A Good Man

Hektor tried to assess the situation. He had the wind knocked out of him, but the damage wasn't severe. A blunt blow but not hard like a mace or club. A clumsy strike as well. His sword fell out of his hand but it was within reach. He grabbed it as he stumbled back to his feet. The mud of the forest floor clung to him. It was cool and the earthy smell filled his nostrils. Hektor hoped that if a little did go up his nose it might block the sweet aroma that lured Chloe away in the first place.

Chloe, right Chloe was freed from her predicament. Hektor looked around the clearing. There was very little light making it through the thick canopy but he thought he could make out the nimble figure of his companion avoiding...something lashing out at her. A snake? No, it didn't have the speed and snakes don't strike side-to-side. Judging from the brief flashes of reflected light it seemed she had some kind of knife or tool in hand to protect her. That wasn't who he needed to worry about though. Ms. Agnes, that's right Ms. Agnes wasn't looking too good!

A branch creaked like it might break, Hektor turned to face the sound and found himself caught by another blow across the opposite side. It was firm but pliable. A vine? Chloe was ensnared by a plant but could one move that fast? This time Hektor was able to move with the blow and keep both his footing and sword in hand. He may not have been a seasoned warrior, but he was frequently the winner of various games and mock battles that would entertain the dozens of kids at any Tumlin Family function growing up. He was also motivated by returning the favor to his new benefactor for saving him from the giant spider outside of River's Bend.

Another creak, this time Hektor didn't fall for the deception. He kept is guard up, watching for the movement in his peripheral vision and maintaining a defensive stance. The next vine swung from an angle opposite the sound of the branch, it was easy enough to figure out when he knew what to look for. Or in this case, listen. The whistle of displaced air coming in from his left. Hektor turned and braced himself as the vine came rushing towards him, blocking with his sword raised to strike.

“Guess it is just a plant.” Hektor thought to himself as he watched the vine separate. He didn't even really need to swing, just hold his sword steady in the right direction and momentum would do the rest. The shorn segment of vine fell to the ground with a dull thud while the branch on the other side creaked and cracked wildly. Hektor heard another whistle coming from the other side and ducked under the next blow. He tried to scramble over to Agnes and check on her but another crack, another whistle, and Hektor found himself having to leap back. The blows were coming faster and faster, and it was all he could do to dodge and slash at the occasional one that gave him a good opening. The idea the plants were targeting him though gave Hektor an idea.

“Chloe!” Called Hektor as he leapt over another vine that went low. “I think I can handle these, just get me a little more light!”

“On it!” The thief responded as she scanned the clearing for something that may help.

Chloe raced towards a tree that she hadn't heard creaking before one of the vine swipes and scampered up as deftly as she could. Taking her knife she hacked at the upper branches, anything small enough she could find within reach. Fortunately the mobile plants were focused on Hektor, giving Chloe plenty of time to work even if the creacking cacophony around her caused her to fumble and panic.

Trusting his companion, Hektor tried his best to focus on the barrage of vines attacking him and each crash of an upper branch filled him with a little more resolve as the clearling became brighter and brighter. Eventually Chloe had given him a decent hole in the canopy to let the sun shine through and Hektor was better able to assess what he was dealing with. Three more of those nasty toad-throat maws attached to the trunks of trees around the clearing. Spaced well apart from each other, which explained why Agnes was at little risk and showed Hektor a safe route to reach her.

Still, he didn't know the full reach of the vines and was worried about the potential of aonther he couldn't see. “Thanks a ton Chloe!” He called up to his companion, “Get to Agnes, I'll handle the rest!” then plunged into the part of the clearing all three plants could lash out at him to keep them busy.

“Of course!” Chloe responded. Hektor thought she was smart to stay in the treetops, and that despite his earlier doubts he was reassured by how reliable the cat burgular could be. Now that he could see what he was up against, he tried his best to formulate a plan under the assumption Agnes ran into trouble because the body of the plants gave off some kind of spore when attacked directly.

Like any proper Littlefoot Tribe member and especially a proud son of one of their great families, Hektor Tumlin rarely bemoaned his small stature. Though here, he wished he could make use of some of the larger stones of deadfall branches to attack one of the plant bodies from a distance. Agnes's magic would come in handy too once she knew what she was dealing with, even a bow would be helpful. But as he was right now, this particular foe felt like a stalemate. The vines were too slow and clumsy to catch him and he knew where he could retreat if he started to tire, but as small as he was and armed only with a shortsword he couldn't do anything to the main body without suffering the same fate as Agnes.

Another creak, another thrashing vine, another heavy thud when it missed the mark. Then, inspiration. Hektor wasn't sure why he thought of it then, but it seemed like a reasonable strategy. Thanks to the extra light in the clearing he could see the perfect spot for his plan. Hektor dipped under another pair of blows from the vines above and made his way to his mark. They didn't seem to “see” him but judging from the reaction to his earlier attempt to reach Agnes he surmised that they could feel the vibrations as he moved.

Hektor picked his spot and stomped several times to ensure the plants would notice. There was the creak, there was the whistle, and this time Hektor leapt with a downward swing of his sword. This time though, he opted to use the flat of his blade to guide the momentum of the swing and was rewarded not with the typical thud, but a dry puff sound as the vine careened into the maw of one of the plants.

He could see the puff of spores as the body of the plant was crushed by its partner's vine. The final surge of movement from its own vines tore the branch they were secured too clean off the tree, making a pile of limp plant matter under a heavy log at the base. With two left he was able to find another spot and repeat the same trick, leaving only the plant farthest away from Agnes and Chloe. Taking a deep breath and bracing his sword for a charge, Hektor rushed past the final few swats from the vines above and stabbed the maw, thrusting his sword upwards and waiting until he made it back to the others before chancing taking another breath.

“Good work...Tumlin.” Agnes croaked as he collapsed next to them, panting heavily and covered with sweat.

Hektor collapsed near her, taking Agnes's hand in both of his. “Ms. Agnes! I was so worried. Please forgive me!”

“If anyone should be sorry, it's me.” Chloe said, hanging her head in shame and turning away from the other two. “I'm the reason you're in this mess.”

“Tumlin...thump the little cat burgular for me,” Agnes croaked with a coarse chuckle. “I think she forgot she's the only reason we got out of the city in time.”