Quoted By:
As you fly across the landscape to the east, you veer north towards the small brook that bounds the northern edge of the Archigeirian lands. As a trespassing blur along the banks of the stream, you see glimpses of sprinting Tegeans, torches in hand, as they track east towards your uncle.
A scant few minutes brings you to the eastern part of the estates, and from there, it’s easy to pick up your uncle’s path – the sprinting patrols are converging towards a central point as they run, and as you angle in, you begin to see direct evidence of Pronax’s passing.
Or rather, you see <span class="mu-i">cattle-sign</span>.
The earth is trampled on either side of the trail, and the trail itself is pockmarked with hooves. Overlaid on to, the smeared sandalprints of running Tegeans. Men and livestock moving at great speed make marks such as this! You resist the urge to cheer in excitement – such outbursts are unbecoming of an Argive prince, even when alone. Still, you are thrilled - Pronax has made good on his part of the raid, even if he is drawing practically all of Tegea behind him.
Arion slows somewhat as he tacks north of trail – he keeps a distance of forty strides, and you trust his judgment, as you shoot past a flagging Tegean squadron. These must be Pronax’s foremost pursuers – their torches are guttering, and the commoners lope ahead unevenly with fatigue. Your presence is certainly not missed by the Tegeans; a giant in bronze atop a thundering black stallion at full gallop can be hardly missed – the squadron’s horn-blower shatters the night with frantic calls, and a few wildly-inaccurate spearcasts are made in your direction. You have nothing to fear, as you outpace their weak casts – the Tegeans apparently too exhausted even to volley additional insults at your back.
Next, around a bend in the trail - the cattle appear! A rolling tide of flesh and horn, they bellow in protest as they are guided out of the estate. Arion slows his pace so that you can get a better look - by your guess, no less than five hundred of the beasts, moving together at significant speed. Fat cattle such as these have surprising endurance and speed, when properly induced to move. You quickly take in the relative speed of the herd, and turning, gaze back at the pursuing Tegeans – surprisingly, the cattle are outpacing their masters! The cattle are ringed by Pronax’s half of your mounted honorguard – your men expertly poke, prod and pry at the cattle to keep them running, waving their own torches when necessary. Altogether, they’ve done an excellent job – although it doesn’t escape your notice that your men seem somewhat bruised and battered; they’ve clearly fared less well in combat with Pronax.
Pronax himself sweeps into view atop his own gray stallion, and once he’s within earshot – you must yell quite loudly to be heard over the sound of hoofbeats – you don’t waste time in providing your assessment:
>cont
