The bodies of the dead were being dragged around, Cadin ordered the soldiers to loot the bodies of anything they could find. Weapons, armor, or cloaks he could repurpose for his own army.
Sentis returned to him with a brief report, "My lord, we have lost around 34 men with nearly half injured from the attack."
"Only 34?" Cadin replied back, shocked at the low number.
"We managed to save more from death my lord, though our satchels are half filled. We may need to resupply."
"The enemy is on the run, and we have claimed a great number of prisoners. We cannot let this sudden shock and loss go to waste. Prepare all soldiers, we will march towards the next camp." Sentis and the healers walked away, helping up a few of the injured men.
Cadin walked across the platforms, observing his army push the prisoners to the lower area.
Foren jumped down next to Cadin while he continued walking.
"We spotted scattered groups of fighters retreating to the nearest camp from here. Branch jumpers just like I." He explained.
"How many?" Cadin asked. Foren thought for a second.
"About 30 men, the camp had about 50 defenders patrolling the area. Before we left they were preparing defenses. Moving crates and such to the stair entrances with a line of soldiers in front of it. The rest began preparing their bows. Suppose surprise is no longer on our side anymore, nor is the strategy. I suppose we need to form a new strategy, what do you think?"
Cadin thought of the plan he had seen before, what the advisors had made in the abode.
'Their plan may work here, only with a few changes.
"Say, we could use the plan you made earlier." Foren turned to Cadin, curious. The two continued walking around the platforms, bodies being dragged away with the prisoners already waiting at the bottom to be sent off. Blood mixed with the smell of wood filled the air, the floors and nearly all homes had large stains of red on different surfaces.
"What of that plan?"
"Perhaps we could use it again, this time though. You would need to attack first."
"I'm listening." Foren's attention shifted to Cadin, awaiting the new plan he had, interested and ready for what task was needed.
"We may form a large unit down below the enemy, providing a greater distraction. As for your men, you will kill any soldiers blocking the entranceway and hastily remove the barricades. Hopefully the troops will be concentrated on mine so there would be little resistance. Oh, and we'll meet back here, I need to order my men to bring these prisoners to your camp for safekeeping."
Foren nodded his head, acknowledging every word Cadin said.
"I lost a few men, but we can carry that out. Hopefully this succeeds as well. I'll speak with my soldiers." Foren ran to the tree next to them while they walked and disappeared above the branches and leaves.
Cadin changed his course, walking to a stairwell. While walking, his eyes gazed at the ledges of the platform.
'There should be other ways of breaching positions like this.' He attempted to remember from his past, weapons, tools, tactics, and many more. What he could recall from his past in combat.
While lost in thought, he returned back on the ground.
The soldiers were back in their formations, the prisoners standing inside each one. Joken and the cavalrymen stood in front of them all, silent and observing.
"Soldiers, we will make a quick return to our ally's camp so we may dispose of these soldiers. Once that is finished we will return back here." Cadin signaled Joken to speak with him.
"Yes my lord?"
"Leave two of our units here, the rest will bring the prisoners back. Understood?"
With a simple nod, Joken walked forward and began shouting, ordering for two groups to stay and their prisoners transferred to the other formations.
A few minutes passed, two of the formations headed back up with the rest prepared to march back.
After a moment of looking around one more time, Cadin got on his horse and led the units back.
Muffled chatter could be heard from the prisoners in the formations, but Cadin continued looking forward, raising his shields above him along with the cavalrymen.
The soldiers continued marching, raising their shields up and to the sides, only concealing a few of the prisoners.
Time passed quickly, Cadin's mind was filled with thoughts of his past, thinking of what he could create with the new battlefield he stood on.
The soldiers kept marching with little fatigue on their faces. A few of them bore faces of excitement compared to the rest.
'Seems to be the fanatics. Either that or overly enthusiastic soldiers.' He thought, turning around to see his army continuing their march in sync.
They arrived at the camp. Immediately greeted by soldiers who leaped down from the trees, stopping Cadin's army.
"Ah, the white haired warrior." One of the soldiers spoke, his face obscured by a mask and hood with only his eyes visible to Cadin.
"We need to bring these prisoners for safekeeping. Hold them for a few hours and we will return." The soldiers looked at Cadin before nodding their heads.
Cadin ordered his men to start handing over the prisoners while the tribe's soldiers called on more to join them.
More soldiers jumped down from the trees, immediately grabbing the prisoners and escorting them to the wooden platform to go up.
In a minute, the prisoners were all taken in, most awaiting to be sent upwards on the platform. The masked soldier looked back at Cadin.
"So the rumors were really true. A conqueror…" He said before running to his fellow men, joining them to escort the defeated prisoners.
Cadin looked at his soldiers, none looked exhausted despite the travel.
'Seems like rest isn't needed for them. Once the mission is done though we need water and food for them.' After a few seconds of silently looking around at his army, he ordered them to march again, now bound for the camp once again.