Finches

Chapter 21 - Barrel of Fish

Trowt's dark and tired eyes snapped toward Colt but the bow didn't move an inch. "No," said the thief. "I don't think I do want to lower it. That would be stupid."

Just like you, Colt wanted to say. But maybe Trowt did have some wits about him. He was a decent thief, that was for sure. He seemed to have good aim and was completely invisible in the trees, meaning he was not someone Colt wanted to underestimate.

"Then maybe you should at least reposition it," Colt said. "I'm the threat here, not her."

"I don't think of you as much of a threat, Colt," Trowt put emphasis on his name, maybe proud that he'd been able to deduce that from Shelly's shout. "Especially not when there's an arrow pointed directly at your lady friend."

Colt grimaced. Trowt was right; there was really nothing he could do without Shelly being hit with another arrow. And this time the shot would likely be fatal, if the other hadn't. But he could keep talking. That was becoming his specialty.

"On the contrary, I think I'm a very big threat to you, Trowt," Colt said. "Especially when you don't have your gang of idiots here to back you up."

"They're my gang of thieves," Trowt corrected, "and I don't need them. Not for this."

"So what happened to them? Did you guys break up?" Colt feigned some sadness in his voice. "My condolences."

"Oh they're out searching for you right now. They want revenge too. But I'm glad I got to you first. We'll have a lot of fun. But first I need two things from you."

"I'll give you something alright," Colt said, gripping his sword and taking a step forward.

Trowt simply pulled back the strings of the bow a little, making Colt come to a stop. The thief smiled, satisfied. "That's what I thought. Now, do what I say and maybe only one of you has to die."

"Can I choose which one?"

Trowt thought about it, then shook his head. "No! Now first thing's first. Give me back my knife, immediately."

Colt just shrugged. "Couldn't even if I wanted to, which I don't."

Trowt's nostrils flared. He looked like he wanted to release his hold on the arrow, but even he was smart enough to know that doing that would remove his only leverage.

"And why is that?"

"I gave it away," Colt answered, which was a half-truth. He had given it away, but it was currently only a couple dozen feet away beside Shelly right now. Trowt didn't have to know that though.

"That knife," the thief said angrily, "was my prized possession. And you gave it away. Like some cheap, worthless item?"

"In my defense I had no idea it was your prized possession. And also in my defense, it kind of sucked."

In anger, Trowt turned his bow to face Colt and let go of the arrow. It was sent flying toward Colt who, having expected this, ducked down as it whizzed by him.

As the arrow flew somewhere into the forest behind him, Colt wasted no time in running at Trowt. He wasn't going to let the thief have time to notch another arrow into his bow. If he pointed the bow at him or Shelly again there was nothing he would be able to do. He doubted making Trowt angry would work twice. So this was his one shot.

He charged at Trowt and made it over to him before the thief could get a hand on another arrow. Colt gripped his sword and drove it toward Trowt, performing a forceful stab maneuver that would be impossible for him to block in time.

Unfortunately, Trowt must have been ready for an attack like this. The thief moved swiftly out of the way and Colt's sword sank far into the trunk of a very thick tree. Colt grabbed his cutlass and pulled as hard as he could, trying to dislocate it from the trunk, but having no such luck. Thankfully, Trowt didn't try an attack. The thief simply ran back into the forest, managing to evade Colt's eyes and ears in a matter of seconds.