Jennifer
*Typically Victor would not be this far from home. Usually he would be practicing his wax working, relaxing with some tea and recording his thoughts at home. But a patient needed a house call, and their home was all the way over in Gachuni.*

*So here Victor was, two beasts of burden pulling his cart as he holds the reins, humming a soft tune to himself he could vaguely recall his mother humming to himself and his sister. The horses plod on, heedless of the cart, ever onward towards their destination. He sighs, looking at the sky and silently measuring how much sunlight he has left.*
Alfred
*The centaur, in his travels, had began to stray from East Mentia, becoming curious of the two other independent nations - making his way through the winding paths, cutting down any beasts he came across. A pure white wolf pelt lay across his back, in good enough condition to sell, and working as a mild deterrent for other beasts. He would notice the wagon and canter forward to meet its rider, raising a hand in greeting.*
"A fine evening, wouldn't you say?"
David
*A figure burst from the treeline into the road at full sprint. The first thing to catch the eye was a bright red cloak. The next, bone white hair.*

"You may want to take cover!" 

*The woman advised, right as an arrow whistled between her and the centaur. The stranger wasted no time using Victor's cart as cover while they drew a rather plain, but clearly well used scimitar. With any luck the two other travellers might deal some damage before getting fletched with arrows and Calico could help herself to the spoils when she could double back...*
Jennifer
*He pauses seeing the centaur, not wholly used to seeing them but he had in the past worked on a few. He raised a hand in greeting, then frowned as a figure burst on through.* "Well it **Was**." *As an arrow hits the cart. The horses reared back and Victor climbs off the horses in one smooth motion, exhaling as he grips his doctor's bag and leaning against the horse for cover, straightening his tie.*
Alfred
"By my father's hooves-"
*He managed to curse, before rearing up to avoid the hail of arrows - drawing his longsword and training his eyes on the direction of the projectiles.*
"What exactly have you led over to us, stranger?"
*He asked of Calico, his voice harsh as the strain of combat began to set in.*
David
*For her part, Calico seemed rather calm, checking the leather loops on her belt that held small silver cylinders and taking a tactile inventory. She really didn't want to waste any ammunition, but she also really didn't like getting shot with arrows.*

"Bandits, maybe a dozen or less. A little much to handle by myself, so I went to find more favorable ground. Congratulations, you count as favorable."

*She cracked a wide grin that creased the scars on what might otherwise have been a pretty face and tossed a wink to the centaur before darting out from the wagon and into the underbrush leaving them, it would seem, to deal with the bandits.*
Jennifer
*He looks at the woman, not smiling, then at the centaur before speaking semi-conversationally,* "If I were to be honest, I would vote to take care of the bandits, or tell them where she's going if she's so keen on leaving strangers out to dry. But I'm also annoyed, so opinions?"

*He reaches into his bag to remove a dagger, looking resigned to this whole situation.*
Alfred
"I'll be honest, sir, I just don't want to be shot at. If these are bandits, they will be after your cargo whether the young woman flees or not. I'm not one to flee from a fight, so... I would vote the former."
*He gave his piece, flourishing his blade and holding it to his shoulder defensively, watching the treeline for the glint of arrowheads.*
Chester
*In the time since the stranger left, the arrow fire seemed to slow and wane, until a pair of bandits rushed from treeline, barely armored and armed with what was probably salvage from the constant skirmishing near the border. From the treeline there came the ring of steel on steel.*

*Calico had been able to circle around and catch them unaware, focused on the prize pinned down in the road. Three had gone down quietly before the last managed a shout. From there it was a frantic melee in a thicket of laurel. Calico sidestepped the first thrust an punched the crossguard into the man's face leaving him spitting blood from a shattered nose but still able to advance and catch her elbow. So she let go with her left and jabbed a thumb in his eye, buying the space to drive her blade down into the hollow of his neck by pulling on the crossguard to overcome his resistance with her whole body weight.*

*The bandit sank down, gurgling blood from his lacerated throat as the light dimmed in his eyes. Calico ducked behind him down into the laurel while she searched for the next target. No point in standing around to be shot at, that's what those two travellers were already doing such a splendid job of. Far be it from Calico to steal their spotlight.*
Jennifer
"Well, good to know who I won't be treating anytime soon..." *In apparent reference to the woman. Then the doctor removed his glasses, placing them in his shirt pocket for safe keeping, and ducked quickly from the horse when it took a shot from the bandit. It left the horse lame, but instead of dying, it.. Simply vanished.*

*Victor took advantage of that opportunity to vanish himself into the brush, his natural abilities making him quieter and harder to track. Even his scent was nigh impossible to find.*

*Calico may stumble across a body discarded nearby, but not from her blade.*
Alfred
*The centaur barrelled towards the remaining bandit, the chaotic din of the fight causing the poor soul to frantically raise his blade to defend himself. Circine drew a downwards slash across the bandit's sword, knocking it away from the force of his charge - a swift kick to the chest knocking the bandit himself to the ground.*
David
*Five down by her count, seeing the centaur take out one in the road. The rest were already running, realizing the numerical advantage was quickly vanishing. No need to risk any farther action then. Calico only preferred to swing her sword when there was a clear financial incentive.*

*Taking the scarf from the man she had impaled, she wiped the blood from her sword as she stepped out of the trees. That lopsided grin still on her face.*

"That went better than I was expecting. Neither of you are dead."

*She said it matter-of-factly. This flamboyantly dressed woman wasn't even trying to deny using them as archer bait. Now that there was time to look, one could spot a strange device holstered at her hip and other oddities. She had more scars than it seemed likely anyone should have survived, most noticably a very large spell scar that showed under the banded leather vest that left her midriff exposed. As if she wanted to display the wound.*
Jennifer
*The man walked back, pace calm though annoyed as he pauses to check his other horse. No worse for wear. Exhaling he removes a circle from his hip pocket, using it to summon the second horse again, and picking up the harness, carefully placing it back on the creature.*

"What's your name?"

*He asks it in the same matter-of-factly tone she's used, though when he looks to the centaur he nods*. "And thank you for the help, sir."