//------------------------------//
// Mercy 
// Story: Rainbow's Lonesome Road 
// by Centurion Pike-Wall 
//------------------------------//

Void stared at the Stallion, confusion written in her face. He had been trying to kill her. So why was he crying? And who was he referring to, when he said 'them'? Void didn't know, but was curious. Slowly, she lowered her makeshift club. She took a step closer, and looked at him.

"Um. Aren't you, you know, gonna try to kill me?" She asked.

The stallions head jerked to look at her. His eyes were puffy from crying, and she noticed for the first time, quite bloodshot. He just stared at her for a few seconds, before he once again buried his head in his hooves. 

She just stared at him for a few minutes, with absolutely no idea what was going on. Was this some sort of trick? A deception, to lure her into a false sense of security? But if this was sincere, why was he crying? Not wanting to be caught off guard, she decided to find out. 

She stepped a little closer, still cautious or him. When she was nearly right on top of him, she poked him with her makeshift club. Once she did, she shot backward, putting a good five feet between the two of them. He barely reacted, and she relaxes again. She did the same thing again, and the reaction was the same. He had basically given up, and Void didn't know why. A heavy silence fell over the air, as both parties just stood their. 

Finally, the Stallion turned her way, his head removed from his hooves. His bloodshot eyes shone with, something. Whether it was confusion, anger, or despair, she couldn't tell. He hissed, then said, "Well!? Are you gonna get it over with!? Or jusssst, *sniff*, gawk at me!?!"

Void stood there. Would she kill him? He had attacked her for no reason, or at least none she knew. But, then again, there likely was a reason for it. He had after all mentioned the bandits that void guessed lived in the cave She had spent the last few weeks in. In addition, he was kind of, well....Pathetic. I mean, the Dog and Cold had both begged for mercy, but here he was asking her to kill him. 

Void lowered her branch. "All due respect for your wishes, I just want my weapon, my money, and to be pointed back to the road. I don't care about your troubles."

The stallion looked up at her. "You.....What kind of bandit are you?"

Void huffed indignantly. "I already told you! I'm not a bandit! I just found the cave empty when it started raining, and took shelter in it. That's it. Now, where is my stuff?"

The stallion didn't answer her question. He DID get quite close to her, looking, sort of.....Hopeful? "You were at their hideout!? Where issss it!?"

In a panic, Void stepped back, raising her branch in a defensive posture. When she registered his question, she lowered her guard, but it was still up. Just what was in that cave he could have wanted? Unless the powder or something else in the boxes was valuable, then she couldn't think of anything he could want. Either way, Void wasn't about to let a chance to get out slip through her hooves.

"Get me my stuff, then take me back to the spot you....Wait, what exactly did you do to me?" She said, the demand morphing into a question. That, while likely not, was quite an important thing to her. She wanted to know if he, well, did something awkward. She had her dignity to maintain, after all.

"Sssssimple, I bit you. " he said with a shrug.

"You bit me?" Void replied.

"Yesssss. I bit you."

"Where exactly did you bite me?"

"On your flank."

And there went any remaining dignity she had left. However, before she could comment on it, he slithered off. He seemed to get the gist of what she wanted to tell him, as He had her sheathed sword in his hooves. After picking it up and slinging it back on her shoulder, he pointed toward the road. "Follow me."

And so she did. The two of them walked, or slithered in the stallions case, through the trees toward the road. Once they arrived at the spot she was ambushed, she led the snake-pony down the road. After a few minutes, she found the cave again, and led the Stallion inside. He immediately began to slither around it, as if looking for something. 

After a few minutes, she grew impatient. It wasn't that big a cave; he had to have searched the whole thing by now! She wanted to be a decent distance to the town by sundown. So, she asked, "Hey. Am I still needed here, or can I go?"

He absent mindedly said, "Sssure, sssure. Thank you."

So, the snake-ponies desire to know where this was averted, she once more left the cave. As she walked down the road, she thought about what happened. She was a little confused about what he could want in their. He had completely ignored the crates, so maybe the bandits had his something in a crevase or something like that. That was likely what it was, but just what was he so frantic about?

She then considered what she had done. She let him live, when she not only could've killed him, but he in fact asked for it. But she let him live. Why? She had nothing to gain, and....actually, she had even less to lose. But, still. However, she did know one thing. It felt good.

Two things felt good. One, was the act of letting him go. She wasn't as blind as the equestrians, but she still felt good about this. The second, was the act of the decision. She was just filled with a rush at being able to decide his fate. It was a rush.

Either way, she now has a priority. Get to kells keep. So, a slight spring in her step, she set off.