Stepping lively over fallen trees, Shirgar snorted his disapproval of Siana holding him back. She had already cut the Lavoro’s seal, read it contents and was now on her way to finding the army in which she would aid into victory. Another snort blew fogged breath over his face, as Siana pulled him to a halt. Feeling eyes set over her body made her skin crawl, giving herself a few moments to gather thoughts, Siana made sure she was ready if they attacked. Her blue warriors paint helped with bright rays from sunlight breaking into the forest floor, a trick Abraham said helped when clouds were scarce.

“I come to speak with General Raylen” She called out, allowing the human scent of man to hear her well enough. One man came out from around a thick tree, his arrow pointed straight at Siana’s heart. Shirgar chewed the steel pressed over his tongue, a gnashing behavior of feeling threatened.

“Who are you?” He grumbled never lowering his bow. Siana sat still in her saddle, showing no fear but knowing it wise to not be moving unnecessarily while being in the line of fire.

“I am Siana, I have your Generals Lavoro” Her eyes flickered to the parchment poking out from under a flap of her saddlebag, his eyes did the same rearing back to her eyes once more to her painted face.

“War takes those, why do you have it?” Siana felt the metallic taste scorch her tongue to his name being spoken out loud.

“He’s busy at the present time, may I speak with your General now?” Giving him a rising brow, Siana would not take anything less than a yes from him. Her body language saying just that. With a low whistle a few more archers made themselves present to her eyes. All in all Siana counted ten arrows pointed at her, not a horrible start to her morning. Considering she’d had worse.

They walked in utter silence, which was surprising as humans weren’t known for their stealth. The camp Siana was taken to was fairly large, filled with scattered fire pits, giving men places to cook game they had caught the day before. A few tents placed in a certain arrangement, gave them a better area of cover incase of an attack.

He was a fair size from what Siana could tell by looking over his silver armor, it sparkled just a bit more than his mens. Leaning her arms gently over her saddle Siana sat comfortably on her horse, this wasn’t like other Lavoro’s and she’d not be getting off Shirgar until she felt it right.

“Where is War?” Again she felt her stomach tighten to the General’s question. She licked patched lips.

“Busy, you have me.” She replied boldly, taking in all the eyes of hunger and want. Each one more vile than the last looking. Knowing what a man wants is only half the game, whether you give it to him or not is the last piece. Siana had no intentions of giving them a damn thing, except for her blade.

“Do I know? I have you...and just who might you be?” He laughed wiggling both brows while taking a bite of his cooked meat from a small dagger he waved about. Each of his men chuckled, or grunted to the comment.

“Siana.” Was all she spoke, not giving him any more fuel for his fire. He took another bite eyeing her generously. Waving that same hand holding his dagger, the General motioned for her to step down.

“Why not make yourself comfortable, my men will be sure to make you feel at home. Lady Siana.” His tone was degrading her, a very stupid thing to be doing to a woman who had been trained by the very man they sought. Siana shifted in her saddle, allowing Shirgar to stay at the ready.

“I’m afraid that wouldn’t be so wise...for your men. See I’m no Lady, and you are no gentleman.” She glanced at each man’s face, letting it be known who she spoke of, settling back to the Generals in her closing of accusations. With a grunt General Raylen polished off his meat, swiping his blade clean over his shirts forearm.

“Is that so! Are you threatening me and my men, Siana?” She scoffed, clicking her tongue to cheek in an aggravated manor.

“I don’t threaten General. But you are the one who has sent for a Lavoro, and I answered its calling. So either except me, or I shall be on my way.” Believing they would allow her leniency to just walk on out, was something even Siana knew they wouldn’t allow. Human or not, these men were warriors. Allowing even a woman to leave without getting something from her, would make them less of men.

General Raylen leaned against one tree that had been left to sit near his tent, his boots crossed at his ankles while arms folded over his chest. A smug look befell over his lips.

“You think you can just come here, wave that parchment around and we take you in with open arms.” He gave a bright laugh leaning his head back. “My dear perhaps you are unaware of how this works, perhaps you should of started at the bottom and worked up to this sorta Lavoro.” Men burst out into deep laughter, each one making snide comments of what he’d like to do to her. Some leaving nothing for the imagination, nor the respect of having a female in their presents.

Keeping her aggression down proved quite hard. He was right, this wasn’t like others, this was personal.

“Perhaps you know nothing of what you speak since you are nothing more than a General, even after all your conquering. I do not take my orders from you, you're nothing more than a penniless job for me. Plenty of more where that came from” She sneered, keeping her eyes locked on to his. Men hushed, each reaching for his weapon to Siana’s insult towards their leader.

“You are either very stupid, or very braze Siana. Calling me out in front of my men as if I will do nothing more than send you away as punishment.” He pushed off his tree walking towards her. Giving Shirgar a longer look, the General looked up at her.

“You have a choice, come down on your own. Or I shall have my men drag you off that steed, and they shall do as they please with you.” Siana ignored the hungry grunts of males surrounding her, keeping her main focus on General Raylen. Giving him a cocked smile, Siana leaned a little in his direction.

“Be my guest.” Her body sat up straight, giving Raylen a longer look of challenge. He groaned shaking his head with a huff.

“So be it.” A wave of his hand while he turned away, gave his men signal to go for Siana. Pressing his back to that tree once more, Siana caught his look of regret, an emotion she’d not seen but handfuls on men such as these.

Dropping her reins Siana pulled out two long daggers, each wrapped with her fingers around their hilts. Her feet slipped out of stirrups, giving her less hold on Shirgar, but better defence against all his men. They charged, reaching for her clothing and armor. Like hungry children reaching for food, Siana made sure her actions weren’t to kill them, but to rid their desires of advancing.

His haunched spun left, only to reverse on more men trying to catch Siana off guard. Shirgar’s hooves stepped on mens less than protective feet coverings, giving them broken toes to limp away on. A few strikes of his back and front hooves made many weary to get within his reach, one blow from Shirgar would break bones. Ears pinned to the back of his neck bared ivory teeth at each man who dared try to take his mass head on.

A male voice rang out to kill her, the arrows shot off screamed over the Generals command to stop. Siana caught the whites of his eyes, she could tell just from his reaction he wasn’t the one who called for her death. Frustrated men were the sole reason. Two arrows whistled past Siana’s face, one catching her cheek. Its sting was nothing compared to what she had endured, but it made the attack far more real than any other.

Another arrow caught Shirgar’s left hide, sending the beast into a roar. He spun toward his attacker, catching his hoof over the man's right shoulder dropping him to the ground. Siana knew well enough Shirgar would crush the archers skull for what he had done, so against her better judgement she lowered one arm taking up his reins.

It left her open for a loss arrow, sending the sharp point right through her shoulder. Screaming out with the undertone of a growl, Siana pulled Shirgar away from the man, ignoring her own pain to save that man’s face. She heard him yell, it was powerful for a human. Each of his men wounded, but alive backed away from her. Blood bubbled out over her dark leather, drops of blood that had slid down the arrows shaft spilled over Shirgar’s grey coat.

Looking at Siana, Raylen held his hands for his men to keep away. His feet moved cautiously towards them both, knowing Shirgar would be on edge to any sudden movements. Siana kept her eyes on the Generals, but her senses were fixated on every man within twenty feet of her. She hadn’t realized her lips were pulled back, showing off her canines as well as allowing a low rumbling of her preditor.

“Your one of them.” He whispered, amazement covering every inch of his manly features. Siana said nothing, her words unable to form with a pain shooting through her arm.

“Tell me, are you one of War’s kin?” Siana nodded once, making Raylen glow with what could've been excitement, before it fell as he looked her over. His eyes landing on the arrow which was poking out from both sides of her body. Quickly he looked back into Siana’s eyes.

“Forgive me, I shouldn’t of thought otherwise. You are welcome here, I accept your Lavoro...if you care to stay.” He seemed more concerned with the way Siana was feeling, than if she choose to see the Lavoro out. Giving him another nod, Siana nudged Shirgar to walk on ward.

“I will stay.” She didn’t have a choice, even if she wanted to leave, Siana knew she couldn’t return without completing this Lavoro. Better to be dead, than return a failure. She’d not be starting at the bottom again.

She heard the General warn his men to behave around her, they she was now ally to them and her safety was of the utmost concern. It bit her ego knowing War was once again her saviour, no matter where she went he was well known.

Making camp farther from any of them was her choice. Siana liked her privacy, more so than most females. A few men came towards her, but when Shirgar squealed kicking outward at them, they backed away. She didn’t care at the moment, Siana’s main concern was removing both Shirgar’s arrow and her own. Being who she was, his would come out first.

Boots touched earth on shaking legs, her head spun, causing Siana to lean into Shirgar for a little more support than she’d like to admit. The arrow must of his a vein, blood loss was a big deal for her as she’d not figured out how to speed the process up in order to replenish herself. shaking off its effects to gather wood for her fire, Siana used her sparks to create a small flame.

Giving flames a chance to heat, she moved on quick feet to pull Shirgar’s gear off. Leaving just his bridle on, Siana dropped his saddle harder than she’d wanted. Her arm was beginning to go numb, letting her hold near to nothing.

“Lady Siana?” General Raylen approached carefully, his eyes filled with an emotion Siana didn’t like.

“Its just Siana” She growled out, feeling vexed with everything that had happened to her today. Raylen nodded taking yet another step in her general direction. A dagger flipped out into her good hand, a sign she wouldn’t go down without a fight, if he saw fit to start once more. Siana took notice how his eyes watched with such interest.

“Your wounded, my healer can…” Siana snapped the arrows tip off from behind her shoulder blade, without giving Raylen much change she yanked the rest of it out of her body, tossing both broken pieces into the fire to be swallowed up.

“I’m fine” Grumbling through her pain, Siana picked up one dagger that had been resting its blade within flames. Turning it a brighter than sun orange, she patted Shirgar’s rump whispering words of encouragement. He pawed the earth, already aware of what she was doing with that blade.

Raylen stuck a hand up as Siana cut into Shirgar’s flesh, it sent the beast screaming. His teeth rammed into a tree beside him. Siana made sure to cut only where need be, unlike her arrow, Shirgar’s hadn’t come out the other side, so pulling it out wasn’t going to be possible.

Tossing both ends into flames, Siana gave Raylen a look. Her eyes turned away pressing the flat of her dagger to cauterize the wound. Shirgar gave an almost growl like squeal, pawing his hooves to take the edge off.

“Your horse is brave, mine would have keeled over.” Raylen stated calmly taking a seat on a rock near her fire. Siana brushed her dagger over her leg, smearing Shirgar’s blood into its fibers. It wasn’t that she didn’t wish to speak to the General, just that her moods was not in the right place to have such a conversation.

“He is strong.” She replied, holding down the tension in her tone. He gave her a nod, picking up a stick to poke ambers with.

“You said you had War’s Lavoro...why?” He didn’t meet her eyes, instead kept to poking, as if the task were more important. Or so he was trying to appear. Siana slipped her dagger back into its sheath, her leg swung over a fallen log giving her a place to sit.

“I do.” Raylen looked up, waiting for more to come. Siana just looked back at him, eyes calm before a storm, he smirked shaking his head a little with a chuckle.

“I see, well then I guess I should inform you of what we are going against” General Raylen lifted his eyes once more to Siana’s, his small smile that of one who had seen death far too long. But even through all his pain and suffering the man still held a very charismatic smile.

((Merry Christmas everyone, or whatever it is you are celebrating. Hope you like this update as I wasn't planning on posting till after xmas but meh...why not. The picture is Siana and Shirgar. Have a good night))