They push me to the other side of the village, spears pointing in my back. I can see a wooden palisade and lots of men and women waiting anxiously of what is to come. I get pushed to a weapon rack, and they nudge me to take a weapon of choice. I quickly look around and grab a spear, and search in vein for a shield. They open a low wooden gate and push met inside a fighting pit. The crowd scolds and spits at me, making all kind of gestures that I would rather forget. Fear and anger are a powerful combination, I am filled with it.
A cage on wheels is being dragged towards the gate. I loosen my shoulders and await whatever they will throw at me. They quickly open the cage and jump aside. A mighty and deep roar followed by a huge catlike creature that jumped outside the cage into the pit. The beast looked mighty with huge claws and two teeth the size of small swords. The sabrecat look famished as if it had not eaten for a month. His cat eyes were fixed on me. I know this foe is beyond my skill, I have no armor nor any kind of protection, just my skills with a spear. Bema stand with me...
I took defensive position pointing the spear towards the beast. His eyes widened and came charging in with lightening speed. The beast ran within the reach of my spear, I thrust but the sabrecat was too quick and ran sideways, and managed to scratch my upper arm with his claw. My teeth gritted in pain as the beast flew past me and I saw the cat tried to gain grip for another attack. The crowd cheered and roared wildly. I had chosen my counter attack, and braced myself for the final stand.
The sabre cat ran in again this time less cautious, when the beast came into my reach I used an old spear technique. Not one strong thrust but a flurry of weaker attacks, aiming on his head. I thrust the spear back and forth as fast and hard as I could. The spear stabbed the cats nose, ear and cheek, piercing the skin a little. In a reaction the cat closed his eyes and put his paw in front of his face in defense. I side stepped and the cat flew past roaring in anger.
To my suprise the beast became more furious than before roaring deeply. He looked up the 3 meter long wooden palisade and leaned deep on his hind legs. The sabrecat leaped with a mighty jump up the palisade into the crowd. Panic.. Screams, roars, blood. The cat was in a frenzy smashing his claws into the spectators, bodies fell bleeding off the palisade into the pit. Everyone was running as the cat was causing a massacre to the unprepared crowd. I snapped out of my frozen state and made a run for it.
My vision was like a tunnel, the gate... run, RUN! I jumped over the gate still holding my spear, I felt I was flying. I heard the screams and panic behind me. I ran blindly through the empty village. I saw a horse grazing and its rider was slowly turning his head to see who came running to him. One chance only. The Dunland Rider startled and reached for his sword. At the same time I threw my spear at him like you would throw a javelin with all the strength I had left. The spear hit his torso and the force of the spear threw him off the saddle. I jumped on his horse and spurred the horse and rode out of camp. One look behind me saw I was chased by five riders, the howls told me the hounds were on my trail as well...
