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The deer skull upon your brow feels strangely warm, as if it is quickening with life. Perhaps it is emboldening you, filling you with courage. For a moment before you rise and taunt Unferth, you see a glimpse of a loping shadow in the forest, watching. A horned shadow.
Unferth's sneer drops dead, and he glances around furiously at the brigands gathered, who shift and squirm a little uncomfortably. He is muttering something under his breath to the warriors, whom you see flinch in response.
(The Francisca / small throwing axe in your hand has gained the property Concealed. Unferth has not seen it)
Swiftly you draw the Francisca and hurl it with all your strength at Unferth, as he is distracted. The brigands are too shocked to even respond. Tamlyn screams as the blade passes close to her face...
You see now that Unferth is clad in a thick twofold brynja (war-shirt, war-mail) where each pair of rings passes through four further pairs of interlinked rings. It would take a fearsome blow at very close range with a war axe or heavy spear to pierce through it - more strength than a mere child possesses. The throwing axe falls harmlessly to the ground.
After an astonished pause, Unferth regains his composure. His forehead furrows in mock amusement:
-Why - here comes the mighty axe warrior of the Firu Fortrenn! (Fortress People, those who dwell in the hill-fort) Their best warriors... well (Unferth glances at the corpses hanging in the trees) they met a sad end. And now they have sent this heroic child! Ah - of course, I should have known - the pretty bird had a noble protector to accompany her.
One of the brigands seems a bit wary:
-Unferth - he looks... Highborn. Look at his face, his eyes. We should let him be...
Unferth throws back his head and laughs at this.
-They all look the same when they dangle from the Tree. Seize him - and cut off that weakling axe-throwing hand of his first!
>Throw the deer skull NOW. You really, really want to believe the tales of beasts and ghosts in the Old Forest are true
>Shout something to Tamlyn. Her eyes are welling with tears.
>Wait, and let the Old Forest answer. (You will be seized by Unferth's brigands)
>Something else...?
