They started down the hill at a leisurely pace. With his reduced size and all of the armor gone, Sho hardly noticed Tilger on his back now. It had taken a while to get used to the lack of clank and rattle of carrying a small fortress on his back. Although he was a war horse it seemed to him that it had been too long since they had faced any peril and he knew that even a war horse has to keep his skills sharp. Perhaps his senses had picked up that there was trouble ahead, or it was just a coincidence, but soon enough he would have his wish.

Before the sun had passed its highest point in the sky, Tilger and Standback had both been keeping an eye out for the cart they'd seen from the top of the hill. But here it was now mid afternoon and they hadn't seen it. 

Standback looked over his shoulder at the path behind them. "We didn't pass any side roads, did we?"

"No," said Tilger, “we didn't."

"Maybe they turned around?" asked Standback.

"Maybe," said Tilger.

Sho stopped and tramped his hoof.

"Maybe," said Tilger, “but I don't think so."

Looking down, they saw wagon tracks in the dirt going off the path and leading into a thick of trees. The path was raised higher than the turf it traveled through. The wagon could manage the drop off the path, just barely, but it didn't make sense why they would risk breaking a wheel. 

"They could be hiding from us," said Standback.

Tilger looked closer and saw boot and horseshoe prints. "No, I think it's something else."

Tilger twitched the reigns, and Sho stepped off the path towards the trees.

"What are you doing?" asked a tinny voice.

Startled, Standback looked around. "Did your hand just talk to you?"

Tilger sighed. "It's just this.” He held up his hand, showing Standback his ring.

"Don't go in there," said the ring. "There could be itching ivy or bats, or, or…”

"Robbers?" said Tilger.

"No!" said the ring. "Not robbers. Of course not robbers. There aren't robbers for miles. Especially in those woods."

"What's going on?" asked Standback. "What kind of ring is that?"

"It's supposed to warn me of danger. It doesn't want me to go there because it knows how I feel about robbers."

"And I'm telling you," the ring said sternly, "do not go in."

Just then a scream pierced through the woods. The ring sighed heavily and mumbled something in frustration. To a hero, a woman's scream is a call to action. The sound sets a hero's blood to fire. Tales have been told of heroes wading through small armies, breaching castle walls and defeating overwhelming odds, when galvanized by the sound of a woman in distress. 

Before Standback realized he should be holding on to something, Tilger spurred Sho forward with amazing speed and plunged into the woods like an arrow. Standback landed in a cloud of dust and leaves. 

Sho was a blur as he weaved between tree and bush. The wagon tracks were easy to follow and Tilger steered Sho along side of them. Suddenly they saw the wagon ahead. 

Tilger halted Sho and leapt off. "Go back and get Standback," he ordered. "This won't take long." With a glance of misgiving, Sho took off. Tilger stepped into the clearing. 

Boxes had been open and their contents littered the ground. An old couple and a young woman sat huddled by the trunk of a tree, clearly frightened. A rough looking man was digging through the back of the wagon as Tilger charged in. Hearing them coming, the rough man looked up in surprise.

"Stop that, you vermin!" growled Tilger. 

"Well, who have we got 'ere,” said the robber.

"Your undoing, you scum," spat Tilger. "Before I kill you, you will clean up this mess and free those people."

The robber looked around at the strewn items then back to Tilger. "It's a mess and then some, to be sure, but too much for one man to do. I could use some help."

"The only help I'll give you," said Tilger, scowling, “is to enter the next world."

"Oh no, sir," said the robber mockingly. "I was thinking my mates could lend a hand."

Tilger's look of confusion faded when three large, rough men stepped from behind the wagon. Instinctively he reached for his sword then remembered it was gone. No matter, thought Tilger, I've dealt with worse before.

"Ah, good," Tilger said. "This saves me time from having to hunt you down."

"That's us," said the robber. "Working our fingers to the bone to lend a hand." The robber drew his sword and pointed it at Tilger. "Why, look at the state of my sword. The blade is all covered in dried blood. If I'm gonna be cleaning I might as well start with this." 

The leader stepped up and rested the sword on Tilger's shoulder. "You don't mind if I just wipe it off on your bones, do ya?"

Tilger was boiling with indignation and weapon or no, these brutes had seen their last sunrise. He launched forward and head-butted the leader. For a second he stood looking at Tilger, then his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he dropped his sword. The robber dropped over like a felled tree, landing hard on the ground with Tilger standing over him. In an instant, their leader had been overpowered, and with apprehension in their eyes, the other three robbers looked at each other for some idea of what to do next. 

Seeing the doubt on their faces, Tilger reached for the sword on the ground. The three robbers took a step back. Tilger lifted the sword but he couldn't get the point of the sword off the ground. It was too heavy. Using both hands, he strained until the sword point came off the ground a few inches. Seeing him struggle, the robbers' confidence returned to them. Tilger saw the malicious smiles creep across their faces and gave up on the sword for a new tactic.

"I've decided I don't need a sword for the likes of you," said Tilger. 

"Yes you do!" yelled the ring. 

"Ah, that's fine with us," said one of them, “'cause I'm thinking we don't need swords, neither."

"Run!" screamed the ring.

Tilger glared at the ring. “Will you shut…” Before he could finish, one of the robbers drove his fist into Tilger's head. The world swam before his eyes and his knees felt like they were about to give out. Tilger wobbled as he brought his hands up to fight and another robber punched him in the stomach. Tilger bent over, gasping for air as the robbers laughed at their sport. No sooner had Tilger gotten his wind back, than one of the robbers grabbed him and lifted him over his head, ready to toss Tilger to the ground. Tilger saw what was coming and using his free hand punched the robber in the face. More surprised than hurt, the robber dropped Tilger and tested his nose. Tilger landed on his feet and crouched ready to fight.

"You caught me off guard before," said Tilger, “but I'm ready for you this time. If you wish to keep your lives, run now."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," said the ring.

Fuming, Tilger scowled at the ring. "I thought I told you to shut…”

Something hit Tilger so hard he was too stunned to know where it hurt. Through the fog of pain he could see the three robbers hadn't moved. He turned around unsteadily and found himself nose to nose with the robbers' leader. 

"Oh, isss yo',” Tilger slurred. "Back fer more?"

There was a small bead of blood that ran down the leader's face from where Tilger had hit him. The leader put the point of his sword under Tilger's chin. "I'm gonna open you up like a gutted fish, little man," snarled the leader. Shoving him in the chest, the leader sent Tilger tumbling into the waiting hands of the other robbers. "Hold him!”

Two of the robbers grabbed Tilger by the arms, their fingers biting into him. The leader raised his sword over his head. Tilger said nothing, but with his jaw set he looked into the leader's eyes, facing death as any hero should. 

Swinging the sword down the leader stepped into the swing, giving the coming blow greater power. An instant later there was a sound of thunder as Sho charged towards the leader. Clamping down, Sho locked his teeth onto the leader's hair and whipped his head to the left. With a grunt of pain, the leader was flung to the ground. Sho reared up and brought both hooves down to crush the leader. As he rolled out of the way and came to his feet, he swung his sword at Sho's throat. 

An instant before the blade bit, Sho swung his head down and to the side, bringing the plate armor on the side of his neck between sword and flesh. Sword and armor crashed in a rain of sparks, blinding the leader from Sho's movement. Completing his movement, Sho brought his lowered head to the feet of the leader and with the force of his powerful rear legs, Sho launched himself forward as he raised his head. Using his armored forehead like a battering ram, he smashed into the leader's face with an ugly sound, crushing bone and sending him flying into the bushes. 

Sho turned to the remaining three robbers who stood in shock at the defeat of their leader by a horse. The one robber not holding Tilger was quick to realize that they had a good shield and put his sword to Tilger's neck. "Ah right, horse," he said. "It's like this. You just back up and none of yer fancy tricks, or this fella's gonna lose his head."

 Doubt crept into Sho's fury and he backed up a step.

"That's right," the robber grinned. "I'm your master now."