“I can not be sure,” conceded Temiker. “I guess it does not matter who they are after. They must die in either event. If you will allow it, I would like to aid in the attack. I am not without resources of the type you can use.”
“As long as you follow my instructions,” smiled StarWind, “we would welcome your help. I had rather hoped that you would feel this way. In fact, we have brought a spare choka for your use.”
“A choka?” cringed Temiker. “Rhodella told me of the giant warbirds. I am not sure that walking would not be a better path for me.”
“WinterWind appears to have told you much,” frowned StarWind. “That was not very prudent of her.”
“Rhodella trusted me a great deal,” Temiker stated. “She was a good judge of character, as the last twenty years of my silence has proved.”
“You make a valid point,” nodded StarWind. “In any event, you will need to ride to keep up with us. The choka will not harm you as long as you are following our instructions. Let us eat and then we must travel to intercept the assassins.”
Temiker and StarWind rose and joined the other Sakovans for a meal. StarWind introduced the mage to the rest of the party and they talked for a while about their strategy for the assassins. Temiker was soon accepted as part of the group, although he realized that they would always keep an eye on him. He understood their need for security and did not mind the scrutiny.
Within an hour, the Sakovans and Temiker were mounted and riding towards the assassins. StormSong led the group, while HawkShadow went searching for the right place to stage an ambush. It was dark by the time HawkShadow returned from his scouting mission and called the group to a halt.
“They have already stopped for the night,” he reported. “They do not appear to be in a hurry to follow the mage. I did count forty of them and they ride very cautiously. They keep scouts front and back as well as on their flanks. We may be able to take the scouts easily, but not without alerting the main body of assassins.”
“How far away are they?” StarWind asked.
“Two leagues,” HawkShadow answered. “These men are behaving in a more professional manner than the others we encountered. Hit and run may be our best option.”
“I like the hit part,” interjected StormSong, “but I am not much for running.”
“Hit and run may spook them,” added SkyDancer, “but it may also harden them and make our attack more difficult.”
“Let’s take that chance,” decided StarWind. “How many flankers do they use?”
“One rear and one front,” answered HawkShadow. “They also have two riders on each flank. Six outriders in all.”
“I want them all to disappear at the same time,” ordered StarWind. “Can we do it, HawkShadow?”
“It will require some fancy work,” HawkShadow replied after a moments thought. “I can think of two places between us and them where there is the proper concealment for it.”
“Good,” StarWind declared. “Temiker, you will stay with me. We will take the front rider. HawkShadow will direct everyone else to a rider. As soon as we hit, we leave. HawkShadow will assess the damage while we regroup.”
“If you and the mage can hide the body of the rider and his mount,” added HawkShadow, “it will take them some time to realize that their outriders are gone.”
“I would prefer that they know right away,” insisted StarWind, “as long as our people withdraw properly. Each day they get closer to StarCity, and I am anxious to get back. Let’s finish them as quickly as possible.”
“I could get a head start,” HawkShadow grinned. “They will have sentries on duty at the campsite tonight.”
StarWind thought a moment before replying. “No, it is too risky and that might change their formation tomorrow. I want to see how they react to losing their outriders.”
“I do not think there are magic users among them,” interjected Temiker. “Perhaps we could attack their campsite tonight and finish it.”
“How?” asked StarWind.
“A ring of fire,” offered Temiker. “They would not be able to escape as it closed in on them. Any that try to jump free get cut down.”
“We will not scar the land if we can avoid it,” StarWind shook her head. “I am open to other suggestions if there are any, however.”
Nobody had any further suggestions and the camp turned it for the night. StormSong had the last shift of sentry duty and woke everyone at dawn. After a quick meal, the Sakovan hunting party set out to intercept the assassins. HawkShadow selected the ambush spot and everyone took their positions.
“What spell do you plan to use?” Temiker asked while he waited with StarWind for the lead rider to appear.
StarWind merely smiled and held up a Sakovan Star. “I will not need magic for this assignment,” she smiled. “We may need it if something goes wrong though. Your fog will come in handy to hide us if they charge, and force bolts will take out any that reach us.”
“Very well,” frowned Temiker, “but I feel like extra baggage on this trip.”
“Your skills will be useful,” promised StarWind as the lead rider came into view.
StarWind waited until she was sure of the shot and then sent the star flying through the air to land in the rider’s forehead. She knew that the other five riders would die within seconds and she led Temiker in the retreat. Moments after they left the area of the attack, they heard the shouts of the assassins as they stumbled upon the body of their slain scout.
Temiker hung on tightly and kept his legs back as the choka carried him behind StarWind. They rode for half an hour and dismounted at the meeting site selected by HawkShadow. Within moments the others arrived, except for HawkShadow. There was no talk as the group waited for the Sakovan assassin to return.
HawkShadow rode in and swiftly dismounted. “Strange,” he reported. “They have adopted a formation that I have never seen used before. They ride in the shape of a triangle. There are no flankers now. Anywhere we try to attack them, we will alert their entire force. They can quickly turn to meet an attack from any side.”
“Then we attack from every side at once,” StormSong reasoned.
“Too risky,” StarWind declared. “These are trained men. They might succeed in overrunning one of our groups. It is a loss I would find unacceptable. I would not trade their forty lives for any one of ours.”
“Thirty four,” corrected MistyTrail.
The air sang as Goral whirled a Sakovan Star into a tree. Everyone turned to stare at the giant.
“See how the star twirls as it flies,” Goral said softly. “Attack one side of the triangle and quickly withdraw. Immediately attack an adjacent side and withdraw. Then attack the last side and start over again. Their forces will twirl like the star, except they will be confused and tripping over each other.”
HawkShadow stood with his mouth agape. Like most who knew the quiet giant, HawkShadow never attributed brilliance to him, but the giant’s plan was just that – brilliant.
StarWind smiled and nodded approvingly. Goral often traveled with StarWind when she went to Omungan cities and she had learned to expect the unexpected from him.
“Who told you to say that?” chided MistyTrail. “I seem to remember that your style of attack is to walk in and just hit anything that moved.”
“Well hitting things usually solves the problem,” admitted Goral.
The whole party laughed as HawkShadow gathered them around to discuss the battle plan. The assassin again chose the site of the battle and, half an hour later, the Sakovans waited in hiding for the enemy. Temiker and StarWind again took the point. Theoretically, the assassins should not try to counterattack in that direction and the pair of mages were set to ensure they did not. The Sakovans were set to use bows on the first round of attacks to start the triangle spinning. As they moved in closer, they would switch to Sakovan stars.
StarWind and Temiker dismounted and secured their chokas. There would be no running from this fight and the chokas would not be engaging in battle. HawkShadow had selected a fairly open area for the attack and StarWind placed herself and Temiker so they would be easily seen. They did not have long to wait. StarWind heard them coming before they were visible and alerted Temiker.