In the two weeks since Kalis Deiran had given his orders, Deran Arakias of
the Calpathion Archer company had set out to the east of the camp, the hawk
Sydas who worked freelance for the Calpathions as time-for a price- had
scouted ahead from high in the skies and reported the three score troops
heading south. Identified as Death Watchers for the armor they wore, Sydas
delivered the information to Deran, been pain summarily in steel coins
Judging by Sydas's reliable information, the Death Watch trackers were heading south where several villages lay. Deran had sent runners to the heads of the villages and had told them of their predicament-that of sixty, trained killers were closing in on them and would no doubt burn the town, murder the defenders, steal food and money among numerous other deeds that had the village heads willing to pay the Calpathions, in cold hard steel. The villages weren't rich and the Calpathions weren't greedy, the amount was a near pitiance but Deran would have traded a thousand steel and another thousand gold for the chance to kill this large a patrol of Death Watchers.
The ermine archer in question was sitting behind one of the large hills, a quiver filled with blue fletched arrows rested in front of him and a bow strung over his shoulder. His archers- about twenty five- were seated near him, near the large hills so they were easily hidden from any beast on the other side.
"I bring you news, Arakias!"
Deran looked up and smiled at the hawk as it flapped down beside him, dipping his head respectively.
"Lord of the Skies, what news do you bring us today?"
Sydas's fierce golden eyes never strayed from Deran's blue ones. "The Death Watch come this way, Commander Arakias.I was fortunate they were too interested in their bellies and their own comfort rather then upon myself."
Deran nodded. "Any information I can use, Sky Blade?" he asked, using Sydas's formal title.
The hawk nodded. "I know little of walking that you earth walkers indulge in.my flight was a matter of a night.these Death Watch beasts should take at least a day or two.the leader is a large, lean rat with dark fur, the ferret next to him calls him 'Commander Algan."
"Go figure.who else leads the largest company in the death watch except Algan? I was sorta hoping it'd be Taren.he and I have quite a score to settle."
"Name one beast who doesn't, Arakias."
Deran smiled. He couldn't think of a single beast he knew without a grudge against Taren. "No problem.I'll spread the word to my troops.Algan walks into use and we'll send him back to Visla in very small boxes."
Judging by Sydas's reliable information, the Death Watch trackers were heading south where several villages lay. Deran had sent runners to the heads of the villages and had told them of their predicament-that of sixty, trained killers were closing in on them and would no doubt burn the town, murder the defenders, steal food and money among numerous other deeds that had the village heads willing to pay the Calpathions, in cold hard steel. The villages weren't rich and the Calpathions weren't greedy, the amount was a near pitiance but Deran would have traded a thousand steel and another thousand gold for the chance to kill this large a patrol of Death Watchers.
The ermine archer in question was sitting behind one of the large hills, a quiver filled with blue fletched arrows rested in front of him and a bow strung over his shoulder. His archers- about twenty five- were seated near him, near the large hills so they were easily hidden from any beast on the other side.
"I bring you news, Arakias!"
Deran looked up and smiled at the hawk as it flapped down beside him, dipping his head respectively.
"Lord of the Skies, what news do you bring us today?"
Sydas's fierce golden eyes never strayed from Deran's blue ones. "The Death Watch come this way, Commander Arakias.I was fortunate they were too interested in their bellies and their own comfort rather then upon myself."
Deran nodded. "Any information I can use, Sky Blade?" he asked, using Sydas's formal title.
The hawk nodded. "I know little of walking that you earth walkers indulge in.my flight was a matter of a night.these Death Watch beasts should take at least a day or two.the leader is a large, lean rat with dark fur, the ferret next to him calls him 'Commander Algan."
"Go figure.who else leads the largest company in the death watch except Algan? I was sorta hoping it'd be Taren.he and I have quite a score to settle."
"Name one beast who doesn't, Arakias."
Deran smiled. He couldn't think of a single beast he knew without a grudge against Taren. "No problem.I'll spread the word to my troops.Algan walks into use and we'll send him back to Visla in very small boxes."