Unkarra Gate (1st draft)

Chapter 33.2

Out in the woods a fair distance from the gate, Bogrel frowned upon hearing the echoing explosion, but tempered his concerns as he waited for more noise, or a report from his scout.

Brian was there at his shoulder soon after the noise finished echoing through the brush. "What was that, you figure? Do we need to return to defend the gate?"

"No, we hold." He turned from the Unkarran, looking to avoid further discussion.

He saw that the eyes of many were upon him as he looked back over his army, hidden away from the gate.

"Get your rest," he called out to the men, and hunkered down himself.

Hours passed, and the night became fully dark, and brough with it a steady, cold rain. This suited Bogrel just fine.

His mind was busy, not thinking, but sensing. Sensing the tension in the men about him. Reaching out, listening for noises, signs of intrusion. And sensing something more mysterious, but very familiar. The premonition of battle, a presense that forebade death - anticipated it. Days like this one, this extra presence was with him like a ghost over his shoulder, smilling with every killing stroke of his sword, whispering in his ear at every close call.

After enough waiting now, he felt the urge. That inexplicable sense of timing. It was time to begin the attack. He opened his eyes from his semi-trance, and saw the glowing eyes of a cat in front of him. He knew immediately it was boots. He stared into the eyes that looked so much like a cat's, but he knew must not be just that.

He had ever told a few people about Boots, Leo being one, and they had all immediately proclaimed that he was describing a "hidden one." The Unkarrans believed in these sort of spirits that would take the shape of animals and guide people, though it was not something anyone had seen themselves.

No one else seemed to see Boots, even as the cat turned and headed up the hill, towards the coming battle.

Bogrel rose, putting the cat out of his mind, and roused the men near him: Flavias, Petro, Rollo and the others. Then he walked the short distance to the men that captained the other groups. Brian ended up at his side. His group of Unkarrans were the swordsmen, equipped with steel swords, as was Bogrel. But the other men had just the wooden spears, though some metal tipped spears had been acquired, and bronze knives and daggers.

They marched in file through the forest, their rustling mixing with the drizzle of the rain. Bogrel and Brian were near the front, allowing some of the other men to pick the best route ahead as they went. Bogrel would allow no torches or lanterns, forcing them to depend upon the man in front. It was slow going, but the line of men did well to stay silent. He expected there to be sentries, and how well they dealt with them would go a long way in deciding the battle.

He didn't want the battle to begin before dawn in any scenario; his fighters would certainly be at the disadvantage against the hardened Geberrans in a night battle. Dawn would not be kind to hese road-weary warriors, however. They would wake hungry and thirsty, making them weak. Their legs would be sore, making them slow. And any drink would have worn off, stripping them of any drunken courage.

They were coming to the top of the rise, beyond which lay the lakes. Any sentry of worth would be stationed at the top. He called the army to a halt while they were still out of view and earshot.

Brian and several of the other company men gathered near him to consult.

"Atop that ridge there's sure to be someone watching," Bogrel stated. "We need to get by him quietly. I need you to keep everyone here, and keep quiet until I return."

"You can't go alone," interrupted Brian. "Take [swordsman] with you."

Bogrel eyed both men and nodded rather than argue. He knew [swordsman] was better than useless, and he carried a bow, one of the few they had.

"Stay close behind me, and stay silent." With that Bogrel walked off into the damp brush, headin gup the gentle incline and soon out of sight of the army. [swordsman] followed capably.

Bogrel crept along very slowly and carefully, taking time to pick his path, giving [swordsman] constant looks to make sure he wasn't about to step out of line. He gained his own vantage point and searched for signs of soemone, somewhere in the dark.

When there was a rustle in the bushes, Bogrel started and looked towards [swordsman] instinctively, but he was still in place. They both held still as the rustling continued. As they watched, a figure came closer to the source of the rustling. They could see the breath rising from his in the crisp night. Bogrel held up his hand to keep them both still.

The scout was not much for stealth, it seemed, as he crashed about the brush. "Just an animal," he yelled out loud, and trudged a little further from them.

Bogrel turned to [swordsman]. "Get in position for a clear shot at that man. I'm going closer to find out who he was talking to. When you hear two whistles, take the shot. But have patience, I'm waiting for the light of dawn."

[swordsman] nodded, looking quite bewildered, but determined.

Bogrel cut wide across the hillside, crouched low as he crept. The sword at his side was forefront in his mind. It was as though the weapon itself longed to be freed, but he also knew that was his own personal demon, not any actual desire of the weapon. He focused on the damp undergrowth before him, only visible a few steps at a time.

As the hill began to bend, he cut back upwards, towards the top. The tree branches offered much cover from any direction. The lakes were now only a few hundred steps away; some lights could be glimpsed. He stayed for a long while, waiting for the first bit of light to reveal his targerts. As soon as these scouts were killed, they would have to attack quickly.

He closed his eyes and focused on sounds, but the same drizzle that had hidden his movements masked any telling noises as well. So he waited, with his hand on his sword hilt.

When his eyes opened, he was not overly surprised to see Boots the cat there before him. The shape was just visible; the first hint of light had appeared. The cat stood and slinked away, and Bogrel followed it with his eyes. As it walked, things seemed to take shape out of the dark: a tree, a stump, and then two drowsing men, hunkered in heavy hoods. It would all start with two cuts, and two whistles.

His movements masked by the rain, he closed all the disteance between he and the guards. His knife was used on one and then the sword pierced the other. Neither man woke before their death.

He whistled twice, and waited for the results. There may have been a crash, but the relative silence was a decidedly good sign. The two dead men were relieved of their swords, and Bogrel left them and hurried back to his force quite less stealthily than he had come.

[swordsman] joined up with him on the return, confirming his kill of the sentry. They returned to a cantankerous group. Bogrel smiled at their surliness; angry men fought well. The wet night had not left many in a decent mood.

"What took you so long, we've been waiting over an hour."

"Your waiting is over." He handed over the two nrewly acquired swords. "We must attack now. The [company] swordsmen lead the attack, and do as much as they can quickly, like discussed. But once the Geberrans rally, fall back to our position."

"We'll leave you something," they bragged, as they noisily advanced uphill and to their target.

They had selected just over two dozen of their best fighters, and equipped them with the best weapons they had, and chosen them for the beginning of the assault. Bogrel had created five groups of spearmen, one commanded by himself, comprised of the young Unkarrans he'd been come to know so well.

The other four commanders stood in front of their gathered groups. "We keep our formation from here on out. Five groups wide. Close in when pressed. Do not advance without signal!" The commanders nodded, as the world began to take a new life about them.

The gentle sound of water was now just a backdrop; the movement of men became a torrent. As he motioned, the other commanders mimicked, and the Unkarran army advanced.