Lindsay
Schopfer

By Lindsay Schopfer 

“We’re just not accomplishing enough here. I’m beginning to doubt whether we have a chance any more of saving this Province.”

The Baron sighed, rubbing his fingers against the dark circles under his eyes. Looking around the table, Keltin saw the same signs of weariness in the faces of each of the captains of the campaign.

“We’re doing our best, my Lord,” said Captain Tallow of the tamarrin hound trainers. “My men and their hounds have been out nearly every day since we arrived here, and I know most of the other hunters can say the same.”

“Don’t mistake what I’ve said for criticism, Captain Tallow. All you men and your teams have worked miracles in Dhalma. More than fifty beasts slain in a week with only six men dead and ten wounded beyond serving. But we’re running out of time. If the rains come early this season then the harvest is lost. We’ve already come too close with that shower conjured up by one of the Loopi. If Grel’zi’tael hadn’t put an end to it, we might have lost the campaign by that evening. As it stands, the Sky Talker has informed me that he predicts the seasonal rains will come in no more than two weeks, and we don’t seem to be any closer to ridding the area of this hellish infestation.”

Rumsfeld turned to Keltin. “Captain Moore, do we have any idea just how many beasts are in these woods?”

Keltin shook his head. “No sir. Each time a team leaves the camp they seem to encounter just as many of the creatures as they did the day before. Our only clue is that the number of beasts seems greatest to the north. This has been confirmed by both the mobile teams as well as the trappers and stand hunters.”

“That’s something at least,” said the Baron. “Captain Pollik, do you think your men can begin extending their trap field to the north? If it’s true that the greatest concentration of the beasts is in that direction, we’d be well served in gradually extending that boundary.”

The weathered trapper nodded. “We’ll get on it.”

“I can also change around the position of my men and place more of them to the north of the camp,” offered Captain Nellis of the stand hunters.

“Very good,” said Rumsfeld. “I want you both to begin as soon as possible. In the meantime, I will consider how else we may use this new information. However, we have another problem. Evik reports that we’re running dangerously low on provisions. His people have already harvested all the available crops within the boundaries of the stand hunters’ perimeter. We’ll need a team to provide an escort for them to go further afield and find more food to fill our lauders.”

The Baron looked at Keltin. “Captain Moore, what is the condition of your team?”