Kiru would've given a lot for a longbow. Almost surely outnumbered, on uncertain terrain? If only. He'd left his bow back and camp and returned to find it gone, along with the rest of their weapons. That meant these raiders might have them, but then again, it meant they probably had something worse.
Ha. He didn't feel panicked, though his heart had started to beat faster, a nearly audible shift that came with tension, like the mechanism catching in a gun. He squinted side to side, taking stock.
The fellow stumbling toward them looked dazed and ill-tempered and dumb as a rock. He'd put away his sling, so he wasn't a threat. Let Cabhadden handle him. Even she should be able to do that. Kiru, now, knew better than to pay attention to the man in the open. He took a careful step back, into the shelter of the tall black rock, and scanned the area to his right through the frame of his lashes. One, aiming a bow through a window. One of theirs? Couldn't be sure, but he saw the glint of metal. Another on the roof. Another behind a crumbling section of wall... no, two more. Four. Kiru nodded to himself.
"Ho, stranger!" he said at last, amiably enough, kicking himself forward from the rock. He put up his left hand, complete with crossbow, cocking it rakishly toward the sky. A gesture of peace. Slowly, carefully, he reached behind him, freed his helmet, and tossed it to the ground. He tugged his shield free from its place over his pack and held it loosely at arm's length, as though preparing to drop it.
"Han't seen a troop wearin' our colors, have you?" Kiru called, catching Tayr's eye for just a moment. The little raider stumbled to a halt and looked puzzled for a half-second. He glanced back over his shoulder.
It had been the right question to ask. He'd thought that if they had something to do with whatever'd happened they'd react quick. If not they might pause, thinking there was a troop about.
They didn't pause. Kiru had just enough time to whip his shield up, not in the direction of the little raider but toward the four he'd spotted before. Something hit it, an arrow by the sound, and Kiru took two running steps back to the shelter of the rock, aiming his crossbow over his shield. He loosed a bolt; it disappeared into the window where he'd spotted the archer earlier. Hit or miss, he couldn't tell. He slid another bolt into the bow, sheltering himself beneath his shield. This time it was easier. He stood in the shadow of the rock, sheltered by another fallen stone. His first bolt had missed, he saw now, but he loosed another and caught one of the raiders who'd been perched on the tumbledown staircase. Kiru heard his wet choking.
He'd just turned to spare a glance back at Tayr--idiot cunt she might be, but she was his soldier--when something big hit him sideways, knocking his shield aside. He went sprawling.
Shit. There were five. He didn't waste time grappling with the raider who'd landed on top of him. Long, dirty nails raked at his face, and he caught a glimpse of tangled hair and something metal, and then he had to squeeze his eyes shut to keep them--had his knife out--stabbed at the outlaw's gut, low in his reach, where it wasn't expected--and ripped the knife upward--