Anduin River Valley, Wilderness Town.
In his study, Allen marked up a map according to the Scouting Cavalry's reports, soon outlining the Easterlings' territory, including the two Easterling camps that had recently moved close to Heidelberg.
To Allen, the sudden approach of these two Easterling camps was fairly normal.
After all, he had sent over a hundred cavalrymen to scout Eastern Rhovanion this time. It was impossible for every one of those dozen or so squads to remain completely hidden. Discovery was inevitable.
Ashur was bound to make some move after discovering enemy cavalry. If the Easterlings had shown no reaction at all, Allen would have had to consider postponing his attack. The enemy might already have laid a trap, waiting for him to plunge straight into it. Their decision to keep watch now fit Allen's expectations perfectly.
Allen had never underestimated Ashur. After all, this Easterling commander had swept through Eastern Rhovanion and occupied it in a remarkably short time.
Fortunately, with the animals' help during this scouting mission, the cavalrymen could spot traces of the enemy from far away. By deliberately avoiding them, they had prevented any large-scale clashes, and all the cavalrymen Allen had sent out returned to Wilderness Town in one piece.
By now, the harvest in Allen's territory was drawing to a close. Large quantities of supplies had already been transported along the Old Forest Road to the warehouses in Heidelberg, the front line of the war against the Easterlings.
Led by Firentis and Malherb, the Recruits from Eowya and Lake-town had arrived in Wilderness Town two days earlier. Under the Cabinet officials' arrangements, they had built a camp outside the town. Lake-town's defense, meanwhile, had been entrusted to some Dwarven warriors preparing for war, along with Bard, the Lord of Dale.
Since Allen was