Flocks of birds fly away from the thick smoke. Warbling in the sky over the fire that already spread among the trees. The wind that blow inside the forest is getting hotter and hotter. Iltas walks at the very front as the group's leader and swordmaster. He start to prespire inside his thick four-layered gambeson.
Three man carefully follow Iltas from behind. Each with weapons ready in their hands. The bushes in front are thicker and full of thorn. Arpad in the rear are forced to take other route. He is holding the reins of group's companions.
Hihiek!
"Easy lad," Arpad redirect the pack's leader with gentle voice. Alara refuses to move, it crave to chew the green shrubs.
"Huh who's there! Show yourself" a mysterious man shouts from afar.
Iltas quickly commanded them to hide. "Don't budge, crawl slowly. We need to asess the situation first. Maybe he is our ally."
Kilat go to the back of the line. Helping Arpad herding their steeds. As they move deeper into the forests, screams and cries can be heard more clearly. Some are asking help, pleading mercy or the sounds of sharp iron clashing.
"This is it, we are outnumbered two, no maybe three or four to one. They probably use the poison arrow to hunt the stragglers. We have resistance to the laced blue squill but be cautious for the viper venom," Iltas explain softly as he gauge the enemy strength.
"Yami why are you still maidenless?" Tughluq ask.
"Huh?" Yami think that Tughluq mock him.
"No i mean Manila from this day is no longer a slave. I never touch her so you can marry the girl without worry. Layla is the only woman for me," Tughluq explain.
"Thats your problem not mine." Yami only wants the woman that he chooses. The man want to wait for his ideal type of girl.
One of the enemy skirmishers suddenly move towards Arpad and Kilat. Alara and other steeds is hidden behind the bushes. All the companion mouth is already tied by Kilat. He want to finish the foe silently with his axe in right hand.
Thwack!
"Aarrgghh!" he shout one last time before dying.
"Enemies!" the enemy is alerted.
The group's position have not been revealed. They search unorderly among the bushes. Kilat give his hand gestures, instructing Arpad to move the horses. He also show his hand to Iltas. The four move forward without Kilat.
Without the enemies realizing, the hunter has set it's eyes on the numerous prey. They keep searching in the bushes while ignorant that their numbers have started to dwindle. Struck down one by one with the axe's heel. The enemies found Kilat after the seventh man had fallen.
They speak in the tounge that Kilat could not understand. Shouting "kill him!" or "surround the enemies!" several times.
Splats!
Kilat suddenly turn his back. Throw two looted axes towards his enemies. Hitting one of his foes. He dash into the bushes afterwards. The enemies follow suit but they did not know much of the forest's landscape. Some have their knees full of pricked thorns while the others were drowned in the river's small confluence.
The Forest has been one of the Buqa's Clan favorite migrating place. Kilat know his path in the front well. He use the shortcut to quickly regroup back with Iltas. It is the place they clear the local vegetations to farm the honeyberry every summer. The Buqa, Qara Yay and Kilja own it together.
Ting!
"Shh," Iltas has seen Kilat running towards them.
One of the scattered Ak Yay clansmen group are fighting their enemies. Most of them are already fighting on foot. Almost all the horses are already killed. They are outnumbered five-to-one by the Kure's henchmen.
"Why we don't act right now?" Arpad could not bear two of his allies were cut down.
"Don't be hasty oh childrens. Our moves must be well-thought-out. Sometimes patience is our best move," Iltas answer. The words is also for Tughluq.
"Is Adam among them," Kilat ask.
"Not yet, they are probably clan lower members," Iltas moves his head.
"We are near Father. Please endure until then," Tughluq mutter. The fearless young man is now feeling suspense. He could not shake the feelings of worrisome while holding his weapon's handle.
The Ak Yays stand firm against the enemy assault. Enduring the relentless melee. The Enemies start to push them back. Some were seen moving among the trees. Trying to flank their rear.
Slash!
"Fool you think we don't guard it? Two last horseman! try to bre--," his words suddenly stop. Harran eyes turned red, he feels dizzy. The young man can barely keep his focus.
Harran is injured in the left shoulder by their arrows earlier. The two horseman heed his order even though, he is only a low ranking clansmen and very young at that. Without the show-off of his quick decision, they did not know if they can endure for this long.
Slash!
The Koryaks unhorse the two man. Now the close ranged weapon wiielders start to move back. Signifying that the volley barrage will resume. Every Koryak skirmishers start to change their weapon with slingshot. Their arrows are already depleted.
"Endu--," Harran grip his chest.
"We should surrender and become their slave! Kure probably want us to join him," one of the man speak.
"Are you insane!?" other man respond.
Hundreds of rocks hurled from the enemy slings. Harran are carried to the rear. One of the rock almost hit him. Skirmishers keep pelting rocks without realizing that Iltas and Yami are galloping forward, outflanking their position.
Slash!
The hooves from horses of the two swordmaster trampling the enemy skirmishers. Sword in hand moves as if the two man were dancing. Swift, beautiful and deadly, they mow down everyone in their path.
"Don't panic, the enemies is only two horseman! Quickly unhorse them," the enemy leader rally his man. His name is Okular. The older brother of Tiki.
"Help us! Someone," Yami shout. He screams as if being terrorized by malicious djinn.
"Weird why did they suddenly retreat. Chase those cowards!" Okular shout.
"No!" Yami shouting even louder while galloping.
Iltas did not recognize him yet. He knock Alara body with his knee as many as three times. The horse's piroutte followed by Yami and his steed. Both of them are chased by Okular. The remaining 40 Ak Yay clansmen are following Iltas in retreat.