I'm doing something a little different here. Instead of having my Druid as the POV character, my POV character is with the Druid. As always, if you have any opinions on this story or any others I have written, please feel free to let me know in the comments.
The Druid
She had climbed into a concealed perch in the tree a little over an hour before. It paid to take precautions in her line of work. She was supposed to kill someone tonight, someone who was well guarded and who would have no hesitation in disposing of yet another corpse. Legion General Marnarus had already killed hundreds of people for his 'Highway through the Dimwood', she wouldn't be spared because she was a cute catgirl.
She was here to meet her guide, someone she knew perilously little about. They apparently had lived in this part of the forest and were thus hard pressed by the Legion. They didn't just go after anyone in the roads way, but would take anyone they found for a few miles either side of the road. Apparently a vital part of the highway was a head on a spike every 100 feet.
While this might speak well for her guide, it could be a trap. She didn't know anything about this guide but needed good information on the legion's camp. If Marnarus had learned of the assassination attempt he could send someone here, promising them their life in exchange for hers.
At the right time, a small, cloaked figure came through the forest toward her tree. He nearly walked under her, but changed course just before and moved to the rock formation where the meeting was set. She watched him as he leaned against the rock and patiently began to wait.
He was a Gnome, barefoot and bare armed. In fact, all he seemed to be wearing was the hooded cloak and some sort of small bag slung over one shoulder. He didn't seem to be armed, which made her nervous as he could be a mage and start throwing fire or acid at her.
After about five minutes the gnome looked straight up at where she was. "I believe I was supposed to meet you here at this time? You should come down."
While she had hoped to remain unseen a while longer, she knew enough. When standing in front of him, she said, "I am called Bovra, can you guide me to Legion General Marnarus?"
The gnome seemed a little confused and maybe started by her appearance. She stood almost exactly five feet tall and wore tight fitting, black leathers. Two small swords were at her hips and a small bow on her back. Her head was bare, as were her arms as legs, but of course all were covered by jet-black fur.
"Uhh, um," the gnome stuttered, "isn't there some sort of catch phrase about the wind coming from the east?"
Bovra smiled, "it is fine. There is no one else around so you must be the guide to bring me to the Legion General. I am quite obviously the assassin."
The gnome still seemed unsure, but shrugged and said, "very well. I am Levinellus, most just call me Lev, and yes, I am your guide."
"Then lead on," Bovra said.
It took them nearly an hour to go through the forest and to get near the camp at the head of the road. Bovra had asked Lev if he knew exactly where the Legion General would be during the night. That was vital information as all of the Legion tents looked alike and it was rumoured that Marnarus sleep in a different location every night. He was paranoid, Bovra wasn't the first assassin that had been sent.
"I don't know now, but will know soon," Lev said as the sun started to set and the darkness started to grow. "Just stay here and mind my cloak."
"Wha ...?" She had started to ask only to see the gnome vanish. The cloak and bag fell to the grass where he had stood. Bovra drew a sword and stalked around, looking for hidden enemies but found nothing. No arrows came out of the growing gloom, no shouts or alarms sounded.
Darkness fell and time passed. It was well over an hour and Bovra had more than once debated just leaving. One of the few things that kept her waiting was the casual tone Lev had asked her to mind his cloak before he disappeared. He had obviously wanted it back.
She had checked the small bag that he had carried. It held some berries, pastes, bits of wood and little else. Simple forest detritus.
Bovra had just sat down again when she noticed him approaching from her left, his pale body quite visible. In fact, very visible as Lev was completely naked. She stood again and couldn't help but notice his small member hanging down but starting to gain some strength. It was only about four inches long but considering that he was only three and a half feet tall, it was well proportioned. Also well proportioned were his shoulders, Lev's whole upper body was heavily muscled as were his calves. His face was soft though, with dark, sad eyes and a shock of brown hair that seemed to have no rhyme or reason to it.
He didn't look back to her until he had his cloak back on. "I've found where Marnarus is tonight. He's actually staying in one of the guard towers, it took me a while, but he is there and there will be one guard with him."
"A guard tower?" Bovra mused, "well, I certainly wouldn't have guessed there. How did you find this out and where did you go?"
Lev looked a little embarrassed, "I ... I became a grasshopper."
"What?"
"I am a woodland protector and can take the shape of animals when I require it."
Bovra began to catch on, "but you're clothing doesn't change with you." He nodded.
"But why didn't you just turn into an owl or a horsefly?"
"Flying is a difficult skill to master for a creature without wings," Lev explained. "Actually, even leaping as a grasshopper is difficult but I have done it often enough to have worked it out. Although getting to the top of the guard towers was a challenge. Marnarus is in the north western guard tower..." He then got down and traced out a rough map in the dirt.
After studying and asking a few questions, Bovra said, "alright, you should go. I've got it from here."
"I'll stay for a while," Lev replied, "just in case you need some help."
It turned out that she did.
She got passed the sentries and into the camp undetected. Bovra had even managed to get to the guard tower without anyone noticing. 'I can't believe that they take these apart, make another ninety odd feet of road in a day, and then rebuilt this at a new site,' she thought as she started to climb the tower.
That was when her problems started. The tower wasn't quite as well constructed as she expected and it wobbled a little, even with her light weight, as she climbed the ladder. She sensed movement above her and got her bow ready.
"Ressen?" A whispered voice came from above, "you're a bit early, or..."
As the soldier's face looked through the open square, Bovra locked her legs on the ladder, pulled back and shot the poisoned arrow into his face. The man choked a little and then died, falling through the hole and Bovra barely dodged aside.
Climbing as quickly as she could, Bovra reached the top just as two things happened. The first was a shout from in the camp as someone noticed the body of the soldier hit the ground, the second was a somewhat surprised Legion General Marnarus start to rise from a bedroll. Drawing a blade, Bovra quickly stabbed and then slashed the throat of Marnarus, ending his threat and fulfilling her mission.
Unfortunately, the final step of that mission, that of getting away, just became more difficult as troops began to converge on her position.
Within twelve minutes of the Legion General's death, Bovra had taken a shallow abdomen wound that was more a bruise than a cut, and had been hit in the head with a shield as she killed the man that had been swinging it at her. It had dazed her, but she had managed to stagger and continue running.
She was only halfway back to where she had left Lev and sincerely hoped that she wasn't leading the bulk of the legion toward the gnome. Hopefully he had left as he was supposed to.
Bizarrely, there was now a horse now running almost directly at her. It stopped and turned as she reached it. Awkwardly around it's neck was the bag that Lev had been carrying.
Every time she tried to get passed the horse, it blocked her way. Even when she shouted and clapped, it seemed with it's head to encourage her to get on. 'Could it want her to ride it?' Jumping on, the horse took off away from the soldiers that were just starting to shoot crossbow bolts at her. One struck the horse on the flank, a second later, one penetrated her armour at the hip.
"Ahhuuuuggggg!" She screamed in pain. The horse seemed to run faster.
Managing to deal with the pain as bolts continued to fall, she got her bow and launched a few arrows in the direction of the enemy behind. Soon enough though, the soldiers fell behind the galloping horse. However, the a new sound came from the forest, the howling of dogs.
The horse ran on, it's gate making the wound in her hip throb with agony. She didn't know how much more she could take. Just as she let out another very pained groan, it was like she was falling but was caught as she hit the ground. Looking up, Lev was holding her and looking concerned.
"Where did you come from," she said a little shakily, "and where is the horse?"
"I was the horse," the gnome says, "now, can you walk? We don't have much time."
"I'll try."
Lev was naked but didn't seem concerned. He opened his bag and started getting out a few of the leaves and twigs. "Okay, head between those two bushes down there." The spot he pointed at was about forty yards away.
Her left leg barely held her weight and pain flared every time she moved it, but she heard the howls and bays approaching. Holding her leg, she could feel blood leaking through her fingers and falling against her fur. 'This is hopeless,' she thought, 'the hounds will easily follow this trail.'
Lev was about five paces behind her, looking backwards and mumbling something. All the while, the hounds got closer and closer.
"That's far enough," Lev said and Bovra gratefully stopped. The Gnome moved next to her and dug more forest detritus from his bag. His chant changed and Bovra was amazed as the bushes they stood between suddenly grew, small vines twisting toward them, sprouting leaves and twigs which thickened into branches. All around them these branches grew, covered themselves with leaves and thorns until the two bushes had joined into a large, wild hedge.
