With the goblin detachment driven off and the battle over, the convoy slowly gathered at the top of the hill. The soldiers were exhausted, the strain of the battle etched into their faces as they caught their breath and assessed the damage. George and his girls stood together, their hearts still racing as they took stock of the situation.
"That was too close," Lucy muttered, wiping sweat from her forehead and glancing over at George. "If we hadn't taken out their leader when we did, we'd still be fighting our way up this hill."
"Yeah," Raven agreed, looking out over the battlefield, her dark eyes scanning the surrounding area for any sign of stragglers. "But we did it. We're still here."
George nodded, his jaw tight as he surveyed the group. Several soldiers were injured, some more seriously than others, and their supplies were running low. The adrenaline from the battle was starting to wear off, and exhaustion was setting in.
