The horse screamed and Cataleya thought it was a respond to her command. But when she was sent flying forward, she knew that those men got her horse. She hit her head on the tree and she swore that she heard a cracking sound on her ears. She didn't have time to baby herself in that moment as she went to her horse which was already down on the ground.
There were a couple of arrows struck on its hind legs and it had a red feather on it. An indication that those were either poisoned or sedated at the tip of it. She heard them coming but instead of running away, she went to cradle the horse' face.
"You'll be fine. I'll stay here with you." She said to it despite its snorting, as if telling her to escape while she still has time.
Cataleya drawn her sword and glared at her behind, waiting in hopelessness for the arrival of those scums. She stood up with sword ready on her hand. Her bag of jewelries were thrown in the bushes and the contents of it spread around the ground.
When an arrow came to her direction, she deflected it hastily with her sword.
"Are you a moron? Don't shot her!" A man exclaimed and exclaimed at the man gearing up his bow with another arrow.
"I thought you said to bring her down. Look! She is still standing!" The man in a bow said.
"You're moron. Keep that away or I will shove your ass with that poisoned arrow of yours." The man said angrily.
Hearing that, Cataleya snapped her head to the direction of his horse, realizing that the arrows that struck her were poisoned. She held on her sword tightened as she turned back her full attention on the men who got off their horses.
Some of them ran to the bag treasure of hers while the other one stayed their distance from her. But it was clear that they wanted her too.
"Take the treasures and leave me alone." Cataleya said with a glaring eyes to the one holding a bow.
"I think we're past due any negotiation here, miss. Put the your sword down and you won't be hurt." The man in-charge said in a pretend calmness. He turned slightly to the men who were picking up the valuables in the ground.
"We got them," The man said to their leader who only nodded to them.
Cataleya eyed her bag being saddled in one of the men's horses. That goes her way to leave the land to the Asia. But having her treasure was the last thing in her mind now. She turned to her horse, chasing after its breath.
"I will go if you treat my horse." Cataleya tried negotiation.
"I say let just kill her here. This is too much hassle." The man in bow said in impatience.
"Shh. Don't scare the lady." The leader of them all said. "Alright, we'll give a cure to the horse and you put down your sword, alright?"
Cataleya nodded and gave way to the men who approached near her. Her sword still pointed at the two men who crouch down to the animal on the ground. With a quick eyes, she glanced at the leader who raised his hands to her, showing her that he wasn't doing anything. Then she returned her eyes to the men who dug out something on the bag.
Cataleya thought that it the cure and her heart just calmed down a little when her horse will be saved. At least one of them has to leave the forest and she won't hesitate to vote for her horse to do so. She might be downgrading her life's worth but she can't really be in peace if she knew that in her stubbornness to escape, the horse that the Briston treasured the most will die.
With a little hint of relaxed stance, the men finally caught her off guard as one of them tackled her down the ground while the bowman grinned at her.
"Sorry, miss. But my poison has no cure. This horse will die no matter what you do." He said.
Cataleya had no strength over the strong man who held her on the ground, flipped her on her stomach that she winced at the impact of small pebbles on her skin. Her hands were forced on her back and a rope to keep them in place.
"Bastards!" Cataleya screamed at the top of her lungs and her eyes widened when the bowman picked up her sword and looked at her in a mocking smile. When she realized what he planned to do, she thrashed wildly in attempt to stop him.
Tears then streamed her cheeks as her sword made its way on the horse' neck. The animal only neighed loudly in pain before it gurgled on its own blood.
Cataleya saw the horse's eye gradually dimmed until only blankness exist there. She screamed ever so loudly even when she was dragged away by those men who were laughing in her misery. Just before she collapsed, the last image that she saw was her horse laid on its death with her sword protruded on its neck…