Summer, 1430

The location selected was a wooded spot of marshy ground where the road steeply descended into a ravine to cross Bushy Creek, then rose again on the other side. The creek would bog down the human footmen and the rise would allow his own troops an elevated field of fire. Oevcn smiled as he evaluated the position. That would provide some defensive backbone.

The dark cyno carefully positioned his troops, placing himself and his most experienced warriors directly in the trees along both sides of the road, followed by his most experienced archers. The rest of his veterans were positioned along the ridgeline as close to the road as possible, except for the far flanks covered by his skirmishers. Oevcn’s gonners were broken up with two contingents placed behind the archers along the road, while another was held in reserve under Myrewecs’ command. Tar Hollow’s new volunteers were used to extend his line as much as possible.

Rewrkerw was less thrilled at the dispositions. &You sure about this? &Our gonners will have difficulty replenishing their balls and powder.&

&We only have 129 gonnes.& Her commander replied. &I have to make every weapon and every shot count. They’ll backstop the archers.&

&I remind you that most of the troops we’re using are fresh and not our Moorland veterans.& Beimcu interjected with a similar frown. &They are liable to give way under any pressure.&

&This is a strong position. We just need them to hold long enough to drive off the vanguard.&

The former ceremonial painter turned to look at the newcomers behind them nervously awaiting battle, some of whom she knew personally, and sighed under her breath. &Alright.&

***

A few hours later hiding in the woods, the cynos watched silently as the vanguard of the Imperial Remnants rode into view, dozens, then hundreds of riders, horse and men all clad in plate armor, a worn banner of the old Dominion fluttering. As predicted, the enemy skirmishers had stalled on the ravine, leading to them being unable to effectively screen the main column.

Lying on his stomach observing the opposing forces, Oevcn smiled again. Ghosts of the past trying to reclaim a long-lost cause. This was his chance to put an end to such folly.

&Prioritize the horsemen.& He whispered to Rewrkerw. &They can outride our fastest on foot.&

His fawn-colored companion nodded and moved off.

With only a short pause, the advancing horsemen gently slid down the path into the ravine and crossed namesake undergrowth in the morass that was Bushy Creek. Oevcn lit his matches and silently raised his paw into the air, signaling for his troops to be ready. Just a little further so that the entire mounted command was-

Abruptly a commotion broke out and the riders halted and reigned their horses. A second later an arrow flew out and struck one of the lead horsemen, dismounting him and causing the others to draw out their weapons.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

There was no more time for subtlety. &Fire!& Oevcn cried out as he immediately ignited his fuse and set off a blast, sending a ball straight through the helm of a knight in front of him. A scattered volley of projectiles followed suit, cutting down the front mass of horsemen. As the humans attempted the regroup, the cynos continued their attack. Hit by multiple volleys, the Imperial Remnants wheeled about in confusion, many scattering from the road and galloping off in multiple directions, following the creek, or riding up, hacking and riding blindly in the forest before being shot down.

Oevcn gritted his teeth as he reloaded and fired off another round, knocking down the flagbearer attempting to rally the vanguard. Despite the ambush triggering early, despite the chaos, the situation looked salvageable.

Suddenly in desperation, a large group of surviving horsemen, perhaps a fourth of the original force, realigned, lowered their lances and then charged straight down the path, galloping up the ravine and into the woods through the defender's position. Surprised, the cynos scattered.

&Oh fuck.&

The powerful horsemen rode down the retreating defenders and slaughtered them, trampling and cutting down those that were too slow. A few warriors attempted to resist, stopping to take potshots or using spears to try to duel the knights, but these brave individuals were generally ineffective and most quickly cut down.

Oevcn was running as well. He had fired off one final round as the horsemen had ascended the last rise-unhorsing the closest rider, before turning tail to flee, unable to reload fast enough for another shot or give further orders. Swiftly the cyno commander ran through the woods, evading bushes and small saplings and branches. Behind him the horsemen galloped in pursuit, eviscerating or crushing anyone in the way. Oevcn’s lungs screamed, and the lactic acid made his legs ache, but fear drove him on. The dark cyno could only hope that he could outrun his pursuers, even if the horses were slowly gaining on him.

And then suddenly Myrewecs was there beside Oevcn, running in parallel in the woods. A gonne was in his hand.

&Tell me what to do!& His friend yelled.

&Is that loaded?& The cyno commander yelled back.

&Yes.&

&Toss me your weapon!&

Myrewecs lit his loaded handcannon and threw it to Oevcn. With seconds to spare the dark cyno dropped his own weapon to grab the new one, turned to face his pursuer, knelt, aimed, and at point blank-range fired just as the latter swung his warhammer. The decapitating blow missed just inches above the cyno’s head while the attacking knight was violently blown away with a hole in his chest. As the human toppled to the ground, his riderless horse running off into the woods, Oevcn ran up to the body and used it as a shield to reload and fire, soon joined by Myrewecs who had picked up the dark cyno’s own dropped weapon.

Gradually the tide turned again, as the impetus of the charge was spent, the Imperial Remnant forces tired and became more scattered, the retreating cynos regrouped and the reserve force counterattacked. Soon the isolated knights were getting cut down from arrows and gonne fire from all sides, with stalled riders now being speared or pushed off their horses and dispatched on the ground. Seeing the tide turned against them, the knights in turn wheeled around and fled.

“There’s too many of them!”

“Retreat!”

Losing men picked off from the back by projectiles, the horsemen fled back through the woods and down the ravine, some of the knights being tossed from their horses and some of the horses toppling during the steep descent. The cynos began pursuing to recover their old positions.

Breathing heavily, Oevcn finally lowered his smoking weapon and looked over to see Myrewecs offering him a paw.

&Take care, Burntfeet. One day they may get you.&

&Aye. Thank you for the reminder, Myrewecs.& The dark cyno accepted the grip. Pulled up, the two slowly picked their way back to the lip of the ravine, passing scores of their fallen warriors scattered in clumps.

The cyno leader’s heart sank. It had been a costly repulse.

As Oevcn’s troops returned to the lip they saw that instead of the defeated knights there were thousands of human footmen on the other side, assembling for battle: former Imperial troops, with their worn but powerful plate armor and pikes, warhammers and crossbows, and the Overmountain Boys, with their wild backcountry armor, axes, bows and slings. The sea of opponents outnumbering Tar Hollow's force here at least 3 to 1.

&There is no winning this..& Oevcn stated. Myrewecs nodded.

&Take as many of the new volunteers as you can, and bring back the wounded and the dead.&

&Yes commander.&

&Good luck.&

&Oevcn! You okay?& Beimcu abruptly appeared, running over and embracing the tired commander.

&Yes, thanks Beimcu. It was a close shave. What is the status along the rest of the line?&

The tan, brown and gray agouti cyno shook her head. &Not good. We haven't faced a major attack but the volunteers are already wavering badly. Every casualty, every probe the enemy makes causes groups of individuals to break and flee. When the rumor came that the Imperials had broken through and that you had been killed the whole line nearly gave way-it took Rewrkerw and I had to make every reassurance, cajoling, pleading and threatening we can think of to keep everything from collapse. I ran here after promising to check that you were still alive. The first real attack will shatter this position. Face it, we've lost.&

Oevcn wiped his brow and nodded. &Yes, we're defeated here. Very well. Myrewecs is collecting our dead and wounded. We’ll hold on as long as we can for them, which I do not think will be that long.&

&Understood.& Beimcu saluted before turning back. &Protect yourself better, Oevcn. Please don't go dying on me.& She muttered, loud enough for the dark cyno to hear.

Oevcn watched her go, and then sighed before returning to the job of commanding his army.

The battle continued, though without much enthusiasm on either side: the Imperial Remnants were wary after the ambuscade, while the cynos were bloodied and shaken from the charge. A skirmish ensued from a distance as the Imperials and Overmountain Boys slipped into the ravine now filled with bodies, waded across the knee deep waters now red with blood, and gained the other side. Short of a few stragglers whom they quickly captured or dispatched, they found other side empty as the cynos turned and fled the field.

So ended the Battle of Bushy Creek. Tar Hollow got the worst of the exchange with 600 casualties including about 50 dead, but they had mauled the Imperial cavalry leaving only 100 horses remaining among the attacking forces. It also accomplished its objective. Shocked by the losses from its best units, the invading army halted and regrouped for a day. When it continued lines of crossbowmen acting as skirmishers and Overmountain axemen screened the approaches of the Imperial Remnants.

But there would be no second surprise. Oevcn never planned for one. As more of his veterans filtered in, the cyno commander was restructuring his units and preparing Tar Hollow itself for the inevitable onslaught.

---

Molly Aisha-The Girl I Left Behind Me (Holdfast Version)

From  solokhoniir! Thanks!

Original: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/55582356/

NSFW Variant: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/55793474/