An Ace Up Our Sleeve
The neighboring herd had recruited help. It appeared as if the lesser's had actually gone out of their way to recruit others -- mercenaries intent on waging war against the kalona, other herds that wouldn't stand for this great injustice, or simply fools looking for a fight. Regardless, this territory was not going down easy.
"Saresh, watch your left!" The orange coated kalona roared, snapping at her own opponent -- some draft regular. The beast had found some form of armor, and could hit like the best of them. Still, the mare was working on taking him down. . or trying to. Getting past the metal armor was difficult, and the purple mare was in a constant state of motion, snapping when she got close, and jumping back to avoid his bone, crushing hooves. "Coward!" She hissed as her bite was deflected and she caught more metal than flesh.
Saresh, on the other hoof, was battling some form of unicorn-kelpie mix. It was a freak, as far as Saresh was concerned, but the fangs that lined the mixed bloods mouth left her bloody and bleeding. They were vicious; some of these lessers had hardened battle skills, and they were becoming far more aggressive. These were no pushovers -- some of these were experienced fighters, too!
It wasn't that the great kalona herd wasn't prepared for battle, or prepared to take down those who might match their skill; it was that the sheer numbers which were unexpected. They were not failing, but they certainly were not procuring an edge as swiftly as they might have suspected.
It seemed their reputation was beginning to proceed them.
"Saresh!" A snarl went out as the purple mare, Viego, watched her scarred, orange coated companion get speared by the unicorn horn. The other kalona snapped viciously, tearing at the unicorns neck and face, trying desperately to dislodge the horn which was now buried deep in her chest. Unfortunately, the purple mare could not go over to help aid her impaled brethren; she had a draft on her hooves, and he was quite stubborn!
Viego had caught sight of her herdmates falling. No, they would win. They would persevere. Surely, they would not be sent out here without some plan. Surely, they would not need to . . .
"Retreat! RETREAT!"
The mare wasn't sure what was going on, what was happening. Unfortunately, all she heard was a flurry of wings, and the skies above darkened with shadow. The draft she was attempting to slay looked up, gave a snarl, and quickly turned .
What was going on? What was - - - Looking up, the bleeding mare stared at the sight. Another great kalona legion, fresh from theh erd, had been sent to give them aid. Oh, and they were lead by the Alpha and Protector's Second-in-Command. Oh, what a glorious sight he was to behold. To see him and his legion diving down at the enemies, to see them take to aerial assault effortlessly, to see them snap the backs of those caught beneath their hooves as they would strike.
It was glorious.
"Saresh, Saresh we'll be okay. Let's get these bastards while they're- - - " She stopped, looking over at her companion. The kalona mare was collapsed, blood pooling around her from her chest wound. The mare was hurt badly, if not fatally. Viego's jaw clenched, and she stepped over to her fallen comrade, her herdmate, her friend. "Stay with me. We'll patch you up, you've taken worse and you know it." She commanded, giving a small, haughty huff.
No. No, this wasn't how this was supposed to go! That lesser would have been breakfast, so how had he managed? "You're a better warrior than this! You've taken down lessers twice his size -- don't let some wound like this fell you!" She snarled, reaching down to shove her face hard at her companions face.
Saresh gave a small, gurgled knicker, but her head dropped as soon as Viego pulled it away.
She was dying. Her friend was dying and there was nothing she could do about it. Nothing she could do to stop it. Nothing she could do but watch. ". . . Oh, Saresh." Her throat clenched. As hardened a warrior she might be, that did not mean she could not feel, did not . . .care. Love, even. So it was, the kalona mare grappled with her feelings, tried to understand how her friend had gone and gotten herself slayed. This wasn't how this was supposed to end. While yes, she had died in battle, it had not been particularly glorious. . . "Two minutes. That's all you needed. Two minutes and they would have retreated. Damn you, Saresh. Damn you." It was the closest she could admit to her grief. . . at least here in public.
They may have won this battle, barely, but that did not make the losses any better. They were not all heartless. They were not all cold and cruel, vicious, mindless monsters that the world liked to make them out to be. The kalona who were slain would be celebrated in victory, but Viego understood that such a celebration would be bittersweet. There were many faces missing that had made the great crossing over to these lands, many faces they could not return.
They won this battle, their territory was ever more expanded. . . but was the cost truly worth it? These days, Viego wasn't so sure.
I'll Have a Slice!
