The East and West of the Mountains

East of the mountains, the sun shone brilliantly, and the sea breeze was faintly warm. The comfortable southern seashore was unforgettable, a rare pause in the long campaign.

The three thousand Guachichil Legion rested in Trout Village for three days. On both banks of the Talsas River, the Dog-kin warriors requisitioned grain on a grand scale, as if no one were there to stop them. The red-haired scouts pushed dozens of li east of the Ta River, skirmished in small clashes with scouts sent out by Sea Woman City, and captured two men alive.

After interrogating the two captives, Black Wolf was bitterly disappointed.

All the Tecos tribes of the southeast were already in a state of war readiness. The smaller tribes had moved into the jungles of the Nanguamare Mountains to hide; the mountains were high and the roads far, making them extremely hard to find. The larger tribes had gathered in Sea Woman City, drawing in tens of thousands of tribespeople, with at least six or seven thousand able-bodied men who could defend the city.

Three thousand Dog-kin warriors against six or seven thousand Tecos able-bodied men—if it were a field battle, Black Wolf was confident he could win in one fight, and might not even suffer heavy casualties. But if they attacked a fortified town built against the mountains, that was somewhat beyond their strength. And even if they could take it, the casualties would certainly be enormous.

".Besides, the Guachichil Legion has been marching for a long time and is quite exhausted. The warriors have all seized wealth, too, and their will to fight is far from what it was."

Black Wolf stood at the mouth of the Talsas River, watching the surging great river. Hundreds of dugout canoes rocked along the riverbank, while thousands upon