A flash of stark winter’s blue and Yoli was lying in the snowbank blinking furiously and cursing at the rearing horse. The animal staggered backwards, then collapsed as the next blue banded arrow clipped its neck. Yoli yelped and scrambled backwards, searching the forest for his attacker. A final arrow put the horse out of its misery, and he caught the corresponding flash of blue as the archer faded back into the thick woods.

He waited, fingers numbing and breath coming in panicked gasps, but nothing else happened. After and hour he emerged from his hiding place and surveyed the damage. Then he spent a good half-hour cursing at the forest, the snow, and the thrice-dammed Hound of Winter that had shot his horse.

There were days it just didn’t pay to be a bad guy.