Ep.37 - The Year Of The Bear
(Start at the beginning)
The rain came down, a heavy fall without a puff of wind to direct its course. Julia stood at one corner of an open walled tent, her back to one of the poles keeping the canvas erect. The surrounding square was a heavily trodden pit of mud, seeing more traffic in the past few months than it had in its entire existence. In it’s center, beneath the tent, a large thick table stood. It was a featured gathering place, used for eating, drinking, and the frequent councils of war. Many strategies and reports among the Bears had been shared over it’s great length and even now it stood to bear the weight of another decisive moment in history.
Mariova unfurled a large piece of leather that almost spanned the entire width of the table. On its face was a map detailing many familiar areas. With only a momentary glance, Julia could discern features among the topography, and begin to chart the whereabouts as to her place upon it. The great ridge of the high pass spanned the length just above its center; Ipswitch, where her journey with the Bears began, a small mark on the southern side of the pointed mountain design; the road south that took them toward her home; The High Pass with its Crags from which Carmel hailed, and had mentioned in passing from time to time; Finally the thin line that connected Ipswitch to the last hovel in the west, Shaleback, where they were camped, with a number of other routes spanning further from there.
The stirring of interest the map invoked drew the assembled maul of Bears close. Their number came to eleven, twelve counting Carmel the Wilderman, which made Julia the unlucky thirteenth. The southerner held little sway over proceedings, and still seemed spurious in the minds of those she had not traveled with, but she tried to pay that little mind. To her thinking her role was not to decide the fate of the Bears, nor weigh in on the course they should take. Instead she was there to witness, record, and come away with whatever lore was set to unfold. While heralding the deeds of Bears seemed something that rang true in the minds of the gathered, the parallels in how Julia went about it, the background of which she came, and the general paranoia of Yos spies had her closer to anathema than friend or allie. It was only thanks to her time spent with Kodiak, Dolev, and Carmel that she’d garnered any standing at all, and that was something she was thankful for.
“We’re here,’ Mariova began as he tapped his finger on a small drawing on the map. “This is the border of the northern lodges, I believe the Yos patrol this same stretch southward from the mountain ridge.” His finger followed a line a digits width west of the town. “Here is the old trade route to the western kingdoms, the crowning city of which is Rsu, the oldest and richest in the region.” His finger tapped again. Mariova’s eyes lifted, his gaze drifting through each of the assembled Bears. “It has been many years since I traveled to these lands. You’re looking at my father's legacy, not mine, I was only a boy.”
Brown Beard gave Mariova a heavy pat on the shoulder, “A boy cub is still a Bear by nature, between your memory and your instincts, you’ll find us a way.”
“That’s no mere patrol the Yos have along that border. Watch-posts, horses, scouting parties, they’ve got every inch of the countryside from the rockies to the planes under their eye. Any approach is just asking for a fight.” A tall, grizzled Bear with a gaunt face and scraggly beard offered. He had the rugged look of someone who had not seen his home for a long while, let alone the inside of the most basic of structures. There was a murmur of approval at his announcement from a handful of similar looking Bears whom Julia took for a party of warrior scouts.
“Then maybe it’s about time we give them a fight,” said Kodiak.
There was no murmur of approval this time despite Kodiak’s enthusiasm. Instead the Scout placed his finger on the border, dotting it here and there. “We’ve skirmished up and down the line, testing the enemy's strength, watching for movements, trying for prisoners, seeing where their spies are slipping through. Anywhere we’ve hit they’ve reinforced. Their lines of communication are strong, uncannily so. If we fight our way in, we’ll be fighting the whole way there and back, I’ll promise you that.”
“Well, what are their numbers?” Kodiak asked.
“It’s hard to say. If they have a force they keep it well hidden. We only know they have not marched upon us, preferring to send their spies, and work their malady into our homes.”
“What of the Bears number?” Carmel asked with the slow raising of his head.
“At hand we could muster a maul of six hundred Bears. More, with enough time.” Brown Beard answered.
“It’s happening again,” Julia said quietly to herself.
Her words, however quiet, drew the attention of the assembled Bears, the nearest of which voiced everyone’s thought. “The Southerner speaks!”
Julia felt suddenly put upon, the glares of a host of grizzled men looking down upon her with equal parts skepticism and genuine interest. The impression left upon her was that, regardless of her standing, anyone invited to the special meeting who had something to say was held in high regard despite themselves. Had she realised she might have opted to keep her mouth shut.
Her eyes found Mariova’s, a softer, more forgiving look amidst the collection, and he offered her a reassuring nod.
Julia looked to Carmel, redirecting everyone’s attention. “Remember the Serpent's tale?”
Carmel gave a throaty grunt of acknowledgement. “The warrior king lead his host against the Yos armies, only he was not among them. Instead he slipped through the lines undetected to strike at Yob alone, where he least expected.”
“Right, but the Serpent made it sound like the combined might of known Kingdoms had gathered. We’re only six hundred Bears, and there’s no telling what we’d be facing.” Kodiak argued, oddly, suddenly the voice of reason. Noticing a hint of anguish in his tone, Julia wondered at his motivation.
“I didn’t think you knew how to shy away from a fight,” Julia probed. The words seemed to strike like a barb, the reaction a scathing look, a hint of anger at the slight to Kodiak’s pride.
“You know as well as I do that the Serpent can’t be trusted. The whole thing’s a fairy tale for all we know.” Kodiak bit back.
Julia felt chastised by the usually easy going Bear, and instantly regretted her action.
“I don’t trust the Serpent, but I trust those words to be true.” Carmel said evenly. “As much as I trust the basis of the deal they were bargained with, on the sacrifice of Dolev.”
Carmel’s words left half the assembled body quiet in solemn contemplation, while the other remained so in confusion.
“It could work,” The Scout said eventually, picking up the discussion from where it had obviously captured his attention. “Perhaps not a full blown assault, but as a distraction.” He pointed at an area on the map. “If we assembled the Bears quickly enough and marched on the line, the enemy might be forced to pull reinforcements from the surrounding area, opening gaps for our small group to slip through.”
Mariova scoffed, “It’s a nice thought but I’m not sure how present you were in the great hall. The Bears aren't exactly of one mind right now. How do you hope to bring your six hundred together when half as many are more than eager to go home.”
“Big Bear can rally them,” Kodiak suggested confidently.
Mariova laughed, his tone mocking, his skepticism plain to see. “Perhaps he could have, had he not been struck low by Yos treachery. What good is his call when he cannot walk, let alone lead? Bears do not follow Bears at the rear.”
Reluctantly, the assembled Bears agreed. The group fell silent as all turned inwardly to think on the problem, but no answer was forthcoming.
“They’d follow Brown Beard, especially if Big Bear made the call.” Dolev stepped in from the rain, drawing back her hood, hair damp despite the protection.
“Dolev.” Brown Beard nodded. “That’s some high praise, too high for my liking, but now that I hear it I fear you might be right.”
Another murmur from the Bears only this time with the tone of positivity.
“I am,” Dolev said assuredly. “I know I am, but you must enact your plan quickly. The Big Bears strength is failing. Your window for action draws to a close.”
(Continue to Ep.38)
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