Chapter 8

The next day I moved up toward the front to view the raiders. My God they covered the ground for as far as I could see. Must be thousands of them? We must be out numbered ten to one. We are going to be massacred, how are going to survive against so many?

Best guess they were maybe a day or two away. Our defensive team has been busy placing bombs in the right places and our hunters were practicing to hit their targets. Weapon masters have been busy making both bombs and grenades. Arrow and bow makers had plenty of arrows. The bow makers had back up bows and extra bow strings. The women were trained to get arrows and bows or strings to the archer who might need them.

We had primitive shields made out of sticks and bark and animal hides. They might stop an arrow, but not much good against a club or spear. But they were better than nothing. Our weapon masters were busy making more of these shields.

Our perimeter defense is designed to slow down the raiders and funnel them toward the middle. The hope is to then have the bombs and grenades put a hurt on their charging forces. With back up help from our entire archery division.

I had the horsemen tribe take twenty-five of their hunters and go up into the hills to attack the raiders from the West side. They carried some grenades with them. I hoped an attack from a different direction might slow and confuse the raiders.

"Don't get overpowered by the raiders. Do whatever damage you can do, and move on. Keep hitting the raiders in a different place vary your tactics, and don't attack until you hear us first," I told chief Wild Horse.

While I had time, I called a quick meeting with the war council to get updated on how each chief is doing. When that is finished, I toured the camp checking on the food supplies, firewood, water supply, and weapon supply. There is nervous energy flowing through the camp.

I stopped at my camp for something to eat and a quick nap. Silvermoon crawled into the tent with me.

"Please hold me. I am so scared on what might happen," she said in a soft voice.

"Everything will be fine. We are ready for them," I reassured her.

We kissed for a bit and then quickly we shed our clothes. Time was at a premium.

"Fuck me hard Grey Wolf," she cried at me, as I mounted her from behind.

She was moaning in pleasure, as I grunted a few times, depositing my sperm deep inside of her womb.

We both drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

It seemed like I just lay down when Red Hawk awakened me.

We sat down by the fire having something to eat, and were joined by Running Elk.

"I want you to stay back with our tribe. If things go badly for us, I want you to take those left of our tribe. That includes Silvermoon and her daughter. Also any nearby tribe members, who may want to flee with you. Make sure you take some food and water. I want you to flee back to our great cave bear campsite. I will leave a dozen young hunters back with you, to help with the retreat," I said to Red Hawk.

He started to argue with me over this. But I held my hand up.

"Remember our heritage and what happened to our tribe many moons ago. Thunderbird had to do the same thing to keep the tribe going. I want you to do the same. Keeping our tribe alive, is the number one goal here," I told him with a stern voice.

He looked at me nodding his head. "I will do as you ask, even though I don't like it," he said back to me.

"That is my boy, I know I can count on you to keep the tribe alive and strong," I said back to him with a slap on his back.

Just then a runner came up to us, "Chief Grey Wolf, you and Running Elk are needed up to the front," he said gasping for some air.

Then we look at each other. "I wish you both the best of luck and stay safe," Red Hawk said as we all grab each other's forearm in our tribe handshake. We both ran off following the runner toward the front.

Running Elk headed toward the army commander, while I stopped at the command tent to get an update as to what is happening.

I walked into the tent, just as a major discussion is going on about raider tactics. The one thing we feared the most would be the raider's night time attacks. We had huge bomb fires set to go but they would not cover all the area with light. Also, how to determine who was friend and who was foe.

We hope that all the pits we dug with stakes in them would help stop the night attacks. We also got word back that our cavalry was in position on West side of the raiders.

I walked up to the head of the table and raised my hands up in the air. I waited till it quieted down.

"We have done all we can do, no sense in second guessing ourselves now. It will be night soon and they have slowed down and won't arrive till sometime in the morning. I will send out some more scouts to check and make sure there is no sneak attack. I suggest that all of you get some food and sleep, tomorrow will be a busy day," I said to the war council. "We will meet back here an hour before sunrise, unless I need you sooner."

I toured the front lines and talked with the commander of the army on a few of the tactics he planned on using. He had all of his soldiers put white arm bans on so we know who was who. This would only work for a little while till the raiders figure it out. He had other ideas on what to do when they did.