Michael was leading the Guard Cavalry. He had already learned from a messenger sent by the Army Department that the Barbarians had attacked the Temporary Camp where Victor was stationed.
Anxious for Victor's safety, he pushed the Guard Cavalry harder. They would arrive much sooner than expected.
Victor knew the Guard Cavalry would arrive soon, and the fighting at the Temporary Camp was over. He ordered Dane to take his cavalry and join the four thousand riders, most of whom were Border Patrol Cavalry, as quickly as possible. Together, they were to hunt down the Barbarian Cavalry still scattered outside the camp.
Those Barbarian Cavalry still had considerable numbers. If they chose to cause trouble, they could strike the supply stations behind the lines. They had to be eliminated quickly before they could disrupt Two Rivers County's supply lines.
Elsewhere, a thousand Barbarian Cavalry who had fled regrouped under a Legion Commander. But he was in poor condition. Gravely wounded in the fighting at the Temporary Camp, he felt he did not have long to live.
Under the circumstances, the Legion Commander understood that his battered force could no longer carry out its original mission.
He made a risky decision: break up his force and send the riders out in small squads, giving them the best chance of evading pursuit.
He knew his time was short. The other Legion Commanders were either dead or captured, and no one among the remaining Barbarian Cavalry could command the force effectively.
Rather than risk promoting an inexperienced commander, he would have the riders scatter and operate in small groups. That gave them a better chance of survival.
The small groups would also be harder to spot and quick to maneuver. Even a few dozen riders could cause chaos in enemy territory and draw