"Who is your master and what does he want with us?" Micha asked. Troubled thoughts started racing into his mind. Many times in the past he had fought with orcs and half orc brutes in these lands... was one of them out for revenge? If so why Sygnet too?

"Let the elf go and I will turn myself in," he offered. It wasn't likely but he thought at least it was worth a chance. "You won't catch me if I run."

He heard Sygnet's muffled voice. He guessed what she was saying but there was no way he could leave her.

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"Don't ask questions and don't try to bargain with us, boy. Our master would like both of you alive. But that doesn't mean one of you can't die. Will you let it be her?" the knife pushed deeper into Sygnet's throat and she coughed and choked.

No, he couldn't give himself up, she wouldn't let him. Sygnet brought her heel down on the half-orc's foot. He growled in pain, released her hair and backhanded her across the face. She collapsed into the dirt and lay there. The half-Orc put one of his boots on her back, pinning her down. Too much pressure and he could break her spine.

Micha was seconds away from stepping out of the bushes when Sygnet resisted. In the time it took the scene to play out Micha notched an arrow in his bow. By the time the orc planted his foot on Sygnet's back an arrow struck him straight between the eyes.

It wasn't a moment later before Micha burst into the clearing, sword drawn and ready. He handed Sygnet a sword he grabbed from the fallen half orc and took a moment to be sure she was alright before rushing into battle.

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Sygnet's chest was on fire from being shoved into the dirt. Her throat hurt and her cheekbone features a deep cut from the slap. She took the sword he offered and charged into the battle.

A few dozen orcs charged from the trees. Sygnet instantly decapitated one and retrieved his sword. She was always better with both hands, and she moved on to another enemy.

Micha tried to be sure Sygnet was alright, he noticed the blood on her face but a moment was all he had. She rushed into battle and he was forced to do the same as orcs came charging out of the trees. He grabbed his knifes and threw them, swiftly dropping three orcs before they reached him. He spun under an attack and sliced the attacking half orc brute across the back and dropped him to the ground.

Micha moved towards Sygnet, not wanting too much distance to get between them. They would be safer back to back or side by side.

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Sygnet backed up until she stood next to him, guarding his back from the onslaught. She brought her sword down on the nearest Orc, cutting him in half from shoulder to hip. She jumped up and hacked down the nearest few around them.

An Orc approached Micha from behind and Sygnet turned to the Orc. She threw the sword from across the clearing and it imbedded into it's chest.

Micha cut down another slew of enemy attackers, ducking and dodging several close strikes. He kept close to Sygnet.

With a quick twist at the waist and a duck he spun under an attack, shoved his back into the half orc brute and sent him tumbling to the ground. A swift flick of the wrist put Micha's blade back in motion, decapitating the sword hand of the half orc brute. He wanted this one alive to answer questions. He paused for a moment, looking around to see if there were any other enemies left standing.

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Sygnet cut through her final enemy and stood, breaths shallower than before. She moved towards him, slowly and steadily. The adrenaline was wearing off and she could feel the aching pressure of fighting more than a dozen enemies bearing down on her body. Her face was bleeding, as was her right shoulder from when she was fighting two at once and the other got the better of her. Blackened blood drenched her clothes and body, sprayed on by the ferocity of the attacks.

Even still, she raised her sword and pointed it at the Orc, crouching before them, "Talk...scum," she panted, taking deep breaths to steady her heart beat.

Micha paused a moment to look at Sygnet. She looked a little rough but he could hardly attend to that now. He glanced around continually for more orcs, ready at a moments notice.

Then he turned to the half orc. "I suggest you listen to her... or I will make things quite uncomfortable for you." Micha's voice had a sinister side to it when he said this... a dark side Sygnet had never heard before and his eyes seemed to go black. "Talk!" he demanded through gritted teeth, placing the tip of his sword on the brute's leg and applying slight pressure.

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Sygnet barely registered the darkness that spread across Micha's face but instead raised her sword.

The Orc looked up at them and sneered, "My master didn't give us that detail, elf. Ya killed the only one of us who knew. One thing I did know is that he wants ya alive," the orc bared its ugly yellow teeth in a nasty grin.

Sygnet was growing impatient and reached behind her and grabbed her whip. She unleashed it and it cut through the air, "Talk!" she snarled, lashing her whip towards him as if it were a warning.

(I'll let you drive the plot since you kinda have an idea for things. )

Micha Glared down at the orc, waiting to see if he would cave. His eyes still scanning the bushes around them for more danger. He glanced around and then stepped closer to the orc.

"We don't have time for this!" he stepped on the creature's hand and raised his sword. With a swift flick of the wrist he sliced one finger off the brute. The creature growled in pain and Micha took another step back. "You've got ten fingers and ten toes before I start working my way to your wrists and elbows... I suggest you talk sooner rather than later."

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Sygnet knew it was going to be hard to get anything more out of the Orc, "Micha..." she lay a hand on his shoulder. "Are you all right?" she asked, hesitantly.

Micha flinched, slightly, at Sygnet's touch. He looked at her and for a split second his eyes kept that wild-man look. It faded when his eyes met hers.

He glanced back to the orc and then back to her and took a deep breath. "I'm alright..." he finally answered. "We should get going before more orcs show up and block us from Moria."

His mention of Moria a throw off to try and add a slight bit of miss information into the orc ranks.

Micha stepped back from the orc, a twinge of fear...anxiety...or was it panic? Something rippled through him that he had not felt in many years and it urged him...

"This creature is too dangerous to be left alive..." he stepped back towards the brute.

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Sygnet didn't like the look in his eyes and killing that Orc would fuel that fire. She lashed out her whip, curling it around the orcs neck and yanking it towards her. It was forcefully lifted to its feet and the her sword pushed into its chest, driving all the way through.

She pulled out her sword and then threw the body on the ground, uncoiling her whip from its neck and she looked at Micha, eyes full of pain, blood still dripping down her cheek.

Sygnet dropped her weapons and swiftly moved towards him, enveloping him in a warm and comforting hug. She sighed gently, "Are you hurt, my love?" she whispered to him.

Micha was taken aback by Sygnet's actions, then his demeanor seemed to melt as she rushed towards him and embraced him.

He lowered his sword and let it fall to the ground and sighed heavily, he returned the hug and took another deep breath. "I'm fine...I'm sorry. I..." he paused. "Are you alright?"

He didn't let go of her. He hugged tightly, but gently at the same time.

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Sygnet nodded. Her former injury from the bear attack was aching slightly. She would have to check for bleeding later on but not while Micha was around. He didn't need to be worried any more. She nodded, "Small cuts and bruises, but nothing serious," she smiled at him and then let go, cupping his face in her hands, she looked over every inch of it, searching for something that was amiss.

"Micha...you seemed different. Dark and heavy...almost as if you were not seeing. Just hate. Blind hate and fury. It was like I lost you," her eyebrows were furrowed under a small layer of grime and Orc blood that smeared her face. She was genuinely concerned for him.