Jon dug his heels into the ground as stood stalwart, his shield round and splintered, tearing further and further apart as the steel arrows dug firmly into the wood.

"I don't know how much further I can keep this up!" He grunted as the bandits approached from the frosted treeline with each wave of arrows. Another onslaught whipped into your shields, Jon brought his sword up and cut the arrows into small studs that hugged his shield firmly. "Forward!"

He commanded, you dropped your shield to your side and took a quick run forward before returning to your defensive position. "We cannot sit here and take this. My shield will give out before I do but that will leave us both well and truly fucked... Do you trust me?"

You nodded as an arrow pierced through the thick wood and splintered your cover, sending shards of wood into your face.

"Then follow me." He discarded his shield, brought his trusted blade up and charged at the bandits, after a small moment of shock you followed suit, your fierce war cry echoed through the dense, snow-capped forest.

Arrows flew past you with a frightening whistle but the bandits could not land a shot into your flesh, the fear of their faces grew ever more prevalent, culminating in gasps of shock as Jon cleaved an arm from it's shoulder and sent a streak of dark red against the white snow of the forest floor, the bandits pulled back their bowstrings, Jon grabbed the bandit by the collar and let the volley fall into his back before tossing him against the ground.

The rest of his crew tossed their bows aside, slid their quivers from their back and drew the vicious looking blades that rested on their hip. Jon grunted and lunged forward, you blocked him with a firm arm.

"I would think very carefully about what you are going to do." You beckoned. "Unless you all want to end up like your friend here." Their eyes slowly fell on the corpse as Jon plucked the arrows from his back. "Leave our stuff on the ground and a little extra... interest for our troubles, then turn around and leave." They looked at each other with dread in their eyes. "Do not do anything you would regret now." Slowly they emptied their pockets before turning their backs and quickly fleeing.

"We should have killed the bastards." Jon scored as he rummaged through the abandoned belongings.

~*~

Written by Aaron.