A while ago…
"Kerosh's platoon consists of adequately-trained shielded spearmen. Their compact formation is something that is feared even among the Horbidian ranks." Karsi explained to his leaders. Upon hearing that, Alexis' eyes lit up. He looked at Epaminondas and saw the same, but with a smug look to top it off.
"Are you going to face them just as you faced the Spartans?" Alexis asked. Epaminondas shook his head which confused Alexis. "I doubt they will be at the level of those brutes."
"They might be brutes, but their civilization spanned thousands of years. These ragtag individuals wouldn't even be able to lift a candle to the great Spartans."
"So? What's your plan?" Alexis asked, his curiosity oozing.
"Despite being the strongest, Sparta had its alert up all the time because of the numerous city-states surrounding them. Although they can fight two or three states at the same time, four or more would make them wary. Horbid doesn't have those kinds of neighbors to keep them on their toes most of the time. As the de facto strongest in the land, they wouldn't even be able to fathom that a new settlement such as us would dare go against them."
"Still, even if Horbid hasn't existed as the great power that they are for more than a few centuries, they still know every nook and cranny of this part of the forest. We won't be able to face them head on." Karsi voiced his worry.
"That might be true." Epaminondas nodded, agreeing with the statement. Despite that, the smile hadn't left his smile one bit, "But can they know what happens to a brazen bull?"
Going back to the present, the baleful Kerosh snarled, violently thrashing as he pushed through his men to give chase. "Elder Kerosh, no! There might still be rebels around here!"
"I don't give a damn!" Kerosh boomed, startling the birds, causing the leaves of the trees to rustle all around them.
"I'll make sure that, once I catch them, they will never again see the light of day."
"Elder Kerosh. We had three casualties already. Nine of our men are wounded, but two of them are already in critical condition. We need to rush back to Horbid first to cure them."
"Are you out of your mind?! Marching back to Horbid would take a week, two weeks in their condition!" Kerosh scolded the man harshly. The great city was miles away from them, even if they took the river's route. Those men would die before they reached halfway.
Suddenly…
"Oh my! What happened here!" A shocked cry came from somewhere. When they looked in the direction where it came from, they saw a couple of women with baskets in their arms. Suppressing his libido, Kerosh shouted, "You, women over there! Hurry here and help us!"
That, they did. Rushing forward, the women looked at the wounded men. "We can't treat them here. We don't have enough medicine. We're just gatherers." Said one of the women.
"Then what are you waiting for? Carry our men to your village!" Kerosh yelled. Cowering, the woman said, "I am sorry, great man. My body cannot do so because I am just a gatherer. Please carry them for us and follow us to our village."
Kerosh clicked his tongue and muttered under his breath, "Useless peasants." He then ordered his men to carry or assist the wounded.
The time that took them to go from the attack site to the settlement was about thirty minutes. Kerosh was mad about walking that long, but the women insisted that it's better than being left in the wilderness with the threat of beasts around.
Occasionally, they did encounter beasts. Still, as a unit trained for battle, the beasts didn't last for more than ten minutes before being skewered by their bronze spears.
When Kerosh saw the settlement, he was bewildered. "A tower in the middle of the village? Isn't that…"
"That's the description of the suspicious village in the report, Elder." One of his men realized it at the same time and said.
"So, these people are the ones denying Horbid's authority, huh?" Kerosh grinned, as if they had nothing urgent going on.
As they walked into the village, wary eyes followed them as a tense atmosphere surrounded them. Seeing how meek they were, Kerosh and his men couldn't help but have their pride skyrocket. Continuing into a huge, wooden building, the women made them sit before bringing in herbs and cloth bandages. Swiftly, the women took care of the wounded men before walking to Kerosh, "Hakesh (great man), the wounded have been tended to. You can rest here to recuperate." An old woman said to the general.
After gesturing to the women behind her, the old woman asked Kerosh, "Can I ask if there is anything else that you need?"
"I want the women earlier to come here and tend to me. They're not finished with their duties. They can't even carry our men, might as well do this to satisfy us." Kerosh demanded.
The old woman's expression dimmed, but knowing it is not her time, she said, "I am sorry, but I cannot do that."
"You!" Kerosh snapped. How dare this old hag deny them, warriors of Horbid, what they want? Seriously, this new village really reeks of uneducated. He should make his way to the center of the village and rally the women out and make them learn.
"Just bring me your master, I'll talk to him about his conduct in Habascus! Daring to not bring tribute to Horbid despite having this many wome— I mean food? He's tired of living!" Kerosh, not seeing any point in conversing with an old woman, waved his hand and swatted her away.
The old woman bowed, with a hint of a sigh of relief. Behind her, the wooden bowls of soup that she told the women to prepare earlier were finally here. After serving each and every one of them, the old woman led the others out of the building. Some of the men even wanted to forcefully have some of the women to stay if not for the old woman's insistence that there will be a time for that.The men could only huff before sitting back down.
Upon closing the door and getting as far away from the building, the old women checked on the girls. One of them was assaulted, having been forcefully held by one of the men. Still, she did not cry. "The things that will happen to them next would be enough of a vengeance for me." As she said that, all the men of Vinya began going out one after another, led by Alexis and his confidants, with a blazing torch in hand.