Heat radiated from the inferno behind them, but the fire sucked air through the tunnel rather than pushing smoke into it. Bianca sayed at the rear keeping the troops nearest her from rushing forward and causing a crush. Luckily those deeper in the tunnel weren't aware that she had lit their exit on fire. If the company met organized resistance at the other end they would be trapped like rats in a hole and wiped out to the man.
The first waves came out of the tunnel in a rush, forming quickly into a wedge under the shouts and kicks of the file leaders. They spread out at a trot clambering over the mine workings and shoving overturned carts and unused bracing timbers into an improvised fortification. Fortunately the enemy's fanatical attack on the city was working in their favor and no enemy troops opposed their exit. Even with things going as well as they could it was nearly a half hour before Bianca and the rear elements emerged from the old aqueduct, soot stained and exhausted. Whatever horses and baggage they had salvaged, a dozen beasts and one of the small cannon. We would need to resupply mounts, food and almost everything very soon.
That assumed they were alive to resupply of course.
Bianca climbed up onto the embankment beside the captain. Her scouts were already assembled, leading a few of the precious horses. The Captain was peering southward with a brass bound spy glass, though with night falling and the smoke from the city and the pyre it was difficult to see too much.
"They are coming," the Captain declared, "damn it."
"Sir?" Bianca asked. The Captain handed her the glass. She peered through to see the flagging warhorss hammering across the burning plain, apparently having broken contact with the enemy.
"Where are the dwarves?" Bianca asked, but she saw them, thrown across saddles burned and beaten.
"Calli's heart?! So few?" she demanded.
"Get mounted, we are going to have to find our way out of here before they realise we are gone."
The first waves came out of the tunnel in a rush, forming quickly into a wedge under the shouts and kicks of the file leaders. They spread out at a trot clambering over the mine workings and shoving overturned carts and unused bracing timbers into an improvised fortification. Fortunately the enemy's fanatical attack on the city was working in their favor and no enemy troops opposed their exit. Even with things going as well as they could it was nearly a half hour before Bianca and the rear elements emerged from the old aqueduct, soot stained and exhausted. Whatever horses and baggage they had salvaged, a dozen beasts and one of the small cannon. We would need to resupply mounts, food and almost everything very soon.
That assumed they were alive to resupply of course.
Bianca climbed up onto the embankment beside the captain. Her scouts were already assembled, leading a few of the precious horses. The Captain was peering southward with a brass bound spy glass, though with night falling and the smoke from the city and the pyre it was difficult to see too much.
"They are coming," the Captain declared, "damn it."
"Sir?" Bianca asked. The Captain handed her the glass. She peered through to see the flagging warhorss hammering across the burning plain, apparently having broken contact with the enemy.
"Where are the dwarves?" Bianca asked, but she saw them, thrown across saddles burned and beaten.
"Calli's heart?! So few?" she demanded.
"Get mounted, we are going to have to find our way out of here before they realise we are gone."