The Scourge had been moving for a few a week. The war mind had final cobbled together a system that got the dead and the beasts working at least somewhat together. That system was the living handle daylight patrols and the dead handled night patrols.
The arguments he had with Bags, Twenty-Eight, a dozen bee queens, the young giant bee queen and Milled after she took over leadership of the rats from her mother. The horses with teeth were needed to pull wagons and were generally happy with that responsibility. The spiders Still had not declared a leader but also had difficulty keeping up. They described themselves as trappers by nature and didn't want to get into fights were, they hadn't set the field first. They were securing the supply lines and would act as a rear guard if something went wrong.
The walking dead were still the easiest to deal with. Scab was the sole voice for the undead. It had developed a tactical mind if not violent. The problem dealing with Scab and the other undead was their bloodlust. Scab has the same desire to get into fights as untested commanders. The difference was that after the fighting that Scab had seen any human no mater how little he cared for his fellow man would be hesitant to fight wars again. Scab was also becoming more confident in the dark arts. With the help of milled and some of her latest brood they had somehow assembled three more wights. The number of pail lurkers and wraiths had also increased despite not knowing who was making them.
His puppet watched the road from the lead wagon. He only had one set of eyes and he wanted them on the road to the capital.
One of the Air Drakes landed in front of his corpse on the wagon.
"Yellow coats on horses," declared what was once a raven. "They ride this. way ten of them, ten minutes as I fly."
The brain in a jar sitting on a shelf in the walking hospital opened a mind link to Twenty-Eight and Milled.
"Scouts ahead," declared the War mind. "Send no less than twenty creatures ahead to destroy ten cavalrymen. Don't let them report back. The royal army might still believe we are Lord Brands bandits. I don't want them believing otherwise."
"If the other side might be able to see the future wouldn't they already know?" asked Milled.
"Human officers would not believe a force like ours is coming without seeing it first," responded the War mind. "If we keep gouging out their eyes, they will continue to believe what they want to believe."
"The War mind has spoken," responded Twenty-Eight. I will send five drakes to fly over and make sure none of them escape. Ten Raptors will go on land. Will you send riders?"
"Yes, Ten Riders with muskets and twenty with spears will follow on foot," responded Milled. "War mind will your Scarecrow be joining?"
"I might as well," agreed the War mind. "If I don't move my old bones they'll rot away."
"I will have a raptor move for your use," said Twenty-Eight.
"Good," responded the War mind as it stretched out its puppet. The body picked up a musket from the wagon. The mind missed the feeling of loosening muscles. The body benefited from the act, but he just felt so numb. The exercise was disappointing. As he finished reached for his toes a raptor rode up beside him.
The puppet got on the large bird with feather like scales. A pack of rats carrying muskets and cartridge boxes rode behind him. Soon they could see the squad of young men in yellow ahead of them. The men looked back at the approaching beasts in confusion. Two drew swords and one leveled a pistol. The rats and corpse jumped off the charging birds and formed a line.
They were doing just as the War mind had instructed. The Raptors continued to charge the cavalry. One man shot his pistol. One rat looked back seeming to follow the sound and tried to see where the bullet had gone.
"Eyes forward," hissed the puppet.
The rat immediately returned its focus to the cavalrymen.
The raptors made it to the horsemen and snaped at the riders trying to pull men from panicking horses who did not like this new predator. Three men were dragged from the saddle while trying to calm their horses. The raptors continued past the riders. Muskets sounded and two more fell from horses.
The rats began to reload. The surviving scouts struggled to get control over their panicking horses. Two managed to get control and began to ride the other way down the road. The raptors snaped at the passing men who fended them off with sabers.
Five raptors pursued them the rest rushed the three remaining scouts still trying to avoid getting thrown. Both sides of the road were too overgrown for the horses to flee into the woods. The rats had finished reloading and were getting ready for a second volley.
"Charge!" hissed the puppet. The War mind moved his puppet to run forward. The rats followed behind at a rapid scamper.
The puppet raised his musket and batted a man out of his saddle. The rats and raptors raced to grab the last two men. In a blink the fight was over. The raptors moved off and the rats tried to calm the horses and check to see if any of the men could be taken as prisoners.
At least two of the poor basterds were still breathing. The foot rats caught up and pockets and bags were searched for treasure. The pistols and sabers were the most prized.
The other raptors returned with two scared men in their jaws.
The flyers returned and one spoke up. "An army is about a day's flight ahead."
"Good work," hissed the puppet. "Everyone, finish cleaning up here and get some rest."
The War mind looked at the raptors who had a few new slash marks on their beaks.
"You got get Milled to heal you now," hissed the puppet. "Bring this body back to the wagons I have a battle to plan."