The streets around the inn teemed with people jostling against Gilliam as he forced his way through the crowd carrying Alys away from her assailant, cries of fear and pain could be heard behind him as the creature swung wildly at the crowd, not caring to pick a target for it's blows but happy to flail wildly, inflicting whatever injuries it could as it chased it's quarry. Rounding a corner Gilliam skidded to a halt as a he came face to face with a group of uniformed men, clearly battered and bruised but headed back the way he had come from, towards the Acherplatz. Confused looks upon their faces as they assess the situation of this man carrying a young woman over his shoulder, not obviously mutated and seemingly not threatening the locals they hesitate<b>"Halt! Who are you and what are you doing with that girl?" </b>the lead watchman speaks, his equipment a little better than his followers, wearing a breastplate over the usual leathers worn by the watchmen.<br/><br/>Before Gilliam can reply his pursuer rounds the corner bloodied cleaver raised and mouth open wide in a blood curdling scream, he is met forcefully by the speartip of one of the watchmen, thrust out and behind of Gilliam, the monster's blade clatters upon the ground as the strength bleeds from it's limbs, staggering backward off the out-thrust spear before slumping against and sliding down a wall and into a head upon the street. The chorus of grunting approval from the other watchmen as the young spear wielder cleaned his weapon upon the ragged cloth of the once human creature.<br/>The focus of the Sergeant returning to Gilliam, reassessing the situation of a man now running from one of the assailants of the town, his face still rather untrusting but now willing to hear him out<b>"You're not from here, who are you and who is the girl?"</b>he demands.<br/><br/>******************************************<br/><br/>The square nearly clear now of clamouring and fleeing townsfolk, the devastation wrought by the scant few that stayed to defend those that fled. Bodies of mutants litter the ground, the cobbles slick and the grooves in between running with blood and gore. From the side streets around the Acherplatz sounds of boots can be heard, soon revealing near two dozen men in the livery of the city watch troop into the square, many with torn armour and bandaged limbs, nevertheless the additional manpower soon quells the remaining mutant resistance.<br/><br/>Approaching Giligor, Natalia and Viola, Captain Schiller thanks and comends them for their assistance in protecting the people of his town, he gestures to all those who remain standing within the square nodding his approval and thanks.<b>"We shall make an example of these... these creatures and mount their heads upon spikes above the town gates, as a warning to others who would test our mettle."</b><br/><br/>The nearby buildings soon begin to release those who had taken refuge inside, townsfolk young and old, venture out, some checking the bodies of the fallen civilians, others helping the watch pile up the bodies for later collection. Weaving through crowd a particular figure can be seen, and incredibly old woman moves among the wounded checking their wounds, applying bandages and speaking words of comfort to those she passes. All she approaches seem to know who she is and her presence is welcomed by the wounded. In time as she is done with the wounded in the square she approaches those from out of town who bear injuries from the fight.<br/><br/>As the crowd slowly regathers in the square, so to does the volume of the crowd, soon cries and proclamations can be heard clearly or repeated as they pass among the townsfolk;<b>"It must have been a Hochland Long Rifle - nothing else could shoot that far. Sigmar knows where they would have got one of those!"</b>the concern and incredulity of the statement tells you they are unsure as to it's truth or perhaps it should be a cause for concern if the forces of Chaos have gotten hold of such weapons<b>"Maybe the place is infested with snipers!"</b>the attempt at applying logic, that maybe the shooter from the Inn wasn't alone. Others speak more of their attackers themselves<b>"Some of these mutants look awful familiar you know"</b>the fear is palpable that they may know someone who is not who they seem and is working to bring down their town from within<b>"We'll all be murdered in our beds!"</b>clearly for some the concept is too much and only the worst case appears to them.<br/><br/>In the midst of the conversations going on around the square, a breathless Watchman comes running up to the Captain,<b>"Captain, a strong attack was launched on the main gates during the confusion. Thankfully, the men on guard duty had not abandoned their posts during the bridge attack to come running in support, so the gates remain secure though we have suffered losses. It seems the fight on the bridge was just a diversion for their main offensive on the gates."<br/>
</b><br/>While all this is going on, there is a sudden shout from the direction of the gates. Fearing another attack, several of the townsfolk snatch up their weapons and look around, but it turns out to be Hans Baumer returning from the forest. He is followed by a ragtag band of people, with fear in their eyes and their few possessions on their backs. Captain Schiller and the elderly woman, once she is finished administering to the wounded, head towards the returning party, along with several townsfolk, all are clearly keen to discover where Hans has been and how he survived when rumours said he was dead.