Breaking the world

Enitan watched as the soldier tripped in the mud and tumbled to the ground, child still clutched tight. Watched as the dogs got closer. Finally, he could no longer watch, and sprang to action. With a war-whoop he leapt over the bushes and ran at the dogs, kicking them and chasing them away with a stick. A hunter broke through the trees and stopped in shock, giving the warrior just enough time to throw his knife and catch the pursuer in the neck. He quickly grabbed the hunter's axe and bashed one of the dogs. The other sunk its teeth into his leg. With a curse he fought it off and then looked up to see the second hunter raising a crossbow, and then falling over, bleeding from his gut. The soldier! Enitan turned to stare.

For a long moment the two stared into each other's eyes, both breathing heavily, both clutching their wounds. Their stare was broken by a cry: the cry of the baby swaddled so tight in the soldier's rags. Enitan stumbled to his feet and leveled his (stolen) axe at the soldier. The other just sat there, resigned, defeated. Enitan was unsure of what to do. Why did he defend these two? He watched the baby squirm and cry, and thought long and hard on his next move.