Soon enough I had re-joined Recoil at our camp. I told her of of my journey and the lieutenant and Riders whom I had met. The mountain dog had waited by her side the whole time I had been away. They appeared to have developed a closeness that I was a little jealous of. Hmmft…! I thought to myself.
Wasn't it me that saved this lousy dog from the wolves?
Anyway.. we packed our things and prepared to finally make our way to Belokurikha.
It didn't take long to get moving. I noticed that I had been going for over 24hrs without rest now.
But I didn't seem to need downtime, no doubt an effect of the enhancement
I'd held back - controlled myself fighting the bandits, so as not to draw notice from the Riders.
It was hard to gauge if Recoil was happy to have me back, she seemed her non-talkative self.
But soon that changed...
We drew within sight of the bandit's camp. Strangely there was movement within it still.
Before I could stop him the Ovcharka had snarled and then run ahead into the camp... perhaps sensing a common enemy.
Stop!! I ordered the dog - but he was beyond stopping - already hurling himself at the bandit.
The bandit kicked out at the Ovcharka and then drew his sword slashing down on the dog, cutting into its head and down on its back.. dyeing its fur red with blood… Recoil screamed.. and we both ran into battle..
I remembered him, a bandit who had fled as we approached the camp with the Riders - he had returned to the campsite – a survivor. However, time he didn't flee but drew a sword and faced us.
Shouting.. "You... boy I know you!!, You were with the Riders who killed my brother.."
Do you like how I cut your dog boy? Then he kicked out at it striking its head... it lay bleeding,..dying..
Before I could stop her Recoil ran at the bandit.... her knife flashed, he dodged and slashed at her, luckily only glancing her arm as she swept inside the arc of his blade.
Then she drove her blade through him! Then Raised her heel and kicked him off her skewered blade.
Forgetting him she dropped to the ground by the Ovcharka… and screamed.. no!!
We checked the dog.. it wounds were serious, its back rose and fell with its laboured breathing..
Theres a way breathed Recoil as she stood and ran to fetch our packs..
She flung items here and there onto the ground until she held what she needed then she returned moaning in desperation to the dogs side..
Into the Ovcharka's shoulder she had plunged a red enhancement!!
"The self healing properties of the enhancement..." she stammered, tears streaming down her face..