Simon was still openly hostile, Alistair was too reckless, and Rikki was still injured. He sighed. It looked like he would just have to go and pray that she wouldn’t bring up the subject.
I hope it goes by quickly, he thought, shouldering his bag as he prepared to leave.
He's definitely not going to want to talk about it xD
He's really worried about what she thinks of him after seeing him like that
My only free time today is 1-6 and after 10, so that might be my only post til tomorrow, depending on how much energy I have left tonight after my meeting
He's really worried about what she thinks of him after seeing him like that
My only free time today is 1-6 and after 10, so that might be my only post til tomorrow, depending on how much energy I have left tonight after my meeting
As the battle raged on, Crow and the other thieves found that they had to pull back a bit more. With no armor to keep themselves safe, they had all started sustaining injuries when their stamina began to wear down. Rikki had come off the worst, taking a stab to the leg that had left her in no condition to walk, let alone continue fighting. In the end, she had to be carried off by some of the villagers to the camp in the east, where she was to be treated by the peasant women.
The remaining three thieves gathered away from the fighting to assess the situation.
“Do you think we should fall back?” Alistair asked with a grimace, clutching at a long gash in his shoulder that was trickling blood down his arm. “I hate to say it, but I don’t know how much longer this village can last.”
“Maybe longer than you think,” Simon said as his eyes swept calculatingly over the knights. “Look at that. The Brerratic knights are starting to avoid the villagers.”
“Really?” Crow turned in surprise. Usually, neither side cared about the fate of the village they were fighting in. He gazed out at the knights and was stunned to see that Simon was right. The villagers were still under attack, but the forces coming after them were overwhelmingly Younisian now. He wondered what had changed to make the knights from his kingdom leave them alone when they never seemed to care before. Whatever it was, it meant that they still had a chance to save the people of Whitebridge.
“We’re not falling back,” he said decisively, turning back to face Alistair and Simon. “Not while we can still do something to help. Come on; let’s get back in there.” After receiving a nod from the others, he led them back into the battle, where they continued to cut down any knights that went after the villagers. There were still some Brerratic knights that got in their way, but for the most part, they found that they were up against the Younisians now.
Crow swiped one of his daggers at a man who was bearing down on a villager, cutting into his throat before he had a chance to react. As the body of the dead knight crumpled at his feet, he felt an unexpected wave of dizziness and had to avert his gaze. Not now, he thought stubbornly, running back to fight off another Younisian. Even though he had gotten over his fear of blood for the most part, it still appeared, quite unwarranted, every once in a while. However, as long as he didn’t focus on the gore of the battle, he would usually be fine.
He continued to fight off knights, focusing intently on ignoring the blood around him until the brief episode passed. As he did, he took a couple more blows from his enemies’ swords, one to his shin and another to the side of his throat—it would have been a fatal cut if he hadn’t reacted fast enough to get away before the blade cut too deeply—that forced him to pull back for a short time to recover.
He didn’t wait long before rejoining the battle. As soon as he had caught his breath, he dove into it again, making his way towards a group of villagers that were being overpowered by Younisian knights. However, before he reached them, he saw someone else get there first.
Crow’s steps faltered as he saw Penelope cross swords with one of the knights. Having been focused solely on protecting the villagers, he had forgotten that he might cross paths with her in the battle, so seeing her suddenly like this caught him off guard.
He stopped short, watching as she and another Brerratic knight fought off the Younisian attackers, when another thought came to him: Perhaps the knights from their kingdom had stopped ignoring the villagers because she had done something? With the way she was protecting them now, he wouldn’t have been surprised if she had intervened on their behalf.
After standing still for a moment, he snapped out of his shock and forced himself to keep running towards the fight. Penelope and that other knight were still outnumbered three to two, and the third Younisian hadn’t noticed the thief approaching. Even though he was reluctant to get close to her in the war, he couldn’t pass up this opportunity.
While the knight was still distracted, Crow lunged at him from behind, sinking both of his daggers into the man’s back and cutting downwards. The Younisian let out a howl of pain and dropped to the ground. The thief looked up, finding himself face to face with Penelope for a brief moment. Even though it couldn’t have been more than a second, it felt like time had slowed down. He wondered what she thought, seeing him standing before her with daggers dripping in the blood of the man he had just killed. She had once praised him for being kindhearted, but there was no denying that he wasn’t the same man as he had been back then. The war had changed him.
He averted his gaze, suddenly finding himself unable to look her in the eyes, and then turned his back on her to fight off another Younisian that was attacking two villagers.
The remaining three thieves gathered away from the fighting to assess the situation.
“Do you think we should fall back?” Alistair asked with a grimace, clutching at a long gash in his shoulder that was trickling blood down his arm. “I hate to say it, but I don’t know how much longer this village can last.”
“Maybe longer than you think,” Simon said as his eyes swept calculatingly over the knights. “Look at that. The Brerratic knights are starting to avoid the villagers.”
“Really?” Crow turned in surprise. Usually, neither side cared about the fate of the village they were fighting in. He gazed out at the knights and was stunned to see that Simon was right. The villagers were still under attack, but the forces coming after them were overwhelmingly Younisian now. He wondered what had changed to make the knights from his kingdom leave them alone when they never seemed to care before. Whatever it was, it meant that they still had a chance to save the people of Whitebridge.
“We’re not falling back,” he said decisively, turning back to face Alistair and Simon. “Not while we can still do something to help. Come on; let’s get back in there.” After receiving a nod from the others, he led them back into the battle, where they continued to cut down any knights that went after the villagers. There were still some Brerratic knights that got in their way, but for the most part, they found that they were up against the Younisians now.
Crow swiped one of his daggers at a man who was bearing down on a villager, cutting into his throat before he had a chance to react. As the body of the dead knight crumpled at his feet, he felt an unexpected wave of dizziness and had to avert his gaze. Not now, he thought stubbornly, running back to fight off another Younisian. Even though he had gotten over his fear of blood for the most part, it still appeared, quite unwarranted, every once in a while. However, as long as he didn’t focus on the gore of the battle, he would usually be fine.
He continued to fight off knights, focusing intently on ignoring the blood around him until the brief episode passed. As he did, he took a couple more blows from his enemies’ swords, one to his shin and another to the side of his throat—it would have been a fatal cut if he hadn’t reacted fast enough to get away before the blade cut too deeply—that forced him to pull back for a short time to recover.
He didn’t wait long before rejoining the battle. As soon as he had caught his breath, he dove into it again, making his way towards a group of villagers that were being overpowered by Younisian knights. However, before he reached them, he saw someone else get there first.
Crow’s steps faltered as he saw Penelope cross swords with one of the knights. Having been focused solely on protecting the villagers, he had forgotten that he might cross paths with her in the battle, so seeing her suddenly like this caught him off guard.
He stopped short, watching as she and another Brerratic knight fought off the Younisian attackers, when another thought came to him: Perhaps the knights from their kingdom had stopped ignoring the villagers because she had done something? With the way she was protecting them now, he wouldn’t have been surprised if she had intervened on their behalf.
After standing still for a moment, he snapped out of his shock and forced himself to keep running towards the fight. Penelope and that other knight were still outnumbered three to two, and the third Younisian hadn’t noticed the thief approaching. Even though he was reluctant to get close to her in the war, he couldn’t pass up this opportunity.
While the knight was still distracted, Crow lunged at him from behind, sinking both of his daggers into the man’s back and cutting downwards. The Younisian let out a howl of pain and dropped to the ground. The thief looked up, finding himself face to face with Penelope for a brief moment. Even though it couldn’t have been more than a second, it felt like time had slowed down. He wondered what she thought, seeing him standing before her with daggers dripping in the blood of the man he had just killed. She had once praised him for being kindhearted, but there was no denying that he wasn’t the same man as he had been back then. The war had changed him.
He averted his gaze, suddenly finding himself unable to look her in the eyes, and then turned his back on her to fight off another Younisian that was attacking two villagers.
Crow hasn't noticed them yet, since he's too busy fighting off the knights who keep attacking the peasants
He won't really know what to say to her about the fact that he knows how to fight now ^^;
That's my last one for the night. I also might not be on much tomorrow, because I have a lot of things to do and classes/meetings to go to
He won't really know what to say to her about the fact that he knows how to fight now ^^;
That's my last one for the night. I also might not be on much tomorrow, because I have a lot of things to do and classes/meetings to go to
Crow crouched behind a bush at the border between Younis and Brerra, his gaze locked on the distant battle. He fidgeted with the daggers in his hands, filled with nervous energy as he waited for any knights to come his way. It was hard to see what was happening from where he was hiding, but it looked like the Brerratic forces were slowly pulling back towards the village. It was only a matter of time before they got close enough to become a threat to the peasants.
He didn’t have to wait long for his prophesy to come true. After a while of waiting, he spotted a flash of movement up ahead. A couple of Younisian knights had broken away from the fighting and were barreling through the foliage towards Whitebridge. He tensed, watching them coldly from behind the bush. In their eagerness to strike deeper into their enemies’ territory, they didn’t seem to notice the thief that they were headed right towards. He smirked to himself. Their distraction would be their downfall.
As the knights got nearer to his hiding place, Crow leaped out at them, swinging the dagger in his left hand at the closest Younisian. The blade made contact with the man’s side, cutting cleanly through his flesh before he had a chance to react. The knight cried out in pain, dropping to the ground and clutching at his wound to keep his innards from spilling out. Meanwhile, Crow turned on the second knight, who had raised his sword to defend himself, eyes wide with shock at the unexpected attacker.
Without giving him a chance to strike first, the thief lunged at the Younisian. They engaged in a brief clash of blades before he managed to break through the man’s defenses and deliver a sharp stab to his chest. The knight collapsed beside his comrade with a groan, unable to continue the fight due to the injury.
Finished with them now, Crow stepped away and turned back to the battlefield, his eyes sweeping calculatingly over the battalions of knights. They had drawn back even closer to the border now, so it was time for him to pull back a bit as well. He was just about to do so, when he caught sight of something else that made him stop: Another group of Younisian knights had pulled away from the main battle and were headed towards the village, but this time, there were a lot more of them. He clicked his tongue. He could take out at least two of them with the element of surprise, but after that, he was too outnumbered to do anything about them on his own. He just hoped the other thieves were close enough to see them and join in as well.
Crow made his way over to the group, moving stealthily through the trees as he took advantage of the low morning light. As he had done with the first two knights, he jumped out from hiding the instant the Younisians had come close enough that he could strike down a couple of them before they noticed his presence. However, instead of going on to attack any of the others this time, he drew back from killing two knights and watched the others warily as they began to turn on him.
He was just about to call for aid when two other figures leaped out of the forest on the other side of the knights, blades swinging viciously as they cut into their enemies. Crow felt a wave of relief as he watched Alistair and Simon join in the battle. With his companions at his side, he felt much more confident.
“Took you both long enough,” he grinned at the thieves as they backed up to stand on either side of him.
“The hero always shows up at the last moment,” Alistair smirked at him.
“I’ve never known a hero who gets drunk as often as you,” Crow rolled his eyes in return.
“Whatever,” Alistair snorted. “I fight better drunk anyway!” He charged back into the fight, crossing swords with one of the closest Younisians.
Crow and Simon followed his lead, picking out their own targets and attacking with equal tenacity. Despite their efforts, there were still too many knights for the three of them to handle on their own and they were forced to fall back to the edge of Whitebridge. At this point, the remaining villagers were beginning to join in as well. Crow felt a surge of anger as he watched the knights take down a few peasant boys who couldn’t have been older than fifteen.
To make matters worse, it appeared that some of the Brerratic knights had taken notice of the Younisians and fallen back to fight them in the village as well. They fought ruthlessly with little care for the villagers in their paths.
Crow yanked his dagger back out of a man that he had just stabbed and slipped away to help the people of Whitebridge, who were now in danger of being attacked by both Younisian and Brerratic knights. Momentarily forgotten, he managed to catch one knight from Brerra by surprise, delivering a deep cut to the man’s thigh and forcing him to the ground. Having immobilized his first target, he moved on to strike a Younisian who was in an unfair fight with another peasant boy, dropping him as well after a short clash of blades that left him with a cut on his own arm.
The thief stood back from the fighting for a moment as he panted to catch his breath. However, he didn’t have long to rest before another Brerratic knight came at him with his sword raised. He quickly lifted one of his daggers up to block the attack and followed the motion by bringing his other blade around to deliver a swift stab to the man’s torso. The knight cried out and fell down at Crow’s feet, clutching at the wound the same way his first enemy had.
Still breathing hard, Crow looked around at the knights, thieves—Rikki had appeared at some point as well—and peasants, all locked in combat. Even though he had faced identical battles countless times over the past year, the sight still made him feel sick. Even worse was the fact that the main battle had drawn close enough to Whitebridge that there was now a sea of knights outnumbering the villagers.
Is this ever going to end? Crow thought tiredly as he ran to join in the fighting again.
He didn’t have to wait long for his prophesy to come true. After a while of waiting, he spotted a flash of movement up ahead. A couple of Younisian knights had broken away from the fighting and were barreling through the foliage towards Whitebridge. He tensed, watching them coldly from behind the bush. In their eagerness to strike deeper into their enemies’ territory, they didn’t seem to notice the thief that they were headed right towards. He smirked to himself. Their distraction would be their downfall.
As the knights got nearer to his hiding place, Crow leaped out at them, swinging the dagger in his left hand at the closest Younisian. The blade made contact with the man’s side, cutting cleanly through his flesh before he had a chance to react. The knight cried out in pain, dropping to the ground and clutching at his wound to keep his innards from spilling out. Meanwhile, Crow turned on the second knight, who had raised his sword to defend himself, eyes wide with shock at the unexpected attacker.
Without giving him a chance to strike first, the thief lunged at the Younisian. They engaged in a brief clash of blades before he managed to break through the man’s defenses and deliver a sharp stab to his chest. The knight collapsed beside his comrade with a groan, unable to continue the fight due to the injury.
Finished with them now, Crow stepped away and turned back to the battlefield, his eyes sweeping calculatingly over the battalions of knights. They had drawn back even closer to the border now, so it was time for him to pull back a bit as well. He was just about to do so, when he caught sight of something else that made him stop: Another group of Younisian knights had pulled away from the main battle and were headed towards the village, but this time, there were a lot more of them. He clicked his tongue. He could take out at least two of them with the element of surprise, but after that, he was too outnumbered to do anything about them on his own. He just hoped the other thieves were close enough to see them and join in as well.
Crow made his way over to the group, moving stealthily through the trees as he took advantage of the low morning light. As he had done with the first two knights, he jumped out from hiding the instant the Younisians had come close enough that he could strike down a couple of them before they noticed his presence. However, instead of going on to attack any of the others this time, he drew back from killing two knights and watched the others warily as they began to turn on him.
He was just about to call for aid when two other figures leaped out of the forest on the other side of the knights, blades swinging viciously as they cut into their enemies. Crow felt a wave of relief as he watched Alistair and Simon join in the battle. With his companions at his side, he felt much more confident.
“Took you both long enough,” he grinned at the thieves as they backed up to stand on either side of him.
“The hero always shows up at the last moment,” Alistair smirked at him.
“I’ve never known a hero who gets drunk as often as you,” Crow rolled his eyes in return.
“Whatever,” Alistair snorted. “I fight better drunk anyway!” He charged back into the fight, crossing swords with one of the closest Younisians.
Crow and Simon followed his lead, picking out their own targets and attacking with equal tenacity. Despite their efforts, there were still too many knights for the three of them to handle on their own and they were forced to fall back to the edge of Whitebridge. At this point, the remaining villagers were beginning to join in as well. Crow felt a surge of anger as he watched the knights take down a few peasant boys who couldn’t have been older than fifteen.
To make matters worse, it appeared that some of the Brerratic knights had taken notice of the Younisians and fallen back to fight them in the village as well. They fought ruthlessly with little care for the villagers in their paths.
Crow yanked his dagger back out of a man that he had just stabbed and slipped away to help the people of Whitebridge, who were now in danger of being attacked by both Younisian and Brerratic knights. Momentarily forgotten, he managed to catch one knight from Brerra by surprise, delivering a deep cut to the man’s thigh and forcing him to the ground. Having immobilized his first target, he moved on to strike a Younisian who was in an unfair fight with another peasant boy, dropping him as well after a short clash of blades that left him with a cut on his own arm.
The thief stood back from the fighting for a moment as he panted to catch his breath. However, he didn’t have long to rest before another Brerratic knight came at him with his sword raised. He quickly lifted one of his daggers up to block the attack and followed the motion by bringing his other blade around to deliver a swift stab to the man’s torso. The knight cried out and fell down at Crow’s feet, clutching at the wound the same way his first enemy had.
Still breathing hard, Crow looked around at the knights, thieves—Rikki had appeared at some point as well—and peasants, all locked in combat. Even though he had faced identical battles countless times over the past year, the sight still made him feel sick. Even worse was the fact that the main battle had drawn close enough to Whitebridge that there was now a sea of knights outnumbering the villagers.
Is this ever going to end? Crow thought tiredly as he ran to join in the fighting again.
Sounds good to me!
Dang, I like both of those a lot xD
I'm good with either one!
Or some combination of the two >>
I'm good with either one!
Or some combination of the two >>
Warrrrr
Any plans for the battle or are we just gonna focus on the fighting?
Any plans for the battle or are we just gonna focus on the fighting?
Because of how far Whitebridge was from their hideout, it took a bit longer than planned for the thieves to reach the outskirts of the village. They arrived a while after nightfall, setting up camp to the east side of the village, where they hoped they would be far enough away to avoid any more unwanted encounters with the knights.
Once everything was finished, they collapsed tiredly in the grass next to a small fire, exhausted from the both long journey and the short run-in with the scouts. Not much conversation went on as they relaxed and recuperated from the trip, until Crow stood back up to announce that he was going to go on ahead to warn the villagers while there was still time.
“I’m coming with you,” Rikki announced, hopping to her feet as well and trotting up beside him. When Crow just stared at her curiously, she rolled her eyes, “There could be a whole battalion of knights in that village. You could need an extra pair of eyes watching your back.”
“Fine,” Crow agreed, a bit relieved to have the sharp thief coming along with him. “Let’s go.”
They turned and headed towards Whitebridge, leaving Simon and Alistair behind to sleep. As they walked, Rikki fell in step beside him, keeping close enough that their arms brushed occasionally. Crow glanced at her from the corner of his eye. He sometimes wondered if her advances stemmed from more than just a physical desire for him, but it was hard to tell. Flirtatious by nature and hardly ever serious, she was a difficult woman to read. However, he didn’t intend to ask about it, and she never bothered to tell him, so the matter would remain unsettled.
“So,” Rikki spoke up after they had walked in silence for a while. “What are you going to do if you have to fight either of those knights you know?”
“That won’t happen,” Crow said stubbornly. “We’re only going to fight to protect the villagers. Penelope and Olivia wouldn’t attack innocent people.”
“Yeah, okay,” Rikki frowned. “But what if?” She leaned in a little closer to him. “Say their leaders make them do it. No choice. What would you do then?”
Crow faltered a bit as he chewed on her question. It was a situation he hoped he would never have to face. Not being very close with Olivia, he didn’t doubt that he would fight against her if he had to, but to engage with Penelope… The thought sent a shiver down his spine. “It’s not going to happen,” he repeated. “I know them. They would never go after the villagers.”
Rikki nodded wordlessly at his answer, not seeming fully convinced. Like Simon, she probably had her own reservations about working with a knight, but had kept them to herself out of respect for her leader until now. He was just grateful that she at trusted his judgment enough not to push the matter at least.
When they reached Whitebridge, they sought out as many peasants as they could who were still awake. Once Crow and Rikki explained the situation, word began to spread like wildfire through the village that war was coming. Before long, they began to evacuate the women and children into the woods to the east, where the thieves had made their camp.
Fortunately, it seemed that they had come at the perfect time, because just as the last families fled the village, Crow caught sight of armor just past the southern tree line, reflected eerily in the moonlight. He nudged Rikki to draw her attention to it. “Time to go,” he said, leading the way as the two thieves sprinted into the woods after the villagers.
--
Crow spent the rest of the night getting what little sleep he could while the women and older children that had taken cover with them tried to console the frightened young ones.
When dawn came, it felt much too soon. Simon was the first one up, so he roused the others just before sunrise. They all prepared their weapons and headed back to Whitebridge, where the remaining male villagers, along with a few women who had chosen to stay and defend their home, were readying themselves to fight. Like the people in many of the other outer villages, they had already seen some of the battles and knew what was coming.
Crow’s eyes swept over the ragged warriors. They were trying hard to put on brave faces, but he could tell they were frightened—and understandably so. He frowned as he recalled the last battle that had taken place near Whitebridge. It had been one of the more brutal fights he had seen since the war had begun a year ago. He didn’t blame the villagers for fearing the battle would repeat itself that morning.
“Crow.”
He turned at the sound of Simon’s voice behind him. The blonde thief tipped his head towards the western tree line, “Hear that?”
“Yeah,” Crow nodded. The distant sounds of battle could be heard over the sounds of the villagers’ preparations. “Sounds like it started.” He signaled for Rikki and Alistair to join them. Once the thieves had gathered, he stood back to address them all, “Everyone, we’re going to the border. Right now the fighting is happening on the Younisian side, but some of their knights could still slip through and head this way. If we wait for them there, we can stop them before they reach this village.
“Try to stay in between the border and Whitebridge as best as you can. Don’t fall back unless you get injured or the Younisians start to push the knights from our kingdom this way. Also, remember to stay within shouting distance of each other so we can back each other up if anyone gets into trouble,” he looked between the three. “Any questions?”
They all shook their heads. They had seen enough war to know the drill.
After a moment, Crow nodded, “Alright then. Good luck out there, guys. Let’s all come back alive, so we have something to drink about.” With that, he drew his daggers and led the way as the four thieves raced into the forest.
Once everything was finished, they collapsed tiredly in the grass next to a small fire, exhausted from the both long journey and the short run-in with the scouts. Not much conversation went on as they relaxed and recuperated from the trip, until Crow stood back up to announce that he was going to go on ahead to warn the villagers while there was still time.
“I’m coming with you,” Rikki announced, hopping to her feet as well and trotting up beside him. When Crow just stared at her curiously, she rolled her eyes, “There could be a whole battalion of knights in that village. You could need an extra pair of eyes watching your back.”
“Fine,” Crow agreed, a bit relieved to have the sharp thief coming along with him. “Let’s go.”
They turned and headed towards Whitebridge, leaving Simon and Alistair behind to sleep. As they walked, Rikki fell in step beside him, keeping close enough that their arms brushed occasionally. Crow glanced at her from the corner of his eye. He sometimes wondered if her advances stemmed from more than just a physical desire for him, but it was hard to tell. Flirtatious by nature and hardly ever serious, she was a difficult woman to read. However, he didn’t intend to ask about it, and she never bothered to tell him, so the matter would remain unsettled.
“So,” Rikki spoke up after they had walked in silence for a while. “What are you going to do if you have to fight either of those knights you know?”
“That won’t happen,” Crow said stubbornly. “We’re only going to fight to protect the villagers. Penelope and Olivia wouldn’t attack innocent people.”
“Yeah, okay,” Rikki frowned. “But what if?” She leaned in a little closer to him. “Say their leaders make them do it. No choice. What would you do then?”
Crow faltered a bit as he chewed on her question. It was a situation he hoped he would never have to face. Not being very close with Olivia, he didn’t doubt that he would fight against her if he had to, but to engage with Penelope… The thought sent a shiver down his spine. “It’s not going to happen,” he repeated. “I know them. They would never go after the villagers.”
Rikki nodded wordlessly at his answer, not seeming fully convinced. Like Simon, she probably had her own reservations about working with a knight, but had kept them to herself out of respect for her leader until now. He was just grateful that she at trusted his judgment enough not to push the matter at least.
When they reached Whitebridge, they sought out as many peasants as they could who were still awake. Once Crow and Rikki explained the situation, word began to spread like wildfire through the village that war was coming. Before long, they began to evacuate the women and children into the woods to the east, where the thieves had made their camp.
Fortunately, it seemed that they had come at the perfect time, because just as the last families fled the village, Crow caught sight of armor just past the southern tree line, reflected eerily in the moonlight. He nudged Rikki to draw her attention to it. “Time to go,” he said, leading the way as the two thieves sprinted into the woods after the villagers.
--
Crow spent the rest of the night getting what little sleep he could while the women and older children that had taken cover with them tried to console the frightened young ones.
When dawn came, it felt much too soon. Simon was the first one up, so he roused the others just before sunrise. They all prepared their weapons and headed back to Whitebridge, where the remaining male villagers, along with a few women who had chosen to stay and defend their home, were readying themselves to fight. Like the people in many of the other outer villages, they had already seen some of the battles and knew what was coming.
Crow’s eyes swept over the ragged warriors. They were trying hard to put on brave faces, but he could tell they were frightened—and understandably so. He frowned as he recalled the last battle that had taken place near Whitebridge. It had been one of the more brutal fights he had seen since the war had begun a year ago. He didn’t blame the villagers for fearing the battle would repeat itself that morning.
“Crow.”
He turned at the sound of Simon’s voice behind him. The blonde thief tipped his head towards the western tree line, “Hear that?”
“Yeah,” Crow nodded. The distant sounds of battle could be heard over the sounds of the villagers’ preparations. “Sounds like it started.” He signaled for Rikki and Alistair to join them. Once the thieves had gathered, he stood back to address them all, “Everyone, we’re going to the border. Right now the fighting is happening on the Younisian side, but some of their knights could still slip through and head this way. If we wait for them there, we can stop them before they reach this village.
“Try to stay in between the border and Whitebridge as best as you can. Don’t fall back unless you get injured or the Younisians start to push the knights from our kingdom this way. Also, remember to stay within shouting distance of each other so we can back each other up if anyone gets into trouble,” he looked between the three. “Any questions?”
They all shook their heads. They had seen enough war to know the drill.
After a moment, Crow nodded, “Alright then. Good luck out there, guys. Let’s all come back alive, so we have something to drink about.” With that, he drew his daggers and led the way as the four thieves raced into the forest.
© 2007-2026