113 "Can your men perform that maneuver without
practice?" The Hawk asked.
114 "They'll learn it fast!" snapped Bright Star, and called over his
leaders to explain what had to be done. They had barely finished, when
a roar rose from The Epons, and all looked up to see what caused it.
Two huge cats on leashes were being led from group to group, the
strange Priest danced ahead of them, shouting to the men.
115 The Hawk had never seen anything like these animals. "Tigers?" he
asked.
116 Bright Star nodded. "The Epon god has a man's body with a tiger's
head, so the cats are supposed to be sacred."
117 As they watched, a rabbit suddenly broke cover before one of the
cats. It broke away from its handlers and went in pursuit. It was just
about to pounce on its prize, when a mountain hawk suddenly dove out of
the sky and snatched the rabbit literally from the cat's claws! The cat
rose on its hind feet. A cheer rose from The Children of Spirit, and
The Zoans, while The Epons moaned in horror.
118 "It's an omen!" cried Bright Star, "An omen! Your namesake snatched
the prize from the cat's claws! Surely it means victory!"
119 "Let us hope so," gasped The Hawk, "Let us pray so!"
120 The Epons gathered their courage and again began to advance,
walking slowly at first, but just outside arrow range they charged. As
the two forces met, it was like a clash of thunder. For many minutes
the Zoan lines held, but then slowly, surely, the middle began to part.
The Epons pushed through, and began to surround the now separated
forces, until The Zoans and The Children of Spirit were backed up
against the hills on either side of the pass. and The Epons filled the
middle
.