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For some reason Faith found what was happening amusing. The newcomer plunging her sword needlessly into one of the three's neck, Atonai now fighting with another...what was going on?? Grinning slightly she sheathed her sword again and waited, she had not noticed the third rider staring at her and before she knew it the rider had charged for them though instead of attacking he grabbed Nathan off the back of her horse and disappeared through a small clearing in the trees.

ATONAI!!!!! Faith shouted ATONAI, THEY HAVE NATHAN she shouted again as she set her horse into a gallop to chase the rider...

The sweat pearled in her brow and blood had splattered on her coat when an alarming shout made her head turn. Janine pressed her lips together and her eyes squinted as she saw the third cloaked rider disappear in the woods with the woman in pursuit. Her attention returned for a moment to the others, one had fallen from his horse and was about to take his last breath as his body squirmed in agony. The other was in heavy combat with the man. Surely he would be capable of defending himself or else keep his opponent busy for a while. The boy however, seemed to be more valuable. Her memory went back to all the companions she had lost in her short life while she drove her horse to where the woman had disappeared between the trees.

"YOU GET HIM, I'M A LITTLE BUSY RIGHT NOW!" Atonai yelled, doing his best to fend off three enemies at once. He knew Nathan well. As opposed as he was to putting the kid in dangerous situations, he trusted him to at least make it very hard to hurt him.

Nathan was in fact making things very hard for his kidnapper. He had already bitten the attacker three times, squirmed ferociously, kicked anything he could get his feet near, and started screaming as loudly as he could. Altogether, he was freaking the horse out and ticking off the attacker. And making himself very, very easy to follow.

YOU GET HIM!!!! WHAT ON EARTH Faith shouted into the trees as she sped after the rider. Sure, ill get him she continued, you just hang about while I chase down whatever it is i'm chasing. Looking over her shoulder quickly, Faith saw the woman had followed her but she did not have time to figure out if that was good or bad before she heard Nathan creaming and shouting not too far ahead. For the love of all things holy, that boy is going to attract every villian for one hundred miles...cmon girl she said to her horse and spurred her on.

It wasn't long before Faith had caught up to them though some force seemed to be making a lot of dust as it was hard to see exactly who was where. Shouting to Nathan she let him know she was close 'Get ready! she said not knowing if he even knew what she was going to do.

As soon as she thought she was level with the rider Faith manoeuvred herself and jumped from her horse and diving into the dust hoping that she was right.....which she wasn't. Through the dust she fell and landed with a ground crunching thud not a hands width away from her target.....

A soft thud followed as the woman riding before Janine fell to the ground after her daring attempt to grasp Nathan. Janine first reaction was to drive past the fallen body, hoping she wasn't injured. Janine felt that saving the young lad was a priority now.

Hop on!

Janine said to the fallen woman, reaching out her hand while sliding of her stirrup after she made her horse make a sliding stop

Come on, he's getting away

Nathan was getting increasingly frustrated with his current predicament. He hadn't gotten any sort of look at his attacker, and was busy trying to keep himself out of a headlock. Desperate to escape, he swung his legs wildly and struck out at anything he could reach, managing to launch himself from the horse.

He disappeared into the dust, hit his head, and lay still.

The attacker looked around frantically, and turned and galloped away as he heard Janine coming.

Faith had jumped up and was about to start running when the woman caught up. 'Hop on' she had said and offered a hand. Hesitating she looked to where the rider was and the dust cleared for just enough time to see Nathan fall from the horse. You go...Ill get Nathan Faith finally replied and started to run. The woman overtook her as she reached Nathan who was lying unconscious on the floor.

Nathan!Nathan wake up, its Faith. She said, checking him over for injury's of which she found on the back of his head. Pulling her hand back she saw the blood on her fingers and a mixture of fear and panic washed over her. Nathan, cmon, wake up! gently shaking him she looked around, where was Atonai?? and where was the woman and the rider??

A groan from the ground brought her attention back to Nathan and she caught her breath as the young boy opening his eyes and looked up at her. 'I fought well?' he asked and Faith could have cried with joy. You fought very well Nathan, you got a nasty bump to your head though she replied and slowly, very slowly helped him sit up. Looking at the back of his head she relaxed, it was not as bad as she had thought but there was still blood. Think you will be alright for a minute? she asked Nathan and smiled when he nodded. I won't be long.

Quickly, she got up and moved through the trees looking for a specific plant and it did not take her long to find it. Grabbing it she yanked it out the ground and ran back. Here....eat this she said breaking off a bit of the root. Nathan did as he was told, wincing and moaning at the taste but within minutes the cut on his head had healed and not a another minute later he was more alert. Looking up again Faith frowned...where is Atonai?

Janine tilted her head a little and frowned when offer was declined. A small frown appeared on her face when she was ordered to take care of the anonymous rider by the woman who made a habbit of falling of horses. Each to their own, thought Janine while spurring on her horse into a fast pace. Janine knew more pleasant ways to have ones breath take away other then plummiting to the ground. Janine looked back over her shoulder and saw the woman bend over concerned over Nathan.

Is he allright?

Janine's clothes were drenched in blood from her close encounter with the rider. Her hooded coat layed casual over the backside of the horse and her gloves were tucked in her leather belt as she handed the reigns of the woman's horse. The animal had kept running behind the cloaked rider without its owner and had stopped only after Janine had caught up with them.

Where is your companion?

Nathan sorted through his hair with his fingers, trying to find the source of his pounding headache. He didn't quite remember how he'd gotten on the ground, but apparently he'd done pretty okay.

He felt the cut healing under his fingers and his headache faded. His fingers came away sticky with blood and he wiped them on a fern. He didn't feel quite like standing yet.

A horse approached through the woods, bearing a very bloody Atonai. His short sword was still drawn, glinting with a thin layer of red all the way to the hilt. His arms were also covered, and a small cut above his eyebrow was leaking more blood as he pinched it together with his free hand. It was difficult to tell if the rest of the blood on his clothes was his or not. Priv, snorting anger but only with a few scrapes on his legs, was guided by Atonai's knees and weaponed hand.

"I'm right here," he said. "And I'd like to know who you are. And who those weirdos were. And who kidnapped Nathan." He swung down, spoke to Priv in a strange language, and slowly walked over to check on Nathan. His free hand curled around his side and his breathing quickened.

He will be fine Faith replied to the woman who she still had no idea who she was. Atonai answered the second question before Faith could and she jumped to her feet, so relieved to see him. She took a second to take in the sight before her...blood, and lots of it...who's blood? Even his horse was bloody but it was clear from how Atonai held his side that he was injured more than a cut on his head and if that was his blood??!....

Moving to let him check on Nathan she checked him. What is wrong with your side? she asked trying to move his hand and ignoring the questions he was blurting at the woman even if she wanted to know the answers too, he was more important right now.

Janine swung her right leg and dismounted with a soft sigh. Her mind searched for a satisfying answer to the man's question as she removed the iron bite of the horses so they could munch on the luscious grass. Luvsitt.... Janine Luvsitt, at your service she replied without a hesitation in her voice. Janine wrapped her coat up and placed it under Nathan's head so he would lie more comfortable. As for those "wierdos" I only heard rumours and saw you were outnumbered by three to two... well, two and a half. No offence Nathan She granted the lad a soft smile while she pulled open her knapsack. Here you go Janine tossed the boy a roll and asked if the others were interested in a little snack as well

"I don't know," Atonai said simply, referring to his side. "It hurts. I don't think it's broken."

"I'm not half anything," Nathan sniffed. "But we had two horses, so whatever, I guess." He waited until Atonai nodded at him before sinking his teeth into the roll. "Thanks," he muttered, mouth full.

Atonai passed on any food, citing that he felt like throwing up.

Luvsitt....did she just say her name was Janine Luvsitt? Faith thought as she tried to hold in a chuckle. Surely that was made up? No one could have that as a name...the jokes that would bring. Looking around she noticed that no one else found it funny, well Atonai, Nathan was too young. Then again there definatley appeared to be something wrong with Atonai.

Passing on the food, without eye contact for fear of laughing, Faith focused on him. You are not good Atonai, you hurt and feel sick. Let me look at you she said, almost demanded. What happened back there?

Janine did notice the woman avoiding her eyes when she accepted the snack but so far no one gave the response she usually got when she told her name. Janine looked at the man who was refered to as Atonia and even to her untrained eye is was clear to her that he was not suffering from a simple hangover. To distract the lad, she sat next to Nathan while munching on a role and told him the rumour she had heard about their opponents. From what I have been told, these men, it is said they are men, are the first line of defense that patrols along the borders of a mystical realm. Some kind of county in which is a green castle surrounded by a blue forest enclosed by a red moat. No one really knows for sure... never before has returned alive... Janine paused for a bit and looked at the frightened boy,
the terror clearly visible in his eyes Only their remains were found, scattered over moars.

Nathan, despite being slightly shaken, looked absolutely anything but frightened. Scratched up, yes. Worried about Atonai, very. Interested in Janine's story, certainly. Frightened? Not a bit.

"That's the way to Ashdale," he objected. "There's no mystical kingdom that way, I grew up around here. It could be a fae thing, but you have to go through water to enter the fae realms, and we definitely didn't do that." He finished his roll and his eyes widened. "Maybe the fae king is expanding his borders into the mortal realms," he said.

"I fought off three mounted warriors alone, that's what happened," Atonai grumbled to Faith, slowly sitting down against a tree. "No pushovers, either." He grunted and pulled off his belts, tugged up his shirt, revealing his injury. "I killed one and other two left," he muttered, poking at his shredded side. "This is the worst of it. Did you both have to go after Nathan? One would have done it."

Faith didn't like the tone in Atonai's voice but it was understandable. She had no doubt he could look after himself but that wasn't the point. I'd like to remind you that you told me to go she said as she crouched down beside him to get a better look at his side. It needs cleaned she said and went to her horse to get her water sack, quickly returning and giving him a look to say sorry before pouring the water over the gash.

I wonder who they were and why they wanted Nathan she asked no one as she reached for the remains of the plant she had found for Nathan and broke a larger piece of root and handed it to Atonai. It will help she said before standing and looking to the woman.

So Janine Lovsitt she said what exactly do you love and why are you here?

It’s just rumors I overheard, old wives tales most likely, Nathan. Janine ruffled the boys’ hair a bit. You were very brave in your escape, yanno, he was a formidable opponent. Janine watched how Nathan was looking at Atonai and wondered if he was his father but she could not really find the resemblance right away. Perhaps a drink would let the adrenaline calm down that made her blood rage through her veins.

Slowly she got up and walked over to her horse and searched through the saddlebags until her hand got hold of the flask. She pulled off the cork and took a sip and then another, and another. As she returned to pass on her liquid tranquilizer to the other adults, she overheard the woman talk to the man as she cared for his wounds. If that doesn’t help, perhaps this will. A grin formed around her lips as she extended her arm to Atonai.

Well ma’am Janine tilted her head and her brain sought for answers I was heading North to enlist as crew on a ship when I stumbled on your encounter with these horsemen. As to your other question, ma’am, you can blame my parents for the surname Luvsitt, but to answer your question I love sheets of satin, an occasional glass of ale, an accelerated heartbeat, the scent of grass wet with dew, the taste of salt that splashes on your face at sea, the loyalty of my horse, the company of a good friend…. to name a few

Atonai chewed the root and held his shirt up, carefully prodding at the injury. He winced and took the offered flask. He sniffed it, took a huge swig, and handed it back.

"I don't get what's so weird about 'Luvsitt'," Nathan said, scooting across the forest floor, closer to Atonai. Atonai made a face that clearly meant he didn't want anyone to explain it. "And what's a yanno?" he asked Janine. "And are you gonna be okay?" he asked Atonai.

"I know it looks nasty, but it's not deep, bucko," Atonai said, trying to be reassuring. "I'll be okay."

Faith takes a moment to process the situation, there were three riders, one Miss Lovsitt killed and one who kidnapped Nathan, leaving one for Atonai yet there appears to have been another two they did not see. Deep in thought she scanned the trees not hearing the conversation, could there be more riders hidden and waiting?

Maybe we should not hang around she said and looked to Atonia to see if her could ride We should get you both to town and properly looked at and cleaned up she added before moving to gather up the horses. With her back turned to the woman she checked to see she still had the key and it had not been lost in the commotion.

Janine nodded to the suggestions of the woman, there was a lot of merit to what she said. Though going back into town would interfere with her plans of going sailing, Janine knew the captain would wait for her... or not, the favor she owed Janine wasn't so big Do you want to ride with me, Nathan? guessing Atonia was going to have a hard time staying seated in the sadle and the hobby of the woman might be contagious.