It looked as if the road turned south ahead. Jessica could hear the wheezing and raspy squealing pounding along behind her. Her second wind had long since passed. She was doing her best to keep her distance, but the scourge sickness gave her pursuers otherworldly strength and endurance. She wouldn't be able to run much further.

"Teko!" Ranko shouted. Talitha glanced up, following Ranko's pointing hand. As their horses bounded forward, off to their left they could see the shadow of the heavy bird's wings in the distance silhouetted by the hazy halo of the moon. Teko circled over the tops of three distant trees and then disappeared behind them.

Suddenly Talitha hauled back on the reins. Her horse's front hooves punched the ground several times as it's head was pulled to one side. She desperately scrambled off, turned quickly and concentrated on her ring. She whispered quietly, trying to use her confused horse for cover.

Ranko saw them too, but one step too late. She pitched to one side as the first crossbow quarrel whistled past. The lunging motion put her off-balance, and she clutched the reins with both hands to keep from falling from the galloping horse. The off-center weight pulled the horse's head to one side, and it veered off the road. The charger tried to hold it's neck up, and eventually wheeled to a stop, turning in a slow circle.

Flames streaked past as Ranko let go. She hit the hard-packed mud road with a grunt and rolled to the side, placing her hands on the ground and looking forward intently. Only a few dozen yards away, she could see the flickering light of oil flames burning from the heads of metal crossbow quarrels.

She ducked as another whizzed past and slammed into the roots of a nearby tree. Talitha winced, sensing the pain from the sharp bolt's head and the slow-burning flames. She lent her healing power to the huge willow tree and braced the shining Shield that had grown from her ring before her. It forming an impenetrable barrier to any missile, physical or enchanted. The Warrior of the Forest observed her foe. They had chosen their cover well, deployed behind a thick fallen tree trunk on the opposite side of the north turn.

The Huntress peered over her shoulder, back pressed against the bark, just past the edge of the tree she had chosen for cover. She could see the flames as well. She had a clear line of fire to both the shadowy humanoid on her side of the road, and the line of crossbowmen on the other. Kishi was slowly making his way south along the opposite side of the Barley Road, preparing to pounce on the small band of attackers from behind.

Just then, Shannon heard the first of several squeals and snorts coming down the road towards her.