Vorkosigan

"Run! Catch him!"

The mirror froze, then bolted, leaving behind the pile of food, trinkets, and leather in favor of escaping. He leapt the drainage ditch and sprinted back the way he came, passing by fences, outbuildings, and the occasional patch of cattle.

A spear flashed past his shoulder and embedded itself in a fencepost, scaring him off the embankment and down into the murky water. He took a second to glance back at the soldiers chasing him, spears and other weapons held high. He hissed at them and splashed through the water until he could claw his way out of the gulch and keep running.

"Coward! Thief!"

Vorkosigan could see the edge of the township by the marked end of the road, and without hesitation he dove into the underbrush and slithered between the dense trees and vegetation. The soldiers couldn't follow him and slid to a stop at the treeline.

"We'll catch you! We will!"