RIN

Chapter 4

"Damnit! I can't believe I missed!"

Striding on a grand white and gray spotted horse was a young soldier with a long wooden bow and arrow grasped in his hand. Next to him stood another soldier, however, he appeared to be much older as his features were slightly wrinkled.

Unknown to Rin, she had walked right near the military training camp of a group of soldiers from the neighboring city. The two soldiers before her were currently hunting for food for their camp.

Upon seeing a moving figure in the woods, the young soldier shot towards the so-called "creature" assuming it was a large animal. Little did they know, the "creature" he shot at was Rin.

From her hiding spot, Rin carefully examines the two soldiers with sharp eyes. Dressed in silver armor, Rin noticed a roaring lion emblem on their chests. The young girl's heart raced as she peered at the silver lion - its eyes relentless.

"You were too quick to seize it, that's why it ran away." The older soldier sighs hopelessly.

"No way! I could have gotten it!" The younger solder argued bitterly. "It was simply too fast that's all!"

"Yes, yes, it was too fast..." He sarcastically said turning his horse around.

Walking in their direction was another set of horse hooves causing Rin's eyes to darken. Riding on a chestnut brown horse and a cold face was the two soldiers, General. Seeing as their General was making his way towards them meant it was time to head back to camp.

"You two, head back. We've already collected enough for meat for the night." The General ordered.

"Yes, General." Both soldiers said in unison.

The General grunts in response, before the middle-aged man's dark gray eyes swift towards the large rock behind the two. Feeling an icy penetrating gaze on her, Rin shivered.

"Come out now or don't blame this General for being violent," The man's cold voice commanded as he grips on the sword by his waist.

Heeding his voice, Rin's body becomes rigid. She had made sure to steady her breathing when the two soldiers approached camouflaging her presence. However, the General had easily discovered her. The man must have undergone intense training if he was qualified to detect her.

Knowing to pretend to not be there was useless, Rin slowly rises from behind the rock revealing herself before the three men. The two soldiers widened their eyes when seeing the young girl come out from behind the rock.

They themselves had been trained to be sensitive to their surroundings and others, yet they weren't able to detect the presence of a mere little girl! Both looked down in shame and shock as they knew the girl before the three wasn't simple.

"You...state your name and purpose," The General's cold voice hadn't changed from the beginning.

However, although showing an unreadable expression he to was quite surprised at the young girl's appearance. He hadn't expected the one possibly spying would be a petite little girl who looked no older than seven-years-old.

The girl's long black hair was messily ruffled covering part of her small dainty injured face. Although hidden, the girl's dull emerald eyes stared at the men intensely. Concealing her slight body was a dark blue fur coat that was drained of its previous bold color.

"This servants name Rin," The young girl bows her head. "I simply came finding refuge after my village had been destroyed."

"Your village?" The General furrows his grizzled brows.