Chapter 8

After the main force of Mustang Company, including the new recruits, had gotten fitted for the trip and eaten; they began to line up by the north gate. This was when the Scar Faced Captain noticed that this wouldn't be a hard trip for the just the new recruits, but himself as well.

The Major was a very stressful and detailed person when it came to military practice. According to military standards when a force of a hundred troops and ten wagons are moving locations that they should travel ten horses too one cart. However, the Captain said they would be traveling fifty horses all ten carts in the center and the remaining fifty in the back. Which to the Major was absolutely ludicrous.

"Captain, with all due respect, the Human Army is not so rabble that we can just match in such a lazy manner. According to our military handbook, segments of the marching formation must be in equal pairings with the support caravan." The Major said following the Captain closely as they inspected the troops and equipment.

"And not only that." She continued, "But it would seem that none of the regulars in your forces have on their helmets, nor are they carrying the spears with our flag flying on it."

The Captain continued to inspect his men, ignoring her best he could. He sighed, "Listen Major we are not here to march in a parade, nor do we need to be announcing to the trees as we ride through the country whom we align with." He nodded to two men at the front of the line who mounted their horses and shouted the command to do the same.

"And another thing." The Major said without heed of the Captains retorts, "It should be you who should be issuing the orders, not any random soldier. I have seen you do it multiple times only just this morning." She finished with a huff.

She stood with a defiant look and her cross expression looked adorable. She was still young and in need of actual combat experience, of which couldn't be learned from military schooling alone. She almost reminded him of a nagging older sister.

"Each of my men have been in far more dangerous places and battling fearsome foes. They know what needs to be done. I am the only one they need to impress. They have traveled on patrols and excursions multiple times, it's like breathing to them at this point." The Captain said clearly annoyed. "Now please, only report anything that's of actual importance. Understood."

The Major shut her mouth and saluted, "Yes Sir."

"Good, now everyone mounted up." The Captain said.

"Yes Sir!" Mustang Company chanted.

They soon left the fort and traveled slowly out of the town. Only after they had rounded a turn did the Captain call a stop. He turned his horse and trotted to where the new recruits were positioned in the front lines of the rear's fifty troops.

"Dismount new recruits, time for your punishment." The Captain said with a light smile. The older soldiers chuckled and watched the new solders dismount grudgingly.

"March on the inside line of your horses so that you won't be an easy target in case of an attack. Sargent?" He called out. A few men who had dismounted on the wrong side quickly adjusted their position.

"Sir." A short and stocky man said pulling his horse forward.

"Make sure they stay in this formation until lunch." The Captain said as he turned his horse back to the frontline.

"Understood Sir." The Sargent said scratching his prickly chin eyeing the soldiers.

Soon they were back marching toward the north western town. They had left an hour after daybreak and the coolness of the morning was now giving way to a more humid midday. A light breeze was blowing from right to left providing the soldiers relief from the dust the horses tossed up. They had passed by much farmland and the forest was still a good way off, when the captain noticed a strange thing about the Major. Everyone that was passing by she greeted in an odd fashion.

Usually something along the lines of, "Good morning citizen, stay vigilant."

"It must be something the Generals in the capital are making the new soldiers say." The Captain thought to himself. He noticed a few of his men snickering a her whenever she did. He nodded to them to stop and just watch. After all she technically had just become their superior, even if the hadn't accepted her as such.

After over an hour had passed since entering into the forest, did the trees finally provide some shade for the new recruits. Marching all that time in the humidity and sunshine of summer was quite taxing. The ridders behind them had to slow their horses down to prevent them from getting in the way. After a few twists and turns later they arrived at a stream.

"Sir there is a stream ahead." The Major announced.

The Captain sighed, "Yes Major I am aware."

"Do we let our horses stop for a drink?" She asked.

"Only after we cross over." The Captain replied as his horse waded into the creek and the rest of the troops followed.

They stopped and watered the horses and prepared to cross the caravan through the stream. It wasn't very deep or fast, but it had several large rocks under the surface that would have to be navigated carefully. The first six carts made it through easily, but the seventh made a bad turn and the back wheel was nearly crushed.

"Major take note." The Captain said pointing to the cart. "This is why I said to keep them together. The cart with the spare cart parts is always kept at the back of the caravan. This way they are always moving forward and not wasting time backtracking. Additionally, the reason they are together is so that when this problem happens, they can deal with it much quicker."

The Major nodded, silently watching all of this unfold. The replacement tire was put on and they were back underway in a matter of ten minutes or so.

"Did you notice the second reason that we are marching in this formation, Major?" The Captain said. His horse shook its head at a large fly and zoomed past the captain who waved a hand nonchalantly at it.

"No sir." The Major said after thinking for a moment.

"When the cart broke down, how many men where on either side of the creek banks? Fifty each." The Captain said quickly answering his question. "The caravan was in a very venerable position to attack but having equal amounts of defense on each side would hinder any attack from being majorly successful. Do you understand?"

The Major had a quick look of surprise as the reason made since to her. "Yes Sir. I do now. This kind of training wasn't really very important in boot camp." She said with an apologetic tone.

"That's to be expected." The Captain said. "Near the capital all the creeks have bridges or fairies to crossover, but here in the frontier lands we don't have such luxuries. You need to start thinking more out of the box if you want to make it out here." The Major nodded silently.

They soon stopped for a quick lunch and after the new recruits were finished with the punishment were, they able to ride again. They were able to speed up quite a bit now and the Captain ordered the troops to move at a trot.

The sun was getting lower now. Maybe only two more hours until sundown. The town shouldn't be more than a few more turns away. That's when the captain heard something odd.

"Hold here." He called out to the Company. They came to an abrupt stop and the Captain heard it again and so did the rest of the troops.

A soft boom was coming periodically from the direction of the town. At first, they were unsure as to what it could be. Then one of the men called out from the line behind the captain.

"Is that possibly a battering ram thumping?"

The Captain turned around sharply at this realization. "Draw your weapons, prepare to engage possible orcs. Keep your wits about you for any orc watching the road! Ride at full speed!"

As he finished saying this, he drew his own sword and removed his shield from his back. The Company did the same without reply.

"Charge steady." The captain called out pushing his horse onward. The Company followed quickly behind them.

They soon rounded the last turn in the forest. The forest gave way to farmland and a clear view of the town. The sounds of men screaming and the pounding of a tree on the gate was now much clearer.

Orcs where invading the town!!