Seeing city gates coming up on the horizon, I swallowed at the sight of seeing smoke coming from inside of the town.

Still being a distance away, I already started to feel a strange feeling go through me that I’d never felt before.

“Stay calm, puppy.”

The General’s words didn’t help much at all.

With smoke, that means fire, with fire…Was everyone ok?

“Lieutenant.”

I turned to the Lieutenant and saw him turn towards everyone else on his horse, and speak, “The gates are ahead of us, Nuggets! The time for our arrival has been known beforehand and we are on time. As far as we know, the gates will open for us to enter but it could also be a trap! By no means are you to let in any of the enemies in! You got it!”

Galloping further down the line, I heard him speak further, “From now on, you are all to be vigilant and keep an eye out even more so now that the city Vulmoss is in sight! Now, don’t whimper to the sight! There’re no cry-babies here! It’s time to move out and get us into those walls, do you understand!”

A big amount of ‘yes sirs’ came after that.

…We were told two days ago to keep an eye out, now we were to stay vigilant all the time now.

This was the last day of travelling, we were now going to enter into the city of Vulmoss and bring in reinforcements!

 

Through being able to follow the General, I found out that there were other small sections that were deployed elsewhere. One of them was to watch this gate that we were now heading too.

What the General had continuously been doing, every time we stopped, was make sure that we were still in contact with the soldiers deployed to safeguard this southern gate of Vulmoss.

Being loud, as the Lieutenant was, we may have caused someone to have knowledge that reinforcements were coming. But, that was also going to be something the General had gone ahead and told to make good use of to the General’s already inside of Vulmoss.

If we were not harmed and let into Vulmoss with no problem, then nothing will change in the way of getting into the city. But, if the enemy wants to surround us and stop us or try to get into the city walls while the gates were opened, then not only will archers be in range, but there will be another city gate that opens, to let soldiers out to help us get in and to hopefully kill some easy targets. Well, that’s how it ‘looks’…

I didn’t quite understand what the General meant by saying ‘that’s is how it should look like’…

Well…I didn’t know if that was entirely their plan, but I think that’s what I heard…

Anyway, it was this moment…This moment that we will find out what was going to happen.

The General raised his sword silently, seeing the recruits in front of him do the same.

Then he turned and was the first to go out, making me also the first.

I tightened my grip on the front of the saddle, seeing the realistic version of war…The idea of it…The sadness of it, the heat, the heart, the battle, feel and worry…

“Puppy, didn’t I tell you to calm down?”

I looked up and around at him and the General smiled, “There’s a high possibility that the enemy won’t do anything…Either way, I won’t let you get hurt.”

I gave him a short nod and then turned back around…My heart was beating in my chest and I felt hot!

Feeling an arm go around me, I felt it push me against the warm body behind me. “Make sure you get me a good drink of water when we get in Vulmoss, ok?”

I nod, seeing the city gates get bigger and bigger…

 

 

As we entered half way towards the gates, I found that the General slowed down and put up his sword once more.

I didn’t think it was a good idea…Weren’t we running as fast as we could?

Suddenly, people dropped from trees from both sides of us in the distance and they ran closer to the General and made some kind of path towards the gates of Vulmoss.

“See, little Puppy.”

I nodded.

“These are our elites. They had already killed many scouts and severely hurt one division of the enemy’s army, making the enemy know that they are here.”

I looked at all the men that had formed the path and saw that they looked different. They even felt different.

“Since they aren’t in the walls, but out here to keep this path free, the enemy had to think twice. Assuming that the enemy now knows that they are here, he probably won’t worry about the new, young and talentless recruits that are coming. It wouldn’t be worth the deaths that could potentially happen.”

I nodded, trying to understand what he meant as quickly as possible. I didn’t want to look dumb…

 

Seeing the rest of the recruits catching up to us, the General still stayed where he was and waited, even after they had run past.

When the long line was getting closer and closer, the gates opened to let them in and the General charged forward once again.

In my line of vision, I watched as the elites did not join us and instead went into hiding yet again.

“They will stay outside. Not only can they be called to do other jobs, but if we lose Vulmoss, they will clear a path for us in retreat.”

Nodding once again, I strangely felt more at ease, knowing that those men were there…

Being the last to get through the gate, the gate closed directly behind the General and I and I found myself looking at a lot of buildings more closer together, making less room for people.

“General Wilton.”

“General Knowles.”

Catching up from what I was looking at, I saluted to ‘General Knowles’, who looked older then General Wilton. He had a moustache and big eyebrows…

“Your plan has succeeded, now we’d like you to know of the situation in more detail.”

Feeling the General get off his horse, I went to attempt it too, and as usual, the General helped me down.

“Let’s go.”

As soon as I was down, the General was already walking towards this other General, so I followed…

 

“General, what you said was correct, they hit the walls and gate to the north harder this morning.”

I picked up the gloves that the General took off and threw.

“It was either that or they try to get the reinforcements.”

“General, I’ll take the lads to the barracks.”

I turned to see the Lieutenant and the rest of the new recruits go in another direction.

Turning back, I was then covered by a cloak blocking my view.

Taking it away, I put it in my arms, with the gloves I already had…

“I also have a feeling that General Whatts is attacking harder because of the news of the other General on his way here.”

I looked up at the General, who then said, “General Whatts is getting antsy. He’s old and probably wants to look good to a new General.”

“We had thought the same.”

“He will not work well with a younger generation.”

I really wished I was smarter hey…

But…I had a feeling that they were talking about the enemy right now…But…I could be wrong…

In the small amount of time that I had been with the General, I was sure that General Whatts was from Gelmain.

“We also think the same.”

“Then, all we need to do is somehow add on to the discord between them. Try to find out which areas the new General will take control of and don’t attack them as much as General Whatts men.”

“We are just waiting for the news.”

We walked into a building and after two turns, there was a map in the middle of a big table.

 

“What is the little one doing here?”

I looked up, to see someone I hadn’t met before.

“He’s with me.”

“Uh? You?”

“Yes. Now tell me what the damages are, how long can we hold this for?”

“The most recent reports state minimal damage towards the wall. The only part of the wall that had taken more damage was the western side.”

“So, nothing has changed there, what about the fire? Food, water, medicine?”

“Including what you brought?”

The General huffed and sat down. He looked at me with expectant eyes and I suddenly became aware of my very important duty!

Water!

I put down his cloak and gloves and hurried off.

I had no idea where I was going, but I just left.

Water, water, water!

 

 

After about five minutes of being lost, I took another two minutes to get some water. I had to use a way of moving my hand to my mouth, like drinking, to get someone to tell me where it was, but it was fine after that.

Coming back in a hurry, I only lost about three little drops of water and quickly put it down in front of the General.

He took it and drank nearly all of it, before saying, “Then what happened to the elites there?”

“We have not heard back from the people investigating. They will be due to inform us within two hours, tops of three.”

I stood behind the General, head lowered…I think, I missed something.

The General put his cup down loudly, “Do you not understand the implications here?”

“Of course, we do! We aren’t stupid, the number of elites were over a dozen!”

Silence entered into the room and I looked up slightly, but still bowing. They looked angry…

“What are they surviving on?”

“Water from Xilan River and dried vegetables from not only Bronk, but their capital.”

The General played with his cup and stayed silent.

“I understand what General Wilton is saying.”

I didn’t…

He didn’t even say anything…

I looked at the other General in pure curiosity. What did the General ‘say’ but didn’t say?

“The little one is curious.”

“Let him be.”

“Has he been checked?”

I raised my eyebrows…Me? Checked for what?

Should I…Check my clothes for something?

 

“Is it not obvious?”

I looked at the General and wondered what they were talking about…I mean, it was about me, but can you please tell me, so I can understand!?

“…I’m surprised.”

“Get over it.”

I took a deep breath and let it out, whatever they were talking about…The General was on my side and that was all that mattered…

“I never thought you liked a breath of fresh air, General.”

Fresh air?

I didn’t think a breeze was blowing through here…

I licked my finger and put it out…

My finger was then shoved back down by the General and he turned to General Knowles, “This breath of fresh air won’t even go your way, General.”

Laughter boomed into the building and I noticed another person being there…I didn’t know who he was, but he was looking at me like…Well, like I just told a joke…

Did I miss something?

“Get back to business!”

When the laughter died down, General Knowles continued, “…The new General is said to arrive at the end of the day, these two divisions here, are apparently going to be his.”

The man pointed at the map on the table and I curiously looked closer…

 

“That one…”

“Yes, it’s the severely beaten one because of the elites.”

“I see…”

“Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?”

“…Indeed.”

“The other is maned by Captain Johnson…”

General Wilton huffed, “The younger generation will be altogether, bad move.”

“Familiar?”

General Wilton smirked. “The new General, if he isn’t told about the elites, he will hit the southern gate.”

“Yes, we did think of this, but then, this division…”

The General interrupted, “They will tell the new General.”

“What we can’t figure out, is what they will do if he does know about our elites.”

Silence came over the room once again.

“Your thoughts…You are the one that would probably know best, General Wilton.”

For the first time, the third person in the room had said something.

I looked at him and he seemed very serious and was watching the General with great interest…

The General didn’t speak but put a hand to his chin and narrowed his eyes at the map.

Suddenly, he stood up and then looked at General Knowles, “The soldiers deployed in Refton?”

“Refton?”

Refton?

What was Refton?

 

The General pointed on the map, to a town that was outside of Ristro, “There!”

“What!”

Yeah, what?

“If I was the new General, I would see this place as the next best place to obtain other than here, I would send people here for not only a diversion but if it was easy to gain, I would take it!”

The two other men got closer to the map and looked upon it. “Are you sure?”

“It’s the next town towards the capital, but it’s not so far away as to come back here. What of the soldiers at Refton?”

With the General the way he was, I started to feel worried…But I didn’t know what I was worried about!

“There is a small lot of deployed soldiers there, about four hundred.”

“Not enough!”

“What about the capital…”

The other man then interrupted, “Intercede.”

“Exactly. Get them in ambush!”

The General looked so manly to me at this moment…Even though he was talking about ending lives…

“What of getting people out of the capital, if we do that it might change their minds.”

“The capital and the soldiers, get them here from this route, then place them in the bushes here. There won’t be trees, but they’ll still be able to hide.”

“Agreed.”

“Agreed!”

 

The General stood up and then said, “Convene after a rest, Knowles you continue the defence for Vulmoss.”

“Giving me orders, General?”

“No, just reminding you of the order that you already have from the King, General!”

Then, General Wilton passed me, in which I followed.

Before we left the area, I heard a quiet voice mockingly say, “He really is a little puppy.”

“What? Are you jealous?”

“Pfft, no, I have a woman. There’s no need for a puppy when I have a woman who gives me more joy…”

I didn’t hear more than that…

When we got back outside of that building, the General headed in a direction that I had no idea would lead us too.

I wondered if he’d been here before…

I guess I found out…As, after five minutes of walking, we ended up at some small market place.

It wasn’t very busy, but the General barged straight in and slowed down in front of one shop.

Picking up an item, it didn’t take long before he put it back down. He picked up another and then turned to me and plopped it onto my head.

He made a face and threw the item away.

“The best would be, to not to let anyone see you!”

In a strange moment of me trying to figure what he meant, he had walked a few metres away, when I realised, I caught up and followed him once again…

After that, I wasn’t able to follow him outside anymore…

 

***

 

In the next few days, I was alone a lot. The General was always so busy, and I had nothing to do!

I didn’t know where Neil was, or Dilan. I really wanted to know if they were ok or what positions they had, but I wasn’t allowed to leave this place…

Actually, I wasn’t really complaining about the living arrangements. It was quite a change from the last two weeks!

But, I was prohibited to leave!

Did I do something wrong?

I hadn’t said a thing, yet I was still getting into trouble!

Whether it was here or the Billings residence, not talking still gave me trouble!

It really was so boring though!

I know I would have loved this back when I was a slave…But right now, it was sort of terrible!

And that was all it took, for me to realise that I was still able to do my training in the place where I was.

It wasn’t a tent, like the last few days, but it was a building and the Generals room was quite large…So…There was ample room for me to train!

So…I finally found something to do with myself and even felt glad that I was left here!

…The only time I had to do something, was when the General returned, which did happen every night, which made me feel better.

But I had absolutely no idea on what was going on with the war!