After minutes of endless fighting and killing, saving what was left of the camp's inhabitants, the last attacking enemy fell on his back lifeless, bearing a long slash like the others, blood rapidly soaked the leather area around it.
Cadin breathed a sigh of relief, looking up at the yellow sky as the sun descended down in the horizon. He moved his head down, looking at the camp he led, now in shambles.
The sturdy walls burned brighter, chunks fell off and into the ground below as soldiers to civilians ran back and forth with buckets of water, throwing it towards the fires. Crates and other resources were scattered in a mess, wooden buildings were left damaged, but still standing.
After the battle was over, the last soldiers and civilians emerged out of cover, aiding the ones fighting the fire, searching the bodies for anyone wounded, or looking at their destroyed homes in grief. They were no longer safe, even under Cadin's supervision.
'Even my camp as well....." Sadness overwhelmed his emotion, witnessing his attempt of gaining power now in pieces from an attack.
"My lord, we must check on the other camp under us." The words made Cadin realize.
Not a moment to lose, Cadin ran out of the camp, mounting his horse and setting off. His clothes flew wildly in the wind as he moved as fast as he could. The forest around him was darker, obscuring anything in it. Joken followed from behind, struggling to keep up.
He pulled the lead on his horse, forcing it to grind to a halt with it's hooves burrowing into the dirt.
Corpses lay in the camp with figures standing around, walking and checking on them.
Cadin jumped off his horse, rushing inside the camp with his sword drawn.
as he got closer, he saw the people inside. The prisoners walked around piles of dead bodies, their clothes coated in blood as well as their swords.
"Did you lose anyone?" Cadin approached one of the prisoners, turning to him with blood on his face.
"None my lord, we managed to hold alongside the soldiers. And we managed to kill many of them as well.
Relief hit Cadin after he heard the news.
The camp was torn up with tents damaged and some horses out of their enclosure. The the camp held on.
Soldiers and prisoners began dragging the bodies outside, all with blood on different parts of their body, blood of the enemy.
"It seems our camp was far more focused on. We shall head back sir, this camp can still hold. Our home camp though may not." Heeding his advisor's words, Cadin walked off. Leaving the people of the camp.
Cadin got back on his horse and tugged on it's lead, in less than a second, the horse began to gallop forward,
The ride was short, returning to their home camp as the fires on the gates were slowly getting put out. Smoke formed from the extinguished sections of the wood, soaked in water and severely damaged with bits missing.
Through the torn gateway, Cadin entered inside on foot, resting his blood coated sword on his shoulder while looking at the people as they tried to fix the camp, many began taking out the rubble, throwing it out of the camp or placing it in piles.
Poltan appeared from inside the home, his armor was torn and beaten, having joined the fight that had ensued.
"My lord." He spoke with a tired but irritated voice.
"How many have we lost in the camp?" Poltan stopped to think for a few seconds.
"Around twenty or so with many more injured."
Cadin walked past Poltan to his home.
Piled on the table and on the floor, wounded civilians lay all around, aided by a few that managed to survive unscathed along with some guards, giving water and food. Their wounds were wrapped in cloth with blood stained weapons resting next to some of them.
'They fought back as well? Commendable' Cadin thought to himself, seeing the swords resting with the people.
Joken entered inside, now bearing grim news with his hands clasped together behind his back, "My lord. We have received news that the other camps have been attacked as well. It is not just us and the other camp."
Cadin took out his map and began unrolling it in front of Joken, looking at the once neutral camps and their positions along with the other allied camps.
'This is not a random attack. This is coordinated.' Shock hit his mind upon realizing it, quickly rolling it back up and heading outside.
The fires were already put out, the smell of recently extinguished firewood filled the air. Bodies were being dragged into piles on open ground, civilians continued throwing out the broken rubble inside the camp.
"What shall we do now my lord? The advisors await your demand." Joken asked from behind. The other advisors exited the house, standing next to their fellow advisor, waiting for orders or guidance.
'It seems our resources and manpower may not be enough, now I have to suffer with a heavier lack of personnel and wood to repair.' Cadin sighed deeply in sorrow, staring off at what remained of the camp.
Cadin turned around to face his advisors, he began to speak "Poltan...Check our remaining resources and began conducting repairs, Joken i need you to join me with the soldiers. The attack must happen now unless we desire our camp's total destruction. The rest of you, tend to the wounded and aid the people with repairing and salvaging what remains in this camp." The group quickly dispersed, following the orders given to them.
Joken approached Cadin, "Are we truly planning an attack while our camp is in disarray my lord?"
"If we wait and continue repairing, then the enemy shall rally once more for another attack. We must prevent this from happening and strike back against them." Cadin gripped his sword's handle tighter after finishing his sentence.
"They must not be allowed to regroup and rally. We shall head to the horse camp and prepare the soldiers for the attack." Cadin spoke with haste, already starting to walk towards the entrance with Joken following behind him.