Two Weeks after the Battle of the Crystal Empire
PERSPECTIVE-Pvt. John Baker, 1'st Battalion, Third Marines
Evenwel Forest, Caribou Heartland
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I slung my rifle over my shoulder as we continued to walk along our patrol route. Ever since the Crystal Empire, the Caribou had all but packed up and headed back to their homeland, leaving burning fields and dead bodies in their wake.

"Damn!" I swore as I stumbled over a tree root, causing Paul to laugh.

"Quiet!" Lt. Carlson said. "They could be anywhere, so stay sharp!"

"Like those fucking deer can do anything!" a new recruit said. "I've heard they fucking ran when they saw the soviets!"

"They had more tanks." I said. "We didn't have as many."

The recruit shrugged.

"Wait, what's that?" Paul said, raising his BAR-M2. I was about to ask what "That" was, when I heard it. A rustling sound of leaves being tread upon. Before I could react, a dark brown, blurred shape rushed out and lunged towards Paul. Thinking quickly, I fired my entire cartridge into the blur. As I helped Paul up, I recognized the thing was a Caribou. Only, Caribou weren't covered in glowing red markings, shaped like lines and circles.

"Shit." Lt. Carlson said. "Form up...DAMMIT!"

As he swore, the caribou came from all around us, like a swarm of locusts. The gunfire began immediately, and Carlson immediately ordered Straker to mow them down as best he could. I dragged Paul behind a boulder, and I opened fire. Paul nodded and started shooting, and the rest of the patrol quickly took up defensive positions.

"Perez! Get on the fucking radio!" Carlson cried. "Get backup here, now!"

"Roger that!" Our radioman replied, as he was occupied with shooting a warrior that had him pinned. After seven minutes, the Caribou retreated, leaving us with less ammo and a whole lot of questions.

"Where'd they come from?" Paul asked.

"I've got smoke in the distance." Straker said.

"Let's go." Carlson said. We broke from the stone path and headed towards the smoke. Then, we saw a startling sight. A village, walled with wooden posts. Then, I saw a small Caribou, a child by the looks of it, peer over the gate. He the vanished.

"What's going on?" Paul asked. Then, the gates were pushed open.

"Seems we've been invited in." Carlson said. "Weapons down, marines."

As we walked into the village, we saw firsthand what Dainn's rule had done.

"Hey, Lieutenant." The recruit whispered.

"I know, kid. There's no men. Just women and children." Carlson said. As we approached the village center, we found the source of the smoke. A bonfire, upon which four small pheasants were roasting. Nearby were three small baskets full of corn. Other than that, not a crumb of food to be seen.

"There's barely enough for one guy here." I whispered.

"Let alone a goddamn village." Paul whispered back.

"So, the Iron liberators come."

We turned to see an elderly Caribou, crutching a walking stick, stride forward.

"You're the chief here?" Carlson asked.

"Aye. I am Trevas." the old caribou said. "And I wish we had something to offer you."

"Offer us? We like, gods or something?" Paul asked.

"To many caribou, yes." Trevas replied. "They see you as our liberation from the yoke of the tyrant king. For Dainn has seen only to conquest, not one ounce of pity for his home. Food taken, by force if needed. No seeds for the winter harvest. Our males taken to serve his army and females kidnapped for the harems of the capital. No medicine to heal wounds. In you, we see more than gods."

He looked Carlson right in the eye.

"We see hope for the future." Trevas said. "We starve here while the king conquers afar."

Carlson gave a grave nod.

"Perez?"

"Yessir?"

"Get me on the line with Col. Raybourn."

"Yessir."

I raised my eyebrows. Col. Raybourn was in charge of the supplies back at the forward base.

"Sir? Yes, Col. There's a reason I called you. I need a supply drop on our location. Food, water, medicine. Sir, we're in a village full of starving women and children. They don't have enough to survive Sir, I know that. Sir, will all due respect, they need it more than us. Sir, I know that...thank you, sir....Yessir."

Carlson looked at the old caribou.

"You won't starve on my watch, old man. I've got a supply drop incoming, with enough food, water, and meds to get you through this war. It should be here in five minutes or so."

Trevas nodded, and kneeled before Carlson.

"Thank you." he whispered. "Our gratitude cannot be enough to repay you."

Carlson sat down in front of him.

"I won't ask for anything in return. I do have a question, though. We fought some warriors near here, and they were covered in red symbols. Know anything?"

"I do recognize that." Trevas said. "The Bloodrave. A ritual that sends the warrior into a blind rage, forsaking all bonds of friend and foe, and instilling an irresistible urge to kill. It is painful, truly painful."

"I see." Carlson said. "There's the drop."

Carlson threw a purple smoke grenade, marking the drop point. Then, we heard the familiar sound of a C-49 Deliverer plane flying overhead. Three chutes descended from the sky, and a pile of supplies hit the ground. We cut the ropes and began to unload the supplies. I beckoned a few Caribou over, and opened a box. At the sight of the dried beef and wrapped bread inside, their eyes lit up. I nodded to them, and they tore into it, not rapid and furious, but they were slow. Methodical, peeling off the wrappings and eating as if they hadn't in days, yet the food was made of gold. I stood up and walked back over to my squad, who was explaining to Trevas how to use a Penicillin shot.

"And make sure to clean the area before injecting the shot." James, our medic said.

"Understood. We thank you, my village thanks you." Trevas said. "This shall keep us feed for years."

"Don't mention it." Carlson said. "Men, saddle up! We've got to get back to patrol!"

As we headed back to the gate, I saw Trevas wipe a tear out of his eye before waving goodbye. Next Chapter: Chapter 8-Battle for the Gate Estimated time remaining: 6 Minutes