Bandit Attack

• Dylan Van Der Veen, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2013

Snow was dusting the tarp that we used to make a small roof. Since the tarp was thin, this weighed it down significantly. The ragged bits of leather that were strapped to my body provided quite a nice amount of insulation from the cold. Lia was shivering furiously, even with all the fur. Her eyes were closed in a futile attempt to sleep, her body curled into the shape that most dogs would take to keep warm. Since I couldn’t get to sleep, I decided to calm Lia.
Shuffling on my back towards the small lump of fur, I began to gently pat her head and back. I moved my hands through her snow white hair, stroking down her back, until I reached her backside, in which I lifted my hand and returned it to her head. She loved that. That is how it went for about half an hour more. Stroking her head, her back, returning to her head. It seemed to calm me, made me feel sleepy.
I was about to fall asleep when Lia suddenly awoke. Her ears pricked up and her tail started wagging furiously, then she stood up. Her face was bared in anger, fangs shining white in the snow. Something was up. I quickly stood up, grabbing my small staff, and braced myself for an attack. The trees around me were silent, moving only for the wind, no unusual deviation. Then they exploded.
Men flew out of the trees, most of them wearing the same colour as the birch leaves that surrounded me. They were holding knives and one of them was even carrying a hand crossbow. Lia sprang into action immediately. The first bandit she saw ended up with her teeth latched to his leg. Lia normally wasn’t this eager for battle. Seeing this display of bravery, however, I ran towards the nearest bandit and swung my staff. It collided with his skull, and I heard a crack as he crumpled to the ground, snow crunching under his body.
I could tell the bandits were now aware that I was stronger than I looked. To compensate, they decided to surround me. A circle of green bandits had me trapped in between a tree and them. They were closing in. Lia even noticed that we were trapped, and stopped snapping at the bandits. They moved closer, wolves coming in for the kill.
Thunk.
An arrow embedded itself in the tree, almost skewering my head. I could almost feel the cold metal of the tip on my cheek. It was bent to an extreme, almost to snapping point. The bandits jumped, obviously in shock from seeing the arrow fly through the sky. I looked up to the trees, hoping to see a saviour, or a hero. Instead, I saw a woman wearing the same armour as the bandits. “Attention, young man. I am the leader of this particular gang, The Champions. I am Lydia, and you are officially our captive.”