Northern Strategy, Inspecting the Valley

A long wind blew vast and strong, banners flew, and the marching warriors wore faces filled with killing intent. The scrape of armor rang out with force, displaying the power of a king. Xolotl led a thousand personal guards on an inspection of the valley, observing the condition of the captives while considering how to deal with the various tribes.

As they traveled on, the winding river flowed through the valley as far as the eye could see, and the maize on both banks was lush and green. The Otomi serfs kept their heads lowered numbly, clearing the scattered debris, corpses, and bloodstains from the valley. Tens of thousands of Guachichil tribesmen had laid down their weapons, stripped off their cotton armor, and were being held separately in different camps. Their faces were filled with fear of the unknown. And when the Royal Banner passed, the Dog-kin all lowered their heads, showing deep awe and obedience to the strong.

Seeing the Guachichil People bowing their heads, Xolotl nodded in satisfaction. This northern campaign had begun by accepting the invitation of the Otomi People, to resist the Dog-kin moving south. But by now, the king's ambition had already swelled. He yearned to control the northern lands as much as possible, to establish an initial loose-rein rule among the Dog-kin tribes.

The king climbed the hill and looked north. Beyond the end of the rolling mountains lay the boundless northern wilderness. It stretched two thousand li from east to west, and more than two thousand li from north to south, connecting with the North American Great Plains. Apart from the eight Dog-kin tribes, even more scattered tribes hunted and roamed in the north, chasing the wild bison herds across the wilderness and migrating all the way into the depths of the Great