o3o: Sonic has been given a breather, a reprieve from physical action and suffering. So he will have plenty of time for rest and therapy, to get a grasp of the world before he goes out swinging again…
Fiona's mission will yield more far more than originally provided simply because of a few lines I wrote a few chapters back…
As for Elias, I have some plans for him…. You'll either love him or hate him.
/*-*/
Fiona laid in bed as Doctor Quack explained her predicament to her.
"It seems you have several lacerations and second degree burns along your body. You were also suffering from light dehydration, which we fixed with a mineral supplement, along with severe fatigue." The doctor went down his list, as if he were speaking English.
Fiona wished she could claim ignorance, but she was a medic for the Freedom Fighters, and she could figure out the basic idea from what she knew, "So I'm cut and burned a lot, and I needed more water? Oh, and I was extremely tired."
"Well, you are partially right. You needed magnesium, potassium. Electrolytes, because your body burned through them on your journey. And your body was tired. You needed to take breaks on your journey." The Doctor corrected, before looking down his clipboard some more.
Fiona stretched out in her bed, "How long are you going to keep me locked up here?" She hissed when one of her bandages went tight.
"A week, perhaps longer if you keep hurting yourself trying to move." The Doctor growled in frustration, "Once your cuts are healed enough for you to properly move without reopening your wounds, then you can leave." The duck explained, keeping calm despite Fiona's probably obvious questions.
Fiona nodded, before laying back, "How's…" Did she even want to ask. He had endured longer, been tortured for days.
"Lord Sonic is… doing quite well. He seems to be only slightly worse than you, and he is healing at a remarkable rate." The Duck sounded almost bitter, "He is such a difficult anomaly to deal with. Even his body does not react normally."
"You want to raise his bill, doc?" Fiona asked with a smirk and painful laugh.
"Hardly, I just want consistency for once. The hedgehog is not good for that." The Doctor grumbled, before turning to two students who had come in. the Doctor turned to his students in minor annoyance, "Now, I would like you two to prepare to change out their bandages. I will watch, but remain distance."
The two, a cat and a goat, walked to another door, and opened it, revealing the inside to be a supply closet. They pulled out a box of white linen and approached the fox. She tried to remain quiet, but her the difference in their training levels was becoming very clear as they reached for her chest bandages.
"Stop, wash your hands before you add them, and don't man-handle the bandages, they need to go on tight." Fiona groaned raising her arm in a pained stance of protest.
The two stopped, before looking back at Doctor Quack. He stood there and watched them, but shrugged. Fiona realized he was letting them learn from working on her, which was not something she felt too comfortable with. The two seemed to hesistate.
"Do you think we should take a break, and clean everything?" The Goat asked.
"We should wash our hands, but I don't think the bandages are messed up." The cat mumbled, before turning to the small tub of water in the corner.
They walked over and quickly rubbed down their hands with the water. The two returned to Fiona, with clean hands and bandages.
The cat reached for Fiona's side bandages, but was reaching towards the upper part of the bandage. Fiona groaned and growled.
The cat caught on, and Fiona did a nod towards the ground. The cat only looked further confused. Fiona sighed, "Lift from the bottom, don't go from the top. If a scab is stuck, you're more likely to rip it open." Fiona explained with a his.
The cat nodded aggressively, before moving down and slowly pulling up. The bandage came off with a little tension and tug. Fiona could see the black and yellow colors on the inside, which explained why they were changing the bandages so soon.
They at least wrapped the new bandages around nicely, pressing them into the wounds to stop any further bleeding.
Doctor quack walked over and grunted, "Well, I suppose with her guidance, you did just fine. I still need more proof that you two won't hurt someone when you try to change out a bandage in the field." The doctor grumbled, shaking his head, before perking up, "Miss Fox, would you be willing to teach them your knowledge as a field medic?"
Fiona laid back and groaned, "Not right now, let me fill up and sleep. I still don't exactly feel fantastic."
"Of course." Doctor Quack sighed, before turning around, and walking away. Fiona welcomed the quiet for a moment and curled up to sleep. That was until she heard a light pattering by Sonic's bed. Fiona would have dismissed it if it weren't for the fact that her mind immediately thought that this would be the perfect time for an assassination.
Fiona rolled over and gasped in pain as her bandages stretched against her side, only to find herself looking at a forest green hood… which meant-
Stick turned around to face Fiona, after she had been looking over Sonic's body. Was she being a pervert? Fiona did not have the time or energy to deal with that.
"Oh, I brought you a gift from my people. You are very brave and strong." She smiled, showing her full array of teeth in a smile, along with a thumb's up to show support.
"Why are you standing over him?" Fiona had no doubt about Stick's intentions, which was strange because Sticks had no problem killing in the field. But Fiona also knew that she hated attacking an unsuspecting enemy, and that she liked Sonic.
"I was admiring his strength, and valor." Her Nordo-Germani accent intensifying at the last word. She turned back, her hood still over her head, "Look at how strongly he endured. He fought against their pain, and never let them kill him."
Fiona leaned back as a headache began to take hold, ripping into her skull.
"I brought you this." Sticks mumbled, and Fiona opened her eyes to find the Badger standing over her. Fiona jumped slightly, as Sticks revealed a small jark of light greenish-yellow liquid. There were chunks floating inside of it, and it looked rather… unpleasant.
"What is that?" Fiona couldn't hide her disgust in the whisper.
"It's a Saxon Pastor Medicine. It is parley, thyme and rhubarb mixed with fish bone stock, red berries and beer." Sticks whispered, raising her voice with every ingredient as if proud of the recipe.
"What?" Fiona gasped. Surely she was not supposed to drink that? It would taste horrible, and probably make her vomit whatever food she had eaten.
"It's a very good remedy, My da gave it to me when I was sick. I would always be healed in three days." Sticks whispered a little louder, seeming to forget that everyone needed to sleep.
"I'm not sick. I'm injured, just let me sleep, please!" Fiona pleaded, before hearing a light groan from Sonic. She needed to be more quiet. Fiona raised a finger to her lips, her arms feeling weak.
"Bah, that's what the fish broth is for. It makes your bones stronger, and make more blood." Sticks pressed a fist to her chest proudly, before holding the jar out to Fiona's face. Fiona pushed her face away from Sticks.
"I'll put my faith in medicine and doctors as opposed to stews, thank you very much." Fiona whispered, before snuggling in under the covers, trying to convey how she was going to sleep. Sticks, in typical fashion, however, shook her.
The badger growled in annoyance, "Drink the damned remedy!"
Fiona opened her eyes and groaned, before uncurling and sighing, "Fine, just be quiet, Sonic still needs his rest." I do too Fiona thought begrudgingly.
Then, her begrudging nature was replaced by a sense of dread as it became abundantly clear that Sticks wouldn't be happy with a small sip of the concoction. Fiona closed her eyes and sucked in a breath to hold.
"It doesn't taste that bad." Sticks grumbled at Fiona. Fiona knew Sticks wasn't a liar, she knew that much. But She also knew that Sticks was from the wilderness, and they both had different definitions of what was bad.
Fiona braced herself again, before taking a quick and swift gulp… and Sticks was right. There was more Thyme and fish flavor than anything else. Fiona would not drink it on any occasion… but it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. She quickly drank the whole jar in a swift motion, downing it in a few seconds, choosing to get short on breath as glided down her throat.
Fiona collapsed back, and groaned, "Happy now?" She asked, feeling even weaker, just ready to sleep.
Sticks nodded and shook her body with pride, "So, do you feel better?" She looked so happy and overjoyed, as if Fiona drinking it was some sort of win for the badger.
"I'm tired, leave me alone." Fiona groaned, snuggling in to her blankets to snuggle in tighter.
The Badger sighed, "Fine, fine. I'll leave you be." Fiona could hear the light shuffling of the badger's cloak, and the sound of movement at the windows.
She was disturbed once again by the sound of shuffling, and Fiona almost shot up to shout. Instead she groaned, "What now-?"
As her eyes opened, she realized that several hours had passed, because the window and lighting had changed to a golden shower in the room. Fiona's eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness and her face looked slowly out at Sonic's bed. She heard the sound of vibrations and grinding coming from the hedgehog's area.
Fiona could make out a few yellow and white ears sticking up out of the bed next to Sonic. Fiona recognized the sound of purring coming from Sonic, and the two tails rose up over the covers. Sonic's little brother was sitting there, snuggling up to him.
Fiona sighed, and rolled over as the door burst open, and a marmot came in with another bowl of red soupy, saucy mixture. The fox immediately sat up with a wild, scared look on his face, his eyes locking on to Christina with a chirp.
Tails turned and looked at Fiona. The two locked eyes, and Tails stood up to go to Fiona.
"Good morning, I guess." Fiona groaned, feeling a little sore still. Strangely enough, Fiona also felt lighter in her muscles, which was great as the light, white sheets let her stay cool.
Miles Prower walked over to Fiona, eyes level to hers and his face unreadable. Then he wrapped his arms around her, and pressed his ear to her chest, "Thank you… thank you." He repeated mumbled as Christina brought food over to the two of them.
Fiona felt her whole form tense up, before she rubbed his head softly and cautiously, "I'm glad I could save him… honestly." Fiona strangely enough thought about Sally. Fiona didn't care for the chipmunk, and by didn't care, she meant there was a staunch rivalry between the two, even beyond the hedgehog's affection. But she still had a strange, foreign sense of guilt for not being able to save the chipmunk.
Miles began to purr in her arms, before Christina cooed, "How sweet-a. I have food-a for both-a of you."
The two broke their hug and Christina rolled out an orange soup. Miles sat next to Fiona as the Marmot fed the vixen. Fiona groaned again in agitation when Christina once again scooped food into her mouth, "I can raise my own arms, stop it." Fiona commanded.
The Marmot shook her head, "No, Doctor's orders."
Fiona sighed in exasperation as she enjoyed the very fine soup. The girl had natural talent for the culinary arts, that much she was sure of. So Fiona ate the food with Christina's help, and the small fox-boy next to her ate his food. The smell drifted through out the room, seeming to make everything feel just a little bit better.
Then, Sonic stirred.
/*-*/
Johan stood over the men as the rows of artillery were slowly being set up. Johan growled at the sight of the equipment being set up, and covered with branches.
The wolf and otter stood next to Johan, with a small force behind each of them. The Otter looked especially afraid, with his brows being sweaty.
"W-Why are we here? What are we doing? I thought we-" The otter scrambled with his hands shaking at his side.
"Silence," Johan growled and the otter stood in attention, "We will use both of your plans to hinder our enemy. You will use the men you have behind you." He growled, and showed off the thirty men.
The two commanders looked behind themselves, and saw the valiant men who stood ready to serve.
The wolf spoke first, "What… what are we supposed to do with these men? We couldn't take anything with this few of men."
"Yeah… We cant really attack anything with-" The otter tried to confirm the wolf. It was truly beautiful how little it took to unite the two together.
"You are to skirmish the enemy. Do not attempt to break them. Go north and south, and attack their defenses. Do not break through." Johan explained the instructions well, "Return to us after three days."
The two commanders had a look of fear, happiness and courage. The idea of not having to go into a long campaign seemed to banish their first fear, but now they acted as though they were angry and insulted.
"You want us to just, shoot at them? Nothing else." The wolf asked in shock and anger.
"How you fight them is your choice, but attack them without pattern or discipline. Never give them rest. Take any weapons you need, and strike hard." Johan ordered, giving them both a respectful nod. They should not suffer much, and the risk was not great if they were careful, but there was still risk in it.
The Wolf and the otter looked at Johan, fear still filling their eyes. Johan found himself growing angry.
The wolf shook off his fear and stood before Johan, "I'll go and attack them from the forest. Don't expect us to hurt them too much, but we will do what we can."
The otter seemed more fearful, "Surely… you don't expect me to attack from rafts."
"How you fight is your choice as commander, But show some courage, be strong. Your men will need it." Johan growled at the otter, causing the creature to shrink down. He nodded, and scrambled off with towards his men.
Gewis waited behind Johan, watching the whole conversation.
"Why do you antagonize them?" Gewis asked, cocking his head in confusion, and a small amount of doubt.
"I do not antagonize them, I give tell them what needs to happen. They need to learn." Johan growled, turning back to see the artillery being set up.
Their equipment was behind. The men were setting up the artillery or digging a deep trench with reinforcements. Johan kept a close watch over the men.
"Why did you send them out with so little men?" Gewis asked, frowning and tapping his foot on the ground, "They can't hope to do much."
Johan crawled over to the logs and began to lift them, "Those two will do more than you give them expect. They will not take land."
"Then what are they going to do?" Gewis asked, moving over to help press the log against the side of the trench.
"They will attack, and our enemy will believe that we are fighting all where we are not." Johan explained, "We do not need to destroy them, we only need to pull them away from the right battlefield."
"So You want to trick them into moving their defenses away?" Gewis asked, nodding his head as he began to understand and respect Johan's plan in the fullest, "Then we attack them?"
"Yes." Johan answered simply, shoving another log into place.
They continued work, with Sonar coming forward to inform them of their equipment, "We're going to be back, probably in two days. We'll be carrying the rest with us. A few pieces got lost on the journey as well." She sighed towards Johan, as if looking for Johan approval.
"If it is lost, so be it. I would ask that you gather the rest and return to us with our artillery." Johan gave his orders.
Sonar nodded, and gave Gewis a kind wave, which he returned. Finally, Gewis asked Johan, "Are you sure we need that artillery, we have a lot here as it is."
"Parts break, even the best equipment. We need our men fully ready for the coming attack." Johan growled before looking down at the young man before him. The boy prince came along to watch, but not to work, "I must be sure that you are able to carry out the fight, and do what is needed in the coming battle. I will not be by your side to give you commands. You must command your men."
Gewis looked up at his banner, which flew back several feet from the trench that they worked on, "What do I need to do?"
"We will need to cut our enemy, and open the front for the rest of our assaults. I will push north. The south must be dealt with." Johan growled at him.
Gewis nodded slowly, licking his lips, and the smell of fear coming from his body.
Johan growled, "Do not be afraid. I have chosen you for a reason. You will do well. You will command your men well."
Gewis nodded with a smile once again. The boy Prince walked over, and Gewis's fear turned to light anger.
"What are you doing?" The boy finally asked, "I am not seeing a good plan here. We don't have the ability to protect our men and attack at the same time. I'm trying to believe in you-"
"Do not lie!" Johan snarled at the boy.
The boy froze, before sighing, "But I don't see how your plan is going to do anything but cost us lives."
"You will see when the time is right. Then you might understand why you must trust me." Johan growled, growing more annoyed with the boy.
"Enemy sighted! They're launching an attack!" A cry went out from the center of the trench.
Gewis raised his head over the logs and turned around, "WE'RE UNDER ATTACK! PREPARE FOR BATTLE!"
Johan saw the young fox moving to take up positions. He would do well. The coming battle was more a test of his men than himself. The men rushed up to their trenches and leveled their rifles against the wooden enforcements.
The Lanolin called out, "Artillery, get into position to bombard the advance!"
The horse stood up with her, "Prepare to fire at the enemy, aim towards their defenses."
Johan glared at the horse. He was not one to be giving orders. Johan knew about his noble blood, but his arrogance was Johan's first reason for not anointing the horse.
Lanolin turned to look at her officer with a look of shock and lack of understanding coming from her face.
"I'm only proposing that we give our men time to rest between any waves of the assault." The horse offered, before continuing his explanation, " You don't want to waste our ammo and ruin-"
"Fire at the attackers!" Johan barked up at Lanolin. He should not have to helped her, but he would not waste ammo or give the enemy reason to pull more resources to the battle field.
The many artillery operators looked at Lanolin, who nodded, "Fire at the encroaching attackers!"
The crews faced the front line as machines approached with their slow march. The watchers began to shout orders, before several lines fired, launching a bombardment half-way through the field.
The men fired from the rows of wood trenches as the explosions scattered the rows of machines.
Gewis ran down to the trench with his banner raised up, "STAND YOUR GROUND! WE WON'T LOSE!"
He then raised up a rifle and fired into the clusters. Johan felt a strange feeling of uselessness. He did not have a gun to aid them. He turned to grab an artillery piece, picking it up, causing the crew to jump off. He turned around, firing at the marching attackers.
The large cannon lurched against his arm, burning his arm burning from the hot wind blowing back. The shell blew apart the remaining cluster. The direct fire was certainly effective. The army around him continued to fire as the second square of machines approached, with enemy footmen moving up to support the attack.
Their laser rifles began to open fire from craters that were made from the explosions. Johan Loaded a second shell as the casing struck the ground and fired at the large square of machines coming, striking the front row and blasting three rows into the square.
"They're idiots, don't they can't break us!" Gewis shouted with pride, "We held the city when they had more carriers."
He was right, the enemy had only a single flying ship, and it seemed to remain farther back. Still, it was not them being foolish that led to their attack. The opposite was true.
"They are not fools, they know that if we are allowed to entrench ourselves, then they will not be able to move us." Johan growled at his faithful ally, before climbing over the trench. As he did, the large fortifications in the distance, three black rounded towers with a single long barrel and twelve smaller silver rounded towers with two small barrels turned.
Johan aimed his artillery piece at the approaching attacker formation, only to feel the full force of a blast from three larger towers in the distance. His body felt lighter as he drifted upward before landing on his back, feeling a stiffness in his body.
Johan growled as men rushed over to him. He shook himself and stood up, only to see the artillery piece that he had been using to be completely bent. It would take repairs that he could not do to make it useful once again.
"As fun as it would be to watch you slam yourself against those lines, I think we should wait until Sonic is better before we launch any kind of attack." The boy-prince laughed with his advice.
Gewis rushed over and was ready to tend to Johan, "I think Elias is right, we can't get past those towers. No sense in wasting lives…" Gewis struggled to find the right words to say, holding his tongue.
Johan growled, and shook his head, "We can not attack while those towers remain." Johan growled and stood up, "We will continue with the plan."
Gewis and the Prince both looked shocked and angry at those words. Johan stretched and popped his back, panting his bones returned to their rightful place. He actually felt those hits. The pain was amazing.
"I… I guess we'll do it." Gewis grumbled, his confidence abandoning him.
"What? No, as crown prince, I object to this!" The boy prince proclaimed with a shout, "I do not approve of this, and I demand a better order for my peoples' sake!"
"You have no power." Johan stated plainly, "You will not stop my men. If any of these men doubt me, they may leave at any time. But we will win this attack!" Johan heard the sound of another wave of enemy soldiers being deployed.
His men were torn, some rushing over to look at the standing strong Wolverine, while others stayed on the line. Johan growled and shouted, "Gewis, lead your men!"
The fox nodded and ran in front of Johan, "He's fine! Back to the front!" The Fox's men stopped their approach, and nodded, before running back onto the line.
"I must say, Miss Sheep, you do command these men with remarkable aptitude. You are both fair and wise." Johan heard the horse's empty words directed at his general. He turned to see the horse standing without respect or discipline.
Johan turned back to the front and began to crawl over to the trench. It was Lanolin's duty to establish how she would lead. If she would not control her men, then she would pay for it… even if that meant the loss worthy warriors.
Johan could intervene, but Lanolin would not grow as a commander. Then her men would die pointlessly to her failures when she would be needed far away from Johan.
Johan turned to the cock, who was organizing his men quickly to aid in repairs and help in stopping the attackers where ever they approached. He was a capable leader already, even if he struggled with speaking.
"S-Stay down for t-the-ieer barrage!" The cock called out. More lasers fired overhead, and his men took cover, before throwing their hands out at him, with their thumbs sticking up. Before sitting up and firing back at the advancing machine slaves.
The approaching robots were blasted once again with the artillery, scattering the second wave.
The blood filled soldiers scattered against the craters, being left without much support as more machines approach.
This time, the machines split into two brigades which moved across the field.
"Adjust fire to deal with the flanks!" The Horse barked at the artillery crews. There was no argument, and they moved as Johan's own men passed ammo around and ducked down. They had yet to suffer many casualties, with a few lightly wounded, but none dead or incapable.
Another volley came from the artillery, but several overshot, as the split divisions of the Machines crossed the open plains.
"Hold fire!" Lanolin ordered, earning a look from both the Horse and Johan. She was right, they need to save their ammunition, and the large shells would be harder to supply as changes came to their ranks.
The Machine soldiers then, strangely spread out. Johan growled at the change instance. Were they changing their attack pattern? No.
He could see it, under the cover of the walls of steel and aluminum soldiers, the fleshy footmen were running back to their trenches. This was diversion, to pull back the blood that could not be replaced. Johan hated cowardice, but there was a respect he felt towards the enemy commander as he witness their retreat.
The commander was wise enough to spare the blood, and let the worthless machines die for them. The machines did not stop, and Johan watched as one of his men was struck in the face directly by a laser.
He shouted in pain as he collapsed on the ground.
"We need that artillery support!" The Horse growled at Lanolin, immediately. Johan approached his man, a wolf from the freemen, clutching the side of his face which had been burned to bulging skin. Still, He was alive.
Johan growled, "Come, aid him!" Johan barked as the first of the Medic-priests approached.
The wolf howled in pain, clutching his face. The goat and haired-man carried the wolf away, struggling with his thrashing from the simple burns. The patches of pink flesh scalded down with the fur completely burned away showed Johan how much pain the beast was in.
"We should have been firing…" Lanolin's voice sounded like she was lost in thought.
"Ma'am, I did propose that…" The horse offered, puffing up his chest.
Johan barked at the crews, "Hold fire!" She was clearly incapable of giving orders in her shocked state. Johan ran up to her, and struck her face, pulling the punch to not kill her.
Lanolin felled onto the ground and rubbed her cheek.
"Stay in the fight!" Johan barked, "Men will die! Be ready for that!"
Lanolin came to her senses, and rose once again, "Thank you."
"Don't freeze again." Johan growled, before turning back to the front line, and rushing towards the final advancing wave of enemy machines.
The first Machines jumped into the trenches, only for Gewis and a handful of the Hunters from the island war rushed forward with axes and shovels to smash the craven tools.
Johan ran forward and tore into the assaulting enemy lines. They were quickly able to retake the trench entrance, and pushed the machines out. On the other end of the trench, his men held firmly, and kept the machines at bay.
"Stand firm! Fight hard!" Johan barked, and his men shouted in return, showing their fierceness.
Johan also noticed who the most valiant were. The soldiers who had fought by his side from the beginning of his entrance into the war. They were the most courageous… which was why they would be needed for the coming battle plan.
"The Righteous are the first to fall!" Johan shouted, and ran over the trench into the lines of the machines that were continuing their assault. Several of the newer soldiers, in lack of understanding but well-meaning, climbed out of their trenches and rushed towards the lines as well.
Johand crushed through a row, realizing how little their enemies had to work with. Johan's men who followed him ran forward with their rifles, tools and some with rocks , and struck the nearby machines. Their armors worked well, keeping most of them alive and well while they fought.
Johan turned around and struck the attackers from behind, even as they knew of his presence.
The fight was over when the last of the machines were torn to pieces and pulled inside the trench.
Johan felt… a small piece of happiness. He felt a live through the work and effort he did. But the enemies were still weak, and not challenging.
Johan turned and saw the boy-prince walking towards him, ready to complain as was his nature.
"Look at you! You want to send our men up against that! Those defenses, those badniks. None of the people are Sonic, or-" The boy prince complained angrily.
Johan had heard enough, but before he could speak, Gewis spoke up first, as the men dispersed to their resting area, "I've had it with you stupid nobles! He has a plan, What do you have! An entitled desire to be loved by daddy?"
"I've heard enough out of you-" Elias started, raising his finger in an insulting form.
"Don't talk down to me you arrogant prick!" Gewis shouted with rage and grudging fury. Johan cocked his head at this. Gewis was losing his composure. He would need to keep it for the coming fight.
"Shut it you murderous dog!" the boy prince shouted.
Johan growled, "Enough! We have won the battle, I will hear no more of this bickering!" Johan stepped in between two, "Gewis, your defense was done well, you have served honorably." Johan gave his commander a nod.
The fox looked down in respect, with a large smile on his face, "Thank you."
"Gather some food, and rest well." Johan gave the command to his trusted commander, before turning to all the men on the front lines, "All of you, rest well."
The horse who resided with Lanolin approached Johan, "Excuse me, but who will stand watch?" The horse seemed to ask as though he did not think the men were worthy of the rewards of the defense.
"The reserves." The brown bear Johan had chosen spoke, as his men stood in attention, "These weak softies could use some experience on the guard."
His men looked down at their feet, seeming to be tired without having fought in any battle.
Johan gave him a nod, before looking down at the horse, " They will stand watch, and if battle should begin again, we will be here before they arrive."
The horse frowned in anger, but did not challenge Johan.
Johan marched back towards the dug out eating grounds, where he approached Lanolin, "Do not freeze again." Johan growled at her, "You must be calm or fiery when war comes."
"I gave the order to not fire." She sighed, looking as if she were a hopeless sheep.
"STAND UP!" Johan roared at her, and she leapt in fear to her feet, "Enough with your self-pity! You made a Choice, the right one! Men will die, that is certain, we do not hold that truth easy, but it will happen! Let them die valiantly!"
The men around them stared. Johan had destroyed their morale with his shouting. It was a bad decision he had made to be lose his temper. But it was no lie.
"We will all die, but we shout try to make our deaths mean as much as our lives. The Righteous are the first to fall!" Johan roared, raising his fist into the sky.
Johan's men nodded, before eating once again.
Johan walked away from them, and sat in silence. Or that was his hope. The prince could not resist the chance to ruin Johan's isolation.
"What do you need?" Johan growled at the boy.
The prince, who had hidden himself behind a tree stepped forward, "Your plan is suicide. You know anyone who follows it will die."
"I would tell them as such, and they would still follow me." Johan growled, "Yet it will succeed." Johan found no desire to continue arguing with the boy.
"Why?" The squirrel asked angrily, "Why do people follow you so stupidly! There are better ways!"
"There are not. But they do not follow me because I am the best at this war, they follow me because I believe in this war." Johan growled, "They follow me, because they follow me. The do not go before me."
The boy looked confused, and twisted himself, "What? I believe in this war?"
"You do not. You are not there at the front lines. You do not fight for your people, they fight for you." Johan growled, kicking up some dirt, "You offer them nothing, but orders. You must offer something for them to listen to you."
The boy recoiled, and shook his head, "Your plan is too dangerous, find a different route. The forest offers us some cover, the rivers are unexpected. Anything but attacking across an open field."
"How long have these borders held?" Johan growled scratching his ears, partially curious, partially leading.
"Ten… eleven years, changing every so often, but settling on these areas here." Elias stated, running his tongue over his teeth, "Why?"
"It's time the borders change. You have fought to a defensive stand still. I will change that." Johan growled.
The prince froze, and growled once again, "Change your plan, please!"
"It will stay. We will not fail." Johan snapped at the boy. The boy recoiled, and turned around.
Johan was left in silence. The stalemate would break under Johan's fury, or they would be too dead to care.
/*-*/
Alright, That's the last chapter for a little bit. I'm going to finish up the next three and a half chapters, and then post the First Offensive.
Alrighty folks, you know the drill, leave a review and let me know what you thought. Alternative, you can send me a private message, and I'll keep it anonymous if I have to bring it up here. You guys the morale high, and I'll keep writing with passion.