by Ryan Evans
Seeing that everything was being tended to around the fortifications, I led my guards back out on horseback. We rode as far as we dared into the fort, checking for civilians or soldiers. Once we found a group, we’d cover their retreat all the way before leaving again. We always intended for the civilians to fall back to the central fortification immediately, so there weren’t many left among the buildings and roadways. The soldiers were a different story as many of them were still fighting the invading enemy.
We focused on the western side since that was the area being overrun the fastest. Those civilians we found were typically merchants who didn’t want to lose their wares or people too wounded to effectively move. At the prospect of not making it, many beast-kind had shifted. We had to help several of the wounded in their bulkier beast forms.
The soldiers were a different issue altogether. Trying to hold back the enemy while giving ground was a difficult task. If you retreated too fast, you left others open to attack. If you retreated too slowly, the enemy would overwhelm you, and you’d be cut off from your escape route.
We found several pockets of soldiers that had become entrenched with saurians surrounding them. Roars, hisses and shouts of pain sounded from the skirmishes as we approached. The fighting was fierce as our soldiers struggled to survive.
We used the mass of our horses to charge in and push back the saurian attackers so that the soldiers could flee. Unfortunately, the blood and smell of beast forms spooked many of the horses we rode and limited our effectiveness. We could only hold our position for a short time before we had to back away from the fighting or risk losing control of our mounts. It became a dangerous dance to keep the saurians at bay so that the infantry forces could get away.
We eventually stopped finding retreating soldiers and encountered larger enemy groups. I noticed several of the saurians wearing leadership necklaces, but killing them didn’t make their groups disband like they had in the field. Some other force was driving this army now.
Darkness descended on the fort as we escorted our last group of surviving soldiers into our makeshift camp. We’d lost seven of our riders and ten horses during our rescue attempts. It was a steep price to pay, but we’d helped over fifty soldiers and countless civilians make it to safety.
As we rode in, I couldn’t help but notice how empty the area was. A grim looking Droka met us as we dismounted. “The rest of the nobles are having a strategy meeting in the command tent. You should be there,” he said as I rubbed Bashita’s neck. Handing the reigns to Tristan, I took a swig from my canteen and moved to follow Droka.
I knew Tristan would be worried by my leaving without my bodyguards, but he’d have his hands full for a while tending to the soldiers and horses. Even being as tired as she was, Bashita was still hard for others to control.
Selene’s voice surprised me as she and Tristan jogged to catch up with me. “I bet he thought he’d get away with that,” she said to Tristan as they fell in a step at my sides.
“Sometimes he makes dumb choices. That’s why he has us to keep him in line,” Tristan responded in an upbeat tone that no one felt right then. I knew he was putting on an act for Selene’s and my benefit.
I smiled as I answered them, “You can’t blame a guy for trying. I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like not to have nursemaids following me around everywhere I go.” All I got for my comment was a snort from Tristan and a “humph” from Selene. I didn’t even ask who they’d left trying to wrangle in Bashita.
Chapter 23
All levity died as we arrived at the open pavilion serving as the command tent. Those in charge stood around a central table with a map of the fort taking up its center. Lower-ranking officers from every house stood along the outside edges of the tent. I noticed that every single head of the noble houses had made it to safety, and they all looked to be no worse of wear. Several house leaders yelling at one another helped me focus on the meeting instead of my errant thoughts. “Enough,” I said loudly as I directed my aura at those before me. Everyone stopped talking, but no one was happy about it.
“If it isn’t our fearless leader. No doubt come to rally us all and save the day,” one of the leaders said. If I remembered, he was from a wealthy house that focused on the textile trade in Tor’s Rest.
“Before we begin the verbal sparring, why don’t we get a status report? Who has the latest numbers from our forces?” I asked the room, ignoring the outburst of the house leader. Everyone looked around before a captain from Ferrun House stepped forward from the periphery of the tent.
“Sir, the last report has our infantry count at a few over eight hundred able-bodied soldiers, our cavalry at three hundred and fifty, and nearly twenty-five hundred civilians accounted for. All the imperial soldiers are unaccounted for and presumed dead. We also have less than one hundred wounded with most being minor injuries,” the captain reported.
Though he only carried out his duty, his report destroyed the remaining moral in the command tent. We’d started with a combined house force of three thousand soldiers. Besides our troops, there should have been almost thirty-five hundred civilians within our fortifications. All of that was on top of the loss of the entire imperial garrison on the outer wall.
Silence reigned in the tent as everyone processed the numbers we’d just been given. It appeared hopeless no matter how you looked at it. “Ideas?” I asked the quiet assembly, taking a deep, settling breath as I did so.
No one spoke for a moment until Droka Ferrun’s son, Enoch, stepped forward from where the other lower-ranking officers stood. “I say we have all the remaining survivors shift and charge the bastards. If we’re already beaten, we should take as many of them with us as we can. At least then we can be proud when we stand before our ancestors,” the young bear-kind said with conviction.
The assembled house leaders looked at each other quietly for a moment while Droka made a point of not looking up from the table in front of him. “Let’s focus on plans that don’t include suicide by saurian,” I said to the room, eliciting weak chuckles from some of the house leaders.
Enoch’s face turned red as he turned and stomped back to the outside of the tent grumbling. No doubt, he took offense with me for embarrassing him. If we survived, he would surely confront me about it. I truly hoped to see that day.
No one else said anything for a little while after Enoch’s suggestion. We all stood there looking at the map of the fort before us. No matter how hard we stared at it, the reality continued to weigh on us. Our situation was dire. If something didn’t change, we were doomed to die within view of the imperials that refused to help us.
In the silence, I felt the auras of those around me. These were the strongest nobles in the fort, and their auras all radiated one of three things: fear, anger or hopelessness. I myself was leaning towards anger, but more of it was directed at Princess Emilia than the invading enemy.
Karsam clearing his throat broke the silence that had settled on the space. He stepped forward with his shoulders back and posture straight. He immediately had everyone’s attention. “What of the old stories? Personal experience tells us saurians don’t band together. They’re more likely to kill one another. But… Our legends tell of white saurians that once formed great hordes such as this one,” he said to the room as if daring anyone to nay say him.
Many nobles scoffed again like they had at Enoch’s suggestion, but they didn’t make eye contact with the determined wolf-kind before them. I realized there might be something to what he was saying. I remembered the armored saurians from the scouting mission. They’d been guarding something or someone, even if I hadn’t seen their charge.
I pulled off my necklace of saurian trophies and stared at it in my hands. I felt the porous bone and thought back over what I’d seen of the enemy up until this point. After a moment of reflection, I decided to voice my opinion to the assembly.
I spoke loudly enough to be heard over the bickering that had once again consumed the house leaders, but I ke
pt my eyes on the item I was holding. “We know from experience that killing the ones wearing these broke up the small war parties we ran into on the road until the drums started. Today I saw at least twice the number of those wearing the necklaces killed with no effect on the invading army. There may be truth to the legend after all,” I said. After I’d spoken, I looked up at the assembled nobles.
I made a point of looking each of the leaders in the eye, gauging their reactions. Some looked openly hostile to the idea. Others appeared to be cautiously receptive. Regardless of the two extremes, most looked to be doubtful. I wouldn’t be able to sway the assembly. I made a decision that I knew would drive a wedge between me and the group. “What do you suggest Karsam?” I asked, ignoring everyone else.
It was clear that several thought this conversation ludicrous, but they all hesitated at interrupting us. “I suggest a hunting party to find their leader. If we can kill the head, the body may wither before it swallows us all,” he said looking me in the eye. The challenge was plain. What was I willing to do to save everyone? I grinned at Karsam. Even after I’d broken out from under his leadership, he still called the shots.
“Preposterous,” one of the skeptics yelled as he finally worked up the indignation to speak, “If we laughed at the young Ferrun’s idea as suicide, how is this one any better? I won’t have my soldiers throw away their lives on some attempt to find a myth.”
I ignored the outburst as if the house leader didn’t even exist. “If they had a central leader, it’d most likely be near the largest concentration of saurians. No amount of soldiers could break through to that point. Even if they did manage it, the saurian leader would most likely just retreat as we got close,” I said as much to myself as to Karsam.
“That is why it would have to be a small hunting party that slipped in and dispatched their leader before the horde took notice,” a new voice said from the edge of the tent. I looked up to see Lathian standing there in leather armor with two large daggers on either hip.
“So now we’re to listen to the advice of elf slaves? I refuse. I won’t have any of my people take part in such idiocy as this,” the same vocal leader shouted from his place at the table, and many of the other house leaders nodded in agreement. For all of beast-kind culture’s strength, our belief that we were above everyone else would be our downfall.
Karsam stared at me as the others commenced arguing amongst themselves. “Lathian may be a slave, but he is also a skilled warrior. He has earned my trust and respect. You’d do well to mind that,” he said over the noise around the table.
I spoke up before the ire of the others could be directed at Karsam’s boldness. “My soldiers and I will attempt the hunt in shifted form. It may take a while to find our prey, so only those of noble blood will go. I’ll even take the elf along, if he thinks he can keep up,” I said with a smirk. Stephan, along with Leah and Alexander stepped forward into the inner tent. It seemed they’d support my decision no matter how insane.
“If that is the path you choose, then good luck, though I hold little hope for the venture,” Droka said in the silence that followed my declaration. It was clear that I no longer had a place in the meeting. I stepped out of the tent with Karsam, along with the others involved in the plan, moving to follow me.
“You’re sure you can only take nobles?” Tristan asked from beside me after we’d moved a distance from the other nobles. He spoke in a low voice so that only I heard him. The question was clear. He wanted to know if there was any way he could go. I glanced over at Selene and saw the worry on her face as she tried to hear what we were saying. She feared my making an exception for my friend.
“I’m sorry Tristan. If I could take you along, you know I would. I don’t know how long this will take, and I can’t risk your shifted time running out. Just know I’ve got your back this time. I would ask you to take care of this for me until I return though,” I said as I slapped Tristan on the shoulder and handed him the bone necklace. Selene visibly relaxed at my response, and let out a breath I knew she’d been holding.
After my exchange with Tristan, he seemed to sulk, but I knew it was for the best. My attention turned to preparing for the mission, and I set all other matters aside. If we survived, then I would worry about mending things with him.
Momentarily content to enjoy the spoils of their victory, the saurians hadn’t yet attacked our fortification. I didn’t know what held them back, but I had a suspicion. Thousands of bodies lay amongst the wreckage of the fort, a cornucopia of food waiting to be enjoyed by the saurian army. As gruesome as that knowledge was, it gave us time to plan and prepare for our mission.
I decided that Stephan, Leah and Alexander would all join me on my hunting trip. In beast form, we’d use the buildings, alleyways and wreckage to keep our presence hidden. The hope was that there were enough dead beast-kind in the immediate area to cover our scent. Hopefully, our increased senses and reflexes would allow us to dispatch any saurians that saw us without raising an alarm. My thoughts drifted to the red wolf-form of Kyla, and I wished she was here with me.
Despite my warning that we couldn’t guarantee his safety, Lathian insisted that he go. He assured me he’d keep up with the group and take care of himself without hindering the mission. I would have preferred to take only beast-kind, but too much was riding on our success for me to refuse him. Plus, he was a skilled warrior and might prove useful.
With the rough details decided, I sent the others to get food and an hour of rest before we set off. I’d recently slept, so I didn’t need the respite. I’d also had dry rations in the saddle during the day, satiating my hunger. I laughed to myself at the thought of how poor a last meal I’d had if we failed.
Instead of going with the others, I spent time with Bashita. She was tired after the long afternoon we’d had. She’d performed admirably the entire day. It had been a constant alternating cycle of moving and fighting. While she had several shallow cuts and scrapes across her body, she’d shown no fear or weakness. I was proud to be her master.
I took off her equipment and brushed her down before putting it all back on for her protection. If the saurians broke the barricade, her training and spirit would ensure that she fought for survival. Her barding and saddle might be the difference in my seeing her again or not.
I stayed with her until the weight of hopelessness threatened to drag me down. I took it as a sign to change scenery and bid my mount goodbye. It wouldn’t do to defeat myself before we started.
After my time with Bashita, I stood on top of our makeshift wall looking out at the fort before me. Instead of thinking about my emotions, I focused on my animal side.
The scent of blood and ash pervaded the air. The flames of various fires burned in the distance. They’d most likely been started in the civilians’ rush to flee. They added to the desolate scene before me but represented little danger amongst the stone buildings. I tracked the signs of movement in the dark as saurians snuck around the abandoned buildings well outside the range of any weapons. All of these things fed my beast’s desire for action, allowing me to push down my more human feelings.
The others arrived some time later, alerting me that it was time to get started. “We’ll be looking for a white saurian that may be leading the invaders. The goal is to find and neutralize our target without alerting the entire horde to our presence. I have a hunch the creature is being guarded by armored brutes with giant sword-like weapons. Once we find the bastard, we kill it and run back to this location as fast as possible. Also, Lathian here will be traveling with us, so try not to eat the elf,” I said and gave a few moments for the nervous chuckles to die down. “Questions about the mission?” I asked one last time and heard only silence.
“Very well, let’s get started,” I said as I let the shift take me. Just like the last time, it only took seconds to change forms. Instead of the pain I’d once felt, I only felt the numb, tingling sensation, and even that quickly subsided.
My more primitive filter
took its place at the forefront of my mind as more detailed sights, smells, and sounds became available. I was immediately aware of the tightness of my clothing and armor now that it had stretched out to accommodate my increased mass. I grudgingly accepted it as a necessary evil for the added protection it offered.
I flexed my aura as I adjusted to my new form, and what I found surprised me. As the others completed their shifts, I could actually feel their minds with my power instead of simply giving direction. When I’d transformed before, the soldiers hadn’t been under my command and didn’t trust me enough to allow this type of connection. The ability to coordinate in beast form would be immensely helpful.
I reveled in the power before turning to the others as they finished their shifts. Stephan was a taller dark grey wolf-kind with less muscle than my own form. Leah was a lithe jaguar-kind female who was just slightly smaller than me with distinctive white streaks around her black spots on her sides. Alexander, being coyote-kind, was shorter and smaller than the rest of us. His light brown hide, more angular face, and expressive eyes distinguished him from wolf-kind.
Surveying those around me, I met their eyes and saw a mix of fear and hope within them. I nodded to Lathian and launched myself off the top of the wall. I couldn’t help but chuckle at myself, which came out as a huffing noise, as I landed on my feet and made for the dark alleyway in front of me.
A two story jump meant nothing to a shifted beast-kind of any race, but Lathian would be hard pressed to launch himself off of the fortification like that. Of course, he showed me up by jumping off the wall right behind me. Landing in a roll, He lost no momentum as he came up at a run behind me. I didn’t miss the smirk on his face as he followed me, or that he’d impressed the others with his stunt. Show-off.