Chapter 11: Jeilin Syl!
The Thirtieth of Greentide, D.Y. 500
-----“Damn,” Garrison hisses as he moves close to the side of one of the small houses, “that was close!” The woodsman slowed his breath from the stress of keeping quiet while trying to still the chinking of his chain armor. He then looks down at the five guards that the scouts quickly and violently disposed of.
-----A moment later, he jerks and raises his battleaxe in his right hand. He then relaxes as the wolf pads along the buildings and approaches them.
-----The wolf moves alongside Raven and Rinda. The huntress reaches down and strokes the animal’s fur, whispering, “Good Wolf! Good Wolf!”
-----By this time, Raven and Whisper peer around the first small home. There just beyond it, they see a small center green to the thorp. There, beside a few small campfires, the five wagons of the caravan are parked loaded with poor unfortunate. These wagons have mostly women and children with a few older people in them. For now, the prisoners are quiet, although a few moan in distress and a baby’s cry is heard.
-----At least twenty soldiers stand around the wagons guarding them. There are probably more guards spread out in other places that are unseen right now.
-----Whisper touches Raven's sleeve, taps his slung bow, and indicates the roof of the house with raised eyes, before making a questioning gesture with his free hand.
-----Raven quickly nods and whispers, “If you mean to cover us from the roof, up you go! We may need to coax a few of them over to us. I hate to shoot directly at the wagons for fear of hitting an innocent.”
-----As Rinda and Garrison prepare their hand weapons, Raven watches Whisper to see what he does.
-----As Whisper positions himself on the roof of the nearby building, Raven steadies himself in the shadows with Rinda and Garrison poised behind him. The Hunter breathes deeply as he watches the guards around the slave wagons, judging their strengths and sensing their pacing as they meander around the vehicles.
-----With a silent wave, he moves forward with his companions behind him. Raven jogs to gain speed and as he enters the thoroughfare toward the wagon, his charge continues into a run before leaping at the nearest cluster of guards.
-----Just before he takes a leap, a few of the guards turn to face him, mouths open wide in disbelief. With his arms thrust outward, each clutching a short sword, Raven lands into them, taking four of the guards against the wagons. A yell goes up as Garrison downs two of the guards with his battleaxe while Rinda’s club swoops in front of more of the astonished soldiers.
-----Just then a shout of “Rider!” comes from one of the soldiers watching the eastern road. From that direction comes a lone rider charging into the thorp. Without a doubt, the hooves of Thunder are heard!
-----"In Strator's name, suffer the storm!" a familiar voice shouts and a sword swoops at one of the guards on the road. Even though it misses, the Gorian’s charge does not change in the least. Within moments, Sol brings Thunder into the center of the thorp where the guards become an angry chaotic mass.
-----Thunder rears, sending two of the guards to the ground with hoof prints probably imprinted in their chest muscles. At the same time, Sol brings his Lathanian blade down, striking the life from one of the guards.
-----Raven jumps up with a quartet of dead soldiers at his feet while he engages three more guards around him.
-----As some of the prisoners in the wagons scream and gasp in fright, yells of confusion are given by some of the soldiers not directly engaged in the fight. These are some that are racing up from some of the side buildings and campfires.
-----The sight of panicked slaves causes Sol to wordlessly roar in anger. Thunder pushes forwards, surging alongside the wagons, with his rider striking down at various newly arrived guards as he passes. He moves into a position on the opposite side of the wagons from where the second wave of his companions will come from - the road he entered from. Hopefully he would draw attention away from the strike that was about to happen...
-----With all attention drawn to the humans, Whisper considered the most likely targets for his contribution. Dismissing those engaged with his compatriots out of hand, he begins to target those rushing towards the melee, smoothly fitting arrow to string.
-----As one of the guards rushes up to meet a flailing Garrison, an arrow very quickly takes his life. Another soldier nearby suddenly takes another arrow to his leg and loses his balance.
-----Raven smiles as he recognizes Whisper’s sharp shooting. The Hunter quickly dispatches a trio of guards in a flurry of sword work. Raven then moves to push more of the opponents away from the wagons.