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It was just another day for Faith. Same as always. Get up, go out, find food…have a drink, hit the road. Now though as she was leaning against her tree she wished she had got more food and drink but money was the issue. Looking back into the trees she could not see her companions but she had no doubt they were there. Well she hoped they were there if not this could go wrong fast.

Every time she done this she swore it was the last. This haul will be enough for me to live on she would tell herself but it was never big enough and her share was soon gone and she would find herself back again. There had to be something bigger than this right? Or maybe she needed a smaller group, more money to go around that way then again, the more there is the less likely anything goes wrong.

Hearing a familiar whistle through the trees Faith unsheathed her short sword and took a deep breath as the sound of horses drew closer…

"We're back," Atonai announced cheerfully, ducking under a branch as his pony- (he swore it was a horse)- trotted along the worn path. Nathan sat behind him, legs bouncing, antsy and anxious to get down. He swung off and hit the ground as soon as Atonai called his horse-pony to a walk.

"We got the key!" Nathan said, pulling a key on a string out of his shirt and handing it to Faith. He shook out his legs, numbed from trotting along on the horse. "Do we need anything else before we can start?"

Atonai sighed, tying his small horse to a sturdy branch. "I still think Nathan should stay at camp while we get the book," he protested to the horse. Nathan shot him a nasty look. "Sure, it's a magical book. Sure, the monastery really needs us to steal it back before someone we really won't like learns the spells inside. Sure, we're actually preventing more crime, but this is illegal, and Nathan, you're twelve!"

"Thirteen in May," Nathan grumbled sullenly.

Janine looked at her reflection in the pool and pulled the hood a bit further over her head and tucked in a lock of her hair. Her face was covered with a scarf tightly wrapped around so only her eyes could be seen. The long warm coat covered her small figure for the bigger part and underneath she wore a pair of wide trousers and a pair of long black boots she once “borrowed” from a man who ended up at the wrong end of her knife. A pair of socks made them fit well enough for her to walk on. A pair of woolen gloves completed her outfit and she could easily be mistaken for a short man or boy.

Her daily routine took her out of the village and into the woods. The morning dew covered her boots as she walked along between the large oaks which let little rays of the early sun through. The damp moss muffled her footsteps as she quickly moved between the stems along the overgrown path. She stopped in her tracks as she became aware of voices as she approached the edge of the forest. She held her breath as she took a few steps and pushed away a little of the shrubbery. Not far away she watched how three persons and a horse had gathered. One a lot shorter as the others and the man was addressing the boy. They didn’t look wealthy enough for her to fulfil her daily need of money but looks can be deceiving as she knew all too well. She tilted her head slightly trying to overhear the conversation but only bits and pieces were audible enough. She snickered softly when she heard the boy claiming to be almost thirteen. So juvenile to state that!

What took you so long? Faith said as she sheaved her sword and ruffled Nathans hair. Leaning down she added quietly I was younger than you when I started all this, don't let him put you off grinning she took the key. It does not look like it opens anything important, are you sure it is the right one? She asked teasingly knowing it was.

Thinking she heard something Faith quickly looked around but they seemed to be alone. Have you seen the others?

"It's dangerous," Atonai muttered discontentedly to his horse. "No twelve year old should be anywhere near dark mages," he grumped. The horses shook his head up and down, appearing to agree with Atonai, or at least humor him.

Nathan took Faith's advice and ignored him. "No, we didn't see anybody else," he said. "And I thought we got done really fast, too," he huffed, folding his arms. He couldn't keep the act up for long, though, and grinned at her.

Faith laughed a little at Atonai. She really did like to tease him. Well I guess we better go on without them, I am sure they will catch up soon enough. Dropping the key around her neck she tucked it into her shirt and went to pick up her stuff, whistling for her horse at the same time.

The tall black mare strode out of the trees and greeted her with a nicker and a nose bump. hello girl Faith said and ran her hand over her horse. Ready for a ride? she asked and grinned as she hopped up onto the saddle.

Where to now??? and can you keep up??? she asked her party with a wicked grin.

As Janine saw the man an woman getting ready to leave, she contemplated what to do. Following them on foot when they were on horseback seemed to be quite impossible. She was intrigued though what they were up to and who they were.... even more if it would be profitable to herself.

After a quick run back, she quickly saddled her horse and took off to were she saw them last, hoping they would not have left. But even if they did, the imprints of they hooves in the moist ground, would give Janine no trouble in following the pair.

Atonai sighed and untied the knot he'd just finished, swinging up and holding out a hand for Nathan to scramble up. "You gonna take that, Priv?" he asked his horse. Priv snorted, eyes flashing, and took off.

"MEET YOU IN TOWN," Nathan hollered, laughing as the compact little horse thundered through the underbrush.

"LAST ONE THERE PAYS FOR ROOMS AT THE INN," Atonai added.

Faith laughed as the two of them took off and quickly followed. It did not take her long to catch up and pass them by shouting ' I want the most luxurious room' as she did, even her horse seemed to laugh but it was short lived, as they turned the bend her horse reared up and threw her from the saddle. Landing on her back with a thud, the wind was knocked out of her and it took her a second to see what had happened.

Looking ahead she saw three horses on the road, their eyes read and their hair as white as snow, Upon each horse sat a cloaked rider, Faith could not see their faces but her gut told her they were not friendly. Getting to her feet she put a hand on her sword, softly calling her horse back and wondering how far behind Atonai and Nathan were...

As Jantine approached cautiously the spot where she left the woman, man and boy behind, they had already left. Not without a trace though, the imprints their horses left behind were fresh and clearly to be seen even for an untrained eye. In disbelieve she shook her head, how could people be so careless, didn’t they know there were robbers around these parts? Her last thought made her smirk as she steered her steed towards to where the trail led her. Only a soft pressing of her calves made the horse jump into a gallop. With her eyes fixed onto the horizon, not to come too close to the others, they raced onwards.

With a brisk pull on the reigns, Jantine stopped her horse. Further on the path, the three had stopped also for an unknown reason. The woman climbed back on her horse while the other two were waiting, standing still in the middle of the path. Jantine steered the horse away from the straight line and circled around to where she was closer, yet not too close to be seen. Holding her breath and allowing her horse to catch his wind, she moved in and tried to understand as to why they stopped so abruptly and tried to prepare herself for… for what really?

Priv galloped up behind Faith and skidded to a halt. Atonai frowned at the situation, taking Faith flat on her back, the three matching horses with their riders. "Check on Faith," he murmured to Nathan, who slid down off the horse and ran to Faith.

"You okay?" he asked, gathering her horse's reins and holding out a hand to help her up.

"Hello, strangers," Atonai said, friendly enough, nudging his horse to stand between the three and his friends. "Bit warm for matching heavy cloaks, isn't it?" he asked. "I can see you fellows are very dedicated to your aesthetic," he joked. He'd feel a lot better when one of them spoke.

Faith took Nathan's hand with a grimace, she knew Atonai would never let her live this down....falling off her horse, who falls off there horse? It will be all 'do yo need a hand to get on your horse?, watch you don't fall now, Nathan make sure she gets down ok' until he has had enough of making fun of her, but it was ok really..she deserved it, she did however allow herself to fall of her horse.

Drawing her attention back to the matters in hand she dusted herself off and smiled at Nathan ' I am fine, thank you' she replied to him with another smile before climbing back onto her horse and helping Nathan up behind her before moving next to Atonai...

The three cloaked riders had not stayed motionless while the woman and the boy had gotten back on the horse. They had positioned themselves in half a circle. Janine’s stomach had twisted as one of the riders had looked in her direction, it made her nauseous for some reason and she had to take a deep breath to calm herself down. For a second she closed her eyes before pulling up the scarf again that had slipped down. Softly her hand patted on her horse’s neck, the moisture of her coat wetted her hand before she gripped the reigns tightly. It took not long for her to see that the three cloaked riders on their white horses were up to no good and were outnumbering the travelers. For Janine this was an excellent opportunity to find out more about them, to gain their trust even, and at least learn what their business was on this deserted path.

With a very audible trot Janine approached quickly and drove up to the cloaked rider closest to her, positioning right behind him, taking away the advantage they had, both in position and in numbers. There you are! I am sorry I am a bit late. Have I been missing out on the fun much? Janine said in a loud yet low voice to the travelers.

Atonai had no idea who the new person was, and didn't trust her. "We'd like to get to town, please," he called back. "You are all crowding path. Very rude. Possibly illegal." He edged forward a few more paces, willing to get closer now that Nathan was with Faith instead. "Please to move."

Nathan hung on tight, arms around Faith's waist, and leaned out to get a better look at the four. "Who's that?" he asked, staring at Janine.

Hearing a noise to her side Faith was surprised to see another horse arriving just behind the cloaked riders. She spoke as if she knew them but Faith could honestly say she had no idea who this woman was. Taking a second to look her over she noticed they would be about the same age and she looked very similar to Faith herself with the black hair and piercing eyes though that was where it ended. Not wanting to be rude Faith smiled and replied ' I knew you would catch up with us eventually'

Deciding she would figure the woman out later, she turned her attention back to the riders and Nathan, 'I do not know Nathan, for now though she seems to be helping us' she replied as Atonai moved closer. The riders appeared not to notice the new comer to the party and continued to stare, their horses too with their red eyes, just staring.

As spooky as it was Faith had no time to just stand about in the middle of the road and started to edge her horse forward also until she was level with Antonai. 'I think we should just go through them' she whispered 'they clearly are not for talking'

Janine tilted her head slightly when the woman replied to her. Clearly she understood what Janine tried to accomplish. Obviously she was the brains of them even though the man spoke eloquently as well.

Janine kept looking at the woman, her appearance looked familiar but for sure she had never met her before. Perhaps in one of her previous lives. As she overheard her reassuring words to the boy, Nathan, Janine knew her disguise was not as good as she had hoped. She wondered what gave it away and glanced down for just a moment.

Janine's hand slightly moved to her conceiled weapon as the horses moved a few steps forward just in case the cloaked riders would try anything to prevent them to continue to move on. A soft pressing of her calves made her horse join the couple.

Nathan squinted suspiciously at Janine as she joined them. "Do you know those weirdos?" he asked.

Atonai frowned at Faith's suggestion to just go right on through. "They want something," he said. "And I would appreciate if they hurried up and asked, whatever it is." The only thing keeping him from assuming that it was bandits was that bandits didn't have such coordinated outfits. He didn't trust the newcomer, sure she would want something too. He'd been rather spoiled for the idea of strangers doing things out of the kindness of their hearts lately.

Priv walked closer to the three and Atonai drew his short sword. "Speak, or get out of the way."

'Here we go again' Faith thought as Atonai drew his sword. Whispering to Nathan to stay out of sight and hold on she drew hers too and inched forward. The three strangers did not seem to budge or even care that they had drew their weapons but finally one of them spoke though Faith could not tell if it was just in her head or if everyone heard it.

You dare give us a command? it said and Faith's horse started to move nervously. Looking around she could tell it was not just her who heard the voice. We wish to get to town Faith repeated and you are blocking the way so as he said tells us what you want or move! she said with more confidence than she felt at that moment. You...one of the three said as it lifted a bony hand and pointed a finger at the newcomer...you are not with the others, you may leave. Everyone looked to the woman who had joined them in surprise, the woman herself had the same look on her face briefly before it vanished.

A quick glance to Atonai and a knowing exchanged look was all it took and Faith knew what was about to happen...

Janine frowned deeply and her eyes sunk deeper in their sockets when she was given a chance to get out of this predicament. This opportunity should not be wasted, though it wasn't the one that was going through her mind. Slowly she made her horse advance a few steps, pretending to flee the scene and disband the group that would surely leaving the others in dire straits.

Just as she passed between two of the riders, Janine swiftly pulled her dagger from its sheath and planted it firmly in the neck of the cloaked rider up till handle. With her other hand she grabbed her whip and made it snap on the behind of the horse.

Janine turned her horse quickly and drew her small sword, ready to attack the rider who had spoken.

Atonai charged his horse forward and punched one of the cloaked riders in the face, ignoring the sword he held and going straight for the mouth. Priv wheeled like a demon horse, kicking out at the much bigger white horses. Atonai swung with Priv, his sword whipping around to block a strike.

Behind Faith, Nathan gasped and held on tight, watching the fray with wide eyes.