Darrell
Mai would jump away from the man, using the strength of her hind legs to push his body to fall into the river. With that, her claws would end up sinking into his chest for a moment before she got off him.

Now there was the other assassin, not far from her, but there was the problem that he was in armor. There was little chance that her bite would work, but that maybe it could just end kneading the armor, or depending on the material, it would have no effect.

Turning to the man, the panther would once again growl and show its large, sharp fangs, taking steps slowly towards him.
Martha
```
Helion
```
The shield flew into Assassin 6's back, hitting him hard on the back of his head. The shield cut into his head, killing him instantly. His body falls into the water, with the shield partially floating it back up. 

Assassin 3 quickly fled north, not expecting to be attacked behind. 

Two of the guardmen appropriated some rope from a pier, chasing after the crippled Assassin 3 with them. 

Helion arrived on the other shore

```
Mai
```
The armored man looked around him, realizing most of his comrades are for now, taken out or disabled. He turned around and ran east into the corner, ignoring her growl. 

```
Turn 11
```
Darrell
*'You can't escape me.'* 

The panther then let out a roar, before running towards the man and pouncing on him from behind. Having the advantage of being on his back, if her jump was a success, the panther would bite the man's helmet. If her bite was not strong enough to penetrate the armor, she would rip the helmet off his head and bite it.
Stephen
*Assassin 6 was getting away. That wasn't good.*

*The armored knight begins to run towards him. He _should_ be able to catch up to him.*
Martha
```
Mai
```
The armored man felt a sudden weight flies onto his back, and then someone attempt to bite his helmet. In his struggle, he turned around and tried to push her away with one hand, while making a slice with his sword against the side of the panther's torso with the other. If it succeeded, it would leave a nasty cut on her side. 

```
Helion 
```
Assassin 6 continued his run, and Helion would reach behind him on the pier - the only problem is that he would also need to wade in the water to catch up, a contest he might not be able to win. 

```
Turn 12 
```
Stephen
"Goddamn it... Stop, or else!"

*Helion would heft his large weapon, yelling at Assassin 6. If he kept on swimming, then he would throw the massive blade like an axe at him, then run towards where Mai was, resummoning his weapon.*
Darrell
Seeing the man trying to attack, Mai, still holding the helmet with her teeth, jumped away from the man. But before he got up again, she was going to jump on him again, this time biting the arm that held the sword, while her body incapacitated the rest of his body from moving. Mai would use that bite to try to control that arm so he couldn't attack her, pulling and biting him in the armor hard.
Martha
```
Helion 
```
The assassin stopped in fear, turning back and raising his hands up. 

"OK! OK! I STOP MOVING!" He proclaimed, trying to follow Helion back since he does not want to meet an untimely demise. 

```
Mai 
```
As Mai jumped away, the helmet would be ripped off, and then she would jump back again. Mai's action however, would be rewarded by the man holding his blade across his torso, making a point blank swing upward at Mai as she fell down, making her fall onto a sword. 

A wound sufficient to incapictate or greatly maim her for the rest of the fight. 

```
Turn 13 
```
Stephen
"Good. Go back to the other guards."

*Helion begins to run towards Mai is, now seeing her injured. He would be quite a while away though. Shit.*
Darrell
*Damn it.*

Now with a sword literally running through it, the panther couldn't do much but throw its paw at the man's head as one last attempt before it transformed again.

The panther would move away from the man and become a human again. Blood dripping from her chest and forming a dark stain on her black clothing. In extreme pain, she would approach the wall beside her and the man, some gasps for air coming from her. Worse than last time it wasn't, but it certainly hurt a lot. So much so that she kept herself from screaming or crying. This she would never do in front of an enemy or an ally. *Never*.

She chose not to touch the sword, although even if she wanted to she wouldn't have the strength to do so, and with one hand she placed it on top of the belt on her thigh that held her knives.
Martha
```
Helion
```
The assassin obediently walked back to the other guard, and allowed them to arrest him temporarily. 

Helion made his way down the pier.

```
Mai
```
The sword ended up cutting into Mai's chest, stopping at her ribcage. The armored man kicked his leg and arms in panic at her, earning himself a nasty bite through his aketon. But hem anaged to throw her off, and ran away quickly, disappearing out of sight. 

```
Others 
```
The town have quieted down signifcantly, giving the pair time to recover and settle on what they want to do for the next few turns. What they don't know is that something's about to disrupt this temporary peace. 

The bodyguards chasing Assassin 3 returned empty-handed, the assassin having thrown them off in the mace - they decided it was more important to protect Tuast, their initial target.

```
Turn 14 
```
Stephen
*The armored warrior would go to Mai first, taking a look at the injured kemonomimi.*

"Hey, you ok?"

*He turns to one of the bodyguards.*

"Can someone take care of her? I'm getting my gear."

*Helion would take off his helmet and cuirass, jumping into the water to get his mace and shield. The water was quite cold, and he wouldn't be quite used to it. After he was finished, he would try to get the rest of his armor that was still in the other house, trying to put it all on as quickly as possible.*

"Next time, let me take the charge. You're unarmored with virtually no defensive weapons."

*The mace sets itself alight, providing a warm light.*

"Let's get back to Tuast."
Darrell
"I-I'm ok- Okay, I'm not well. I-I need help."

*Shameful.* The woman was taught to *Never* Ask for help, no matter the situation, she needed to always find a way to resolve things on her own. Perhaps the methods of Blood Moon and her father were a little extreme, but even so, from the moment she made that promise that day, she followed what she learned.

With the help of the wall, she got up and took off her black coat, carrying it with one hand. Then, with a slow pace, she would walk a little closer to where the guards were. His free hand rose and waved to those on the other side of the river.

"Could someone... One of the men there help me?"
Martha
```
Interlude 1
```
The armoured warrior got to Mai without any hurdle, and asked her a very obvious question. The answer is probably visually obvious. 

The bodyguards nodded, and two of them rowed across as Helion retrieved his gear. 

They let her lay down on the boat, and then floated it the other way, where she is brought into the house Tuast is staying in. 

There, they could see the target they were protecting, Tuast, who is sitting in the lobby, wearing a mail-reinforced mage robe, donning his helmet with his sword close by, alongside three bodyguards. One of the table in the house has been flipped to face the front door, and the bodyguards removed it temporarily to let Mai rest. 

If she is willing, she would be laid down on one of the bed on the floor. 

"She looks pretty beaten up." Tuast said matter of factly, before he stood up and walked over to one of his travel chest, stored in his bedroom. He opened the chest, retrieving a potion of greater healing.

"Heal her for me, please." Tuast said, before returning to his previous position. 

The bodyguards brought a tied up assassin into Tuast's house, but not before gagging him for good measure. He is thrown into one of the bodyguard's bedroom.

```
ANGRY MAN
```
The angry scholar from earlier continued yelling in the general direction of Tuast's house,"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!?"
Stephen
*The now fully armored man would return back to Tuast's house, turning to the angry scholar.*

"Apologies, sir. Someone here was under attack by several assassins, and a skirmish broke out. I am a bodyguard from New Sunlight appointed to protect this person. I hope you can understand the situation."

*Helion would enter the house and hoist his shield. He could feel that he was slightly more encumbered by the armor, but now he was virtually invulnerable.*

"Is everyone ok?"

*He would attempt to hand Tuast his shield.*

"You need it more than I do."
Darrell
Lying on the bed on the floor, Mai drank the potion offered. Assuming it would take a while before she was fully healed, Mai used that time to rest and think for a while. *Shameful.* That's what came to her mind as she tried to think about something else. If she were still in that place, she would have already been punished with the old method her father used. Sometimes she wondered if, despite everything that happened, he was proud of her at some point in his life.

Turning to Tuast, she leaned weakly on her elbows, and spoke with a calm, cold tone in her voice, despite the pain she was feeling.

"Sorry, sir. I let that man escape."

She then lay down again, hiding her claws from her foot again so that she wouldn't unintentionally tear any of the covers on the bed.
Martha
Tuast gladly took the shield, and then rested it next to himself - holding the thing was exhausting, he'd rather not do it if he don't have to. 

The bodyguards streamed into the room, closing up any windows in the house just to be double safe. 

"It is fine, you captured one of them." Tuast assured her, and then her wound started to heal. 

The bodyguards turned to Helion. 

"What's the order now, Sir?"
Darrell
For now Mai would just rest and wait for the potion to take effect.