The First Cavalry of the Cretaceous by Garrett W. Vance

Author:Garrett W. Vance [Vance, Garrett W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Alternate history
Publisher: Eric Flint's Ring of Fire Press
Published: 2022-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

BLOOD, DUST, AND FURY

Stone Wall Village Fields, Behind Enemy Lines

T’cumu watched in dismay as the enemy’s Spaniard directed his troop of Rattlesnake Warrior pikemen to form a long line across the meadow grass. He studied the man, so similar to his friend, but a sinister shadow surrounded him, a stark contrast to Gonzalo’s warm light. T’cumu longed to ride through the gathering ranks to cut their general down but knew he would be overwhelmed by their sheer numbers before he could reach the villain. Teeth clenched in frustration, T’cumu urged Oklilinchi to remain in concealment of a thicket of berry bushes. She sensed his anxiety and was restless. T’cumu remembered well what Gonzalo had taught them—Pike are the bane of cavalry! He had to make a plan, and he had to do it quickly. The pikemen would arrive on the front lines in just a few minutes, a deadly threat to their cavalry. If they stayed low behind the enemy’s main line during their approach, obscured by the dust and smoke that billowed about that bloody expanse, the Rattlesnake’s newly revealed weapon could catch his people by surprise.

T’cumu decided to make a mad dash, riding hard to skirt around the enemy pike to rejoin the Mesa Cavalry, and warn his friends. The young general was about to urge Oklilinchi into a gallop when he heard something that made him pause, cocking his ear in concentration. There, from out of the nearby forest, came a shrill call, the kind some of the smaller two-legged, lizard-like creatures native to this strange epoch made, sounding almost like a bird, but not quite. After a moment it sounded again, closer, and twice in succession. T’cumu smiled and responded in kind, mimicking the call perfectly. Hope stirring in his heart, the woodswise warrior sent Oklilinchi into a canter toward the tree line. He was rewarded with rustling among the underbrush, a leafy frame from which a smiling face appeared.

“T’cumu!” the man called out as he struggled to free himself from the undergrowth.

“Pohlohli!” T’cumu called back. He dismounted and strode over, his hand held out, which Pohlohli took. With a grunt, T’cumu pulled him free from his prickly hiding place, causing the brambles break and crack in protest.

Pohlohli (Fire Spark) brushed himself off. His thick leather coat protected him from the worst of the thorns. He stood a little taller than T’cumu, thinner, and a bit older, but he shared the same natural strength. Anyone could see they were kin, second cousins, in fact. Pohlohli was chief of their close allies, the people of River Fork.

T’cumu’s expression turned to a disapproving frown. “You’re late.”

Pohlohli dipped his head in chagrin. “My apologies, Cousin! We came as soon as we heard. I have two-hundred-and-fifty warriors with me from River Fork and Long Lake, all eager to fight to free our kin and allies!”

“That is good, Pohlohli, very good indeed! The Mesa People are here, and there are three hundred of us. More than that, over forty of us ride atop these animals called horses.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.