The Haeta had adopted a faster pace, each girl alternating between a jog and a walk. The rear guards pulled in, staying within a quick sprint of the rest of the column, and the scouts in front pushed farther ahead. The precision of it all made Winter think of the Grand Army, and she wondered how many drills these young women had had to go through. Abraham stumbled along, puffing, with Alex staying protectively by his side. Winter went back to the front of the group, where Leti was calling to the others.
“It may not be enough.” Vess spoke, unexpectedly, from beside Winter. “If they attack, it will be at twilight, when they are hardest to see.”
Winter glanced at the sky. The sun was already well down toward the horizon. Under ordinary circumstances, they’d probably have camped on the near side of the stream.
“We’ll make it.” She tried to sound reassuring. Vess only glanced at her sourly and slunk away.
The clouds were changing to a delicate pink when the scouts reached the stream, the rest of the column descending the hillside close behind. From above, Winter could see the two girls on scouting duty look at the water and then at each other. One of them stayed put, while the other sprinted back up the slope and called at the top of her lungs in Haeta.
“What?” Winter’s heart was in her throat. “What did she say?”
“It’s too deep,” Leti translated, staring down at the stream. “We’d have to swim, or find another place to cross.”
“We don’t have time to find another place to cross.” If Vess was right, they didn’t have time for anything.
“Swimming water that cold and fast is too dangerous,” Leti said. She bit her nail nervously. “They may not even come today, or at all. We should—”
Someone shouted. Winter looked up and saw it was the scout who’d remained behind. A dozen low, gray shapes had sprouted on the slope, as if by magic, half of them facing the column while the rest closed in a circle around her. She stood with her spear out and her back to the river.
There was more gray, on all sides, dappled shapes running through the long shadows. Oh, damn. Saints and fucking martyrs. How many of them are there? More shouts came from the back of the column.
“Don’t just stand there,” Leti said to the warriors closest at hand. “Help her!”
No. Winter could see it unrolling before her, as though someone had drawn the pictures. A disorganized rush, and the charge of the wolves from behind. Melee and red ruin. No, no, no. The animals were faster, loping easily to match the humans at a dead run. They’ll circle us, just like cavalry around an infantry battalion, looking for a weak spot—
The first group of warriors ran at the wolves in front of them, spears raised. The animals broke and scattered, easily keeping ahead of the humans, but others circled in behind. The lone scout, meanwhile, swung her spear back and forth, keeping the wolves in front of her at bay. From Winter’s vantage, though, she could see it was only a game. They can rush her whenever they want. They’re keeping her apart to break up the herd.
“Call them back,” she said to Leti. “Call them back now.”
“Jaesja will die!” Leti said.
“We’re all going to die if we don’t get into formation!” Winter said. “Call them back now.”
“But—”
“Leti!” Vess shouted, from somewhere behind. “They’re coming!”
The rear of the column had turned into a confused mass, brandishing spears to fend off a dozen wolves advancing slowly with hackles raised. Winter could already see others working their way around the sides.
A square. Not a square, even—no need for it without muskets. A circle.
“You’re supposed to be warleader,” Winter said. “That means—”
“I know!” Leti said. It was almost a scream. She continued in her own language, and the band of hunters paused, hesitating.
The wolves shadowing them chose that moment to pounce. A dozen of them rushed in, coming from all sides, teeth flashing as they bit at shins and ankles. One of the girls went down with a scream as an animal bit into the back of her leg, dragging her off her feet. A moment later a spear stuck it in the side, and it let go with a whimper. Another wolf writhed, pinned to the dirt, but more were closing.
“Back!” Leti shouted. “All of you, get back!”
The scout, Jaesja, was screaming something, and the girl who’d fallen shrieked in pain. But the rest of the warriors obeyed, sprinting back toward the main group. The wolves faded away, parting to let them through, then closing in behind.
“A circle,” Winter said urgently. “Your people must know the formation. When you fight horsemen, you make a circle, with spears facing out.”
Leti stared at her blankly, and Winter cursed the language barrier. She gestured, miming a spearpoint, until the girl’s eyes lit with understanding. Leti called out commands, and the effect on the Haeta was almost instantaneous. They’d been in danger of becoming a mob, but the sound of clear orders brought them to their senses, and within a minute they’d formed into a circular formation, each with spear leveled.
The wolves who were toying with Jaesja tired of their game. One of them darted for her, a feint to draw her spearpoint, and when it retreated another tore out her hamstring. As she fell, jaws closed on her throat, spraying red. The warrior who’d gone down in the first rush had rolled onto her back, groping for her spear, but three animals were on her before she could use it. Her screams rose in pitch as they tore at her, ripping her furs and then her skin. A muzzle came away drenched in red, and her shrieks turned to a low mewling before they mercifully ceased. More wolves closed in, ripping and tearing as they fed, and Winter gagged and looked away.
Around the circle, wolves paced back and forth. Periodically one of them would close in, sensing weakness, and spears would jab in its direction.
“We can’t keep them away forever.” Vess again, appearing at Winter’s elbow. “If we had archers, we could pick them off, but now they only need to wait for us to tire.”
“They...” Leti couldn’t tear her eyes away from the dying scout. “I...”
Winter grabbed her shoulders and turned her forcibly. They stood in the small clear area inside the circle, with Alex and Abraham. Everyone else was turned outward, spears raised. No reserve, said the part of Winter’s mind that always thought tactically. Nothing to repair a breach.
“She’s right,” Winter said.
“What do we do?” Leti said. “If we break and run, they’ll kill us all.”
Why is she looking at me? Why do they always look at me? It felt like the most natural thing in the world, but Winter could already feel the weight on her shoulders. Why is it always my responsibility?
Complain later. Survive now.
“Alex!” she said. “Are you two all right?”
“So far,” Alex said, watching the wolves.
Winter went to her side and spoke quietly. “I think you need to start picking them off.”
“Are you sure?” Alex said. “The Haeta might not see my power as kindly as they see Abraham’s.”
“If you don’t, we’re all dead. I’ve got another five rounds for my pistol. That’s not going to be enough.”
“Okay.” Alex shook out her hands. “Give the word.”
“Leti!” Winter called. “Alex will try to hurt them. Tell everyone not to panic, no matter what happens.”
“How?” Leti said. But Vess was already shouting in Haeta, and after a moment Leti joined her.