Before Harlow could even think about what she was doing, she picked up an old, sturdy log, lunging it forward into the man's gut.
“Oof!” The man, who she now saw was a recruit named Andrew, doubled over, holding his stomach in pain.
Before Andrew could react, Harlow pulled the log back and swung it hard against the man's cheek, sending splinters and small pieces of old oak flying everywhere. Andrew fell to the ground, safe and fairly unharmed, but groaning in pain.
Harlow raised her eyes to Candor, Elwin, and Rawley. “Run!” She exclaimed as she grabbed Enders arm and pulled him for a few seconds, deeper into the forest.
The further they got from that place, the more time seemed to slow down.
She scanned the treetops as they ran, looking for signs of life, preparing herself for an ambush.
She didn't expect it when she saw the movement from one tree coming up on her right. She gazed up at the shifting branches she saw, noticing Reggie crouching on a low branch. He pulled the string back on his bow, an arrow ready in his fingertips.
Harlow rushed forward, laying a hand on Rawley's back, and propelling him forward to keep him moving.
Harlow looked around for something to save them. She didn't find anything. She rattled her brain for anything useful.
And miraculously, one thing came to her mind: a memory. She never knew the memory of her father talking about how he used to dodge arrows with accurate precision would come in handy someday. She smiled slightly at the reminiscence before breaking back to reality. Her father told her to weave in between trees, if possible. She narrowed her eyes ahead. That was exactly what she was going to do.
She looked up at Enders, who was leading every one, flag in hand, racing toward an invisible finish line.
She broke away from the line, racing adjacent to Rawley, avoiding arrows from all around her. There were at least four archers in the trees, aiming all at them.
She pumped her legs harder, jumping over renegade logs, and forcing herself forward.
It felt like slow motion when she passed Candor and Elwin, catching up to the front with Enders after a few seconds.
“Enders!” She yelled to him, running as fast as she could. “Cut right!” She felt like the words couldn't come out fast enough.
Enders nodded quickly, taking a moment to look back at Harlow, before following her eye's line of sight to Reggie.
Harlow quickly changed course, looking up at Reggie, who now had to change the direction of arrows.
Harlow forced her legs faster, leading the group. She glanced backward to make sure everyone followed. She saw everybody behind her, looking exhausted and tired. A flurry of arrows rained down behind them as she bobbed and weaved between the trees.
She quickly cut left; less arrows were flying through the air than before, implanting themselves into the dirt behind the group of five.
Enders reestablished his grip on the flag and kept up his pace, running just behind Harlow.
One thing was for certain: That was not only one archer. Reggie's whole team had probably taken to the trees immediately.
Harlow's lungs felt like they'd explode. Her legs started burn, and her heart felt like it would beat right out of her chest. She noticed Enders struggling to keep his breath and starting to slow down.
Eventually, the sound of arrows flying through the air faded and disappeared completely.
Harlow was relieved to slow down her pace to a light jog; the team followed in suit, jogging to a stop.
They stood around in a circular formation for a few minutes, trying to catch their breaths in silence.
“We need a plan.” Enders broke the silence, panting loudly, forcing air into his lungs. He placed his right hand on his right knee, propping himself up, but giving himself enough time to catch his breath, while his left hand held the flag.
Harlow placed her hands on her hips, heaving in breaths and exhaling hard. “Aye.” She said, simply.
Harlow noticed Rawley looking around the forestry. “We could bury the flag.” He suggested, his breathing far less struggled than the others. His black hair swayed slightly, brushing against his eyebrows, while he spoke.
Harlow raised an eyebrow in curiosity, then nodded approvingly. She looked at Enders, who was looking at the floor, trying to catch his breath.
“I like that idea. We wouldn't have to worry about it as long as we keep it hidden.” Elwin chimed in, also trying to catch his breath.
Candor nodded in approval of the idea, although keeping his input to a minimum as he focused on breathing
Harlow nodded. “Okay. We'll bury the flag.” She looked around the forest floor, spotting a huge oak tree with large roots that protruded the soil. She looked to Enders, pointing out the roots. “There,” Harlow said, taking a few steps. “The roots will keep it hidden.”
Enders nodded, looking to the tree. “Sure.” He stood up straight, holding the flag in his grip. “Cover me while I hide it.” He commanded.
Harlow followed Enders as he went to the roots and tried to make the flag invisible.
“Hurry.” Harlow said after a few seconds.
Enders sighed and rolled his eyes. “You try hiding a huge flag in a small system of roots.” He whispered harshly.
A second later he stood up, examining his handiwork as the other three men all leaned against trees, their eyes closed in exhaustion.
“How are we supposed to find everyone else?” Rawley asked, looking around the foliage, after Harlow and Enders returned.
Elwin shrugged. “We could sit in the trees and wait.”
Enders shook his head in response. “Everyone else has probably already taken to the trees. We need to draw them out.”
Candor sighed. “How do we do that?” He asked, looking around, raising one hand to wipe some of his hair out of his face.
A far off snapping twig echoed throughout the forest.
Everyone turned their heads to the noise.
Harlow bit her lip. “We'll split up.”
“What?” Rawley asked, scrunching his eyebrows together and looking at her incredulously. “That's a terrible idea. What if they come after us?”
Harlow looked at him and nodded, taking in breaths. “Not unless we have a plan. Enders said we need to draw them out. We can't do that if we're all in the trees.” Harlow stopped speaking for a moment and looked around the treetops. “I think this is the best place to stage an ambush of some sort.”
Enders raised an eyebrow at her. “Ambush?”
Harlow let her eyes linger on him, her heart beating even faster with the sight. His hair was damp and hung over his eyes, bringing out their brown color.
She tried to bury the tingling feeling of butterflies, albeit unsuccessfully, telling herself it was the morning sunlight that was starting to emerge over the horizon that made him look so handsome.
It was a blatant lie to herself, but she refused to contest it.
“Uh,” She whispered, her focus momentarily disrupted and her voice wavering. She shook her head. “Yes.”
Another faint snap echoed in the distance.
“We don't have time to delegate this, men.” Harlow said, turning her eyes to Rawley and Elwin. “You two are some of the best archers in the camp. It would be best if you took to the trees.”
The two men considered it, and nodded agreeably.
She turned to Candor, whose medium build could be intimidating sometimes. “Candor, you're a great runner, but you're a better climber. Enders and I are the fastest runners, we'll invade the other teams' territories and lure them out. After we've got them out, you can go in, take care of anybody in your way, and steal their flags.”
Candor smiled wickedly. “So, you want me to knock the others unconscious?”
Harlow shrugged. “If that's what needs to be done, then yes.”
Snap! The echo of the snapping branch rang out closer this time.
“We're good with this plan?” Enders asked everyone.
All the
men nodded, Rawley and Elwin rushing off to two opposing trees.
“Let's go, then.” Harlow said, running off into the deeper forest, Candor and Enders running on each side of her.
*~*~*
Enders and Harlow walked carefully in silence as they watched Candor from afar. The three had decided to split into two groups, so that when the other team found Harlow and Enders, they wouldn't catch Candor as well. Harlow had to admit she enjoyed having this small element of surprise on her team.
The two walked in silence, careful not to step on any loud twigs and branches.
Enders cleared his throat quietly, garnering Harlow's attention. She glanced at him, letting him know that she was listening, before she went back to surveying the area and keeping a good eye on Candor.
“Thank you for saving our flag back there.” He said, a slight awkward tone in his voice, although he was trying his hardest to sound casual.
Harlow nodded, trying not to smile. She thought the tone of his voice was endearing and sweet. “You're welcome.”
Enders nodded, keeping silent for a few moments longer.
Harlow kept her eyes on Candor, as the three of them kept forward at a slow pace.
Harlow stopped in her place. She kept her eyes on Candor, who'd stopped and looked to the treetops.
She tried to perk up her ears to hear what he must be hearing.
Then, she saw Candor turn to make eye contact and pointed to the treetops at his right.
“He's hearing something.” Enders said, brushing against Harlow's skin on his way past her. “Let's go.”
Harlow froze momentarily by the skin contact, feeling chills on her fingertips and her heart thumping wildly. She broke out of it quickly and starting making her way to Candor.
“What's going on?” She whispered to Candor.
Candor looked to his right, holding up his hand. “Listen.”
At first, Harlow heard nothing, but as a few seconds passed, she heard a faint sound of laughter.
“One of the teams are just over here.” Candor pointed to his right.
Harlow nodded. “We'll go in and lure them away. When you see us running south, go in and do whatever needs to be done.” She said, starting to walk away. She paused and turned back to Candor. “Within reason, that is.”
Candor nodded. “Understood.”
Harlow started off in the direction of the laughter, Enders walking beside her. “You ready for this?” She asked him.
Enders nodded, determination written in his hazel eyes. “You bet.”
*~*~*
“Enders! Go left!” Harlow shouted as they raced Northward. Arrows whizzed by them from left and right.
Enders looked to her and nodded as he broke away and bolted toward their designated flag spot, where their archers waited.
“Henry!” Enders shouted, catching Harlow's attention. “This way!”
Harlow made a sharp left and began running adjacent to Enders.
The men chasing them had either stopped shooting or run out of arrows.
Harlow and Enders had their territory in sight; the two raced toward the huge oak tree with so much force that when they heard the arrows from Rawley and Elwin start to fire, they kept going, feeling the sting and burn in their legs. They stood just past their archers and watched as the four men ran into a rainstorm of arrows.
The two of them ducked behind trees, and listened to the chaos ensue, although it didn't last long.
The four men had gotten sick and beaten, losing their flag before they really even had a chance.
Rawley whistled when it was safe for Harlow and Enders to come out, and upon hearing that whistle, they came out, sore and weak.
“That looked painful.” Elwin commented to Harlow.
Harlow nodded to him as she caught her breath.
Enders chuckled a bit. “Aye.”
The sound of stomping, running feet came to their ears, before coming a slow down before entering their vision.
Candor walked next to the tree, tired and out of breath.
“What happened?” Harlow asked, leaning against the tree.
Candor took several deep breaths, before placing one hand on his hip and reaching the other into his pants' waistband and pulling out a white cloth. He smiled victoriously as he held it up.
Harlow lifted an eyebrow. “What happened to it?”
Enders chuckled. “Did you do that or did they do that?”
Candor examined it in his hands to make sure it was in one piece. “They had it on this high branch on one of the oak trees. I climbed all the way to the top and had to push someone off in order to get to it.”
Harlow widened her eyes at him, looking at Enders who shared the same expression. They looked at each other before turning their attention back to Candor.
“Is he okay?” Enders asked, his eyebrows arched attractively.
Candor looked at him puzzled. “Oh, the man I pushed off the tree?” He nodded. “Aye, he's fine. I checked him. He wasn't bleeding or anything. He said it hurt his backside, though.”
Harlow nodded, chuckling slightly. “Was it necessary to push him?”
Candor looked at her puzzled again. “Of course! He was holding the flag hostage. I had to get to it.”
Harlow nodded. “Alright, then.” She looked at the root before her. “Bury it then and we'll get the next one. We already have two,” She said, rubbing her forehead and making sure her hat was on correctly. “So, we only have three left.”
Enders sighed. “You make this sound easy.”
Harlow sighed as well. “I wish it were.”
*~*~*
Harlow and Enders raced toward their territory, weaving in between trees as they ran. They heard Candor behind them, breathing heavily and running as fast as he could muster in his exhausted state. He had one of the last flags in his hand and he was not going to give it up. Harlow looked back to survey the damage that was being done behind her.
She noticed four men running in what looked like a line after Candor. Sure enough, it was their flag that Candor held in his hands.
Enders looked exhausted and Harlow had come to notice his limp getting ever more prominent as he ran toward their spot. She knew they were almost there and that the second they raced into the area, Elwin and Rawley would be firing of a set of arrows that wouldn't let up unless they would surrender.
Harlow started to count down the seconds. In about ten second, they would be safely behind their own borders and the archers would take care of their opposition.
She forced her legs to move harder than they'd ever moved before.
'Five seconds,' she thought as she whizzed by the trees.
Two more seconds and they'd be one more flag to winning the competition!
Harlow and Enders broke through the trees and raced to the other side, listening as arrows flew everywhere behind them, beating down on the men chasing them.
"That was harsh!" Candor exclaimed, exhaling and heaving in breaths. He leaned his body weight on a great oak and held the captured flag to his chest.
Harlow chuckled, looking at him as she leaned up against a tree next to Candor's."It's a rush though, isn't it?"
Candor chuckled, saying nothing more.
Harlow turned her attention to Enders as they hid away from the screams and shouts of the other men. "Are you alright?"
Enders' breathing was heavy and labored. He simply nodded, looking out into the forest.
A whistle rang out, signaling to the three runners, that the coast was clear. Rawley had come up with the idea, which Harlow admitted was brilliant.
Harlow sighed, closing her eyes gently before opening them again, exhaustion starting to take over her body.
Enders raised an eyebrow at her, a small smile on his lips.
Harlow shrugged, the two having a mental conversation, as if he was asking if she was alright. She smiled, still tired as she did so. She found herself having trouble getting up from the tree she leaned against.
N
oticing this, Enders chuckled, walking to her and holding his hand out to help her.
Gratefully, she took his hand in her own pulling herself up and letting out a quiet “Thank you,” before trying her best to keep her wild heart beat under control.
Enders followed Harlow toward the clearing. She quietly sighed, lifting one hand to her forehead, making sure all of her hair was tucked neatly inside her hat, before walking into the area where the archers were stationed.
“Ready, men?” Enders asked, looking at the two archers. His tone was oddly serious and drained. He seemed so completely worn out.
Harlow raised an eyebrow at him. “Are you?” She was subtly asking if he was alright, if he needed a break.
“Why wouldn't I be?” Enders asked, an eyebrow again raised in her direction, a persistent smile on his lips.
Enders took the lead, taking large steps, and making Harlow fight with her heart to keep it from beating out of control.
*~*~*
The sound of feet pounding on the dirt floor, legs burning with every jump, hop, and skip over foliage that littered itself on the soil beneath, seemed to echo loudly throughout the trees.
This was one of those moments that Harlow couldn't explain.
How exactly had they failed so miserably this time?
The opposite team was gaining on them with every step.
Harlow was getting tired and weak, just as Candor and Enders were. She could tell by the way they dragged themselves through the forest that they were exhausted.
Candor looked back as he ran, gripping the flag to his chest tightly.
Harlow was sure they'd make it back to their base before the other team caught them. Keeping this in her mind, she pushed forward, watching Candor and the flag.
The trees seemed to become a blur as she rushed past all the foliage in the forest. Her mind was on one thing and one thing only: make it to the archers with the flag.
It wasn't much farther, she noticed, passing a green piece of cloth that hung tied to a tree. It was a marker Enders had put up to lead us to the archers.
Sherwood Page 6