Lolita
**Vanessa Ward
The Witherlands, The Iron Plaines**

The harsh winter had numbed the young sell-sword's exposed flesh surrounding her cheeks and eyes, along with the fingers that held firmly onto the reins. The layered clothing protected Vanessa as she forced her mare to canter, weaving between the thick pines of the eastern forest. It had taken her weeks to find the man she was currently chasing, having been ordered to bring him alive and intact to the person who ordered his warrant. It made his capture all the more difficult, however Vanessa was never one to turn down a challenge. 

Releasing the reins, Vanessa grasped her bow and raised it with an arrow from her quiver. The mare she rode continued upon their path, unneeded for guidance from its rider as it advanced towards their target. Unlike the steed of her bounty, Vanessa's mare had the advantage of trained endurance which allowed the two to cover the distance between them. She was patient as she aimed towards the man, resting her hand against her cheek whilst drawing bowstring back, the muscles in her arm straining from the force. She waited for the perfect moment to release the neck of the arrow, evaluating the bitter crosswinds and distance of her target. With subtle movements of her fingers, the arrow launched itself towards the man, passing his waist and implanting itself into the back of the horse's neck. 

Within moments, the horse's legs buckled beneath itself and threw the man into the thick layer of snow. When she closed in on her bounty and the steed, Vanessa wasted no time in raising another arrow and released it through the horse's skull. It pained her having to put the innocent animal down, however she'd rather grant it a quick death than leaving it to suffer from the harsh conditions and the predators roaming the forest.

Sliding from the mare's back, her gaze sharpened towards the man who laid seemingly unconscious against the frozen trunk he'd been thrown towards. She was cautious in her steps as she kept a guarded position with her bow quipped and its string pulled taut, aimed towards the man. Vanessa stopped a couple steps away, observing his chest for it to rise and fall. Her brows furrowed as it remained stiff and lowered her bow along with her guard. She grew agitated at the potential loss of reward considering her clients wanted him to be brought to them alive. 

She moved closer towards the man and knelt towards his side before reaching towards his neck to confirm his death. As she placed her fingertips against his skin, the man's eyes shot open and lunged towards her. His thick sausage fingers gripped around her neck whilst throwing her towards the ground and placing his full weight above her. Her throat burned as her lungs struggled to inhale oxygen, looking towards the man with frozen shock, processing the event of what was happening to her. Instinctively, Vanessa reached towards her hip and unsheathed a dagger before plunging it into his ribs, granting her enough air to take in a breath when he momentarily released her neck. Again, she pulled out the dagger and plunged it into his ribs again causing him to roll off her body. With adrenaline rushing through her body, Vanessa rolled to her stomach and forced herself to her feet, already feeling the bruise starting to form around her neck resembling a collar.

"You fucking whore!" He growled with fury before pulling the blade from his side and rose to stand. Vanessa stood in a crouched stance and retrieved another yet shorter dagger that was hidden under her clothing.

"Look, don't be mad at me because you're a virgin who can't get a woman between his legs." She taunted with a rasp due to the burning ache in her throat. The way her words triggered the man was evident when he lunged towards her with rage, swinging the blade towards her neck. 

Due to her smaller frame, she was able to dodge the man and used the dagger she held and briefly buried it into his lower back as he passed her. She grew worried about how she was to accomplish this bounty, doing her best to target areas that would maim, rather than kill him. Unfortunately his strength granted him the upper hand when he caught on to her movements and was able to grab the back of her head before plunging the dagger into her upper hip. Caught in a moment of shock, the man shoved her towards the ground and immediately kneeled above her to wrap his hands around her neck. The man preferred to look his victims in the eyes as he killed them, using his own method of suffocation. 

Using as much strength she could muster, Vanessa began slamming her fists into the man's arms. Her eyes widened as they grew bloodshot from the lack of oxygen while her arms grew heavy. With her final attempt at survival, Vanessa allowed her arms to go limp and held the little oxygen she had left in her chest whilst staring blankly towards the man. Block dots began to blur her vision as she saw the man smiling at his success and rose from her body. The frozen air and the numbness from the iciness of the snow allowed her to remain in her limp breathless position as her bounty walked towards her mare, grasping his side as it seeped blood from his wounds.

Once he had placed distance while riding off on her mare, Vanessa released the facade and inhaled deeply with a desperate gasp, entering as much oxygen her throat allowed into her lungs. She remained laying in the snow as she looked up towards the sky covered in a blanket of white, unable to move her body without agony ripping through her. She wondered if she would soon see her mother, knowing she had no chance against the dangers within the forest of the iron plaines in her condition.
George
**Bori the Woodsman
The Witherlands, The Iron Plains**

Bori treaded the snow-covered ground silently. He had been stalking a wild caribou that had been separated from its herd. It looked smaller than average, but was more than enough to feed him for weeks. Just as he was studying tracks in the snow he heard what sounded like shouting. Unusual for travelers to be out so far from any of the main roads, and even more unusual was the shouting sounded desperate in a sense. The sort of desperation a soldier has when his life depends on his ability to kill.

Bori listened, and slowly approached. The first thing he saw on his arrival was a dead horse. Looked like it was saddled with supplies for travel. It had two arrows in it. The arrows told him enough. This was no animal attack or tragedy. This was people killing people. Not often did man's bloodlust reach his simple life in the forests. 

But a horse was not all that he found. A corpse- no, a living person. Between the blood in the snow about them and the steepness of their breaths they seemed badly injured. Bori closed his eyes, shaking his head in frustration. While he did not wish to aid in any war between men, he couldn't in good conscience leave them to die either.

With a sigh and something between a prayer and a curse, he stepped out of the brush. Bori approached the injured woman in a candid manner, oblivious to how it might be surprising or even intimidating. Dropping his large pack near her he addressed her, "You're injured. Where?" All the while he begins to pull various things out of and off his pack. Bundles of cloth, dry kindling, and what looks like a very large animal skin.
Lolita
**Vanessa Ward
The Witherlands, The Iron Plaines
**
The sound of crunching snow beneath weighted footsteps caught her attention, causing Vanessa's gaze to shoot towards the direction of the sound. Her chest struggled to rise properly as she inhaled with a shaky breath, waiting for whatever that had been led to her from the scent of her blood. She was thankful for the numbness brought by the snow as it prevented her from feeling the full effects of her wound, however the thought of being eaten while alive terrified her. She simply hoped it would be quick and it went straight for her throat. 

Much to her surprise, it was a man that had found her. She looked towards him with a mixture of disbelief and shock, wondering if it had been an illusion created from the temporary lack of oxygen her brain received when being strangled. Perhaps he was there to strip her body of any valuables she carried on her person, which they would be disappointed by. Vanessa had learned long ago to avoid carrying anything of value during her hunts and kept them hidden away in a place only she and one other person knew the location of. 

When he spoke, she looked towards him in momentary silence with red veins mapping the whites of her eyes. She was tempted to reply with sarcasm as the blood poured from her wound, staining the once white snow crimson. She refrained from doing so, knowing the man was simply trying to help. When she first attempted to speak, it came out as a croaked whisper due to her voice box struggling with inflammation and bruising. With a painful swallow, she attempted to communicate again, this time she was able to make her words audible with a choked rasp. 

"Below. Ribs." Each word took every ounce of energy to muster. She could feel her eyes growing heavy as she looked back towards the sky, forcing herself to remain conscious.