Spring, 1437

The dark cyno was staring silently upon his campaign map as his subordinates filed in. Flags and figurines were everywhere, but it was clear that they were surrounding Tar Hollow.

&That bad, huh?& Myrewecs asked when he entered.

Oevcn nodded.

Roza was busy pointing out the forces laid upon the map while the dark cyno translated what he had learned. "There are at least four armies converging upon us from North, Southwest and Southeast; Antium, Capena, Pecheng, Aquelia, the Marches, as well as mercenaries, criminal cartels and various Jamersonian restorationist groups. Some are joining up with the Revenants, while others aim to fall upon our flanks and rear."

&The Good Earth.& Beimcu could not understand Auxian, but she could see what was being displayed. &We should retreat immediately and escape this trap.&

&That's not the worst of it.& Oevcn sighed. &The Ragged Legion is back.&

&What?& The others stared in shock.

&They are back and have regrouped at Almaden.&

&I'm sure they're being backed by the mining cartel.& Rewrkerw frowned and shook her head.

&They have a new army, mostly made up of slave warriors. They are driving straight towards Tar Hollow.& The dark cyno concluded, before turning to Roza. “They’re throwing everything they’ve got at us.”

The human scout nodded. “The revolution has succeeded, but it remains fragile. Jayna only has firm control over Ardea, Corioli, Cnaeus and Alba. Your cyno march has been one of the most successful allies of the republic, and the fact that Tar Hollow is a de facto independent, non-human faction makes you a target for enemies that don't yet want to target our government.” She drew a circle with her finger around Caldern, before moving and drawing another Tar Hollow. “A lot of people want you to lose. A lot of people want this revolution to fail. This has become a proxy war against the Arcadian Republic.”

The Young Warlord scratched his neck. “So it has. Can Jayna send support?”

The Brekshirean sadly shook her head. “Not officially. Parliament is being factious and opponents of her rule have delayed authorization. We are sending more supplies, weapons and armor, but reinforcements can only come under emergency orders. This was purposeful; to either shatter the tenuous alliance keeping the Arcadian Republic together, or to sacrifice Tar Hollow. I'm sorry Oevcn. You're on your own.”

The dark cyno sighed. “I understand. Thanks for the warning Roza.”

The human gave another sad smile and patted the Young Warlord on the back. “I wish I had better support to give. Glory to Tar Hollow, and good luck.”

As Roza bowed and left, the other Tar Hollow officers gathered around their commander.

&What do we do, Young Warlord?& Rewrkerw asked.

&Tell Tibercew to call in the outlining settlements. Everyone evacuates to Tar Hollow. Fortify the position and wait until I am able to come relieve them. The mountain passes would need to hold out as long as possible.&

&And us? We won’t go to Tar Hollow?& The fawn-furred cyno pressed.

Oevcn shook his head. &Our enemies are too close for us to retreat all the way down; we will need to defeat them first before we can go and fight off the Ragged Legion.& The dark cyno picked up the dog-headed figurine that represented his army and moved it slightly to a spot near the crossroads.

&Victory, or death. Just like it always has been.&

***

Sunrise found the six thousand troops of the Army of Tar Hollow arrayed in lines of battle at the Horns of Hazel. It was a motley force, armed and armored in equipment ranging from rudimentary brigandine and shields with bows and spears to modern munitions armor and arquebuses scavenged from the battlefield or supplied by allies, along with three armored wagons and five field bombards. Some of the warriors were fresh recruits, newly raised from the Tar Hollow settlements for the campaigning season. Still, the core of the army were veterans who had gone through the crucible of the Young Warlord's campaigns or survival through the slave pens of Almaden.

In the center of the force was the legendary leader himself; clad in his Alwite armor, Oevcn Burnfeet stood with his battalion of gonnedogs, wheellock in hand, awaiting the arrival of the enemy army.

As the pale blue of twilight faded into pink and the yellow sun rose quickly from the mountain tops, the warrior mulled over his current situation.

Beimcu was with the children at Konjic, a garrison of eight hundred and all siege weaponry and the 35 heaviest bombards. The fortified city, hurriedly repaired after its devastating siege, could hold out against forces more than twenty times the defenders for more than a year, and Oevcn had insisted that his mate go there and protect the children. The tan, brown and gray agouti cyno had reluctantly agreed after the Young Warlord swore that he could not act decisively without first knowing that his family was safe.

Oevcn himself could not hunker down and out-sit the enemy; there were too many of them, converging on all sides, and headed towards Tar Hollow. The civilians of the city could not flee without great suffering and death, so it was up to the dark cyno’s forces to do everything in his power to prevent the humans from swarming through like they had eight years ago. That meant taking to the field and defeating all of the enemies in turn.

The enemy army appeared out from the horizon, twice his strength, a powerful force well organized upon the flags, pikemen with their long polearms swinging in the air, gendarmeries atop their horses, shining steel glistening in sun, men at arms and crossbowmen, bombards wheeling over atop wagons, all kicking up a large cloud of dust. A fresh army from wealthy Antium with various mercenary and renegade contingents.

Oevcn’s jaws set.

He knew this was not the entire enemy host; cyno scouts were tracking two more forces, the combined forces of the North bearing down upon his right flank and the Revenants marching towards his rear and cutting off his route of retreat. He hadn’t even been able to receive information from the renewed Ragged Legion and the slavers of Almaden making a beeline towards the now poorly-defended Tar Hollow.

The Young Warlord’s chance of victory was low. He was outnumbered three to one.

A part of Oevcn wanted to despair. He had been struggling to make Tar Hollow safe for more than a decade, fighting enemies on all sides, losing many family and friends and acquaintances to the struggle.

Everything seemed to be right where it started, if not worse. Had everything he had done been in vain? Could he hope to hold out forever against the sea of enemies arrayed against him?

The dark cyno brushed back these dark thoughts. Instead he turned to face his army positioned in the rocky hills around him, raising his weapon into the air.

&Warriors!& He bellowed. &Today we fight for Tar Hollow! Our enemies are many and they are all around us! This will be a bloody day! We will fight here and perhaps many will die here, but we fight and die defending our homes and family! We are fighting for the fate of Tar Hollow and if we succeed, we will go home! There is no greater glory than to fight for family, friends and home!&

The army cheered, but there were some who did not seem as enthusiastic.

&Perhaps defeat isn't so bad.& The gonnedog Uesfwcn offered nervously. &Perhaps we can defeat our worst opponents and seek terms with the others. What happens if we are defeated by the Calaveras Legion?&

Oevcn gave the soldier a slightly concerned look. &We boys get our bits cut off and everyone dies a broken slave warrior forced to fight our friends and family.&

&What happens if we are defeated by the Mining Collective?&

&We are also enslaved and are worked to death in their mines.&

&What happens if we are defeated by the Revenants?&

&The Overmountain Men will skin us alive.&

&What happens if we are defeated by the Northerners?&

Oevcn stopped and scratched his neck. &Well, that I don’t actually know. I think based on the Great War they’ll just hang us or cut our heads off. But maybe we’ll get lucky or something.&

As Uesfwcn went quiet Oevcn again raised his arquebus into the air and continued.

&We are cynocephali! The humans think we are weak, they think us stupid and scattered and primitive. They are wrong! While the people of the snows retreated, the fey folk fade into the forests and the dragons disappeared East, we have remained! We are survivors! We have shown we can stand up to the best that humans throw at us! And we are not going anywhere!&

The cheers were louder this time, yipping and howling, with weapons and banners raised into the air. The dark cyno’s troops were clearly as nervous as he was, but his speech had given some reassurance. They were all now loyal to the Young Warlord, and they put their faith in him. Oevcn nodded and turned forward again as he began loading his wheellock. He would do well to rely on them and his own skills to justify that faith.

The cynocephali were survivors. He was a survivor. He was Oevcn the Brave. He was the Young Warlord.

Beimcu was safe. Wevecw, Merwcn, Jayna and Athurcn were safe. Tar Hollow had survived and thrived against all threats before, and Oevcn would do his best to ensure that it survived after him.

The Young Warlord’s defenses were good-he had stacked the dice in his favor as much as possible: this was the ground of his choosing, with every tactical advantage he could gain.

His hope was to move fast, harbor his strength, and defeat every enemy army in detail before they combined and overwhelmed his forces. And his people were fast.

Oevcn Burntfeet would pull things off and do wonders yet again; at least, he could only hope.

As the enemy army ahead of him marched closer, gradually resolving into detail, an enemy leader clad entirely in elaborate Henrician armor with feathers trailing from his burgonet rode forward, sword raised in the air that elicited a cheer from the enemy troops.

The dark cyno nodded and added the power, cocked back the doglock of his weapon and locked the wheel in place. A look of determination was frozen upon his face.

He was a warrior. He would fight. There was no better place to die, for no greater cause.

The dark cyno aimed his arquebus at the figure in the Henrician armor, waiting for the enemy leader to come within range.

Let this begin.

---

Tom Petty- I Won't Back Down

From https://bsky.app/profile/bartek22.bsky.social