The day was getting dim and the sun roared redly towards the horizon. The clouds were bloodstained and wispy. Terion's trek through the forest with Anuradha had been pleasant and uneventful. In the emerald majesty of that sunlit land he had found himself rather content with her company. After her inital stormy mood, Terion really enjoyed the change in her personality. She seemed fairly happy to be on the trail and out under the open sky. She was turning out to be his kind of lady.

Terion watched the failing light with his sharp silver eyes, then proceeded to scan the rocky terrain in front of him in search of a path that would lead him westward and towards the Mines. The air coming off the mountain whipped at a fairly high speed, so he drew his cloak over himself to shield it's assault. He brushed his hair back from his eyes, he thought he spotted a game type trail that wandered haphazardly up towards the nearest pass between two great slopes. There was very little foliage on the trail, only little patches of rough brush-grass. Hawks wheeled in the sky screeching thier own farewells to the sun.

"Well lady we've reached the mountains. This trail looks like the best and most direct way westward, through those peaks. I'm not too familiar with the area but looking at the map that should put us in the direction of the mines."

He pointed to where the path could be seen vanishing between two jagged and snowy peaks. Thier icy sides looked sort of pink in the dying light. The air gusted again rushing headlong down the mountain side in a second brutal attack. It wasn't really feeling much like summer anymore. Terion was unsure of what thier next move should be.

"Do you want to stay here for the night and tackle the pass in the morning Anuradha? Or do you want to press on? There's really no rush, so I'll leave it up to you."

Her father had been right. She would find herself most at home with a fellow wander. While the treck had been rather uneventful, Anuradha had found herself enjoying herself. The forest was around her, the sky above was clear, the great cloud on her horizon was gone, and that alone made her feel like shouting for joy. She didn't of, course. No reason to scare her new friend off. But the smile never left her face and the joy never left her eyes.

Only now as they came closer did the moutain did the wind get a bite of coldness and she slipped her cloak on as she starred around. Her father's teaching had drilled it into her head to take in everyting about her. So she took in every detail, and spotted the trail before Terion pointed it out. She had trecked worse paths, though this was the first time they had led toward the mountains. She looked up toward the snowy peeks with curiosity burning in her eyes. She burned to continue on, to explore this new road, to see more.

"I stil have a great amount of energy in me, and there is still enough light for traveling. I say we go forward." She took a few steps forward even as she spoke, glancing from the mountains to Terion and then back again. "To be truthful, I wish to get as close to the mountains as we can before it gets to dark. This is the first time I have seen mountains."

She had imagined them in her head from her father's stories. Great pieces of earth stretching up to the sky, he had said. As if the land wanted to reach out and grab the heavens. But they were even taller then she had pictured them, even more beautiful.

Terion smiled at Anuradha and nodded. Gripping his walking stick in one hand he began to march upward towards the pass zig-zagging back and forth dodging patches of loose rock and pressing ever onward. Occasionally he would stop for a moment to take her hand and help her in the tricky spots that he found. He wasn't sure if she really needed his help but he did it anyways. The air was chill but tasted sweet and clean. He felt wonderfully alive. Looking back on occassion he could see the forest getting smaller beneath them and stretching out like a windblown emerald ocean. He was not used to mountains but this was amazing.

"I can't believe how beautiful it is up here! I'm glad we decided to do this Anuradha. It's good to be able to share it with someone."

He grinned and pushed forward. They eventually reached a small flat ridge where a mountain stream ran down into a clear pool. There was a willow tree whose stringy limbs hung down into the water. Terion stopped and scooped up a handful of the water, wetting down his sandy throat. There were some grasses here and it was a pleasant clearing. The sky reflected the first few stars that were now peering out of the sky.

Suddenly Terion felt cold and afraid. There was someone watching them, he was sure of it. In the distance there was a shrillish whispered laughter and a scattering of rocky clatters. He put his hand to the hilt of his sword and stepped closer to Anuradha, he wasn't about to have saved her life just to have her lose it. He looked down at her with his silver eyes blazing.

"Stay close lady. There is most definately some ill power at work here, though what it is I don't know yet. Can you feel it?"

Anuradha kept glancing back as they climbed every higher. She had never been up so high. It was amazing to watch the individual tress turn into a see of color. The air was cold, and even the coldness of it felt different from down among the trees. The wind had more room up here, was stronger and had more of a bite to it. She ended up putting on her cloak as they moved farther up the trail where it started become more rocky. She did not find this trail very difficult and could have managed. Yet she let Terion help her over the rockier areas, taking his hand each time he offered it. He reminded her of her father. Courtious, always the gentleman.

When they reached the ridge with the pool she drank as well, enjoying the cool water that wet her dry throat and mouth. She even splashed a bit on her face before wiping it off with her sleeve. After she was done she knelt at the edge of the water and looked up at the sky. It seemed closer already, even though they had barely started to travel. She wondered how close the stars would get the next few days. How big the moon would seem as they climbed toward the sky.

She tensed, feeling eyes on them. Her whole body went rigged, every cell preparing for a fight. Her spine straightened as her head shot up, ears now ringing as they tried to pick up the slightest noise. One hand fell unconsiously to her sword, the other curling into a fist. Her head turned every so slightly at the laughter, before glancing up at Terion.

"Yes I feel it." Her fingers clenched tightly around her weapon. "I believe we are going to have a fight on her hands." Slowly she rose to her feet, moving so they were back to back. "This is going to turn into a intersting night." Like hell she was going to die now. Winter had lost its hold on her, she had a shelter waiting for her when her journeying was done, and a friend to travel with. That was not going to be ruined now.

The first bandit approached from a pile of boulders to the east of the lake and stalked toward Terion and Anuradha slowly. He held a chain that was wrapped around the neck of a hideous humanoid creature, that resembled some sort of insect. It was a shiny, oily, black thing with crippled translucent wings. It limped sickly on six thin legs. It snuffled as it ran forward, swinging a long tail with a barb on it's end. Two other bandits, one a grim, tall man with sunken eyes and the other a weasle-faced man with pointy teeth and lank, greasy hair, approached from the other direction coming towards Anuradha. The ratty bandit gave another raspy chuckle as he fingered a long dagger looking Anuradha up and down with a sinister grin. The burly bandit that led the insect-man spoke.

"Give up your lovely little friend, ranger, and we'll let you go free. Me and the boys are rather lonely up here in the mountains. Otherwise we might have to feed you to our little pet here. He's a rather playful type o' fellow."

The burly man laughed which prompted a wild outburst from the rat-faced man.

"Lemme have 'er first Brux! She's a cute one..."

Terion couldn't hold himself any longer. He drew his longsword from it's oiled scabbard loosing a ring into the air.

"I don't think so. You'll have to come and take what you want!"

The burly bandit, Brux apparently, frown and gave a low growl before replying.

"So be it, little ranger. Get him boy!"

So saying Brux released the chain and the insectoid creature hissed and charged Terion. It swung one of it's black, sickle-like arms and Terion raised his sword to parry the blow. It clanged in an unnatural way and Terion was forced to step to the side throwing a boot at the creature's thorax. It was barely phased but it faltered for a moment as Terion unleashed a quick flurry of blows, most of which dodged harmlessly off of the creatures exoskeleton. One of his cuts dug deeply in between the insect's armor and a gush of yellow-green fluid was expelled. The monster writhed in pain and rage. It leapt onto Terion, tackling him to the ground. His longsword spun out of his grasp across the ground and towards the pool. The creature tried to bring it's barbed tail into play but Terion was able to hold the point away from his throat with his shield.

As they wrestled about in the rocky grasses the rat faced bandit stalked slowly toward Anuradha. He continued to laugh as he slowly circled her. His yellow pointed teeth watered over the edge of his lip.

"You're boyfriend isn't going to make it sweetheart. You sure you don't want to be with a real man? I can keep these ruffians from hurting you."

Anuradha eyed each man carefully. She achknowledged their strengths, saught out weaknesses, planned in her head a course of attack. Her eyes stayed on the thing on a chain the longest. Like a insect grown ten times and mutated into some beastly creature from a nightmare. She drew her blade out far enough from her scabbard for a quicker draw if any attack came her way. Her blood was boiling at the man's calls. Did they think she was some sort of object they could pass around? Never, never would she be some play thing for a male. She would rather fight to the death then let it happen.

She was ready to snap a retort at them, but shut her mouth as Terion drew his sword. He could run, he could escape, he could make it out of here without a scartch. Instead he stood and fought, defended her. Seemed just as enraged by these men as she was. This ranger had just earned her fully respect. But before she could really act on anything the fight began, and her sword was out, the silver of the blade flashing in the air.

Even before the ratty one had finished his words she launched at him, her movements quick and graceful from many years of training and practice. Her sword was like a extension of her arm, cutting fast through the air as she swung at the bandit's neck, her foot coming out at the same time to stomp hard on his foot at the same time.

"Go to hell." She screamed as she attacked. Her rage and disgust for these men were etched into her voice, which was as sharp as her sword.

Terion held the beast back with his shield, supported by both of his arms. It continuously beat down upon him with it's long and barbed tail. He cast a split second glance over at Anuradha, it looked like she was holding her own. Good. He didn't have any time to help her. He looked back over his head spotting his sword about ten feet away near the surface of the mountain pool. As the insect lunged forward in a furious new attack, Terion shifted his weight and, throwing his knee up into the creature's midsection he was able to toss it a few feet, where it landed with a crunch on its misshapen head. It wasn't stunned for long, but Terion had enough time to dive forward and reclaim his longsword. The creature hissed and it's yellow saplike blood was still dripping slowly from the previous wound.

Terion stalked slowly towards his foe, holding his shield up in front of himself protectively and brandished his sword in his right arm, tip pointed toward the creature. Even the monster seemed a bit more cautious now that it had been injured. As it cried out in inhuman rage and rushed forward Terion threw his shield up. The insectoid tried to impale him with both of it's sickle like arms at once, swinging them down from above as it reared on it's spiny, spiderish legs. One of it's sharpened arms bounced harmlessly off of the shield, the other slid off of the left side to catch in Terion's shoulder. It hit the bone causing a shock of pain to run down Terion's left side and he nearly dropped the shield. With an enraged scream he gave forth all of his force and pushed the creature upward exposing it's underbelly for a moment. In this secondary window, Terion gave forth his blade plunging it deep into the monster's midsection until it's glistening tip could be seen protruding from the insectoid's back. It drew in a laboured breath and it's multi-faceted eyes grew wide and fearful. All strength left the monster and it fell back wriggling in death throes.

Terion's left arm lost it's strength and he dropped the shield to the ground. His right hand was locked on the pommel of his longsword. He stooped a little bit as he felt warm liquid running down his side, the wound throbbed with drumbeats of agony. His head swam but he drew in a deep breath and regained his conciousness. Then he spun quickly as he heard a new danger coming from behind him.

"Damn you, little ranger! Do you have any idea how long it took me to train that ugly thing? Your little wildflower isn't even worth it's life. However, as the life drains from your body I will have my recompensation."

The bandit leader, Brux, was standing about ten feet from him. He showed the few teeth that remained in his head with a nasty grimace and carried an enormous warhammer that was raised to split Terion's skull. The ranger was in trouble. His energy was draining from the open wound and now this bear of a man approached to finish him off. He hoped Anuradha was faring better, but he had little time to observe her status as the bandit leader charged towards him.