Book 3: Updating

Chapter 25

Luna? We have a problem. Sargent Davies interrupted our moment.

I nuzzled Jesse before responding allowing his words to totally land inside my heart before reality would barge in ruining everything.

I sighed deeply responding. Yes Sargent? What is going on?

The scouts found the shifter community, and they are hostile. Our troops retreated, and are engaged in gorilla warfare tactics with the shifters posing as woodland creatures. He reported. I have sent more troops to support them, but we are at a disadvantage. How would you like to proceed? Sargent Davies reported.

Let me loop in Keith. One moment. I told him.

Keith? Have you heard of the shifter situation in the woods? I asked.

Yes Ma'am. It seems we are at an extreme disadvantage. He remarked.

Do you or anyone else in the squad have any military advice? Please assemble them and meet me at the council chambers in ten minutes. I commanded.

Yes Ma'am. He responded.

Sargent? I am assembling an advisory board in the council chambers in ten minutes. Bring anyone who you think could assist. I commanded.

Yes Ma'am. The Sargent responded.

I looked at Jesse. I hate to ruin this precious moment, but duty calls. They found the community of shifters and the scouts are engaged in battle. I am assembling an advisory board right now. Do you want to join? I asked.

Sure. Let's go. Jesse agreed.

We got dressed and headed out.
Everyone was assembled by the time we arrived. We sat around a table and discussed strategy. After some deliberation we decided on a way to lure the shifters into a trap. There was a field near their location full of downed trees from a very industrious beaver who ended up only using half of what he chopped. This means the field was full of dry kindling.

If the troops led the shifters into the middle of the field, we could hide wolves along the outer boundaries. Then they could light the outer boarder of the field on fire and kill the shifters as they scatter out of the field unaware that they are surrounded. If we planned it right only the field would burn and our troops could exit before lighting the final section. In the confusion, we could pick the shifters off as they exited the field. If we lit the fires right, they should burn inward towards the dry fuel in the field, avoiding the living, green forest, and burn itself out without spreading.

We delivered the plan via mind link and put everyone into position. They were only five miles away, and by wolf speed that was an incredibly short distance.

We waited for thirty minutes for the reports to come back. The plan worked, mostly, and the hostile shifters were slain. We lost five soldiers, seven were wounded, and a small patch of forest was burned as well. Thankfully, they were able to put it out before it could spread.

Nine shifter men died.

The troops unified and returned to the camp to find only women and children left, who easily surrendered. They cleared out the camp and returned to report, prisoners in tow.

I ordered that the women and children be brought to the guard apartments, under surveillance, and given locked accommodations. I could not stomach the idea of children placed in a prison, and that would buy us time until we could figure out what we were going to do with them. We had fortified five apartments for usage as prison accommodations for situations where the current prisons were deemed inappropriate for the situation. We would utilize those and fortify a few more if necessary.