Pearl in the Hilt, Part Four

The flame danced merrily upon the rope, the wind of the open plains marring it's progress but dispersing the black smoke which rose from the flame nicely. The kobold within the cage looked at the flame in an amused sort of way, the light reflecting in its eyes and giving light to an otherwise dull face that did little to conceal the kobold's facination, and ill-gotten mirth at its situation. However, the guards had more pressing issues on their mind, most pressingly how to ensure that the young sire Markelhay made the final stroke upon the small lithe and tricky, and too little interest in dealing with Kobolds to recognise but their most common emotion as seen upon the plains; that of terror. The flame danced its dance to the conclusion, going out just before the cage was released. The guard in charge of the release cursed mildly, made his excuses, and jumped off his horse, tinderbox in hand to relight the, mostly, charred and blackened rope. As he neared the cage, one hand clutching the rope, the kobold spewed another gout of flame that took the guard in the centre of his chest, knocking him backwards onto the ground, and burning the length of the rope through.

The cage clanked through, and the kobold slipped through the newly created gap, while the horsemen were still milling about in confusion as their horses reared and whinneyed. The horizon held no easy options for the kobold, as the nearest cover was the city of Fallcrest, less than a mile to the north-east was less than inviting. The kobold took off at speed to the south, it's limbs pushing it far faster than would have seemed usual or possible to the puzzled riders. Lord Markelhay the Third, called to his riders, and to his son. "To Arms! Our blades shall taste this creature's blood this day!" The riders caught the look of his eyes and made an impressive movement to line up once more, but their pace was ultimately dictated by the slugish pace of the Young Lord Markelhay, as the riders continued to mill about until the young lord was fully ready. Then, in a thin line, the riders surged forward after their prey.

Behind them, the fallen guard lay motionless beside the cage, as the horse gently prodded him with its muzzle.