Skunk Manor

Preface to Celestial Warrior posted 26 Dec 2005. I'll try and update an installment a week.

The skunk was dressed in military leathers, and wore no metal armor. The patch on his left shoulder was a simple one: a square with a small star centered at the bottom. He wore no rank and he was doing what few of his race ever did: he was running as fast as he could away from an enemy.

Thousands of years ago, it was rumored that some of his race could release a stinging poison on their enemies, one that smelled terrible, even to his own kind. This defense made them intent on standing their ground. Now that the race no longer had that to help them, it was instinct alone that caused them to not run no matter what the danger.

But the scout was not running to save himself alone. He stopped briefly and grabbed hold of a tree branch while he caught his breath. A few fast heartbeats later, he was running again, bursting from the forest into an open plain.

The outpost was close to him now. He could see it’s stone walls looking a dull yellow-red from the dusk that was coming. Soldiers stationed on the walls spotted him as soon as he came into sight and he knew that archers would be alerted.

“At least they will have something to wake them a little before the flood comes,” the scout thought gruesomely.

A sergeant and corporal were standing at the gate. Their clean and tight uniforms and fur making the scout look like he’s been out in the wild for months rather than weeks. They crossed their pikes as he approached. “Stand your ground, or show your cowardice.” the sergeant yelled.

“I need to just keeping running please, sergeant.” the scout said, not sure what the answering password to the challenge was.

Apparently their god was smiling on him that day, because one word must have been the right one. The pikes uncrossed and he was allowed to enter. The sergeant of the guard met him on the other side of the gate.

“Halsiph!” he barked. “You slacker. You know you were supposed to be out for another two days.”

Without even trying to catch his breath Halsiph gasped out. “S.A.L.U.T.E. report for the general. Urgent.”

“You came off the line just give a report a little early...” the sergeant began, but the scout continued.

“A group of wolves, roughly the size of a corp is marching directly towards the outpost and are about a half day’s march from here now. I was able to identify at least three different divisions present: their second, twelfth, and fourteenth divisions. Also a command section I’m not familiar with. I sighted them last night at about half to nine. They have armor.” With that said Halsiph collapsed to the ground, his feet no longer able to support him.

The sergeant knew then that the new recruit wasn’t shamming. “I must have heard you wrong, Haliph.” he said as lifted the scout from off the ground and started taking him towards in the infirmary. “A corp, with armor?”

His head swinging back and forth and barely able to continue to speak, Halsiph’s training took over and allowed him to give the report again, the words flowing from him because his body and mind were conditioned to respond. Conscious actions were no longer possible. “Size: Corp. Activity: Marching. Location: half a day’s march by now. Units: second, twelfth, fourteenth divisions, plus higher support. Time: last night. Equipment: longbows, spears, primitive swords, and armor.

The sergeant’s face looked pale, despite the exertion he was under. “Rest Halsiph.” He said calmly. “The general will get your message.”

The scout stopped struggling as the sergeant entered infirmary and set Halsiph down on a nearby empty bed. “Lieutenant.” he barked at a nearby officer. He meant no disrespect, but he was in a hurry. The lieutenant came over by the bed and saw the scout laying there unconscious. She immediately began checking his pulse and breathing, not even asking the sergeant a single question.

The sergeant didn’t wait to find out if she’d eventually have one. He walked quickly from the infirmary and crossed to the command center. A younger captain wearing glasses sat behind a desk just inside. “Can I help you sergeant?” he asked with an almost nasal voice.

Training kicked back in smoothly and the sergeant stood straight to address the officer. “Sir, I have important news from one of our scouts. I must get it to the general as quickly as possible.”

The captain looked down at his calendar. It was almost time to go home, and this looked like a serious delay in his quitting time. “You can come in tomorrow at 1.” he said.

The sergeant was much too well trained to roll his eyes. “Sir, a corp of wolves in armor is about a half day’s march from this outpost.”

The captain’s jaw dropped and he stood and motioned for the sergeant to follow him.

The general’s office wasn’t very large. There wasn’t room at the outpost for any officer to have much space, even the commanding officer. The older skunk with immaculate leather’s stopped reading the file in front of him as soon as the two other skunks entered.

He listened carefully to everything the sergeant said and asked now questions. The information was concise enough. As soon as he’d heard the report, he began speaking rapidly, in the tense and clipped language of the military.

“Move Brigade one to positions on our east flank and brigade two to the west flank. Have them span the range and dig in for archers. Raise the alert in the town and get those civilians out of there. Use the support battalion to escort them back.”

The sergeant saluted and turned crisply, intent on following the orders he’d just received. From behind him the voice of the captain asked, “Sir, don’t we stand a better chance staying in the fortress?”

“You’re fooling yourself captain. If the wolves are moving a force that large, they aren’t going to waste it on this outpost if they can avoid it. We must slow them down.”