A bad day (well...worse than usual)

Cornered

sorry its short...but I have a few more chapters ready! Please enjoy, and tell me where to improve!!!

After Battle for Skandia, before Erak's ransom.

Will's stance shifted as another mercenary emerged from the forest line. This is getting worse Will thought, glancing around. He had gone out practice shooting without Halt (who happened to be called back to Redmond Castle for a council meeting that past evening) when, out from no-where apparently, a group of rough looking mercenaries appeared. He thought he had been quiet, he had been an apprentice for long enough that he knew how to hid his tracks. Was it just chance that they happened to appear?

Will backed up a step, to recompense for their growing advancements; only to find his footing nearly slip on a sheer drop to the sea below. Curse this wretched day, of all the things! Will hadn't noticed he was that close to the cliff, he glanced behind him momentarily to see a few lose pebbles fall to the chasm below. Gritting his teeth, he looked back to his attackers. Now what would Halt say? And I'm supposed to be a Ranger in a year! Will, there is no time for self-pity! Now, what would Halt do?

It was a common question Will would ask himself whenever he found himself in a situation like this; which happened more often than not, excluding the cliff. That left a lump in things... More like in my throat. Will laughed at that thought.

"What are you laughing at, little runt?" the snarl came from the largest one's mouth, rudely covered by a patchy beard and moustache.

Will looked over to him serenely, a mischievous thought playing in his head. Well... I doubt I can get out of this by stealth...jumping's not an option (looks down to the rocks below) that leaves smart-alick, I suppose. I think I'm good at that, not as good as Horace, definitely not as good as Evenlyn, wait Cassandra. Oops... Well, you have to learn sometime. Will smiled at him, a sickly-sweet smile playing on his face.

"Oh nothing... well, just that I find your trousers are rather colorful." Will laughed inwardly, coming up with that on the spot. Well, they are. The pirate's pants were rather large and baggy, showing his undergarments rather openly.

The leader snarled and lunged for the slim boy. Will just danced lightly away, leaving the bulky man stumbling. Will was still scrambling for a real escape, his attempt at smart was not going to keep up for long. He risked a quick glance to the tree line behind the enemy, hoping for a sign of Halt or even Gilan.

The pirate's eyes followed his, "Ha, your scared little elf, aren't you? Hoping daddy will come find you? He shouldn't have given that weapon to such a child. Whimpering in fear." Laughing he turned to his comrades for the last jab. Will snarled, he was not whimpering, nor would he ever.

It was true, Will's arrows had run out, all stuck inside trees and other targets inside the woods. He still didn't like the jab on his father, never would dishonor his memory by whimpering, nor would his father have Will do something he was not ready to do.

"Oh, looks like we bothered our esteemed guest, brothers!" Turning back to Will the pirate looked at him, eyes gleaming.

The men continued advancing, leaving Will too close to the edge. Unable to move in any direction he pulled out his daggers and fell back into his defense stance. The attack started without warning, three of the seven men lunging at the same time. Will immediately swerved to avoid being barreled over and tried to jump over the other man; alas, his cloak was yanked by the third, dragging him down. Of all the possible things! Really! Will was becoming really worried, near desperate. He was too close to the cliff to attack and defend properly. Quickly Will raised himself up to his knees, raising his dagger with him and cut the leader directly in front of him. He twisted and slashed the one to his own side, with his other knee raising into genuflection. He quickly lunged his other dagger to the next man, until two were on the ground. Five left, Will thought, breathing hard. Jumping up fully he grabbed his attackers hand and twisted him to the ground, attempting to send him to unconsciousness. He had just finished knocking him down when a club came barreling from the side, smashing into the side of Wills skull. So much for being attentive... now what will Halt say? ... these last thoughts flickered through Will's mind before blackness enveloped his world.