by Candy Rae
At the settlement, the colonists continued with their preparations. The palisades were high and strong. Procedures were in place to evacuate the farmsteads. Beacons were set up along the coastline manned by both human and Lind, who would carry the human on duty with them to safety once they were lit.
It was decided that the majority of the adults able to fight would remain behind the settlement walls. Both Jim and Stuart were positive that the convicts would make straight for them, intent on capturing the women inside. A force of around a thousand would march out the gates when the time came and join with the Lind in fighting the Larg outside on the hill.
The Lind would, as usual, wait for the Larg on this high ground at the edge of the woods. The Larg much preferred the open plains on which to fight. Their superior strength was not such an advantage when they were forced to attack uphill and through the woodlands which were the Lind’s natural habitat.
Signs of the impending conflict were manifesting themselves as Jim returned to domta Zanatei. The rtathlian was full, and more than full with all the Lindars arriving from the west to aid their brothers and sisters. When Jim, Larya and Afanasei arrived, Jim was amazed at the numbers and diversity of the different packs surrounding him as he rode in.
They had come back to domta Zanatei to discuss the final deployment plans. Word had come north that the convicts and the Larg were mustering. The so-called General Murdoch was committing an estimated ten thousand men to the fight, some two-thirds of his total manpower. Intelligence was suggesting that he did not consider the campaign as a hit and run raid but was intending a more permanent sojourn in the north.
The Larg numbers were also many. More Larg kohorts than usual would make the crossing to the north, intending to take advantage of Murdoch’s aid to extend their summer depredations further west than ever before.
The Lind were responding to this threat in their usual courageous manner. More and more Lindars were arriving. Some of the far western packs appearing had not needed to actively fight for generations, but Afanasei assured Jim that they would fight well, notwithstanding their inexperience. Jim believed him. He had faith in the abilities of the Lind.
Towards the end of winter, the last of the Lind spies in the south began to drift back north, intent on returning before the Larg reached the island chain in any numbers and they were cut off. The sea level between the islands was already dropping.
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