Clyde bolts toward the sound of the screaming, ripping through the bushes and dashing through the thick underbrush of the forest, all of which rip and tear at his clothing and skin. Seeing a bright, open space ahead, he leaps through the last few trees until he finds himself on the bank of a nearby river.

Up ahead, Clyde observes two girls with their backs to the river, pinned there by a goblin. A beat up bronze dagger is held tightly in its hand, but looks more like a sword against the goblin’s small body.

Found her!

The cat-eared girl Clyde gave chase to was standing in front of the other girl, who looked more dainty in comparison. Her fine, golden hair waved down her shoulders, and a white dress hid her thin, pretty frame.

In a show of intimidation tactics, the young cat-girl growls fiercely, her hair standing slightly on end. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to phase the goblin, who inches a little closer.

Desperate to help, Clyde searches his surroundings for something- anything. Poking out of one of the thick bushes he just passed, he spots a large, robust stick. It’ll do, he thinks, grabbing for it immediately.

The goblin again moves in closer to his prey, causing them to back into the river’s edge. Clyde doesn’t hesitate, and rushes in as fast as he can with the large stick in hand. Aiming to get the attention of the goblin, he yells “Peasant stick, attack!!” Thankfully, it worked, and the goblin snaps his attention to Clyde, turning to face him instead. Clyde takes the opportunity to toss over the cat-girl’s sling.

The girls are safe… For now but their backs are still against the fast moving river.

Drawing his makeshift weapon up high for a swing, Clyde charges in and swipes at the goblin, though it easily avoids the swing by rolling to the side, escaping the powerful blow. Clyde then takes another swing, and another, repeatedly slashing with force, but missing every time. The goblin was small and agile- it was like trying to hit a squirrel with a stick. The goblin had no problem avoiding the widely-telegraphed strikes that Clyde was making.

The goblin becomes confident in his ability to judge the distance of the peasant stick and figures out Clyde’s timing. Switching to offense, the goblin pushes into Clyde's space, closing the gap. Clyde, knowing he’s at a disadvantage, backs up. He tries to swing downward at the creature, but the goblin narrowly evades the blow. While shuffling backwards to gain more ground, Clyde trips and falls, dropping his stick. He makes direct eye contact with the goblin. Sure of his victory, the goblin leaps in, aiming the dagger at Clyde’s chest.

THWACK!

A quarter size rock hits the Goblin’s head right between the eyes, putting him on the ground. She finally shot the sling! Clyde thinks to himself, relieved. He picks up his peasant stick and smashes the goblin’s head in, pounding it multiple times until the stick's end is covered in a red mess, and the goblin was clearly dead.

The cat-eared girl trots to Clyde, her movement silent. “Hey, are you alright?”

Clyde takes a deep breath. “I’m fine, thanks.” He takes a quick look around. “But, where is your friend?” He asks.

The girl looks around with her eyebrows turned up. “Catherine?... Catherine? Catherine!”

She runs up to the river, her panic increasing. “Catherine! Catherine!! CATHERINE!” she screams, now running parallel to the river downstream. Clyde follows, right behind her.

Scanning the river up and down, Clyde notices some white fabric attached to a fallen tree, across from where they are.

“Can you see that tree over there? Are those her clothes?” he asks.

The cat-girl looks toward the tree with her keen, feline eyesight.

“It’s her!! It looks like she’s stuck- her head’s under water!!” Panicked, she gets ready to jump into the water, but Clyde grabs her arm.

“Let me,” he directs, handing her the stick. “Take this and go 200 yards down the river.”

“Why?! What good will that do?!”

“GO! Every second counts!” he shouts as he sprints back up the river.

Watching Clyde run off, the girl stands motionless, her fists clenched.

“Agh, dammit!” she shouts, rushing downstream as Clyde commanded.

The river is flowing too quickly! he thinks. How many minutes has it been since she fell in? He slides to a stop.

This should be far enough.

Clyde dives into the river, and the cold water instantly shocks him, taking his breath away. The water’s flow carries him rapidly down stream as he swims hard to the other side, only to be tossed by the rushing current. Changing his approach, he instead positions his body into the water’s flow. He stops swimming and holds himself in the water, letting it carry him. Seeing the white fabric dead ahead, he grabs hold of a tree a few feet over from where Catherine is trapped. Clyde’s head dips down under water as he fights the strong current, working to get a firm grasp on the tree. He then reaches out for Catherine, pulling on her to no avail, as if the tree that snagged her was yanking her back.

Clyde fights for a breath above the rushing water. Fuck! She’s caught on something!

Adrenaline really rushing, Clyde goes back under and positions his feet on the tree, pulling on Catherine with all of his strength.

Crack!

The branch breaks and both are swept under the tree into the river’s current. Clyde holds onto her as tightly as he can, kicking frantically to bring her to the surface. Using his free hand to paddle, he makes a way through to the other side of the river.

He looks back. I’ve already gone 200 yards, where is that girl?!

Just then, he sees her standing near a ledge with the stick, holding it out for them to grab. Clyde reaches out, snatching the stick and holding on with an iron grip as the cat-girl pulls them into the bank.

“Get her! Get her!’ Clyde yells, lifting her out of the water for the girl to pull her ashore.

“Oh, no no!” The cat-girl gasps, as she begins to sob uncontrollably. “She's not breathing! She’s not breathing!”

Clyde struggles on the ledge, slipping back in. “Help me out!”

Stumbling over to Clyde, the girl heaves him out before hurrying back to Catherine, turning her on her side and patting her back a couple times.

The girl turns to Clyde. “SHE'S NOT BREATHING!”