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piosenniel · 08-21-2003, 02:21 PM

The tribesmen watched as the Army of the Eye moved further into the valley. A contingent of warriors – those of the Painted Sands, mounted and with swords drawn stood silent where the valley broadened out in front of where the encampment had been. Tents had been pulled down during the night and piled to one side. To the sides of the mounted troops and in a thin line across their front stood a number of the warriors from the Baobab, arrows knocked on their short bows, spears at the ready. Scattered among them were the Elders of the Baobab, their weapons drawn.

As the Eye’s troops advanced, they withdrew several hundred yards, as if hesitant in the face of such armed cruelty.

When they did so, the Eye’s army advanced further to meet them and prepared to engage the Resister’s front lines. At that time two flaming arrows arced up into the clear midday sky, from two archers positioned on small rises behind the tribesmen’s position.

Baobab tribesmen rose up from their hiding places on the ridges on either side of the valley and working their way quickly to the positions on the ridges of the Eye’s archers, began firing arrows tipped with poison at them. From the west, behind the Army of the Eye the nine men brought by Bemah with their eleven dogs moved down from their positions near the entrance to the valley - spears, and bows, and the darting slashing teeth of the great herd dogs, their yellowed eyes set on the two legged foe before them.

Jamílah stood on the frontlines with the other Elders of her Tribe. Her mace was in her right hand, a long knife in the other. At her side stood Husam, his spear in hand. Nasr had been sent by her to lead a small group of archers on the southern ridges. She saw from the corner of her eye the twin trail of flames go up from the south and north.

Fixing the memory of the man and star in her mind, and givng a brief thanks to the spirit of the Baobab Tree for this day of life, she raised her club and with a wild ululation, taken up by the other members of the Baobab, she rushed forward, swinging it down in a crushing blow on the sword arm of a very surprised Eye warrior. His gasp of amazement at the old lady was short lived, as she swung it round and crushed in the side of his head.

Then stepping over his twitching form, she advanced to meet the next one . . .

[ August 21, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

08-21-2003, 02:21 PM	#160
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	The tribesmen watched as the Army of the Eye moved further into the valley. A contingent of warriors – those of the Painted Sands, mounted and with swords drawn stood silent where the valley broadened out in front of where the encampment had been. Tents had been pulled down during the night and piled to one side. To the sides of the mounted troops and in a thin line across their front stood a number of the warriors from the Baobab, arrows knocked on their short bows, spears at the ready. Scattered among them were the Elders of the Baobab, their weapons drawn. As the Eye’s troops advanced, they withdrew several hundred yards, as if hesitant in the face of such armed cruelty. When they did so, the Eye’s army advanced further to meet them and prepared to engage the Resister’s front lines. At that time two flaming arrows arced up into the clear midday sky, from two archers positioned on small rises behind the tribesmen’s position. Baobab tribesmen rose up from their hiding places on the ridges on either side of the valley and working their way quickly to the positions on the ridges of the Eye’s archers, began firing arrows tipped with poison at them. From the west, behind the Army of the Eye the nine men brought by Bemah with their eleven dogs moved down from their positions near the entrance to the valley - spears, and bows, and the darting slashing teeth of the great herd dogs, their yellowed eyes set on the two legged foe before them. Jamílah stood on the frontlines with the other Elders of her Tribe. Her mace was in her right hand, a long knife in the other. At her side stood Husam, his spear in hand. Nasr had been sent by her to lead a small group of archers on the southern ridges. She saw from the corner of her eye the twin trail of flames go up from the south and north. Fixing the memory of the man and star in her mind, and givng a brief thanks to the spirit of the Baobab Tree for this day of life, she raised her club and with a wild ululation, taken up by the other members of the Baobab, she rushed forward, swinging it down in a crushing blow on the sword arm of a very surprised Eye warrior. His gasp of amazement at the old lady was short lived, as she swung it round and crushed in the side of his head. Then stepping over his twitching form, she advanced to meet the next one . . . [ August 21, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ] __________________ Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.