Quoted By:
The cloud holds, the world cast in slight shadow. The light cavalry, eager at the best of time, let the moment linger. They haven't had orders to engage with encountered hostiles.
But they haven't had orders <span class="mu-i">not</span>. Is a warrior not entitled to the spray of blood from his opponents?
One of those delicate, balancing moments - and, in the back, one of the thin looking, wild-eyed fighters screams and epitepth and draws a wicked looking knife. . .
---
Elsewhere, rounding out of corners in the ravine, marching along the preplanned paths, checking maps, the soldiers under our various commands arrive...
<span class="mu-s">CRITICAL SCOUT FAILURE, NO PATHFINDERS IN ATTENDANCE</span>
. . . And contrive to blunder right into the lead elements of what appears to be a <span class="mu-i">sizable</span> Sparksworn contigent, cloth in the smokey swirls of campfire smoke. Lingering haze dragged low by the rising warm air exchanging with the cooler flows from the wet ground in the flood-carve channels.
Is that. . . is that a body? Over there? On the distant wind, low, faint, dying out, a shrill scream and a brief burst of metal on wood.
--
<span class="mu-s">PHASE ONE</span>
--
Our march-line is <span class="mu-i">staggered</span> and things have gone a <span class="mu-i">tiny bit awry</span> through no fault of our own. Sometimes, critical scout failures simply happen - but at least the sun is kind today and the shadows whisper support.
We do not have any established <span class="mu-s">command posts</span> so we do not have any cohesive way of organising our forces. Formations will arrive as previously dictated.
Luckily, we planned somewhat for this! We'll secure the area, set up a command post, get the troops shaken back into order and . . . Let's find out what is happening in this place . . . ?
>STAND BY FOR BATTLEFIELD COMMAND INTEGRATION. . .