The Fox Princess And Her White Dog

16: My Land and My People

Chow Chow twisted in mid-air towards their attacker with Snow in his arms. As she spun in the air with him, she caught a glimpse of a steel throwing blade leaving his hand. It shot like an arrow towards their attacker, who had swooped out of nowhere on large wings.

With an upward slash of their long, curved sword, the attacker deflected the throwing blade, before advancing towards Chow Chow and Snow with incredible speed. 

Snow could not see much of the swordsperson – all she could see was the brown leather covering the person's arm and torso, above the sword nearing them. Her vision was obscured by white hair before she tumbled onto the ground.

Clang!

The grating sound of metal against metal rang in her ears, and she felt the air around her crackle like a lightning bolt was about to strike. She looked up from the grass to see Chow Chow standing between her and their attacker. Blue lightning jumped along the spear point and the twin crescent blades of his halberd.

"Who are you?" he snarled. His halberd tremored under the force of the attacker's sword.

"I should be asking you that," snapped a low, female voice. "You're in my territory!"

With a roar, Chow Chow blasted the attacker with a strong gust of wind and sent her flying backwards, until she folded her wings and dug the heels of her boots in the ground. He raced towards her with weapon at the ready. They clashed, parried and slashed at each other in a whirlwind of tan leather and ivory silk. He attacked aggressively, nearly jabbing her in the shoulder with his spear point, but she pirouetted in the air out of his reach, then lunged towards his back.

Slash!

A deep gash appeared in the bark of a nearby tree as Chow Chow evaded her sword in a nick of time. There was a loud crack and Snow watched in horror as the top half of the tree toppled towards him. The attacker flew upwards into the night sky, as the tree crashed onto the ground, sending leaves and branches everywhere.

To Snow's relief, Chow Chow had dived then rolled out of harm's way with the agility of an acrobat. But when he sprang to his feet, he saw too late the attacker gliding towards him with legs straight out. She kicked him square in the chest.

This isn't a fair fight! Snow thought, watching the scene unfold. Chow Chow had fallen onto his back, and the attacker stood over him with her sword pointed at his throat. Groaning, he tried to raise his halberd, but she stomped her boot onto his hand.

"Who are you? Answer me," the winged attacker said.

I've got to help him! Snow looked frantically around her for anything she could use as a weapon.

I need a stick! Wait, not good enough – a stone, anything!

Something glinted in the grass near her. She reached for it, and her fingers closed around the sleek handle of Chow Chow's throwing blade. She picked it up, got to her feet, and looked again at the attacker whose back was towards her.

Should I throw it, or do I threaten her with it? What if I accidentally stab Chow Chow?

With a feral scream, she ran towards them with the blade held high. The attacker turned her head, her golden eyes blazing as she locked her sights on Snow.

"Princess, no!"

She felt like she was moving through sludge as she swung the short blade at the attacker, and could not stop in time when the attacker's wing came up to her face.

Whump!

Her head snapped back and her vision went white momentarily, before she felt herself pulled off balance by the wrist. In a blink of an eye, she found herself thrown onto the ground with her arm twisted behind her. The throwing blade fell out of her weakening grasp.