Blockade of the Valley Entrance

The purple sunset turned red, and the green mouth of the valley was dyed full of blood. Three thousand tribal folk like Grass Rats faced two thousand Imperial Guards like tigers and leopards head-on along the rolling pass.

Beneath Black Wolf's banner, the Imperial Guard warriors formed a battle line, taking turns to swing their war clubs, chopping powerfully at the enemy's heads, necks, chests, and bellies. The Dog-kin tribesmen fell like cornstalks, splashing out great sprays of life. The tribesmen's formation was loose, their morale low, and they lacked experience in war; in a pitched battle, they were almost no threat at all. They thrust out Stone Spears, leaving only shallow rents in the warriors' Cotton Armor, then were immediately cut down by the vicious war clubs. The hurried sounds of slaughter came on the wind, and soon turned into dying wails and terrified screams.

After only a short while of fighting, more than three hundred Dog-kin had fallen. The tribesmen's formation swelled outward like a balloon, collapsing into utter disorder, with men constantly turning to flee. Over a thousand Red Fox warriors held the rear, mercilessly firing Bone Arrows to drive the fearful, retreating tribesmen back to the front line. Then, from forty or fifty paces away, they loosed volley after volley of arrow rain, doing their utmost to harry the warriors' battle formation.

"Charge with me!"

Bertad watched the Red Fox warriors holding the line for a moment, then personally led three hundred Jaguar Warriors in an assault, crashing into the enemy ranks!

The Captain of Warriors moved with a vigorous stride and agile motion, without the slightest flourish, striking straight and true at vital points. He lightly swung his war club, slicing across one Dog-kin's neck, then swept out horizontally and split another Dog-kin's skull. In