Catch a Rabbit By the Tail

JP with Alexis, Gonyaul and Hunter:

Gonyaul didn’t notice until it was too late the two men coming up behind him. He had been too distracted by what was in front. The much larger man wrapped both arms around him in a great big captive bear hug and raised him off the ground like he weighed next to nothing.

Gonyaul gasped in surprised a Vauxian word letting lose from his lips. The ruffian was equally surprised as he realized that this person in a dress, unarmed and long hair wasn’t a girl.

Gonyaul’s training kicked in. He jabbed an elbow hard into the man’s rip cage and pumped his arms forward and out, breaking the hold on him. When his feet hit the ground he went into a low and wide stance. On his way down he grabbed the man’s arm and changing his stance, put his butt and lower center of gravity beneath the Odenin’s groin. In one final motion, Gonyaul quickly bent himself forward and launched the big man over his shoulder and to the ground.

Gonyaul changed into a defensive stance as the man started to scramble to his feet and was joined by the second of the two men that snuck up from behind. The second ruffian didn’t know yet the first man’s epiphany. He reached for Gonyaul.

Gonyaul side stepped, grabbed his reaching arm, and went forward closer to the man. It was then the second man also realized this wasn’t a young woman. Gonyaul held fast the man’s forearm and began a series of dance like moves that continually kept him moving and involuntarily off balance. It ended with Gonyaul moving forward, splitting the man’s stance with his own, pushing the bound arm into his person and bringing an elbow up to his head to effectively throw the man backwards off balance.

The ruffian went rolling backwards into his companion, knocking him down again. The two got up, pissed. And then they drew there weapons as they reevaluated their target.

The trampled man, trying to rise, hope was ended as he took the poisoned blade to the soft part of the neck around the collarbone. He collapsed and was soon not for this world.

The bladed staff was pinning the dead man to the ground in an almost standing position. The man’s hands firmly around the weapons entry point into his body. Hunter would be hard pressed to get it free in time before the next attack.

Which was now upon him. Two men, with two more soon on the way. The closest thrust a spear for the front of Hunters midsection. The other man from the other side a second behind thrust his spear aiming for the small of Hunter’s back.

Meanwhile, Malacost was playing a game of tag with one of the attackers. He kept one hand on the horses bridle and was moving in circles, constantly keeping the horse between him and his attacker so the man couldn’t get to him. He figured the horse was valuable to them and he would not risk harming it just yet.