"You don't treat people like that," the half elf growled, the tip of her blade against the mans throat. The man chuckled slightly standing up slowly and turning to face her; he was at least a foot taller than the half elf. The captured elf only stared at both of them in shock.

"And what are you going t-" the tip of the blade pressed harder against his throat, drawing blood.

"I know there are more of you around us," she said blandly, glancing down at the trapped girl, "tell them to back off, now," she barked soon after, glaring at the man. The man chuckled at her.

"Why do you care?" he began looking down at the elf, "She has nothing to do with you and besides, what does it matter that an el-" the sword dug further into his throat.

"I dare you to finish that sentence," She growled, almost struggling not to slit his throat. But the man smiled, looking up and down his captor’s armor clad body. The elf struggled to escape from the net only entangling herself further. The two glared silently at one another as the elf struggled a few feet from them.

An attack was imminent. The warrior could hear the other three people surrounding them as they spoke. The sun peaked just over the horizon and through the trees.

A bearded man lunged at her from behind a bush to their right, a short sword in hand. Swiftly as he had pounced, the half elf removed the tip from the others throat, spun toward the right swinging as hard as she could. The attacker shrieked in pain as the half elf's blade sliced open his chest. As quickly as the man had pounced, she had spun about a full circle, tip of the blade back at her captive’s throat. The bearded man fell face down soon after.

Blood dripped from the girl’s blade as it dug into the lead mans throat once more. The elf's eyes widened as she took notice of the half elf's handy work. She knew that this was her chance to escape, but the shock of death had caught her off guard.

"I said call them off, I don't want any more blood shed over a simple argument," the girl barked. The elf glared up at her offensively, quickly continuing her struggle with her new bindings. The man only stared back in amazement, his mistake finally sinking in. He glanced over his captor’s shoulder; sweat dripping steadily from his brow. The half elf crouched down as a slender man charged from behind, sword out before him.

Just missing her head, the slender man fell over the warrior's crouched body, unable to stop his attack. She quickly stood up, completely lifting her attackers body off the ground and into nearby bushes. The attacker from the left charged now, attempting a horizontal swing with his sword. She turned toward the coming attack, yet her previous prisoner began to charge at her as well with a dagger. Leaping to her right, the half elf guided the first attackers sword straight into the stomach of the second with her sword. Her prisoner fell to his back with a thud, the attackers sword protruding from his body. The remaining assailant stumbled to the half elf's feet.

The half elf roughly kicked the man over to his back, quickly placing the tip of her blade to the man's throat. He gulped, sweat dripping. The entangled elf sat silently, shocked by the scene. Perhaps she was on her side after all, she thought.

"Why are you capturing other species?" the half elf demanded, glaring down at the man. His hands trembled as he gestured toward the elf.

"S-she's an escapee," he replied. The half elf raised a brow.

"What was her crime?"

"Murdered a human," he replied still trembling.

"He was trying to rape me!" The entangled elf shouted at him, "You humans are all the same anyway! You should all rot in hell with the rest of your kind!" The half elf glanced back at her, eyes silently glinting her to silence. She grunted removing the tip of her blade from the man’s throat. The man stood up reluctantly, than began moving toward the elf. She raised her blade, blocking the man’s path.

"Go back were you came from," she said bluntly, "tell them that no one shall be kept in prison for defending oneself."

"B-but if I go back empty handed," he began. The half elf tossed him ten gold pieces, all landing at his feet.

"There, give that to your superiors and tell them that someone has bought her as a slave," The man glanced at the half elf questionably then quickly picked up the gold pieces and left the two in the woods. The elf glared at the warrior; humans had tainted her not only by blood.

"I am a slave to no one!" She shrieked, struggling within the net. The half elf turned to her wiping off her blood stained blade.

"Stop struggling, you're only making it worse," she began sheathing her blade. The half elf leaned down next to her, drawing a small dagger from her belt. The elf stared in horror at the dagger, visions of a permanent slave mark or a scar that would never heal across her neck flashing in her mind.

The half elf grabbed a handful of the net and began to cut away at it. After a few moments the elf was free. The half elf stood up quickly, putting away her dagger and began to walk toward the main path, leaving the elf to herself. She stood up rubbing her wrists,

"Wait!"

The half elf paused, turning her head just enough to see her.

"Why did you fight for me?"

She turned her full attention toward her now, "Because no one deserves to be treated that way," she replied. The elf walked toward the half elf cautiously, still unsure of what side she was on.

"Then why did you let that man go?"

"Because he was only doing what he was told to do, unlike the first," she replied gesturing at the cooling body a few feet away. The elf stopped about five feet from her. They stood watching each other in silence for a moment.

"If you have no more questions, I bid you good journey," the half elf turned toward the path.

"Wait," the half elf paused again, "I'm yours to deal with now, so-"

"You belong to no one," the warrior interrupted. She began toward the path again, leaving the elf in her newfound freedom.

"Wait! Tell me your name so that I may repay you!" the elf shouted. The half elf continued walking,

"My name is Angelic Golomna (an-gel-eek go-lome-na) and you owe me nothing," she replied, head held high with strides like an elf yet more solid like a humans.

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