LEVENTIS & SPEROS
The beginning of the patrol is characterized by its tense atmosphere. The forest, surely once a peaceful and soothing sight, now appears all at once menacing, the sharp angles of shadows revealing a malevolent aspect to the dense trees and vegetation. Some of the more skittish of your companions seem particularly bothered, shown in their near-constant wary glances around them and their unconscious fidgeting. Even the horses seem to sense the mood, snorting nervously and twitching their ears.
By midday the oppressive atmosphere has dissipated somewhat, with the patrol settling into boring routine. The tedium is twice broken by false alarms, and these events are enough to keep everyone moderately on edge. Danius and Hero's hourly reports are much the same — descriptions of the terrain and complete lack of enemy movement — and their dependable return does much to improve spirits. Your party finds three possible fords, with one particularly large one appearing halfway up the length of the river, as it bends inward between the two forests.
You are nearly to the mountains, halfway to dismounting to once again test the river, when the cry of a sentry snaps your attention to your left. Just then, Hero bursts from the trees, his horse in a mad gallop and a figure slumped limply over the front of his saddle. He reins in near you, his eyes wild, and cries out around a sob. "Enemies in the woods! They shot Danius, I-I...couldn't stop the bleeding..." He swallows hard, his eyes finally turning to his superior officer, and belatedly remembers to salute. "S-sir! At least ten men. I'm sure they followed me."
DELGADO
The attentions of the locals do much to raise your party's spirits, and the trek through the wide open flatlands relaxes some of their initial wariness. But you hold onto your worries despite the Cornet's assurances, and your mind attempts to once again grasp the reality that you are a soldier at war. It is a curious albeit old revelation, and as you glance around at your companions you fail to recognize the carefully hidden nervousness that they too feel, perhaps as keenly as yourself.
Your arrival to the bridge passes unhindered, and Cornet Konyk orders a brief rest before continuing on. Bardas and his men begin setting up camp, and a few of the fellows from your omadon set aside their carbines to help. Others seem to heed natures call, and drift off into the woods to relieve themselves. Konyk approaches you and, almost apologetically, requests you to mount back up and scout the road ahead a bit with two others.
You are perhaps a bare ten minutes down the road when you hear the unmistakable
crack of musket fire, and see one of your companions tumble from his saddle. You hear a musketball whistle over your head, and all at once the realization hits you.
You are being ambushed.
KARRAS
You are going about your duties when a messenger boy comes running up to you and hands you a folded note. Inside is a written order from the Captain requesting your immediate presence in his headquarters.
Upon arrival, the Captain hands you a glass of brandy and gestures you towards a large map tacked to his desk. "Welcome Lieutenant. I have a task for you — apologies for the short notice, but we are rather understaffed, as you know." He wipes the back of his hand across his sweaty forehead, downs his own brandy, and taps a location on the map.
"Istrus. The town-fort south of here. I've received reports from their head of militia, a Lieutenant Maniakes, that they have seen evidence of enemy presence in the area. I have nearly every damn one of my officers away on scouting missions at the moment, so I want you to take the garrison detachment of two omadon and confirm these reports. If you find the enemy, do your best to not engage and return here. I expect it to be a two day trip, and your command isn't set to return for roughly the same amount of time, yes?" The Captain straightens and looks at you. "Any questions?"
Fading Memory