Crows reeled cawing in the sky above the Steppes like a menacing black cloud. Every now and then one or two would dive to land amongst the bodies strew over the loping hillside. As they did two or three more on the other side would fly up, disturbed up a soldier searching amongst the bodies. The flags of the Erdeniin Dynasty mingled with a few of the tribal banners of the free people of the Steppes flapped eerily in the breeze. Broken spears, discarded swords, axes already beginning to rust in the dust almost outnumbered the bodies. Any poet would have wept at the sight and no doubt come up with a thousand ways to describe it in such a way that would make faint hearted maidens weep and noblemen drink deeper to still his churning stomach. No matter how the bards dressed it up in the weeks or months or years to come the point stayed the same. What lay upon these hills was nothing less than a massacre.
Dhara put a boot on the centauress' face and yanked the axe from her skull.
The body jerked as bits of skull and sinew went flying but the woman did not grimace as even some of the tougher soldiers did. She dipped her fingers into the blood that rimmed the curve of her blade and smeared it across her face down to her lips. It was a shame, really, the Dornoch soldier had fought well. She would have much rather have kept her as a pet or broken her like she would a wild horse. Her eyes drifted down to her bare legs. Hefting her axe once more she begun to hack at the plump kind quarters. She was beginning to tie them together when one of her own came running up the field to her. Dhara didn't stop what she was doing when the man came to a halt beside her.
"Baghatur," the man bowed smartly then hurried on. "The survivors have been rounded up and await your presence."
Dhara tossed the horse legs over her shoulder and stood.
"Show me."
They picked their way back down the harrowed fields of bodies to the camp that had been set up a good half a mile back from the site. She paid no heed to those of her people who walked among the dead to find loved ones; their loved ones had lost. It proved they were no longer worthy to serve. They would not waste tears on those no longer with them but they would go and collect their weapons and trinkets to send home to their children. The camp itself was made up of several tents in different hides. In its centre stood the largest; a circular yurt where the meetings and discussions would be held amongst the different clan leaders who had fought today.
She ducked inside the flap and scanned the scene before her.
Dhara put a boot on the centauress' face and yanked the axe from her skull.
The body jerked as bits of skull and sinew went flying but the woman did not grimace as even some of the tougher soldiers did. She dipped her fingers into the blood that rimmed the curve of her blade and smeared it across her face down to her lips. It was a shame, really, the Dornoch soldier had fought well. She would have much rather have kept her as a pet or broken her like she would a wild horse. Her eyes drifted down to her bare legs. Hefting her axe once more she begun to hack at the plump kind quarters. She was beginning to tie them together when one of her own came running up the field to her. Dhara didn't stop what she was doing when the man came to a halt beside her.
"Baghatur," the man bowed smartly then hurried on. "The survivors have been rounded up and await your presence."
Dhara tossed the horse legs over her shoulder and stood.
"Show me."
They picked their way back down the harrowed fields of bodies to the camp that had been set up a good half a mile back from the site. She paid no heed to those of her people who walked among the dead to find loved ones; their loved ones had lost. It proved they were no longer worthy to serve. They would not waste tears on those no longer with them but they would go and collect their weapons and trinkets to send home to their children. The camp itself was made up of several tents in different hides. In its centre stood the largest; a circular yurt where the meetings and discussions would be held amongst the different clan leaders who had fought today.
She ducked inside the flap and scanned the scene before her.
