Sweat ran down her body as Nyah's legs pumped steadily and in rythm with her column as they sprinted alongside the ridges continuing north and slightly west, and not far to her east lay the boarder of the kingdom that the Tebasi had been sent into just a day ahead of them. It had not taken long for her tribe to catch up with them but she could tell the Tebasi had come to much the same conclusion as as the Sebawni: the faster they ran the less likely they were to be caught and slaughtered in the inevitable reprisals once their targets swung their forces around to meet them. Unfortunately she noted that they had long departed in a sharp turn that took them east and dangerously close to large towns and even the kingdoms capital. Not a sign save the well beaten earth and crushed grasses remained but the trail was easy to see after thousands had passed through the area. An infant could follow their trail and only a fool would be unable to deduce where they were headed, she could only pray they ran fast enough to bypass whatever defense their targets threw up before themselves being ground down as the grasses had. Beaten, crushed and smashed into the dry, powdery earth and left to rot.

A sharp call caught their ears and slowing their pace they halted for a moment and the whole formation quickly sat to rest for a moment. Water was quickly sipped at and knees rubbed as they caught their breath before the running would start again, few stops were called for throughout the day and most lasted only mere moments. Just long enough to catch their breath, drink, fish out some rations from their pouches and then the running would start again.

Taking another sip from her water gourd Nyah reached into her ration pouch and removed a small, dry and brittle corn cake. Biting a small piece off she put it back as the call went out to stand and be ready to move again and plugging her water gourd she quickly picked up her arms and readjusted them so she could eat and run at the same time as the rest were doing. Another shout and the column was walking rapidly before slowly picking up their pace to their usual running speed. Biting off another small piece of the dry cake she let it sit in her mouth till it had become a mush before swallowing. Supplies were already becoming a question for them but their supply train had been left far behind and Nyah could not help but wonder if they would ever get caught up with them. Isibuso's overseers were driving the slaves forward mercilessly in an attempt to keep up a pace which was impossible for those carrying heavy sacks of meal and other supplies. It simply could not be done, but neither did it stop them from running the overworked slaves until they dropped dead from exhaustion.

Looking over her shoulder a moment she could see a distant column trying to keep up with them, but their overly luxurious lifestyle from being the chosen favorites of the king and prince had softened them over the years and now showed. Day by day they were falling behind steadily now that they had lost their wind but somehow they were managing to stay within viewing distance.

Nyah caught a glimse of Khada running rapidly down the column until he was beside her, taking a quick look back at Isibuso's column he looked at her questioningly.

"Isibuso keeping up, we lose him in time." Nyah gave a small wave with one hand.

"He barely keep up, already left slaves and supply behind to keep up with us. That why he not day behind now. Lose him sooner than you think, they tired and at days end not able to move much, soon they not able to move at all."

"Week?" Nyah took a quick look back but the distance was too far for her to make out details in the prince's column. "Sooner maybe?"

"Sooner. Must go far first though, get at least two maybe three day ahead then rest one day and run gain. Make Isibuso spend all time running without rest."

"They never catch up."

"Catch up yes, take time though. We required stop and raid, that mean waiting sometimes but then we run again. First we get far enough though, then conserve energy hm?"

Nyah nodded. "Supply become problem though..."

"We survive on less before and make do, pass border of them-" Khada pointed east with his iklwa. "Before we think of forage or raid for food. Not want them catching us at night or blocking way, Isibuso only make us attack so we run till safe."

"Never safe, pass them then we anger whoever that way." Nyah nodded into the distance.

"Maybe, but not anger if they not know we there. Raid carefully, let Isibuso waste time while we follow set path. But forget supply, he not let us have any anyway. Running dead not need food, only keep running and filling his belly. Also much doubt any slaves survive run now so he starve to now and that good for us."

"How?!" Nyah glared at Khada. "He take all our food then!"

Her father wheezed out a laugh. "Not if we eat it first and stay far ahead so he not there to take it."

"Oh..."

Rounding the bend of the long ridge they had been following and entering a much more open, spacious and flat grassland Khada and Nyah's eyes scanned quickly before shifting to their right where their focus suddenly locked as did many other sets of eyes. Little dots could be seen scattered out over a large area as they staggered down a ridge and continued south west, some were running towards the vast, open field while others staggered or limped on-wards blindly. In the fields ahead a few small warbands had formed in scattered clusters and jumped to their hooves the moment they realized they had spectators. Khada yelled a command and raised his weapon slowly before moving it down again even more slowly. Slowing their pace the column nearly came to a halt as they all stared in confusion at their surroundings until the pace became a crawl.

"Nyah, go now and find out who they are."

Nodding Nyah yanked a few from her column and they raced ahead while the rest of the column threw out a few companies just in case of ambush. Closing the gap quickly a runner came from one of the warbands and coming to a halt not far from the safety of their small number they waited.

Looking back to the east Nyah could see more coming but they to were scattered badly. "That way Tebasi be..."

Slowing even more until they could make out the garb and weapons of the lone figure Nyah quickly became worried when she recognized them as Tebasi. Holding her arms out she slowed the pace until they walked the final distance to the Tebasi runner, no words were exchanged as they simply stared at each other blankly for such a long moment in confusion and worry that Nyah did not notice her fathers arrival.

"Who you?" Khada gave Nyah a small pat and gentle shove to snap her out of it as she continued to gape at the bleeding stallion.

"Yama, Tebasi, you... Sebanwi?"

"Yes, where chiefs?"

"Dead."

Khada looked around the field before nodding. "Who lead you?"

"Hisa, small chief, but only one who live."

"Where other group who follow you?"

He shrugged. "Run other way and south? Not know. Many, many die."

Nyah leaned towards her father and nodded at the far ridges. "Very, very bad. Maybe they come here now?"

"Take us to Hisa, now." Khada waited until the stallion turned and walked away before holding a hand up to his daughters mouth before following.

Following them to a small cluster of wounded and those still standing Khada looked them overly quickly as Yama spoke with a mare adorned in the garb of a very minor chieftain. He waited as they spoke and when she finally limped over they looked each other over quickly before Hisa bowed quickly so she would not fall down from her injuries and exhaustion.

"What happen? Where rest of Tebasi?"

"Dead, dying, running. Not know, only know those here. Other tribe same, not know, they first to run but too late. They waiting on us and make big, big ambush near village that way and north. Day ago."

"They follow?"

"Not yet."

Nyah looked at the stragglers in the distance again. "How they win so easy? Not run and escape?"

Hisa almost snarled at Nyah but held her tongue before speaking in a slow and deeply hostile tone as she watched Isibuso's column continue to get closer.

A group of chieftains stood at the front of their column watching the distant village with some worry but their greatest concern was for the other larger group which in turn studied them. They were under constant surveillance by their overseers and this being the third location to fall into their sights meant it to must be raided less the others be angered, an act that would result in not just a bloody battle here but a bloodbath farther away at home. Hisa was silent, her station was so lowly that she was forbidden from speaking unless directly addressed but there was something not quite right with the village. It was not only the first true village to be raided compared to their last two acts of savagery, they were but tiny hamlets with barely a hundred souls. Now however, there was something more desirable ahead, a true target, something worth the effort of sacking. This village was exactly what their overseers had been looking for: a village that had no palisade, garrison or watch towers. It sat like a ripe melon waiting to be plucked and the large granary buildings were far too enticing and could not be ignored.

Villagers worked the fields quietly while others milled about with their daily chores but it was too good to be true, or was it? The advance had been quite rapid without any word getting out let alone a single runner escaping their grasp so why would anyone be aware of their location or direction of travel? Hisa looked at the others who stared off with furrowed brows, were they worried or concerned? It was no secret that their tribe was on the verge of open revolt against their king Sibusiso but how far could they be pushed?

"We attack." Their leader pointed at the village and motioned a path of travel. "Strike quick, keep going that way."

Hisa listened as the plan was drawn up quickly, the village was an easy target nestled in between two close ridges and was strung out in a long, winding line. It would be of little issue to simply run the gauntlet and capture them before moving on with haste so that as planned, their overseers would get stuck with the extra baggage. She hoped the Sebanwi had come to the same conclusion but they had the greatest misfortune of all: Isibuso himself was following them. Once the plan was finished and agreed upon by the other higher ranking chieftains she was quickly motioned off, she knew what to do with her tiny group of worn out, burned out and exhausted soldiers. Too many campaigns had reduced their already feeble numbers to a small handful that was not worth mentioning, but she was still allowed to be present at the meetings. However, it was only out of acknowledgement of her now insignificant rank.

Looking at her tiny band and nodding at them they stood up without a word and joined the larger formation to wait on the order to charge. It was straight forward enough, plow right down the middle of the unprotected and narrow valley, charge straight through the village and subdue anyone who resisted, grab whatever food they could in passing so they did not starve and then just keep going. A standard smash and grab they had become all too familiar with while serving under the command of just about every two bit crook, tyrant, king, queen and petty chieftain who had the money to bribe Sibusiso into loaning them out for "just one more" act of terrorism against some poor, unsuspecting local who had angered someone with deeper coin pouches.

A silent wave was given and the column began sprinting forward quietly and out of the dense scrub brush that protected and shielded the village almost entirely from view, a boon that had allowed them to get close without being seen. Pace picking up she could hear distant shouts of alarm and knew that the front of the column had now been seen pouring out of the brush, no doubt the villagers were running for their lives to seek shelter in their homes.

"As if that make a difference..."

Bursting out and into the sunlight she could just see over the heads of those running far ahead and some of the taller buildings, to the left and right battalions had been thrown out like wings to drive their enemy forward and into the village center. It was a new tactic compared to the old bull horn deployment but it served well in such cramped quarters where there was no room for them due to the dense foliage of the area. Any who ran from the wall of advancing Tebasi would be rounded up anyway when the skirmishers were sent out through the bush to round them up.

Racing across the fields of unripened crops she looked down now and then to avoid tripping on the small yam mounds and felt worried, there would be no crops ripe for quite some time and if this kept up they would die of starvation long before reaching their intended targets; whatever, wherever and whomever they were. Running hard to keep up since there was nothing else to do as the forces ahead of them were already beginning to pillage the closest huts and houses she plodded along and waited for the moment the call to slow their pace would be given.

Running past the houses and through the streets there was an eerie quiet to everything and as Hisa looked around she felt confused. Groups here and there were battering against the doors of the larger adobe houses in an attempt to open them without any success while others tried to pry off the heavily sealed windows. Short of the sound of their own thumping hooves and the attempts to force entry the air was dead silent. No screaming, no panic, fear, nothing. None of the villagers had continued to run screaming and glancing around quickly as they passed more houses there was no sign of any villagers having been captured in the streets either. No prisoners, no foals, no spilled baskets in the streets or wagons left out. Everything was perfectly clean and orderly. It was like they had simply stopped whatever they were doing, walked inside the nearest building and slammed the door shut without so much as a single ounce of panic.

"Yama, you see anyone? Hear anything?"

The stallion beside her looked around as they ran and flicked his ears back and forth before shaking his head. "Nothing chief."

"No foal crying?"

"No..." Yama looked at her strangely before his ears began pinning back.

A lump formed in Hisa's throat as her warband began looking around in growing panic as they continued to blindly rush forward. They had already passed through the village center where groups were attempting to force entry into the granaries with no luck and looking up at the two story adobe houses she began frantically looking from one sealed window to another waiting for something to appear.

"Run faster!"

Hisa motioned her group forward hoping that if they could get far enough out of the village they might be able to get clear of the bad feeling that was welling up inside her, the lump in her throat growing until it threatened her breathing. A portion of the column had already begun to depart the village and their great following of loyalist overseers had passed into the fields when a distant shout just barely graced their ears.

"Loose!"

A low whistling sound filled the air. She knew exactly what it was, they all did. They had heard the sound too many times to count and were used to it, except for now. Now it was the most horrible sound to ever fill her ears as their ears splayed back and her teeth ground hard, lifting their shields instinctively they watched as the others who had not caught on or had failed to pay attention were struck.

Arrows rained into their ranks like a dense rain made of iron and wood felling zebra's left and right, to her front one took an arrow in the neck and fell down screaming in pain but no sooner had the first volley ended than a new one was let loose upon them from another direction. To her right an old friend was struck with and an arrow from behind felling him forward like a sack of meal as he fell dead. Looking back quickly she could see figures looking out of the adobe building windows, notching arrows and letting them fly but the majority of the arrows striking into the forward battalions were coming from both left and right.

Grabbing Yama as he stumbled over a body she pointed to the open road ahead. "Run! Run or die!"

Her words died in her mouth though as ranks of spearmen raced across the road from the dense brush trees and after forming up in tight ranks began a slow advance with ranks of dense spears at the ready. Looking around frantically she listened to the other chieftains shout out orders to throw out the horns and attack but no sooner had the order been given than it was rescinded as their flanks were enveloped slowly by other formations. Just as they had hid in the brush to attack the village, so had their foe, but they had waited until they had scattered their ranks in the village thus losing their formations, but also entrapping the entire column before springing the trap.

Taking one more look forward and knowing better while still holding Yama by the arm Hisa yanked him back around and towards the village. From the corner of her eyes she could see the ranks on their flanks were a mottly gathering of peasant levy but they were well armed and coordinated.

"Find shelter where can! Look for gap so we run!"

"Others that way! They no let us run!" Ijya was running hard despite an arrow sticking out of his hip.

"They too busy dying now! They no care!" Yama grabbed him pulled him along.

Hisa motioned her little band to a shelter from the storm, a low hanging roof on a single story adobe building that was surrounded by the dead, dying and those trying to reform their units. Pushing them in and doing a quick headcount one was missing but after looking at Ijya he shook his head and motioned, they were dead. A groaning sound caught her ears and falling flat on the ground an arrow snapped overhead, fired from a tiny window slit above and behind her. It struck a chieftain who was standing in the street shouting orders and Hisa watched him stagger before another and then another arrow struck him till he lay dead in the street.

Yama grabbed her and drug her into a more sheltered location that was clear of any windows and they watched as the pandemonium continued. From the flanks ranks of levy plowed into them, forcing them into a smaller and smaller area while archers hidden in the brush fired wave after wave of arrows at any group that appeared to be more organized than the unruly mobs which now reigned. Any group that began to form up was immediately struck by a volley of arrows not from their front, but by a group of archers firing from behind at their unprotected backs. Hisa and her band watched the horrible effectiveness of their volleys before finally looking back the way they had come.

"It only way out." Hisa pointed with her iklwa.

"They closing it." Yama pointed to the already deeply embattled column that had followed them, they to were now slowly being pushed across the fields and into the village by what looked like a more heavily armed and dressed force than the mismatched levys which had halted their advance. Time was running out.

Hisa looked around frantically for any other ways out but the noose was being tightened rapidly. A group of soldiers ran past before a few collapsed dead or howling in pain from their newly acquired wounds just in front of them. Grabbing a few extra spears she passed them out quickly before looking at Ijya.

"Hold him."

The others grabbed him and held Ijya down as Hisa grasped the arrow shaft embedded in his hip, and with a sharp yank the shaft came out but the arrowhead was still inside. Without a word she used the sharp end of a small knife to cut the wound open a little until she could just grab the arrowhead and with a sharp yank pulled it free while the others held his thrashing and howling form down. Tossing it aside and ripping part of his meager clothing off she pushed it against the open wound hard before motioning them to stand him up.

"Run and throw! No stop! Run, run with all speed before gaps closed. No stay with bigger groups, stay away from! They shoot if they see group! Go! Now!"

Waiting until the others had gone she grabbed Ijya and helping to keep him on his hooves the two began a limping run down the street after the others and towards a gap in the enemy lines. Holes existed in their lines as they clearly lacked the numbers for a proper encirclement but they had made up for it with the element of surprise and coordination. This battle had been planned well in advance, they knew exactly when and where they would be giving them quite an edge which was being exploited to best of their ability but even then it was not perfect.

Here and there small groups darted out of the net that had ensnared the Tebasi and their tormentors alike but it was not enough. Most had been caught exactly where they needed to be for maximum effect and even though the overseers were not in the middle of the ambush they were suffering badly. Almost surrounded they were hemmed in and unable to move or deploy from their state of a trapped column and were being slowly stabbed to death from three sides. As they limped along she continued to stare and could not make out any remaining chieftains and reaching up she yanked her feather and fur bands off violently and threw them to the ground.

"Chief?" Ijya let out a grunt as he limped.

"That why they have archer in houses, know to shoot for chief."

"Lucky you not important one with many, many feather and fur yes?"

"Maybe lucky but not lucky if we not escape!"

An arrow tore through Hisa's shields' thin membrane and almost nicked her arm and looking to her left let go of Ijya, before passing a spare spear to her hand. She launched it towards a window violently before throwing another in quick succession before grabbing him again and continued to assist him in limp away. Now and then an arrow would pitter here or there, pass them wildly as it was aimed at someone else but the farther from the village they got the less there were. They were too far for effective fire and not worth a volley. Moving across the yam and garbanzo bean fields the two fervently looked around them waiting to be caught but nothing happened. Everyone was too busy elsewhere either trying to organize themselves to make a stand, running for their lives or still embattled with their attackers. Those scattered runners fleeing the field were of little to no consequence in the minds of their enemy and as she watched what was happening to her left it made a sick kind of sense.

The bulk of the two forces had been caught and contained in their own little areas, unable to go forward or back, deploy or organize themselves properly. Gaps were being created as greater focus was given on the larger groups but it was a matter of numbers. If the overwhelming majority were contained and wiped out then a handful trying to run for their lives made little difference in the long run, this was not a bandit army but two proper forces being unleashed against each other. They knew that if these mercenary invaders were put down violently they would not bother to return, there would be no profit in it. But neither would it matter because there would not be enough of them left alive to make a difference if the tide of battle stayed as it was.

The Tebasi had the initiative at first but it was a ruse and she knew it, they had been duped. Now it had passed to the enemy and they were unrelenting in their drive to exterminate them one and all. Only a cursory glance was needed to prove this was the ranks of the overseers broke and tried to scatter only to be hemmed in again and cut down without mercy.

There was no interest in taking prisoners today.

Looking back over their shoulders as they nearest the bush line Hisa glanced back and watched for a moment as their foe quickly reorganized a formation of spears and then charged hard into the backs of the overseers as they attempted to flee. They were few, but it only took a few due to the utter panic that had spread. It was not just a defeat, it was an utter route. As they neared the scraggly bush, Yama popped from the bush and grabbed Ijya quickly and helped her get him to cover where they took just a moment to breath and check their wounds.

Hisa looked around at the tiny group worried. "Where others?!"

Yama shook his head. "Not make it. Suvutu take arrow to back in field, dead. Misitua not so lucky, she too close to enemy and one stab her with spear as run. Die very badly. Not know about rest but Reha know and say they not make it."

"We keep running, help carry Ijya, he no run now. Grab arm and legs. We go!"

Taking an arm or leg each they hoisted the injured stallion and began running for their lives through the brush as the sounds of the dying echoed in the air but ever fading as there were fewer and fewer of them.

"That day ago, at least." Hisa finished scrawling a little map in the dirt as Khada and Nyah watched.

"How they know?" Nyah stared.

"Think about that much, very much. All night." Hisa glared at Isibuso's column as it got ever closer. "Isibuso braggart, like to talk too much. Merchant come to camp one day and is "old friend" of Isibuso. Always bring wine, gold and fancy, shiny things for Sibusiso. Think he talk to much."

"Spies." Khada nodded grimly. "Why you not have plan to escape and run?"

"I have plan to escape and run, but not know why others not. Not expect them to ambush us so well? Not know... Too late, not matter now though but if see merchant again cut tongue out."

Khada looked at his daughter and shrugged. "True... No matter now. But also too late for you to keep running. Should have run at least day more so Isibuso not find you, that way he think you all dead."

"Not know you come this way or would have, too late to run though and can no more run. Many wounded. Not enough to carry."

Khada looked at the various bands of wounded scattered around the field and nodded. "Still, you should have run away yes? Better than being caught by Isibuso."

Panting slightly Isibuso jogged up to the gathering with a small force in tow, without asking what had happened he waved his arm out at the scattered forms.

"Gather them all, now!" Isibuso glared at Hisa. "You not suppose to be here! Suppose to be east and raiding!"

"They defeat us! We all that left!" Hisa snarled. "Even precious "loyal" tribe gone! First to try and run away!"

"Have permission to run! You not!"

Khada flinched a little inside, it was already well understood it was a death march but now he had openly said so without hesitation and as he looked at the furious stallion he knew why he was so irate: Isibuso was not angry that the Tebasi had been crushed but that any had survived.

"You, Khada, round them up into field and hurry! They all go back!"

Hisa, Khada an Nyah stared in disbelief before Khada opened his mouth. "Send back? Better they go with us, more of us that way and do more raid-"

Isibuso raised his iklwa threateningly and his bodyguards did the same. Nearby his column rapidly spun on the Sebanwi with their weapons at the ready.

"You do as told! Gather and send back!"

"They all die."

"You all die if not send them back! Do as told!" Isibuso screamed at Khada as his eyes bulged out.

Khada stared at Hisa who exchanged looks with him before giving a small nod. There was no doubt in their minds that in a standing fight the Sebanwi would win the battle without much struggle but would ultimately lose the war when the repercussions of their actions took full effect.

Hisa raised a hand in defeat. "We go then."

"Good!" Isibuso did not smile but continued to look bug eyed at them. "Not worry though, some of other tribe survive, join us on way here so you watched good. Make certain you fight and raid good this time."

"That make enemy come after us-... You now." Khada stared blankly at Isibuso who swung on him quickly causing him to step back a little.

"Then you fight and we loot them."

"Army not have loot."

"Army have gold and silver, paid with shiny coin."

"This close? No, they no bother with that here, they expect loot us and take with them." Khada gave a small glare at Hisa to keep her story to herself.

"If kill them then no army to stop raid of kingdom!"

"That not their army, that tiny group of bigger army that not here yet." Khada stared at him blankly and quietly. "You fool, lets see just how big a fool."

Isibuso stared at Khada a moment. "What you mean?"

"Hisa tell us how many, that not army, that "small" group. They send what need to destroy Tebasi and other but suspect they have more waiting if we go. Not stupid, knew they coming and if ambush us then..." Khada gave Isibuso a grim smile. "Already know now that you here."

Isibuso's eyes went from that of an enraged bug to a worried, gaping rodent caught in a trap. "They go anyway."

Khada shrugged as Hisa looked at the various groups again. "We not make it."

"Good!" Isibuso leered at her as another group approached. "They make certain you go and no run again! But maybe Khada right... So rest of loyal tribe stay with me."

Nyah gave her father a quick glare but a quick flick of his tail made her remain silent. "As you command great prince. We wait for you to gather all those you call most loyal or we go now?"

Isibuso looked back. "Wait, then go."

"Wait and maybe they come for us? Battle not long ago, they will coming."

"We run faster!"

"They no need to out run us, they wait on us and kill if we no go soon."

Khada kept a straight face as Isibuso looked around confused, he had a very minor conundrum laced with lies and truth to address and the result was telling as the loud mouthed prince tried to figure out what to do. If they stayed then perhaps the enemy would set up a new ambush and destroy them including him, but then again he would have more loyal followers to call upon. However, if they ran now then there would be less and the status quo would remain much the same. Keeping his face clear of emotion Khada waited for Isibuso to choose the obvious option: his own hide.

"We go. Now."

"Then we go..." Khada nodded.

"First they go!" Isibuso pointed his spear at Hisa.

Already the various groups were being herder together into a small mass by the surviving loyalists and waiting quietly until the simple task was done; Khada stared at the severly reduced numbers before looking at Isibuso expectantly.

"Now they go!" Isibuso waved them off but Hisa stopped him and pointed.

"Wounded not able to run, remain here while we go."

Isibuso looked over the wounded both standing and laying before singling out a stallion, pointing at him he beckoned the stallion over while whispering something into the ear of one of his officers who ran back to the main column.

"You, able to run?"

Ijya shook his head. "Walk maybe, no run. But Hisa go, I go."

Isibuso nodded. "Yes. But if no run, no useful."

With a quick stab Isibuso drove the tip of his iklwa into Ijya's stomach before making a few more quick thrusts, coughing out blood the stallion collapsed to the ground and curled up on himself holding his stomach before letting out a howl of pain.

"Now you run faster! Less wounded to slow you down!"

Khada opened his mouth ready to order an attack but slammed his mouth shut, the officer Isibuso had talked to had prepared the main column to attack and before he could even order the attack they would get the jump on them thanks to a small group of loyalist survivors who had been added to Isibuso's ranks and now stood on a flank. Hisa however let out a howl of rage and threw herself at Isibuso along with Yama, a guard blocked her first strike against the prince but instead took it upon himself as it pierced his side and felled him.

Grabbing his daughter and gripping her arm so hard she winced in pain Khada watched as there was nothing he could do, if they aided Hisa it would mean death far beyond the scope and scale of the immediate.

"Help them maybe win, yes win... Lose war though, lose tribe..."

Nyah struggled against his grip and Khada tightened it knowing well what the ultimate outcome of the war would be. Hisa however, did not care and he could tell by the way her tiny group of followers tied into Isibuso's guards with a reckless vengeance. Kicking, biting, stabbing and punching they cut down the guards but Isibuso was not a fool and was always protected by far more than what was considered "normal."

Yama and another stallion brought down five before being stabbed to death and as Hisa's numbers dwindled the rest of the guards surrounded them and pushed in quickly from all sides stabbing furiously. Only one emerged from the mass bleeding profusely and she stabbed a guard in the side and pushed him away before making a direct run at Isibuso who panicked and almost turned to flee before Hisa was battered to the ground from behind. Stab after stab was delivered to her body as she continued to swing but the swings became feeble and random as greater amounts of blood gushed from her many wounds.

Hisa's last act was to bite a stallion on the leg so hard he fell before stabbing him in the leg and twisting violently, but even as the last spark of life left her body they were unable to pry her off. Khada and Nyah watched as the stallion bled to death from the leg slowly as the other elite guards tried everything to remove her before finally succeeding after extreme effort, but by the time they had freed their compatriot he had bled to death from a gushing wound that bit deeply into his inside leg. Walking up to her limp form Isibuso stared at Hisa's corpse before looking back at his own losses and finally to the rest of the onlookers.

"This ones family now pays price! They all die! You go and raid, then family not pay price! Go!"

They watched as those able to move tried their best to walk, limp or jog in the direction they had come from while a tiny few overseers watched quietly from the side. Those unable to move were quickly put to death along with anyone who could not keep up, some put up a fight but the rest had resigned themselves to their fates. Nyah watched a moment before slapping her fathers hand away so hard he grimaced in pain but he kept his eyes locked straight ahead as an idea formed.

"Great prince Isibuso... This was their only chief, now they have no leader and unable to raid so well... Maybe I send one of mine with them so they fight better."

Nyah glared and growled quietly. "What you doing!?"

"Saving who I can."

Isibuso looked at the mob as it staggered away before looking at Khada. "Send that one, Nyah."

"Nyah important in raid, very good raider... This group led by lowly chief, so I send lowly chief to show them how to be loyal."

"Sebanwi not loyal!"

"Give us chance to prove we very loyal, never give reason to doubt before..." Khada called out a name and waited before presenting a younger stallion. "This one lead them, take that ones place."

Isibuso looked back and forth quickly before losing interest and waved them off. "Now you scared and try to save self? No care. Not work. He go."

Khada held back a sigh of relief as Isibuso began pacing around Hisa's corpse like a buzzard and grabbing the stallion he yanked him close. "Lead them but take two best runners, send away to kill Isibuso's runner when he send them tonight, runner must never reach home alive! Take rest of Tebasi and put up fake show, waste a few days... Lose others quickly if he have any follow and then make way back home but not before bring enemy down on them. Lead them into trap quickly and run! Sell them to enemy if must! But get away quickly and hide selves, not in Tebasi camp! Go to Sebanwi and tell them to treat them as Sebanwi and not Tebasi till come home! Anyone open mouth slit throat! No speak of this ever again! Go!"

Giving the stallion a violent shove he watched him race back to the column and picking two others they watched as he ran to get caught up with the band of doomed stragglers. Nyah stared at her father with rage in her eyes as he tried to placate her a little with a small wave of his hand. The two watched Isibuso for a moment as he stood upright, nodded at Hisa's corpse and after speaking a few words walked away. Nyah's stomach churned in disgust and anger as the guards crudely cut off the heads of the dead and collecting a few shields and spears planted them in the ground firmly before mounting the severed heads with Hisa's being the first in the row. Her body was drug in front of the column along with the others and left to block their path while Isibuso raised his voice loud and clearly.

"We go now."

Khada nodded and knowing what was expected of them held down his bile and raising his arm signaled the column forward. There was great hesitation at first as they began running over the corpses and past the gristly totems while Isibuso shouted out a warning that thus was the fate of all who dared to challenge him. Nyah stood beside him gripping her iklwa so hard he could hear her knuckles popping or perhaps the wood but he could see her fingers digging into her hand deeply as he motioned her off and began running alongside the column.

"Nyah, we out numbered now. They tired but not that tired, not foolish, not run to exhaust-"

"You saw what he do!"

"Yes but he also give us great chance to do something else, now he have more than us, any enemy attack while we scatter to raid..."

"They go for bigger force."

"Now he even bigger, maybe not enough because so few live... But seen more easy. We need scatter soon to "raid" large area and now he be target, maybe. Greater chance now."

"He say other tribe find him... Not many survive though so it not help."

"Maybe, but no matter now. Important we get farther ahead sooner now, watch for ambush. Not think they come after us but maybe yes so careful. Soon we beyond them and then follow plan yes?"

Nyah nodded. "As you command. Chieftain."

Khada twitched a little at the way she said four simple words but there was nothing they could do, or was there? Maybe he had missed an opportunity? It would not be the first time he had failed to catch one but there was always something else, always something that held him back. The timing was always not quite perfect, someone was watching or the means were just not optimal for the attempt, it was always too big of a gamble. But today he had, a bet was placed on the table that could easily get himself and his daughter killed in ways worse than how Hisa and her band had died. Was it worth it? They were not his own and it was easier to just let them go off to die but they to were dead in their own right so how could it be wrong for the damned to the help the doomed?

He had no idea what to do, their plan was still viable and even more so now that so much doubt had begun to fester in Isibuso's mind, he was already paranoid but todays little display and unwelcome thoughts of an enemy outsmarting a fly had bored a hole in him. With enough doubt mistakes would happen, anger would boil over and so long as they stayed far enough ahead they just might be able to bring the world crashing down on him or at least give it a fair chance.

But there was one thing Khada knew above all else as he ran beside the column ahead of his daughter so he did not have to look at her.

For the first time in his life he felt utterly ashamed of himself.

Author's Notes:

There you have it, chapter 71. Enjoy? Donate a buck on patreon.

This one took some time and doing as I wanted to add features and make it a more "personal" struggle on two ends by giving one side features, names and character rather than just say "and then they died like striped smurfs in a blender." So yes, I wrote a cast of characters and then butchered them all immediately. Hopefully it made the chapter more convincing and colorful. Also, it is hopefully unique in that you get to see a battle from the LOSING sides perspective as it unfolds. Oh and for those wondering about the houses: fortified with a few marksmen (skilled archers) to pick off the colorfully and frilly dressed chieftains. Worth it? Realistic given the circumstances? Anyway, thats all for now.