The Royal Banner Arrives

At the end of September there was golden harvest, and there was also withering killing intent. Xolotl led the army eighty or ninety li east and finally reached Giova's camp. He looked out, and along the road were rolling hills, with towering mountains farther beyond. The dust of the march rose through the winding mountain paths, and the fallen leaves of low trees scattered through the mountains with it.

"The Sierra Madre Oriental truly is magnificent and unbroken!"

As they had traveled, emotion stirred in Xolotl's heart. Pamus Valley lay northeast of Red Fox Valley, deep within the Sierra Madre Oriental. The two valleys were about one hundred and seventy li apart, all of it rugged, twisting mountain road. These mountain roads varied in width and were blocked here and there by woods, making passage for the army extremely difficult.

"The northern campaign against the Guachichil Dog-kin—I thought it would be a clash and slaughter on flat wasteland, pursuing the defeated and driving them north. In the end, it's all been trudging through mountains and attacking mountain strongholds!"

At this thought, Xolotl shook his head and laughed. The Guachichil Dog-kin had no herds. They were a hardy hunting-and-foraging people, accustomed to wasteland and mountains. They moved like the wind, and when they encountered a powerful enemy, they naturally had the habit of hiding in the wasteland and fleeing hundreds of li away. Only now they were trapped by food supplies, and so they had remained in the two valleys, holding the dangerous terrain in defense.

"Raise the Royal Banner and have Giova come over!"

Soon, the black wolf Royal Banner was raised on a hill outside the camp. Xolotl climbed to the high ground, looked down over the surrounding terrain, and observed the enemy camp. Giova was also extremely cautious,