Risk travelling quiet road before battle (8)
I believe the answer is:
skirmish
'battle' is the definition.
(I have seen 'Small battle' mean 'skirmish' so perhaps 'battle' could also mean 'skirmish')
'risk travelling quiet road before' is the wordplay.
'travelling' indicates an anagram.
'quiet' becomes 'sh'.
'road' becomes 'mi'.
'before' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'risk' is an anagram of 'skir'.
'sh' put after 'mi' is 'mish'.
'skir'+'mish'='SKIRMISH'
(Other definitions for skirmish that I've seen before include "Encounter" , "Brush" , "Minor period of fighting" , "Minor military engagement" , "Brief military engagement" .)