Into the Fray

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[267] Llorana: Kwars: Into the Fray
Tue Jun 19 19:49:03 2007
To: Shalonesti_kingdom Shalonesti Thaxanos All ( Jinquil Nianica ) Scorn Imm
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She stood just within the flap of one of the many large tents that had
been hastily erected for the injured. Clerics ran to and fro, saving who
they could and trying to ease the passing of those they could not. Still,
some few hours later after the battle had passed the injured and the dead
were still being brought in. She had been warned far ahead of time that she
would need to steel herself for this sight but being here in the thick of it
had given her the experience that nothing else in the world could have.
Somehow she managed to set it aside, to push it back for later though
hearing of Rannick Sha'falas' death had shaken her.

Covered with black soot from the fires and smoke, her previously polished
armor now marred in places where she had been struck by enemy weapons and
spattered with the blood of elves and dwarves alike, she felt somehow
separated from what was going on. She spied Nianica moving dutifully
through the ranks of injured and felt a brief flare of relief, though it
instantly brought Jinquil to mind and she frantically glanced around for
sight or sound of their youngest sister. The second flare of relief was
more like a tidal wave when she spied Jinquil through a throng of archers
who had convened at the back of the tent, and it left her feeling
lightheaded - or perhaps that was simply the knock she had taken when a
dwarf had tripped her, setting her up for another to sever her head. Only
speed and the aid of her tight-knit unit had saved her then.

Rising to the sound of screams and the great earthshaking impact of flaming
boulders had been harrowing and she was certain there'd be nightmares
aplenty for her later on when it all had time to settle in her head. She'd
had bare moments to slip her armor on and join her already gathered infantry
before the command came to enter the fray.

Nightmares. She scoffed quietly to herself. The war had barely begun and
already she was thinking about that. Shaking her head, sword and dagger
still to hand, shield strung securely to her back, she strode out of the
tent and toward her gathered infantry. A few had suffered wounds but all of
them had lived through the red dawn, each of them now blooded and bloodied.

Grinning at them, forcing a harsh sort of cheer, she sheathed her dagger and
her sword with an audible snap, accepted her helmet from one of her soldiers
and slipping it back on her head she said, "I hope you're all ready to hunt
some dwarf."