Guarding Blade

This +1 dancing short sword automatically rises up to defend a fallen or sleeping wielder. To trigger the sword's activation, the wielder must fall unconscious or die while wielding the weapon or holding it in hand. Thereafter, should any creature other than an ally of the wielder attempt to touch or strike him with melee attacks, the sword attacks that creature for up to 4 rounds. After 4 rounds, the weapon drops in the wielder's square. Unless the guarding blade is an intelligent item, it lacks the wits to make decisions about which is the best opponent to attack, and when confronted by multiple opponents attacking the wielder it tends to select a random target each round.