Post by Horas on Nov 24, 2008 22:58:34 GMT -5
Ondrew, his uncle Halgar and Halgar’s son Robb hurried through the pine forests along the mountainside. Torrhen and his brother Robbet were close behind, checking over their shoulders every few hundreds yards to insure they weren’t being followed. They ran across the slopes, first up the northern slope, and than down the southern slope. It was exhausting work, moving cross country, but the paths were sure to be watched… and there was no guarantee that they would arrive in time.
Ondrew knew that the combined strength of the Burleys and the Knotts would soon be coming through the pass, and when they did, the Grey Dog’s men would fall on them from the flanks.
Ondrew looked at the position of the sun in the sky. They were running out of time. The Burley would push his people to move quickly, the better to surprise the Liddles. That haste though could prove their downfall, if Ondrew wasn’t there in time.
As they ran, he concocted a plan.
……………………………….
As they scouted around the edges of the pass, Ondrew saw that the Liddles had drawn up their men, half on either side of the pass, just below the slope, where they could not be seen.
Fortunately, it also meant that they could not see either. So they had stationed a handful of scouts along the ridges, to give word when the Burleys and Knotts entered the pass. All Ondrew need do, was prevent the scouts from giving their signal.
The sun was setting on the western side of the ridge, so Ondrew decided they would strike there first. Making their way up the western slope, carefully avoiding the masses of Liddle men, who sat in semicircles, whispering quietly about all the brave acts they would soon be committing. Ondrew and young Robb were creeping as quietly as possible, fearful for every crunching twig and leaf. On the other side Halgar, Torrhen and Robbet would be doing the same thing.
The plan called for Robb and Ondrew to strike first, with the hope that the sun would blind the scouts on the other side from seeing the movement, and giving Halgar and the others time to strike. Ondrew’s held his dirk low, its sharp point towards the dirt.
The Liddles were below the tree line, but the scouts were above it, on the ridge, where they could watch. Ondrew knew this was the most dangerous point in the plan. The distance between the tree line and the rock outcropping where the Liddles’ watched.
Ondrew gestured to Robb to spread out about six paces to his left.
Than he broke cover. He crossed the distance at a steady creeping pace, putting one foot before the other, keeping low to the ground. Despite the sun in their eyes, Ondrew feared being silhouetted by the sun. He didn’t turn to see if Robb was following, he could feel his presence close behind.
As he moved around a large boulder, he could see the two scouts, laying down on their stomachs, facing away from him. No doubt they wanted to avoid being seen as well.
Darting forward, Ondrew crossed the distance and punched his blade through the back of the man’s neck. Robb grabbed his man’s long pony tail, pulled the head back, and slit the man’s throat with a single move.
On the other side, Ondrew could see Torrhen and Halgar creeping up, with Robbet waiting in case they needed help. He saw the scout turn, and fumble for his warhorn as Halgar brought an iron rod down on the man’s skull. The struggle continued.
“Ondrew look!” Robb pointed, the Burley and Knott men, perhaps three or four hundred men were entering the pass. A few riders in the front and rear, the rest on foot behind. Glancing from his amassed clan to the scouts, he saw Robbet repeatedly battering the Liddle with a rock while Halgar and Torrhen held them down.
Ondrew saw his grandfather leading the men quickly through the pass. He was not a fool, and would not dawdle here. Perhaps a third of the men were outside of the pass’s great steep slopes, when Ondrew heard the warhorn sound.
“Shit.” Robb offered, shrugging his shoulders at his cousin as if to say, “Eh, why not.”
There was a great roar from behind them, and a clanging of wood and iron as the Liddles rose and prepared their charge.
“C’mon! We’re going down there.” Ondrew said. He stood up and began to run. Robb didn’t hesitate, and followed close behind. He could see Torrhen and Robbet hurrying from the other side, Halgar not far behind.
They hurried down the side of the mountain as swiftly as they dared. Ondrew could hear arrows flitting through the air, landing nearby.
“What’s the plan now ‘drew?” Robb yelled, his young cousin beginning to pass him on their downhill run.
“Don’t know! Didn’t get that far!” He replied. They had about reached the flat of the pass, and were soon joined by Robbet, Torrhen and Halgar. Halgar had an arrow straight through the palm of his left hand, and grunted as he ran.
Ondrew risked a glance back over his left shoulder, and didn’t like what he saw. Ten men ahorse, giving chase.
Before him he saw the Burley shield wall forming up. The men had managed to reach the mouth of the pass before turning to give battle. It would put them in a fine position Ondrew knew. If only they could reach the Burley lines.
He could hear the pounding gallop of hooves, and Ondrew knew then they would not reach the lines before been ridden down.
“TURN!” He yelled, as he whipped his axe from its sling and swung hard, just as the Liddle’s rider passed.
It took the man’s horse square in its neck, and the creature let out a blood soaked whinny before it fell hard, its rider sprung lose, and rolled to his feet, sword in hand. The man advanced, as Ondrew howled and charged. Axe met shield, and sword, as the two men fought. The man was older, and more experienced, but Ondrew had sheer strength on his side. He pushed his attacker steadily back.
The other horseman had been forced to divert when the lead man fell. Even so Halgar was on the ground bleeding badly. Robb and Robbett stood at Ondrew’s back, warily eying the other horsemen. They could see in the distance, the advancing Liddles.
“BURLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!” Came the cry behind them, as the men of Clan Burley charged forward. Like a wave of men they crashed over Ondrew and his opponent enveloping the man in a whirl of hacking slashing blades.
The battle was short, but fierce. With the Burleys in the Pass mouth, the Liddles were funneled together, unable to do anything but press their numbers against the unyielding shield wall. After several hours of fierce fighting, a horn sounded, and the Liddles began to run, fleeing back down the pass, and up the slopes. It would be a long journey for them back to the Pine Motte.
They would not arrive in time.
Results:
Ondrew improves to Expert Stealth
Ondrew Improves towards Master Ambush
Ondrew knew that the combined strength of the Burleys and the Knotts would soon be coming through the pass, and when they did, the Grey Dog’s men would fall on them from the flanks.
Ondrew looked at the position of the sun in the sky. They were running out of time. The Burley would push his people to move quickly, the better to surprise the Liddles. That haste though could prove their downfall, if Ondrew wasn’t there in time.
As they ran, he concocted a plan.
……………………………….
As they scouted around the edges of the pass, Ondrew saw that the Liddles had drawn up their men, half on either side of the pass, just below the slope, where they could not be seen.
Fortunately, it also meant that they could not see either. So they had stationed a handful of scouts along the ridges, to give word when the Burleys and Knotts entered the pass. All Ondrew need do, was prevent the scouts from giving their signal.
The sun was setting on the western side of the ridge, so Ondrew decided they would strike there first. Making their way up the western slope, carefully avoiding the masses of Liddle men, who sat in semicircles, whispering quietly about all the brave acts they would soon be committing. Ondrew and young Robb were creeping as quietly as possible, fearful for every crunching twig and leaf. On the other side Halgar, Torrhen and Robbet would be doing the same thing.
The plan called for Robb and Ondrew to strike first, with the hope that the sun would blind the scouts on the other side from seeing the movement, and giving Halgar and the others time to strike. Ondrew’s held his dirk low, its sharp point towards the dirt.
The Liddles were below the tree line, but the scouts were above it, on the ridge, where they could watch. Ondrew knew this was the most dangerous point in the plan. The distance between the tree line and the rock outcropping where the Liddles’ watched.
Ondrew gestured to Robb to spread out about six paces to his left.
Than he broke cover. He crossed the distance at a steady creeping pace, putting one foot before the other, keeping low to the ground. Despite the sun in their eyes, Ondrew feared being silhouetted by the sun. He didn’t turn to see if Robb was following, he could feel his presence close behind.
As he moved around a large boulder, he could see the two scouts, laying down on their stomachs, facing away from him. No doubt they wanted to avoid being seen as well.
Darting forward, Ondrew crossed the distance and punched his blade through the back of the man’s neck. Robb grabbed his man’s long pony tail, pulled the head back, and slit the man’s throat with a single move.
On the other side, Ondrew could see Torrhen and Halgar creeping up, with Robbet waiting in case they needed help. He saw the scout turn, and fumble for his warhorn as Halgar brought an iron rod down on the man’s skull. The struggle continued.
“Ondrew look!” Robb pointed, the Burley and Knott men, perhaps three or four hundred men were entering the pass. A few riders in the front and rear, the rest on foot behind. Glancing from his amassed clan to the scouts, he saw Robbet repeatedly battering the Liddle with a rock while Halgar and Torrhen held them down.
Ondrew saw his grandfather leading the men quickly through the pass. He was not a fool, and would not dawdle here. Perhaps a third of the men were outside of the pass’s great steep slopes, when Ondrew heard the warhorn sound.
“Shit.” Robb offered, shrugging his shoulders at his cousin as if to say, “Eh, why not.”
There was a great roar from behind them, and a clanging of wood and iron as the Liddles rose and prepared their charge.
“C’mon! We’re going down there.” Ondrew said. He stood up and began to run. Robb didn’t hesitate, and followed close behind. He could see Torrhen and Robbet hurrying from the other side, Halgar not far behind.
They hurried down the side of the mountain as swiftly as they dared. Ondrew could hear arrows flitting through the air, landing nearby.
“What’s the plan now ‘drew?” Robb yelled, his young cousin beginning to pass him on their downhill run.
“Don’t know! Didn’t get that far!” He replied. They had about reached the flat of the pass, and were soon joined by Robbet, Torrhen and Halgar. Halgar had an arrow straight through the palm of his left hand, and grunted as he ran.
Ondrew risked a glance back over his left shoulder, and didn’t like what he saw. Ten men ahorse, giving chase.
Before him he saw the Burley shield wall forming up. The men had managed to reach the mouth of the pass before turning to give battle. It would put them in a fine position Ondrew knew. If only they could reach the Burley lines.
He could hear the pounding gallop of hooves, and Ondrew knew then they would not reach the lines before been ridden down.
“TURN!” He yelled, as he whipped his axe from its sling and swung hard, just as the Liddle’s rider passed.
It took the man’s horse square in its neck, and the creature let out a blood soaked whinny before it fell hard, its rider sprung lose, and rolled to his feet, sword in hand. The man advanced, as Ondrew howled and charged. Axe met shield, and sword, as the two men fought. The man was older, and more experienced, but Ondrew had sheer strength on his side. He pushed his attacker steadily back.
The other horseman had been forced to divert when the lead man fell. Even so Halgar was on the ground bleeding badly. Robb and Robbett stood at Ondrew’s back, warily eying the other horsemen. They could see in the distance, the advancing Liddles.
“BURLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!” Came the cry behind them, as the men of Clan Burley charged forward. Like a wave of men they crashed over Ondrew and his opponent enveloping the man in a whirl of hacking slashing blades.
The battle was short, but fierce. With the Burleys in the Pass mouth, the Liddles were funneled together, unable to do anything but press their numbers against the unyielding shield wall. After several hours of fierce fighting, a horn sounded, and the Liddles began to run, fleeing back down the pass, and up the slopes. It would be a long journey for them back to the Pine Motte.
They would not arrive in time.
Results:
Ondrew improves to Expert Stealth
Ondrew Improves towards Master Ambush