"Boom, boom, boom!"
The deafening sound of war drums rang out through the broad northern mountain pass, startling birds into flight across the sky. Great masses of running warriors, like wolf packs of the wasteland, crossed the rolling mountain forests and appeared at the foot of the pass. Their wolf howls had already crossed the tribe's wooden camp one step ahead of them, echoing over the fields of God Water Valley.
"Awooo!"
It was September, and the harvest was close at hand. The kidney beans had just ripened, and the corn had already set ears. A year's rations lay right before their eyes, and the birds in the mountains and the people alike were waiting together. Yet at this moment, the footsteps of war suddenly arrived, treading on the blood color of the setting sun and bringing the firelight of dusk!
"Ah! Supreme Rain God!"
Behind the camp at the mountain pass, more than ten thousand Mixtec tribespeople panicked, their faces filled with terror. They had long heard of the slaughter in the north, had heard of the Mexica People's ferocity, but they had never imagined that battle would descend upon them so quickly.
"Toot!... Toot!"
The warning conches echoed through the narrow valley. This was the signal of crisis and mustering. Three thousand able-bodied tribesmen, each holding Short Bows and Stone Spears, hurried over from all corners of God Water Valley.
God Water Valley lay fifty li south of God Stone City, and less than two hundred li from Yodzocahi farther to the south. The whole valley was not large, only seven or eight li from east to west and about ten li from north to south. Mountains surrounded it on all four sides, with only two passable valley mouths to the northeast and southeast. In the very center