Spirit of Fire Fires in Eden, #3 by Stephen Zimmer

Author:Stephen Zimmer
Format: epub

Ayenwatha

Deganawida, Ayenwatha, and Gunnar strained to keep up with a mountain of tasks, as the sprawling, hasty retreat began. Outfitted with refilled pouches of roast cornmeal, and a little dried fish salvaged from the villages, a number of warbands had been dispatched within the forest.

The individual warriors moved like shadows within the woodlands, covered with their distinctive red and black body paint. They had all been sent to harass and slow the pursuing enemy forces, as much as possible.

Most carried longbows of ash or oak, as well as a full compliment of arrows. Emerging suddenly from hidden positions, they sent arrows into flight from deep shadows, and disappeared just as quickly. They moved with the seasoned, nimble step of veteran hunters, alternately sallying forth and withdrawing amongst the concealing trees and undergrowths. To the enemy, it seemed as if the forest itself was alive, lashing out violently, before settling into an uneasy stillness.

Gunnar’s Midragardan warriors were arrayed wherever the enemy’s largest thrusts occurred. They were aided in their efforts by a fair number of tribal warriors. Those most familiar with every rock and tree within a given area were called upon to help Gunnar gain every advantage.

With their distinctive, large shields fashioned of wooden rods lashed together, many tribal warriors fought side by side with their Midragardan allies. Several of them donned a lengthy type of timber body armor, fashioned in a similar method to the craft of their shields.

With such indigenous guidance, even the Midragardans were able to fade like receding mists into the woodlands. They thwarted heavy pursuit time and time again, only to unexpectedly reemerge to strike potent blows on the enemy.

The multitudes hailing from the five woodland realms were urged to press onward, to the east, with as little delay as possible. The smattering of packhorses still available to the tribes were pushed to their limits. Not a few of the weaker individuals in the retreat, those who suffered from infirmities of old age, physical disabilities, sickness, or the limitations of small children, had to be assisted as well as possible. Crude litters were hastily fashioned, and quickily used to assist the more incapacitated members of the tribes.

There was no hesitation in assisting the weaker ones, despite the great anxiety and desperation pervading the masses of tribal people. Everyone pitched in their skills and strength to make certain that all were tended to, and none left behind.

The nights provided a few badly needed respites, for everything from physical rest, to morale, and even the traditions that helped so effectively to bind the tribes together. Yet not every practice could be maintained.

Even though some village sachems, including a few war sachems, had recently died, there was no time for the elaborate condolence rituals involving the clan matrons to honor the dead. Neither was there any time for the proper treatment of the dead, such as the building of high platforms to hold aloft the traditional bark coffins, or for burial within large earthen mounds.

The dead were hurriedly buried, at least when the bodies could be retrieved.

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