us victory, or give us death!"
148 Her fighting people drew their weapons. "Victory or death!" they
cried.
149 The Lady Hawk started over the hill and the rest followed her. She
raised her sword and charged forward. "Victory!" she cried, "Victory!"
and her people continued after her. Those in the center of the line,
hearing people coming up behind them, made way and let them through.
150 The Lady Hawk's little group was fresh and rested. They cut hard
into the tired Epons, and their line broke. Split into two
sections, the defenders, as weary as they were, drove them apart!
151 One of The Epons, seeing The Lady Hawk's blood-stained armor cried
out "Look! They bring their dead back to life to fight us again! How
many times must we kill them?"
152 The cry spread through The Epons like fire. "They bring their dead
back to fight again! They can't be killed! Flee! Flee!"
153 The line broke in one-hundred places. Tired as they were, the
defenders continued the pursuit until The Epons were driven through
their camp and scattered to the wind! Then, the weary fighting people
staggered back into the enemy's camp, many falling unconscious onto
their bedrolls. Some collapsed in the field and had to be carried to a
resting place.
154 Those who could still stand, cheered The Lady Hawk, as she joined
her mate. "Today," cried The Hawk, "you earned a Damon's cloak. You are
as brave as any here."
155 "And, a red ring, also," added one of her guards. He opened her
tunic and revealed a rough bandage on her throat.
156 "It's just a scratch!" The Lady Hawk protested.
157 "It took five of the Healer's stitches to close the scratch!" the
guard continued.