Three more days had passed. The arrows were ready and piled up neatly for easy transport. There were many horses in the valley but Five Cave Village only had 2 remaining. Chris didn't even know about them until Ferlin prepared them for the trip.

Chris noticed the cart had seen better days and had received many fixes, but it was more than enough for the arrows, medicines, poison and food.

The poison was kept in 2 earthen jars. The jars were big enough to hold all the poison by themselves, but Chris insisted on splitting it into two jars. He didn't want to risk losing it all if one of the jars broke. They loaded provisions for 4 days. The round trip would take 2 days, and they would at least camp for one day near the refugees.

Chris took advantage of the last 3 days to prepare a little something to negotiate with the refugees and one little surprise for the Kunalls as well. Actually that little surprise was so simple he would have been embarrassed if he wasn't so shameless.

Chris also received good news during those three days, the last of his "adjutants", Cid, was now well enough to walk. He was previously injured in a battle with a forest monster that wandered too close to the village. Berg put him in charge of the village defense force, and with his return Chris could breath a little. He needed Berg, Titus and Fergin as they were the best fighters he had and knew the landscape better, so he was worried as he had no one to put in charge of the village.

Now that everything was in order and the time grew close, he was sitting in front of Berg's map ( https://ibb.co/dAtJ97) with his adjutants for one last recap.

Titus confirmed the road they would travel to reach the camp (The updated map: https://ibb.co/dAtJ97 ), Berg listed everything loaded on the cart and Ferlin reported on the state of his hunters.

Satisfied, Chris explained the plan one last time: "Once we reach the refugees, we'll split into two groups. Ferlin you'll remain with the main squad, while Berg and Titus and 20 hunters will follow me to the refugee camp.

The goal is not to intimidate but to make a formal invitation to join us. If they accept, then we warn them about the Kunalls and bring them back to Five Cave Village, this is for the best and it will leave us more time to prepare against the Kunalls...

But I believe they will most likely refuse our offer. If they do, it is very important that no one mention the Kunall scouts! We will just leave without making a fuss, lie in wait for the Kunalls to attack the camp and then, and only then do we strike! This is very important, it's the best way to raise our stock in such a short time! If we warn them, they'll leave! If we stay in their camp until the attack, they'll take our efforts as granted, they'll just see it as us defending ourselves, not saving them! Heroes are only heroes because they chose to save people that are in desperate situations! Got it?"

"Yes Sire!" They answered in unison.

"One last thing, we must not let any Kunalls flee! If just one flees, it's over for us, understood?"

"Understood Sire!" They answered once more in unison.

"Good. Once the scout patrol is defeated we have around 3 weeks to prepare, in three week we must have our own city with defences!" Said chris.

Ferlin was confused and asked "Why 3 weeks my Lord?"

But it was Berg who answered: "The scouts patrol in a 3-week rotation, so it takes them 3 weeks to go back to camp. We'll destroy that squad roughly 2 days after they left the camp. If there is just one squad missing they'll probably just send another one to check on them so it gives us a couple more days before they reach the battle site. But when they do they'll report to the main camp and will start investigating. Is that correct my Lord?"

"Exactly! Which is why I have another plan prepared as a follo-...hm?"

Just then they turned and saw a sentry running towards them. "Sun King! The signal! They lit the signal!"

"Everyone! Ready yourselves!"Shouted Chris."March!"

For the first time in 2 years, humans marched to battle!

For this mission Chris brought with him the 200 hunters, one cook, 8 scouts as well as Berg, Titus and Ferlin. As they left the village, the defence squad lead by Cid saluted them. The village people left their current job and gathered to show their support. Worry could clearly be seen from their eyes but there was no tears. They had experienced much in the last two years, they constantly fled, hid, but it didn't mean they were cowards. They did what they had to do to survive and now a new path opened, one where they didn't have to hide anymore. So they worried for their brothers, husbands, friends.. But how could they feel sad, they were going to kill Kunalls!

And so the troops left in high spirit.