Chapter 9 - Warning Signals

Cordelia nodded at Sumia, as they both took into the air. She could feel the wind striking into her as she rose up into the sky, and she smiled, soaring upwards. Her pegasus whinnied as she shot forwards, before pulling the reins to direct her steed to travel more horizontally. Shooting through the blue as if an arrow, she grinned as she felt the heavy breeze brush into her hair. Though the heat was bearing down on her, she found she could ignore it somewhat, instead focusing upon the sensation of flying. Seeing that Sumia was ahead of her, she smiled, her competitive streak getting the better of her as she pushed her pegasus faster, his whinnies informing her that he was in agreement with this. Overtaking her friend, she flew just above her, waving slightly, before diving back to the same height, flying alongside the other pegasus knight.
"Do you have any specific direction you want to go, Cordelia?" She shook her head.
"Just not too far away from the camp. I want to be able to return quickly if we need to." Sumia nodded at that, and they carried on, heading south from where the Shepherds were located.

Cordelia looked below her. There were a group of Plegians, seemingly making camp. Were they an advance guard, there to attack the Shepherds? She didn't want to risk that possibility, but she didn't want to panic Robin, not when the Shepherds were in such a state of crisis already. But Sumia was with her, and she didn't want to endanger her friend. Without realising it, her hand had tensed around her lance, as if ready to fly into the combat. Was that a sign? Not wanting to stand idly by, she swooped downwards, starting a descent towards the sandy ground, so that she could get a better look. The Plegians did not number more than thirty, and seemed unprepared. If she wanted to strike, it would be best to do it soon.
"Sumia!" She shouted, although as she did, she cursed, realising she could have given herself away. Fortunately, it seemed like though her voice carried upwards, it was not heard below.
"Cordelia? Oh." Sumia saw where Cordelia was pointing. "We have to warn the Shepherds. I know what you're thinking, but you can't fight them by yourself."
"I don't want to panic them though."
"Better that than to worry them with your death. Please, Cordelia. Chrom's shaken. I don't want to lose you too." She didn't want to follow Sumia's advice, but she realised it was what was sensible. "The Shepherds can prepare a defense. We're in a group. We have to work together."
"Right. We should go back. Quickly."

Cordelia steered her pegasus through the sky, a sense of urgency in her mind. She tried to fight it, in order to avoid the panic that she felt – the Plegians weren't going to be able to advance quicker than her, and she had a head-start. Unlike last time, this race would not end poorly. All she had to do was focus. Trying not to push her steed to lengths and speeds it wouldn't be able to keep up with for long, she made sure to keep Sumia in her field of view at all times, using her friend as a sort of check to make sure she was on the right path. The sense of exhilaration she felt when in the air was still there, but much of it had faded now, her brain unable to comprehend the fact that she wasn't racing against an impossibly fast clock. Fear was gripping at her muscles – the fear of failure once again telling her that she had to be better than she was. Unwittingly increasing her speed even more, she shot through the blue, not a gliding arrow shot by a keen archer, but a speeding bolt fired by a ballista, filled with unnecessary anxiety. Not paying attention to Sumia's position anymore, she kept going, until she reached her destination.

Ricken saw the pegasus soaring through the sky, and instantly recognised the red hair of its' rider. But why had Cordelia gone flying, and, more importantly, why was she coming back so quickly? Moving so that he could greet his companion, he waited for her to land, giving her enough space to that he wasn't in the way of her steed. She dismounted, looking at him with urgency in her eyes.
"Ricken. I need to speak with Robin. Immediately." He nodded, immediately turning to fetch the tactician. As he moved through the temporary camp that the Shepherds had put up, questions raced through his mind. Why was Cordelia suddenly in need of Robin? Had something happened? He tried to think back to what he knew of the red-haired pegasus knight, which, despite traveling with her for a month, wasn't all that much – she hadn't really been willing to disclose too much about her past. But he did know that she held a hatred for Plegians. Had she found something relating to that? There were too many options. All he had to do was find Robin. If it was anything important, he would learn then. But despite knowing this, there was a childish curiosity in him that wanted to know. Trying not to let that get the better of him, he kept running, his shoes dancing along the sandy surface, his feet slowly becoming used to the desert below. It didn't take too long for him to reach Robin's tent. Clearing his throat, in order to make his presence known, he was invited in.
"Ricken? You need me?"
"It's Cordelia. She wants to speak with you. It seems important."
"Do you what about?" The mage shook his head, and Robin nodded. "Alright. Let's go. I allowed her to go flying. Maybe she found something."

"Cordelia. Where's Sumia?" Robin was instantly worried. The pegasus knight tried to give him a reassuring smile.
"She's coming. I flew ahead. We found Plegians, barely a day's march away. I fear they are advancing on our position." This wasn't unexpected for the tactician, who had been fearing an attack by the Plegians.
"How many? Do you know what kind of weapons they have?"
"Around thirty. But I didn't see their equipment. I do not believe these are the elite, though. The Shepherds should be able to take them in a fight."
"Then these are likely to be a scouting party. And I fear there will be more coming."
"What should we do? We have to fight them, before they get the chance to strike." Robin shook his head.
"We wait. We can't afford to rush in blindly, and be killed. The Feroxians want us to wait and wait we will. If the Plegian force wants to attack, then they will meet our steel." Cordelia nodded, realising that there was no point to arguing. "Where is Sumia?"
"She's still in the sky, coming back. I rushed off ahead. I was worried that the Plegians would suddenly attack."
"Go back in the air. Find Sumia. And, if you can, get a more detailed report on their forces. I want to know how strong their weapons are. In the meantime, I will prepare our defense."

Robin gathered the Shepherds together, calling for a meeting, just outside of Chrom's tent. They came quickly, and he could hear whisperings among them - they were worried about what was happening.
"Shepherds, I have news. Cordelia and Sumia had been flying around, and they saw a group of Plegian forces around one day away from us. Now this is nothing to worry about - we can easily fight them, but we need to be prepared. As well as this, this incident proves that we need out of Plegia. Basilio should be sending in reinforcements to cover our escape soon, but if he does not deliver quickly enough, we may have to try to leave ourselves, before Gangrel can muster together a greater force. So, prepare to fight, and prepare to make an exit from Plegia. That is all." There was an applause, the standard reaction to a speech like Robin had just made. Looking around, at facial expressions, he could see that some of the Shepherds, despite him trying to be reassuring, had fear in their eyes. He supposed that most of this came from the feeling of being lost, a feeling that he too was experiencing. There was nothing really that he could do for them, other than try to advise them as best he could. It fell to Chrom to lead now, and he could only hope the once-prince could use his expertise at leading the Shepherds, and turn it into something greater, without letting his emotions get the best of him. Without giving into anger.

Cordelia wasted no time in saddling her pegasus and taking back to the sky. There was still a crippling sense of urgency in her body, but this time instead of fighting it, she used it to drive herself. Expertly maneuvering around clouds, firmly in control of her pegasus, she kept an eye out for any signs of Sumia. It didn't take her long to see the familiar sight of another rider, coming towards her. At first, she worried that it was an enemy, but as the figure approached, she could see, with relief, that it was nothing more threatening than Sumia. Flying to greet her friend, she managed a smile.
"Cordelia? You're back?"
"Robin wants to know details about the Plegians."
"So we're going back?"
"You don't need to come if you don't want to. It could be dangerous. I don't think they have archers, but I cannot be sure."
"Cordelia. You should know by now that I'm going to come with you."
"Sumia..." She saw from her friend's expression that there was no point arguing and as such didn't finish what she was saying, instead heading in the direction of the Plegian camp.

The Plegians seemed to be relatively ill-equipped. They were marching, not really looking around them, and Cordelia could see the shabby state of their weapons. Most of them were wielding iron or steel, and they had a mixture of melee equipment. It seemed they had no mages or archers with them - did this group truly intend to take on the Shepherds? She flew around to their back, making sure that neither she or Sumia were spotted. They had only a small convoy with them, which likely contained their food and equipment. From what she could see of their weapons, and their general state, it was likely these were new recruits, quickly drafted into the war. Nodding at Sumia to return, she wheeled around, getting ready to leave the scene.

"Robin. We've scouted out the Plegians. They're marching on us, but they don't seem very experienced. Their weapons are in poor condition, and are not high-quality. I do not know if they are actually being sent to attack us, but if so I do not feel like they will be much of a threat."
"Thank you, Cordelia. But I do not wish to underestimate our enemy. Nevertheless, your information is valued. The Shepherds are ready to fight. How long do you think it will be until our armies clash?"
"Less than a day. They seem to be marching with some speed, even if they are not aware of their surroundings."
"We should rest soon then." Cordelia nodded. "I want everyone fully prepared for the fight ahead, even if you think it an easy victory. We cannot take chances."
"Yes, Robin." Cordelia was dismissed, and went back to her tent, trying to take Robin's advice to get some rest. As she closed her eyes, she wondered briefly who would be on lookout, but she was sure that it would be dealt with, and as such, it wasn't too important to her to worry about.

Cordelia blinked, sure that she could hear something. Stretching, she forced herself upwards, stumbling a little. Grabbing her lance in case it was an emergency, she poked her head out of her tent, looking around for any signs of trouble. Other Shepherds were rising as well, and she could see Gaius running around, trying to wake the Shepherds who were still in their tent. She guessed that the Plegians were coming. Looking around for anyone she could talk to, she spied Ricken getting ready to fight, and went over to join him.
"I guess that Gaius' yelling woke you as well?" She nodded. "The enemies are coming. We have about an hour."
"Right. Does Robin have a battle plan?" Ricken replied in the affirmative, and she thanked for her to do this, and she was told to mount her pegasus, and harass from the sky.

Saddling up, Cordelia made sure that she was ready for combat. She had a set of javelins with her, and in her hands was her lance. Taking to the skies, she soared above the Shepherds on the ground, although she made sure that she could still see what was happening below. It didn't take long for Sumia to join her, and she smiled at her fellow pegasus knight.
"Robin's told you what we're doing, I suppose?" Sumia nodded, and they both flew closer to the edge of the camp, in order to get a better look at the oncoming Plegians. The first few soldiers came forth, and Cordelia pulled out one of her throwing spears, hurling it at the enemies, killing one of them instantly. Below her, she could see the main fighting force of the Shepherds meeting the enemy charge with their grim, unsmiling weapons, and she grabbed her lance, swooping around the battlefield, so that she could dive at the back line of foes. As she came up from a strike, she narrowly avoided an enemy's axe coming towards her, flying back up out of the way. Quickly scanning around, looking for where she needed to be, she saw a group of Plegians clumping together, and threw a few javelins at them, wounding two, and scaring the rest off. An axe came hurtling towards her, but though she was taken by surprise, she managed to react instinctively enough to dodge it by flying to the side, before throwing another lance at her opponent, hitting him in the neck. She looked around again. There weren't many soldiers left - most of them had been swiftly eliminated by the Shepherds. Diving back down to attack a couple more enemies, she knew that the battle would be over soon.

It was over, and from her view above, Cordelia couldn't see any friendly casualties. Turning her pegasus around, so that she could rejoin the main body of the Shepherds, she headed towards the sands. Gently lowering her altitude until she was on the ground, she then demounted, taking her pegasus towards the stables. Nobody disturbed her as she did this, and it wasn't long before her steed was safely enclosed again. Once this was done, she went to go and find Robin, so that she could be told what to do next.

"Cordelia. Good work on helping us through that battle." She nodded at Robin. "For now, you should get some rest. We may have to start moving in the morning." She didn't really want to do this - she wanted some action of some sort, but it wasn't worth starting an argument over, and as such she retreated to her tent, where she lay down, staring up at the sky. What would happen now? Would they just leave this war, go back to Ylisse? It was a childish fantasy, really. She hoped that Robin had some kind of plan for what happened when the Plegians followed them, because surely he had accounted for that possibility. And it wasn't like Gangrel wouldn't. It seemed he would stop at nothing to destroy Ylisse. She felt a surge of anger in her throat, and it was all she could do to make it so that her scream was not audible - she had to let out the hate that she had for the Mad King. Because it was clear to her that he was responsible for everything that had happened. The pegasus knights' deaths - he was the one who had ordered that massacre. He was the one who had caused the traumatic sight of red feathers dropping as if lead weights through a scream-filled sky. She closed her eyes, trying to block out those memories, as she fought futilely to stop tears from hurtling down her face. There would be time for misery later. She needed sleep now, for what was ahead.

Cordelia rubbed her eyes, letting out quite a yawn. She stumbled around a little, before managing to come to her senses. Her mind had no concept of what time it was, and she still felt tired. Without realising it, the month she had spent away from the Shepherds had taken its' toll on her. She just wanted to curl up and go back to sleep, but knew that wasn't an option. They had to start moving soon. Making sure she was in a position to leave, she gathered up what she thought she would have to take with her, in case the Shepherds had to go on a moment's notice. Stretching, feeling an ache in her muscles, she winced as she forced herself out of the tent, looking around to see if anybody else was awake. To her surprise, and a little shame, she realised that it was possibly mid-day, and everyone was already active. Had she slept in for so long? She didn't want to believe it, but it was likely true - she could only hope that her delay hadn't cost the Shepherds anything. Trying to make up for lost time, she immediately went over to where Robin was.

"Robin. I'm sorry for sleeping in so late. Please don't punish me." She gulped, a little nervous, but the tactician just smiled.
"Cordelia. You're not in trouble. You evidently needed the sleep."
"But I could have cost us valuable time!"
"We're waiting for reports to see if the escape is clear."
"But you said-"
"I know. But there's been evidence to suggest that maybe we're surrounded on all sides by the Plegians. We can't leave yet."
"So what do we do?"
"We have to bide our time, and remain alert. If Gangrel moves against us, we make a break for it. Until then, we're waiting for the Feroxians to reach us. It isn't an ideal situation, but we don't want casualties."
"In that case, would you need people to scout?" Robin thought for a moment.
"You don't want to wait around, do you?" She shook her head, not wanting to argue. "You'd need to have someone with you. And I don't know if Sumia would be able to join you. She's worried about Chrom."
"I understand. But what about if I find somebody to accompany me?"
"Then you would be allowed, as long as you weren't out for too long. But you'd have to be careful out there - I'm fine with you doing this for us, but I don't want anyone else to die." She nodded, an idea of who she could ask to come with her already in her mind.
"Thank you, Robin." With that, she gave him a smile, before going to leave the tent.