They stopped as the night came ruthlessly. Half of the warriors stood guard keeping their shields in front of them facing away from the camp. They were to watch for any sign of danger. With their shields aligned the symbol of raven outlined with metal on them shimmered with dim red light. They formed a sort of protective barrier with the vague and elusive energy emanating around them.

Mntui got out of the cart and she was happy to do so. She walked to the horses in front of it. Petting the soft nose of the massive animal she swore next day she will walk with the guards. For at least a while. Her limbs hurt from constant sitting and the rattling of the cart.

As she enjoyed this moment of peace suddenly her hair stood on end around her nape. Her eyes shone up making them more feline like. Her hearing started to sharpen but before she could hear anything meaningful one of the warriors shouted spotting something.

The ones not standing guards jumped to their feet readying their weapons. Those lurking in the shadows still managed to get them off guard.

A huge purple ball of lightning smashed into one of the ravens. His shield reflected some of its power but not all. It charred his flesh and the man shouted from pain staggering back.

“There!” pointed Mntui where she saw someone moving and the warriors with bows turned to that general direction.

After a moment of silence hell broke out. Tall, fragile looking people poured out of the woods in silken clothing. No one would be frightened by their sleek figure even if they were taller than Taob but they wielded magic Mntui would never imagine existing. The spirit blessed shields of their guards were not really effective against them.

Taob invoked the power of their guardian spirit. Jumping high with the wings of the Black Raven appearing behind his back he descended upon his enemies. Cutting through the stranger’s defence the black claws on his feet drew blood. Yet it wasn’t enough. He had to attack twice.

As the intruders saw their comrade fall they concentrated their attention on him as Taob seemed to be the most dangerous of them all.

While Mntui plead to the White Tiger for dexterity. She crept close to one of their enemies without any of them minding her. Until it was too late. With a swift move she stabbed her victim pulling him down then cutting his throat. She tried to stay hidden following the same tactic but the next one did notice her. In a crucial moment she got blown away by a fire bolt.

Laying in pain she heard the fight. And it wasn’t going well. The ravens fought valiantly yet they were loosing. And in a fateful moment everything went quiet. It was so sudden she wanted to get up and look but trying only brought her pain and not even the slightest success.

And then in this awful silence a scream… Ah, yes… that old wise woman. She traveled with them. She didn’t cared who she was to Taob. She didn’t had the time.

“Out” she heard a cold voice.

“Shadows! Shadows!” the old woman creaked.

“I said out.”

“Get away!”

Something was tossed to the ground.

“Keep your mouth shut hag! Or do you wish to join your tribes man?”

The old woman started to sob putting her hands before her mouth attempting to be as soundless as possible.

“No appreciation… no appreciation at all...” spoke an other voice unimpressed. “We saved your life you know…” was it a woman’s voice Mntui wondered. It was so hard to stay awake.

“Gather everything that seems useful. We need to know everything” spoke the first voice again.

“Damn highlanders. How did they get so deep into the heartlands?” a third voice as irritated as unknown to Mntui.

“That’s why I told you to search the bodies…”

“Hey Saleh, does she counts as something useful to be gathered? It’s her and wrinkled grandmother who’s left…” it was the bored woman again.

“Do you take me for a fool? Assume I don’t know?” it was almost as if the air got colder as the one called Saleh talked. Or was it because Mntui was loosing blood? She couldn’t be sure.

A few seconds passed in relative silence. Then suddenly a face hovering into Mntui’s sight. And it wasn’t pretty. It was round like an egg, and just as bald too. His pupils were split, and there were small scales running on his skin from the side of his neck, up to the tip of that bald head. He was, no doubt, from one of the snake tribes.

Mntui thought of sighing in relief; the voices didn’t belong their attackers. They were fellow tribes men.

‘Help’ she tried to say, not really processing yet, the voices said only her and the old lady survived. Not the guards… Not Taob… But in the end all she could manage was a hissing gasp.

“Yes, we take her. One more is always better than one less these days…” announced Saleh his verdict. His eyes gleamed up red. Mntui wanted to crawl away at the sight of his teeth, all sharp with longer fangs. Alas, she didn’t had the strength.

“No! Leave her alone!” the old woman found her voice again. But was unable to do anything. One of Saleh party held the weak lady back. “Damn you!” she cursed.

“Now you are really tempting me, gram’” warned her captor.

Saleh turned back to Mntui biting into her neck with a swift move. And she screamed in an ear-splitting tone.

“And I thought this one had no spirit left in her” laughed one of Saleh accomplice.

Saleh did not care for his party’s banter. He tore into his wrist with his teeth, then forced Mntui to drink his blood. He waited patiently while woman’s heartbeat got even weaker and weaker, until it went totally silent. The snakeman gathered Mntui form the ground as he stood up. Putting her body over his shoulders he turned to the others.

“Are you done yet?” he asked meaningfully pressing the second word. He didn’t had to explain what he expected to be done.

“Almost!” one of his underlings answered doing one more sweep on the intruders corpses.

It wasn’t the reply Saleh wanted to hear, but they didn’t stayed longer than acceptable, so he wasted no more words for such topic.