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Another stepped out, watching the men and looking quite uncomfortable. Darek's uncles had forced him along. The fifteen year old had no other home or option, but he hated what they did..still, standing with them as he was, his misgivings didn't show and it seemed like he was a part of their misdeeds.

Kaysal squirmed. "Julie's on horseback already, headed for him! We don't have time to go to the stables, I can smell him, we need to go!" he said, motioning his nose in the right direction.

The oldest of the three males stepped forward, jerking Arueyan up by the collar. "Ohh, poor brat. Got 'imself a broken arm, 'e does. Maybe I oughta break 'is neck too, put 'im outta 'is misery."

Kaysal nodded and darted forward, being sure the 'humans' could keep up as he ran after the smell.

Arueyan heard his wife's voice and looked up to see Julia..beautiful, proud Julia..

The men laughed at her while the boy shirked a bit, recoiling from Julia and seeming tempted to run off. The man holding Arueyan jerked the collar and tossed Arueyan down to the base of the tree, smirking as he hissed in pain as his already broken arm connected with the ground. He then tossed a knife to Darek, who caught it clumsily and paled. "Get on 'im." His uncle commanded, and Darek knew what he meant.

Darek hesitated long enough for his uncle to give him a disgusted look and glare before he went to Arueyan, grabbing him and holding the dagger near his throat. He muttered to the kid, "I'm really sorry about this.."

Arueyan looked at him in surprise before looking to men approaching his wife. "You stay away from her, pricks!" he hissed, causing the men to laugh.

The one that had tossed Arueyan smirked up at Julia, not knowing who she was or what she could do. "Look..I think we got us a real lady here..I think we should show the lady a real nice time..eh?"

Arueyan glared venemously and started to move, only to feel the knife and remember his position. "Don't touch her!"

The man laughed. "Snarky brat..now then..you just get down off the horse there or Darek's gonna have to slit that brat's throat." A lie. Darek was a wimpy little runt who wouldn't hurt a fly, but she didn't know that. "Come on down, my rattish lady." he said with a smirk, causing the other man to laugh. It was a joke between them, about a woman they'd stolen from and knocked around a bit with a fondness for rats.

Darek paled further and seemed to shrink a bit, looking queasy although he didn't comply. "I'm really, really sorry." he said again to Arueyan, who was now understanding that Darek didn't really want to be a part of this..which didn't make it okay..but Darek wasn't going to be punished as the other men would be.

The man smirked. "Sure..but I think you're confused..see, it's you that you oughta be worried about.." he said before rudely reaching up and grabbing Julia's arm, yanking her down to the ground where she landed hard.

"Julia!" Arueyan yelled, neck pressing against the knife as he moved instinctively forward and he had to recoil.

Kaysal emerged then, followed by the others. "Get away from her!" he growled, seeing Julia before Arueyan and biting the man's ankle. The man yelled and kicked Kaysal aside, and the dog-man was flung at the tree, hitting it with a thud and then laying still.

Arueyan took advantage of Darek's surprise to shove away, getting his throat nicked in the process although it wasn't anything too serious and he paid it no mind as he darted over to Julia. His left arm was broken, but he used his right to brush against her cheek, looking down at her as..worry..worry entered him for her sake. "Julia! Wake up..please wake up, Julie.." he said as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Ryllura caught the boy edging away and she grabbed hold of his wrist, causing him to drop the knife as he went still, looking up at her with chagrin.

The man wasn't amused anymore and he stumbled back into the other man, sending them both to the ground. He held up his arms, "Don't hurt me!" he blubbered along with the other man.

The men continued their blubbering and practically fell over themselves in their attempt to run away.

Ryllura kept the boy's wrist firmly in her grasp..he didn't belong with those pricks.

Kaysal was by Julia and Arueyan. He noted the thin trickle of blood that was slowly but surely coming out of a nick on Arueyan's neck. "Are you alright, Ary?" he asked urgently.

"Broken arm and a nicked neck. I'm just fine." he muttered before brushing his right hand against Julia's cheek. "Julie's unconscious though." he said, sounding worried.

Arueyan shook his head. "We don't know quite what's making her unconscious. It appears to be that she just hit her head, but it's safer not to jar her till she wakes." he said firmly. He looked to Emilio then, eyes going over the other. "You handled them well, Emilio." he said, rather softly as he gave the other a basic compliment..but coming from Arueyan these days, it was pretty major.

Darek fidgeted in Ryllura's grasp, trying to pull away. "I'm really sorry, Miss..please don't send me to the gallows.."

Ryllura raised a brow. "Why would I do that?"

Darek blinked in surprise. "I..oh..but then.." Why was she keeping hold of him?

Arueyan looked at Emilio a moment before nodding, only to jerk his head towards Julia as she began stirring. "Julia!" he heard her moan and could tell she was in pain. He smoothed her hair back from her head, wishing he could carry her.."We'll have you home in a jiffy, Julie." he said softly.