I do not wish to fight

Gabriel POV:

The forest stretched out. The forest floor was a carpet of fallen leaves, soft underfoot, occasionally concealing hidden surprises in the form of wildflowers or mushrooms. The air was filled with the earthy scent of moss and damp leaves, carried on a gentle breeze that rustled the foliage.

Isabella and I rode in silence. The solitude was both comforting and eerie.

As we rode our horses through the lonely forest, I let my gaze wander, absorbing the serene yet mysterious atmosphere. My thoughts were interrupted when something familiar caught my eye, a glimmer of recognition at Isabella's side. My heart skipped a beat as I saw the hilt of a dagger, a design I could never forget.

I broke the silence.

"Where did you get the dagger, it look so familiar."

"Oh' this dagger. It is Luna's, she gave it to me before we parted"

"She did?" I asked

She nodded.

"You fight so well," I asked "where did you learn to fight"

"My father taught me, I just picked a bit to be able to protect myself"

"What do you do for a living" I asked

"I am traveler" She replied "what about you?"

"I am a wolf hunter"

"Cool" she replied

"How far away are we from Hidden Rain Village?" I asked

"We are getting closer, It's still a day journey"

"Okay"

In a blink of an eye I unsheathed my blade and had it to her neck. Both horses stopped dead in their tracks. Any sudden move and her head will roll.

"What is this?" She asked.

"Where is Luna? What have you done to her?" I bellowed fiercely.

"I guided her to the Hidden Rain Village."

"Your jig is up, Luna will never give you that dagger and this isn't the way to Hidden Rain Village. You are a bounty hunter, a very cunning one."

She groaned in frustration. "Why do I keep making mistakes today. You two have to be so damn difficult"

"Start talking, before I cut your head off. Where is she?"

"If you kill me, you'd never find her."

She bent like an eel and slipped off her horses evading the sword I had to her neck. She landed with a loud thud and sprung back to her feet.

"I must admit I got greedy today. I don't make so many mistakes on a good day."She said.

"I suppose I don't really have to lure you nor apprehend. You bounty is dead or alive, I can still deliver your head and collect my reward. I really didn't want to kill either of you, but since you have both decided to make it so difficult."

She unsheathed her Katana, poised.

I slowly got off my horse and landed on both feet. I could feel the anger surging through my vein.

"Just give me Luna and I will be on my way. I do not wish to fight"

"Bad luck, I do."

She lunged first, her blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. I parried with all my might, our swords clashing in a shower of sparks. The forest echoed with the resounding clash of steel meeting steel.

Leaves swirled around us, as each individual moved gracefully.

Her agility was astounding, she moved swiftly and fluidly, her attacks a whirlwind of skill and precision. I knew immediately I will have an hard time taking, and if not careful I could lose.

'I couldn't lose' I told myself, 'Luna depends on me'

I countered each strike with much patience. I was careful not to get overtly confident nor reckless.

We circled one another, eyes locked, both searching for an opening. Suddenly, she feinted to the left and lunged to the right, catching me off guard. Her blade grazed my shoulder, leaving a searing trail of pain.

'She would kill me, if I'm not careful'

I gritted my teeth and pressed on.

In a few minutes, I felt another cut on my thigh and a shallow cut on my arm. I felt the blood dripping down my arm and inside my cloth. I pressed on regardless.

A well-timed parry left her momentarily off balance, and I seized the opportunity to score a cut across her cheek . She winced in pain as blood trickled from her face

She stopped fighting and touched her face, her blood staining her hand.

"My beautiful face, that is going to leave a permanent mark." She hissed bitterly "I will make you regret that."

She lunged at me viciously. Her strikes became more desperate, more aggressive.

Leaves rustled in the wind, a chorus of whispers urging us on. She fought valiantly, but slowly, I began to gain the upper hand. Her initial vigor and agrresion was dying down and I was wearing her out. My strikes became more precise, my footwork more fluid.

After what seemed like several minutes, I saw an opportunity. With a swift move, I disarmed Isabella, sending her sword flying through the air. I kicked her hard in the chest and watched her stumbled backward, her chest heaving with exhaustion.

"Where is she?" I asked viciously.

"I know you can't kill me, you don't have the guts." She said.

I raised my sword with pure intent to cut off her. "Try me"

She scanned my face, searching for the slightest traces of weakness.

"I buried her alive." She said.

"You what?" I growled with pain.

"I buried her alive?"

I gripped the hem of her shirt strongly and throwing her strongly against a tree, pinning her with my elbow.

"Why the hell did would you bury her alive. Aren't you a bounty hunter, weren't you supposed to deliver her for your bounty. You are trying to play tricks on me."

"I figured today would be the perfect day to capture you since you are desperately searching for her. The General's Palace is still two days away, I figured I had no where to hid,"

"So, you buried her" I said with so much pain and anger coursing through my vein

"Yes," She said nonchalantly,

"Give me a reason why shouldn't kill you where you stand,"

"Because if you do, she will die away slowly, while hoping someone will come rescue. She particularly mentioned you, she told me you will find her and save her. You wouldn't want to dissapoint her would,"

I winced in pain and despair. I should have done a better job protecting her.

"You monster," I grimaced

"Say whatever you want, I do what I have to do to survive,"

"Burying another human alive isn't trying to survive,"

"Well, I planned to dig her, if you had allowed me to chop your head," She chuckled.

I grabbed her again and pushed her to the road. "Lead the way" I said.

"No," She said.

"Do I have to remind you I have sword to you neck,"

"Drop your sword," she said.

"What did you say to me?"

"I said drop your sword" She said with a click of her tongue.

"Are you retarded?"

"If you don't, I won't move an inch,"

I allowed my sword to prick her neck.

"That doesn't scare me. I will embrace death, I have nothing to lose." She said with a grin. "Unlike you..."

I saw no traces of fear in her, she meant every word she said.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"First you drop your sword and I will show you where I buried her, we will dig her up and I will take you both to the general to collect my reward. Everything will go smoothly like it ought to have"

"That's crazy, you are crazy,"

"You will spare her the pain of asphyxiating to death and you both will get to spend your final time together like she wanted." She said " It sounds like a fair deal to me."

I thought it over. I had everything to lose now and she nothing. I understood I can only save Luna, if I know were she is and I can only protect her if she was in front of me.

"Tick tick. You are running out of time and she's running out of air. You should make your decision fast."

"How am I sure, you would keep your promise."

"I surely will. I will get everything I want if I do, so I have no reason not to."

"What If I don't,"

"I will kill you and let her watch. Believe me, you won't defeat me the second time." She growled.

"Fair enough" I said.

I took my sword of her neck and dropped it. She picked it and placed it back on my neck.

"Remember, we had a deal."

"Yes, yes, we do."

She turned and kicked me viciously in the groin. I winced in pain and sunk to the ground.

"That is for cutting my beautiful face"

She walked back to the horses and retrieved a rope. She threw it at me,

"Tie yourself" She ordered.

I tied myself loosely.

"I'm not stupid" She chuckled.

She gripped the rope and re tied the knot. She pulled it so hard I felt the rope digging deep into my flesh.

"That is how a knot is properly tied" she mused.

She took the end of the rope and tied it to her horses' rein and got on it. I motioned to climb on but was pulled back by her.

"No, you walk!" She said.