A new morning sun shone through the balcony door, signifying the new day upon the land.
Well rested, Cadin woke up with a wide stretch, feeling refreshed after resting in bed for some time.
He got up, scratching his head and grabbing his sword and making his way down. Downstairs was empty, scrolls still scattered on the table detailing different things.
"Finally, a leader of a camp where I can use people under me and lead them. Just need to expand this place and gain more resources, and perhaps grow this camp with far more people. Maybe even people I have conquered, or those leaders allow that." Cadin spoke to himself, filled with the desire of expansion and glory on his own.
While lost in thought, the door creaked open. Entering inside was Joken, carrying a piece of paper.
"My lord, they have agreed to your request. Your soldiers await you outside, I shall guide them to where these...Rumored things linger." Cadin took the paper from his hands.
Inside it read:
Dear New Camp Leader
We have accepted your request for soldiers on this new expedition. Simply return them to us once it is over.
Best Regards, the united tribe council.
"They formed a council already?"
"Yes they have my lord."
"Very well then, we shall set off in a few minutes." After speaking, Cadin ran out the door.
The outside was already busy as prisoners worked around doing their daily labor.
"Soon this shall turn from a simple dish gathering area to perhaps a camp that rivals theirs. Now without much interference."
Cadin, wearing his armor and holding his weapon, met up with the requested soldiers outside. Their armor was of steel and thick leather, armed with gold quality swords and axes, awaiting their command while Joken faced all of them.
"Let us begin setting off, Joken, lead the way." Joken nodded his head, the army, led by him and Cadin marched into the forested area, passing a few prisoners hauling lumber back to the camp while they descended deeper.
They moved just close enough to see the river, seemingly spanning for miles as it continued going with no end or split, simply flowing continuously onward with no end in sight.
While they marched deeper, they stopped, frozen in place. A sudden noise of footsteps slamming the ground echoed out through the trees with no stop, rapidly moving closer and farther from where they stood.
"This is what was detailed my lord, steps that echo out through the forest and rapid in its steps."
Cadin listened to the steps, they sounded...Familiar to him, something he had heard many times before.
"Stay behind me, I will approach the source." Joken and the soldiers reluctantly followed, moving away from the trees near the river, they moved to the darkened forest, sensing the steps coming from all sides.
Cadin became more curious, remembering more parts of his life before, remembering the sound of the steps.
As they descended deeper, they came across a covered and partially unlit pathway heading from left to right in front of him.
Under the cover of bushes, the sudden rapid steps began, closer than ever before. On the pathway, soldiers riding in large creatures ran through the pathway in droves, moving forward quickly leaving the area.
Cadin was shocked, but it suddenly donned on him.
"Horses..."
"Horse, my lord?
Cadin realized what he had just seen, horses, similar to what he rode on before.
"Indeed, horses, large animals that can be ridden on."
"Rode...On?"
"You do not know what horses are?" Cadin turned to his advisor.
"Not at all my lord." Cadin soon realized the new issue, none of his people knew what a horse was, nor what it could do.
"Document where we are, we will start moving to where they ran from." Joken scribbled down on a rolled up map in his hand.
In a minute, they embarked opposite of where the horses ran to, still sticking behind under the bushes with weapons at the ready.
The path was far, but after half an hour of moving, they came across a large camp, hiding under the shade of tall thick trees and their branches, with only light emanating from the inside. Wooden spikes heading upwards defended the camp, behind it was a short but sturdy wooden wall with an open entrance to the inside. Cadin can barely make out a few guards standing around the entrance.
"Joken mark this area, we will return and request an expansion and a few more soldiers. I have a plan for this place. For now, let us return."
The group slowly moved back, causing as little noise as possible until the camp was far enough away.
"If I may ask my lord, what really are horses? For it seems you have good knowledge on them."
"They are simply large creatures that provide great speed, what may take us half a day to arrive to, will be done in half the time. They are also great for carrying things or fighting."
"For battle?"
"Indeed, you may ride it into a battle and fight your enemies from it, kill them while moving around faster than the wind." Cadin explained, Joken nodded his head, listening with great curiosity.
Finally, they returned back to their camp, people came and went from the entranceway, carrying their hauls or axes.
"What shall we send back to them my lord?"
"Send a letter to let these soldiers return home, since we cannot house them here just yet. And request for a few more for we have spotted a camp we may attack, and a request to expand to it."
"Very well." Joken turned to look at the soldiers.
"You have done well, but for now, you shall return home." Done with their task, the soldiers marched away, heading back.
Joken and Cadin entered inside the house, grabbing paper and the ink quill, Joken began writing down on the paper for the requests.
"First attack as the leader of a camp, excellent."