(Synn)<br/>Kateri ran through the woodlands, ducking under low lying branches and jumping over high root systems to outrun the last of the mercenary band that was hunting her this time. She had managed to creep into their encampment to fatally poison all but one who had fallen asleep at his post before their dinner. Just a small amount of black nightshade in their pot of stew was enough to give them a prolonged and painful death that encompassed stomach pain and vomiting, a slowing or rapid beat of their hearts, decelerated breathing, delirium, hallucinations, loss of sensation, profuse sweating, paralysis, and finally death. The one on post managed to wake up to hear his comrades screaming and saw her take off. He knew there was nothing he could do for his team, so he took off after her instead. After all, there was a hefty price on her head from the Prince of the lower valley, and he didn’t want to let that go.<br/><br/>He took his crossbow that was slung on his back and started loading bolts as he ran after her. “It would be wise if you stopped running little girl!” he called out in between his hurdling logs and other rock structures that were in his path. He shot the first bolt, and it hit a tree just scraping her shoulder. She whipped her head around to see where he was and he was about 100 feet behind her. She stooped down behind a relatively large tree to catch her breath and hoped that he would run past her, but her luck was not in her favor this evening. Another bolt landed on the other side of the tree she was hiding behind. She squeezed her eyes shut and took in a deep breath to slow her heart rate and her breathing to a whisper.<br/><br/>“I would advise you come to me now so this does not become any less pleasant than it already has to be” he ordered as he peered into the night with this crossbow against his chest. He carefully stepped towards her so as not to make too much noise and alert her to his present location. He stood next to the tree she was hiding behind. Kateri swallowed the lump in her throat and drew her dagger dipped in black nightshade as well. It was a poison she seemed to fancy, and it never took much to render a foe incapacitated. With her left gloved hand flipped the knife, so the tip was pointing inwards, flush against her forearm that was clothed so the poison would not touch her skin. She scooted to the edge of the tree as he was walking towards it and spun outwards, slamming the dagger into his gut before he could even react, then she ripped upwards as he dropped the crossbow and blood started to pour from his mouth.<br/><br/>“Not today” she hissed as she picked up his crossbow and ran off.<br/><br/>That was the third mercenary band she had murdered in the span of a few months. The Prince would have to hire better than what he previously had if he wanted her caught and brought in alive.