by Candy Rae
: All rtaths between where the Larg have landed and the Tarklei have been ordered to evacuate towards the Dantrapper. The Lindars make for the rendezvous at all speed : Bernei informed Lynsey.
Lynsey nodded. The plan that she, Rhian and Johan had set in place for this eventuality was clicking into place like a well-oiled wheel, non-combatants to the forest, the Lindars to the rendezvous in the hills beside the Tarklei. Some might not have believed her when she had told them their rtathlians were the target, but she was the Susyc, they had listened to her order to muster and had obeyed. Now, the Lindars, the Garda, the Vadathian Militia, the Light and Heavy Horse and the Ryzcks were closing in on the Tarklei from all directions. Lind were carrying everyone who might otherwise have had to march on foot. Even Lind as young as seven and eight summer seasons were carrying equipment and the lightest soldiers.
“How long?” mouthed Lynsey to Bernei.
“Three suns.”
“Four days, we must delay them for four days until the army arrives,” Lynsey said. “The cavalry has disembarked as have the Ryzcks who came by ship. They will be here in two. Tell the Lindars between us and the Trent Reef to drive the zarova and kura north, all of them, they must not leave any for the Larg.”
“That is the same direction as the evacuees,” warned Bernei.
“Even better, the Larg won’t know who or how many. The Larg need to eat. They will follow the herds.”
She turned to the Ryzckas of the Third and the Sixteenth, the Ryzcks who had accompanied the advance party. “Dirty tricks time. We have to make sure the Larg kohorts go in the direction we want them to. Left to their own devices, the Larg will follow the coastal route east. We must stop them. Scorched earth policy ladies and gentlemen. Just as we planned.”
The Ryzckas looked at each other. Now they knew why they had been ordered to bring bottles of fireoil in their packs.
“Burn the woods and the grasslands along the coasts and up to say, three miles inland,” Lynsey ordered. “With the herds moving towards Fountains Head and the eastern route impassable the Larg will have no choice in the matter. I need them on the battlefield of our choosing, not of theirs.”
She turned to Tana, “your Tavei can ‘send’ far. Ask him to try to find out where the Powderflower is. She should be approaching the Trent Reef by now. I need the Ice Bridge blown before the entire Larg nation arrives.”
* * * * *
Captain Wylie’s small flotilla was nearing the Trent Reef. Despite her valiant efforts, the Powderflower, was delaying them. She was not a new vessel; her keel had been laid down in AL72 in the shipyard at Port Lutterell. Her timbers protested every wallowing league as she sailed on this her final voyage.
Captain Wylie was worried about the slow time the Powderflower was making, she might be a wallowing nightmare at sea but she was specifically designed to carry combustible materials. She was also flat-bottomed and would be able to sail very close to the reef without tearing her bottom out.
As the Trent Reef came into sight his heart sank into his sea-boots. Moving across the ice was what looked like hundreds of little dark ants. He raised his long-distance glass to his eye. It was the Larg. Kohort after kohort of Larg warriors were scrambling north.
* * * * *
As the bells passed more and more of the army arrived at Fountains Head.
The Lindars arrived one by one and after reporting in set up their doms in the forest at the top of the valley sides. Lynsey and Johan had taken great care to decide where each unit should be placed to most effect.
As Johan explained to Tana and Tavei when she asked, the northern army would be outnumbered by the kohorts by at least two to one and they were going to use the sides of the valley to give the North the advantage of height. The kohorts would be forced to enter the valley and attack uphill, some parts were so steep as to be almost vertical.
“Are you sure the Larg will let themselves be drawn in?” asked a dubious Tana.
“A hundred per cent certain. This area is forested and the Larg hate woods. This is the route the Lindars will use to drive in the herds that are the bait. There is water here, they will sense it. An army their size needs a great amount of water and food. They won’t be able to resist.”
“So the kohorts are drawn into the valley,” said Tana, “what then?”
“Those at the top will show themselves as I said, they won’t be able to resist. We’ll charge down a little way then retreat back up to the top where we will hold them. More and more of the kohorts will enter the valley and when they are all inside, the Lindars and the cavalry hidden in the trees near the entrance will charge and drive the kohorts deeper in. We will grind them to pieces.”
“There’ll be a lot of casualties,” worried Tana.
“Yes, it will be expensive, but there is no other plan that we can think of that has any chance of working, believe me Tana, if there was we would use it.”
Liam Durand marched in at the head of his Garda and made his way to the Command Post to pay his respects to his sister and enquire as to where she wished him to place his infantry.
Peter Littleman, his Lind Sarya with the newly paired Philip Ross and Radnya arrived with the Vadathian Militia having refused the option to remain at Vada. Philip hadn’t been with Radnya long enough to be of much use with the full-trained Ryzcks but Peter Littleman had claimed him as his second without demur. Philip had been training his entire life for battle and was used to commanding foot soldiers.
The Forty-fifth Ryzck led by Paul and Benya arrived. Beth and Xei made a beeline for Tana and Tavei and the four were soon deep in discussion about matters relating to the Southern Continent.
Brigadier Halland rode in at the front of his jingling Heavy Horse. Their arrival caused quite a stir amongst the Lind and he was hard-pressed to reach his assigned position before darkness fell because so many Lind came to stare and marvel at the wonder. The Light Horse, accustomed to being overlooked by their larger and more resplendent cousins grinned and wove their way in and out of the trees with a competence that spoke of much practice. They had their campsite ready, their mounts groomed, fed and watered and a meal cooking before the ‘Heavies’ reached them.
The doctors and medics reported in to Hannah and Kolyei and at once started to prepare the dressing stations, the wards and the operating tents. Hannah became reacquainted with Doctor Malin whose life she had saved when she had discovered what was called ‘Hannah’s Cure’ and, to her great delight, found that her brother Andy was one of the civilian medical volunteers from Argyll. She learnt that their brother Scott had marched in with the Garda.
Beth was not pleased to meet up with old Harld who was insistent that he and Alya remain with General Durand and his Garda. She could not persuade him to move up to the CP either, as Harld claimed with a steely gleam that he would be just as safe with the Garda as anywhere else on the battlefield thank you very much. Eventually Beth gave up arguing with him and told him to be careful.
Finally, as news was coming in that the kohorts had taken the bait and were moving towards them Alei, the Susa of the Avuzdel appeared. After talking to Lynsey and Bernei, he led his sandy-coated Lindar out past the picket lines and into the countryside, his task to keep an eye on the Larg and report on their movements. He would also make sure that no Larg scout got close enough to the valley to report the true numbers of the army waiting for them.
The Lindars continued to run in, some large, eight hundred to a thousand strong, others not so large but all prepared to do their duty, to defend their rtathlians against the Larg. The Susa of rtath Cdidya appeared with what remained of his Lindar, one of the last, fired with hatred for the Larg who had killed so many of his rtathen.
* * * * *
Yvdr, Kohortangan of the Armies of the Larg was uneasy. He sensed a trap. The route he had wanted to take, east along the coast was closed to him. It was burning and devoid of food. His warriors needed to eat. He could have taken the route up the western coast but that, he knew, w
as wooded further north and would take him in the wrong direction, away from the Lind heartland. That left this middle way and it was in this direction that the meat herds were stampeding. The herds were moving so fast it was as if they were being driven. He sensed the presence of the Lind in and around the herds but none of his warriors reported seeing any except in the distance where the expected Lind scouts were watching. The more fleet of foot Lind were too far away for the Larg to give chase.
His vanguard reported that there was a valley ahead with fresh water. Did the Kohortangan wish to visit the valley? They reported that a large group of kura had broken away from the main group and were heading in that direction.
Yvdr gave his consent but became more and more uneasy the closer he got to the valley. He sniffed the air ahead. Lind and other smells, strange smells.
They were waiting for him.
* * * * *
Battle (1)
: The Lindar of Lainei arrives : ‘thought’ Bernei to Lynsey with excitement : Never before have they joined us in battle :
“The Larg have never attacked so far west before. Lainei, I’ve never heard of it.”
“They are a pack of secrets, the Sinetad Rtath,” Bernei supplied the information, “it is said that some of them live on the other continent. They do not keep in contact except with the Gtrathlin and that seldom.”
“They must believe the danger is very great for them to leave their rtathlians to come to our aid. How many and when?”
“Soon their Susa says.”
When the Lindar, a very large one, arrived none was more astonished than Lynsey. She was used to the varied stripe colours of each Lind pack, even the inter-pack breeding over the last six or seven generations had had limited effect. Her Bernei was a tri-coloured mix, but the Lindar of pack Lainei, their coats were a blend of all the colours in the rainbow, pinks, reds, oranges, blues, greens, yellows and purples.
“They are beautiful,” Lynsey breathed. “It is as if they have diamonds sewn into their neck ruffs.”
Their coats sparkled in the winter sun.
Their arrival generated almost as much interest amongst the Lindars as had the Heavy Horse. As the Lindar, some two thousand strong, made its way towards the Command Post, soldiers of both species were pushing forward and craning their necks the better to see them.
“Wonder if they will understand us and we them?” speculated Rhian.
“Hope so,” Lynsey whispered.
The first words the Lainei Susa uttered when he came to a halt in front of Lynsey and Bernei were in a strangely accented Lindish.
“Susyc Lynsey and Bernei. I am Dainei, Susa of the Lindar of Lainei. Alei of the Avuzdel told us of your need,” he bowed. His coat rippled, the sun caught at the stray hairs. Bernei copied the movement, nudging Lynsey and she managed to come to her senses long enough to execute a sketchy bow.
The Susa’s eyes twinkled. He appeared to be enjoying the sensation he and his Lindar were causing. They were to find out that Dainei had a great sense of humour. “As Susyc, you called on all the Lindars and more to help defend our lands. In recent seasons there has been no need for us to answer the call. The Larg were too few and they attacked in the east where they never stayed long. It is different this time. They wish to stay and bring all that is Lind under their cruel and tyrannous rule. On the Southern Continent wait not just their kohorts but females and young. This time we fight with you and our brothers and sisters.”
“We didn’t expect you,” stammered Lynsey, “in fact, until a short time ago I didn’t even know that you existed.”
“It is not common knowledge,” he agreed, crinkling his lips in the gesture that was the Lind smile. His teeth were as white as the snow underpaw and were very large and pointed.
“You are very welcome,” Lynsey added.
“Over twenty-four kohorts are moving up the valley and there are another eight behind them,” Dainei said.
Wondering how he knew so much when he had only just arrived, Lynsey asked, “you sure? It’s been difficult to get accurate information. We don’t wish to alert them to the fact that we are waiting.”
“I am sure,” Dainei answered with confidence, “and please do not ask how I came by this information because I cannot tell you.”
“Cannot or will not?”
: Will not : supplied Bernei : They are all under oath not to divulge anything about their rtathlian :
“However you came by the info, I’m glad to get it,” said a recovering Lynsey, “can you tell us any more?”
“Your ruse is working. The Larg have searched in vain for meat herds between here and the large water and so they come this way, following the kura. Where do you wish my Lindar to position itself?”
Lynsey looked at the scribbled battle-plan. Dainei padded over and looked at it. For somelind who had had no contact with humans and, by definition writing and maps he grasped its meaning immediately. He even understood, without asking, what the coloured triangle markers representing each Lindar, infantry unit, troop and Ryzck meant. Lynsey did wonder how he knew that!
: Not from me or any other Lind : sent Bernei. He was mystified too.
“Between the Third Ryzck and Lindar Gangudya,” she said at last after a hurried look at the troop dispositions. We are weakest there, Lindar Yanei has not yet arrived.”
“They are a day’s run away,” was yet another surprising answer from Dainei, “they make slow time and the ground is treacherous underpaw the route they must take.”
With a courteous nod at Lynsey and a respectful bow to Rhian as he noticed her silver Weaponsmaster badge he walked away. His Lindar were seen taking up position in their assigned spot amongst the trees.
Rhian, despite her worries about the battle ahead wondered about that bow every time she had a spare moment. She never did come up with an answer.
* * * * *
“Are you scared?” the sixteen-year-old Cadet Tobib asked Rhian.
“Course I am, only a fool wouldn’t be.”
“But you’ve seen action before; you’re the Weaponsmaster, Hero of Galliard!”
“Nothing so far in my life has prepared me for this young Tobib. This is no skirmish against pirates. This is a battle lad, like none living has seen before. Like our ancestors faced.”
“I read about it,” admitted Tobib, “some of it was exciting, other bits though ...”
“Were beyond the horrific?”
He gulped. “This is going to be one of the horrific times, isn’t it Weaponsmaster?” he sounded very young.
“Moderately so I imagine,” answered Rhian, trying to exude a confidence she did not feel.
Bernei was relaying Lynsey’s final commands and the final adjustments were made to arms and armour. Rhian settled her helm into place, drew up the chinstrap.
: Mount :
“So it comes at last,” murmured Rhian, strapping herself into the harness that would hold her on Tadei’s back even if she was unconscious or dead. She bit her lip. Under her Tadei was quivering, moving from one paw to another.
The vadeln-pairs around her were feeling the same. Lynsey’s Bernei was also shaking, gearing himself up for the first all-important charge. Ranolf and Aya were beside them, proud of the honour of carrying the maroon and silver Vada standard. It flapped in the breeze; it was a beautiful crisp day. What a pitiful waste of the lives of those who will die this day.
: The Larg started it : this was Tadei’s wry comment.
: And we must finish it :
She caught Lynsey’s eye, filled with steely determination. She listened to the voices around her of the Ryzckas and Vadryzkas reminding the cadets under their command, “watch your backs, watch each other and listen to your Lind.” It was a litany.
The knot of senior cadets were behind her, each one responsible for keeping in touch with the Susa or communications duo of their designated Lindar or Ryzck and also with the Lind attached to the horse-cavalry and infantry. The boys and girls looked terrified, yet de
termined, their white faces filled with concentration as their Lind partners endeavoured to keep in telepathic contact; around and behind them stood a ryz of Lindar Jannsdei, their job to keep the cadet pairs safe from attack lest the all-important communications pivot be destroyed. Rhian hoped they would all survive. The Roll of the Fallen at the Battle of Trumpet Keep contained within it the names of over forty cadet pairs. Under pressure, Larg communications were apt to disintegrate, each kohort commander believing he knew best. It had happened then, Susycs Jim and Larya had exploited this disharmony to good effect and did everything to keep their own communication link intact. Lynsey and Bernei intended to do the same. Everything depended on that and the success of the mission to blow up the Ice Bridge. If Captain Wylie was unsuccessful, it wouldn’t matter how many kohorts Lynsey destroyed. The Larg would just keep on coming.
* * * * *
Luck was with Captain Wylie that day. As the Powderflower wallowed through the thinner ice at the edge of the Ice Bridge he realised all of a sudden that no Larg were to be seen anywhere. He was not to know until much later that there had been a dispute between two kohort Kranans who both wanted to be the next to cross. This had resulted in a space between the last kohort and the next.
His mission proved to be surprisingly easy when he thought about it afterwards.
The Powderflower came to a creaking halt as first her wide bow then her keel became wedged in the ice.
Her crew clambered down her sides carrying the blast-powder, charges and fuse wires. They laid them along the top of the ice with a minimum of fuss but considerable haste then back to the cutters and small boats belonging to the Powderflower, the Emily Stanton and the Malinon as fast as their legs could carry them. They were just in time.
