On the evening of December 23, Black Wolf led three thousand Guajili Canine Descendants, covering nearly three hundred miles in a quick march, and captured the ancestral lands of the southwestern Tekos Tribe, the deserted Hand Snake City.
The three thousand elite Canine Descendants pillaged the city throughout the night, and again outside the city for an entire day. Following the orders of the Black Wolf Legion Commander, the plundering Guajili warriors did not pursue the tribe mbers who fled into the mountains; they simply set fires everywhere in the basin. Over ten nearby Tekos villages were utterly engulfed in flas.
Thick smoke billowed into the sky. The granaries burst into flas, the food reserves were burned to ashes, the thatched cottages were reduced to nothing, and the Tekos villages were obliterated overnight. By the night of the 24th, the once-fertile Hand Snake basin was filled with unextinguishable flas everywhere!
The legion, having rested well in Hand Snake City for a night, on the morning of the 25th, Black Wolf personally set fire to the chieftain’s great hall while Red Monkey ignited the grain-filled granaries. Soon after, great swathes of fire erupted in various parts of the city. Seven thousand won and children were released by the legion, scattering northward. Most of the escapees were pale and horrified, carrying three days’ worth of food, and commanded to flee north and surrender to the Kingdom beyond the valley. Of course, no one was supervising them. Those passing north of the city would only see a shrine built of severed heads, intimidating all the Tekos people.
As the morning sun rose, over two thousand Canine Warriors gathered to the south of Hand Snake Basin. Stag Deer, along with several hundred red-haired Hunters, had already headed south swiftly, serving as the army’s Scouts.
Black Wolf stood atop a southern hill, watching Hand Snake City burn in the sea of fire. Dense smoke rose high into the sky, shifting shapes in the air. It was the dry season, with no rain from the heavens, aning such a great fire could not possibly be extinguished by human effort.
"Haha! Let’s move out, the entire army marches south!"
Black Wolf laughed in satisfaction, waved his hand, and took off running towards the south. Thousands of Canine Descendants then howled and set out, like a pack of wolves. After resting for two days, their morale was at its peak, ready to crush all enemies!
The Red Hawk circled above the mountain forest, searching for prey to sate its hunger in the swirling smoke. After surveying for a while, it sensed danger and decided to leave. At this mont, scattered throughout the basin and the surrounding forests, were thirty thousand tribe mbers about to fall into starvation.
On the afternoon of the 27th, after marching a day and a half and covering sixty to seventy miles through mountainous terrain, the three thousand-strong Guajili Legion caught up with two thousand retreating Tekos Militia mbers from coastal communities further south under several Noble Chiefs.
Upon seeing the massive fire in the direction of Hand Snake City, the various Noble Chiefs panicked. Had the enemy penetrated deep into the mountains and captured Hand Snake City? Could it be Chief Kimari the Great Chief had been defeated and slain? They waited a day on-site, until a few fleeing soldiers from the north arrived, bringing news of the invaders being "in the thousands, savage and brutal, howling like a pack of wolves."
Faced with the dire situation in Hand Snake Basin, the Noble Chiefs deliberated for half a day and made a decision: to pull back south without regard for the "Shield" Tribe of Hand Snake City. Each would return to their own villages to look after their own, and move their tribes into the mountains as quickly as possible! The two thousand Tekos Militia finally retreated south in a rush, and within a day, they were ambushed by the sprinting red-haired Hunters.
"Swoosh swoosh swoosh!"
Fierce volleys of arrows whizzed by, killing feather-capped Leaders and Hunters attempting to fight back. The ranks of the Tekos people quickly broke apart, descending into chaos without leadership.
"Awooo!"
After several rounds of arrows, thousands of Guajili warriors howled as they attacked from the flanks! High-spirited and dressed in protective Cotton Armor, they wielded sharp Copper Spears, stabbing the poorly clad Tekos Militia to death!
The Tekos Militia from different communities only maintained their fighting spirit for a Quarter hour before so village Militia broke ranks, turning tail to flee. Then, the rout quickly spread, sweeping through like the wind. Thousands of Militia mbers scattered and ran towards the mountains!
"Swoosh!"
Black Wolf shot an arrow swiftly, killing a Tekos Warrior clad in simple cloth. Then, he lowered his Greatbow and surveyed the battlefield. The enemy was completely defeated; the Canine Warriors were howling excitedly, pursuing and killing at great speed.
"What a pathetic fight!"
Black Wolf sneered and turned to his Tekos trusted aide and guide at his side.
"Mavik, where are we?"
"Chief, we are in Tehuantepec, ’the mountain range where wild beasts dwell’. The small village ahead in the mountain pass is Wild Mountain Village. Here, the mountain paths diverge; one heads southwest, the other northwest."
Mavik answered respectfully, head bowed. Born in a coastal Tekos Tribe, he had always been known for his bravery. Years ago, he was conscripted by the Tarasco Kingdom and resisted the xica Alliance in a western campaign. After his defeat and capture, he converted to the faith of the Chief Divine, joined the Imperial Guards, and beca a brave Vanguard thrower.
Later, Black Wolf ford the Guajili Legion and took five hundred Vanguards with him, including Mavik. Familiar with the southern mountain terrain, Mavik was an essential guide in the adventurous and aggressive push southward.
"Two mountain roads?"
Black Wolf’s eyebrows raised. He looked southwest, where a narrow path andered through the forest, only slightly flat. He then gazed northwest, towards an even narrower path that disappeared into the distance, its terrain gradually ascending.
"Which way do they lead?"
"The one southwest heads to the endless shores of the Great Lake, only about a hundred and twenty to thirty miles away. The northwest path leads to Fire River City in the Colima Mountain Region, roughly two hundred miles away."
"Colima Mountain Region, Fire River City!"
Black Wolf muttered to himself, a look of longing in his eyes. He licked his lips, his fighting spirit surging.
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