"They are right over that hill" Vayne two skins spoke up as his eagle landed at his side. The collation had managed to sneak into Arthor's territory.

They had ignored the first settlement they had come upon, it was clear from the preparations they had managed to glimpse that they were prepared for an attack.

Arnolf did not see any reason to play into the hands of Arthor, this led them to move deeper until they found this one which didn't have enough people to pose a threat to them.

"Alright don't forget this is our first strike, it's success will determine if the others will side with us or against us. For the Gods" Arnolf screamed as he led the charge. "For the gods!" the men shouted back as they moved over the hill and charged straight for their target.

Their large number alongside their screams, alerted the people of the settlement to the large host of men charging towards them with obviously hostile intent. "To arms!" the men screamed as they scrambled to get their weapons with some women joining whilst the others rushed to their children.

The ravens that had began to call this village home silently took off towards one direction but were soon interrupted by Eagles which swooped down with claws at the ready. The cries from the crows and the eagles soared through the sky as they engaged in a fierce battle.

Putting up a fierce fight the ravens managed to take down two eagles and wound another but in the end they were put down.

With the battle in the skies over, the one on the land picked up in intensity. The people were first of all out numbered by the invaders and to make matters worse most of their number was not fit for battle. They tried their hardest but what they put up could truly not in good conscious be referred to as resistance.

The coalition cut their way through out the village dying the grounds beneath their feet red with blood. The massacre continued for another half an hour before all returned to silence. The people who had once tended to their crops and animals on this very land now lay on the very earth with some still grasping on to their weapons tightly.

The coalition took what was of value to them before leaving the scene.

They had struck and made their intentions clear to Arthor, from now on there would be no second thoughts as they truly were at war.

At the end of that day others had seen what remained of the settlement, and by the next morn Arthor knew what had happened. "Damn those fuckers, I say we move and meet them in battle show them the might of our steel!" Lothor was the first to make his voice heard once all the leading figures had gathered.

"We might have the larger number now, but they have a substantial number as well. Blindly marching our numbers to a target, allows for them to continue to pick off the defenseless settlements we leave behind." Benjen explained to his brother in an even tone causing the younger son of Harwood to let out a curse.

"You have a point Benjen, but we can't sit on our hands and do nothing. If we allow this to continue we may soon find our numbers cut down with what remains of us surrounded, waiting to see the gods!" Meha's words caused some present to bow their head as the grim image formed in their minds.

"Enough!" Harwood's shout brought an end to the mummers as well as breaking the increasingly tense atmosphere. All eyes turned to the one armed warrior, when Lagertha who stood at his side spoke up. "Our chief, who gathered us here. If you all have forgotten, has yet to speak."

All eyes shifted once more, this time to Arthor who sat upon his chair his countenance as frigid as the winds in the lands of always winter. His left hand supported his chin as his right played with a hunting knife, "how many?"

"409", Ronell gave the answer to his brother's question. Arthor simply gave a nod and remained silent, "you all make valid points" he spoke after the silence had settled over everyone present. "Our enemies strike at us, because they believe they have grasped our weakness. They believe with their actions, we will halt our hunt, that they can force us into submission." Arthor began to chuckle once he finished.

"War implies there is an uncertainty, let us show these fools that tis not a war. For the outcome... has long been decided" Arthor stood at that moment driving the knife at hand into the earth.