After lengthy preparations, the Woodmen of Eriador, alongside their allies from Bree-land and the Vales, spring their trap on the orcs.
((Due to scheduling constraints, the battle itself was played in just under two hours, so it is quick-paced and some parts are done in broad strokes.))
Heriwulf says, 'Good morning, Tree-Walker, and Ljota. Are you feeling ready for the battle? It's nearly time to set out.'
Hildegund nods, and smiles over as she spies what all Ljota has done to prepare. "Yes."
Ljota looks at Heriwulf while she approaches Hildegund. "I, uh... suppose."
Leohna is in the healer's tent talking to River-Wader about where to move the supplies and bandages. She is double and triple checking everything.
Heriwulf nods. "You two, me, Wood-Sculptor, and Home-Wright will be the first out. Leohna is captain of the healer's tent and she's set up. Once Em gets here, she is, I think, going to join her. They will be guarded by Brenn, Jessandra, Marnewyn, and I think Arastal."
Leohna pauses to listen to Heriwulf's briefing.
Hildegund nods once. To the extent it matters, she's heard.
Heriwulf nods. "We'll speak more on the way. Tree-Walker, you'll be taking point to bring us there. Gather up by the stockade gate. I'll report in to the Widow and meet you."
Aelfrida eagerly gazes past the stockade wall, sharpening an axe as she stands.
Heriwulf turns and walks into the camp, where Woodmen and others are getting prepared and forming up into six units: north, south, east, west, east archers, and west archers, each with its own captain. He checks in with Grimhild, then finds Jessandra and Marnewyn and checks with them about their positions, guarding the stockade in case of any trouble, using the archer's towers at need.
Beastmother enters the stockade with her quarterstaff in one hand, a raven perched on the other. Gloss trails behind her, sticking close and still shy of some of the hounds he is not familiar with.
Leohna goes back to readying the already ready Healer's tent. She watches the group walk by and looks to the skies, (S) "My Lady, please watch over my friends. Keep them safe."
Ljota sticks near Hildegund for now.
Hildegund moves on down to the gate, looking and waiting. She looks up to see Marney already climbing the tower.
Beastmother nods to Hilde and Ljota as she passes by them.
Gelvira wanders up the path, both Alaric and her pup along with her, as she'd fiddle around with the new garment she was wearing. It wasn't overly comfortable, yet was necessary. She'd look to the top, noticing everyone was dispersing and moving back to where she originally had come from, so she turned on her heels and followed suit, standing by herself for now.
Faelingil and two other elves approach the healer’s tent carrying large bags made of soft brown fabric in their arms. One elf, short but muscular, with broad features and a constant bristle in her step says shortly (to Arastal), “Where do you want these?”
Faelingil looks toward Leohna quietly, raising a brow. “I believe this is *her* domain, Siloriel,” she murmurs in response, indicating the petite woman with a nod of her head, “though I, too, am a healer, and would like to offer you my services,” she continues.
Heriwulf | One of the Woodmen comes around to those on the 'bait' team, carrying quickly fashioned wooden shields with straps. "We made these up at this morning, you can strap them to your back easily. So while you're fleeing it'll offer more protection against orc arrows." He offers shields to any who wish them.
Aelfrida smiles down at Honeycake, "Today's the day. There will be orcs. You'll get to protect your pack. Remember to stay back until I signal so you surprise their ugly faces."
Heriwulf takes a shield and tugs it into place over his back, finding it hard to fit it with the quiver, but expecting to drop it before he needs that anyway. He then heads for the stockade gate.
Hildegund nods. "Is good think." She takes one, and fits it on loosely until she gets her bow set, then finishes putting the shield in place.
Aelfrida grins as Honeycake looks off into the distance and sniffs, then turns back to face her, "No, not yet, but you'll smell them first of course. Remember, if any of them get inside the stockade, you leave me, help inside the stockade. I'll be fine." Honeycake almost seems to nod but manages to look dubious, too.
Leohna looks to the elves, (S) "Hello and welcome. I am Leohna, sort of Captain of the Healer's tent." She looks at the bandages, "Over here, with the other bandages please. Your help is very much appreciated. I have everything set up. Bandages, salves, bandages with poultices already prepared to help stop infection long enough for someone with healing experience to get to the wound, and so forth. Feel free to look around to familiarize yourselves."
Heriwulf gives a salute to Em. "Em, are you intending to stay in the healer's tent? If so, please report to Leohna, she is captain of the healer's unit."
Leohna | The tent is set up how a normal elf healer's tent would be set up on the battlefield. It is very clean and organised and they should be able to find everything they need easily.
Beastmother gives a nod to Heriwulf as well, "I think the Widow wanted my friends to help with delivering messages. Should I...coordinate them from the tent?"
Gelvira blinks, nodding as the shield is handed over to her. She'd then look over to Heriwulf, a brow raised, yet started to secure the shield in place.
Heriwulf nods. "I left a sack of bits of ribbon by the healer's tent in all the colors we spoke of, and the captains of all the units have more, as do scouts."
Aelfrida starts putting mud in her hair to keep it from flying free and getting into her eyes.
Ljota takes a shield and knits her brows while she fiddles with it a few moments, trying to keep it mostly out of the way of her spear.
Aelfrida glances over at Plank-Hewer and Tree-Feller, who are mudding each other's hair. "I know you have each other's backs, but remember, sometimes retreating a bit puts them in a better position for cutting them down, eh?"
Beastmother nods, "I will start there then...and find the Captains if needed."
Hildegund looks around to see if anyone needs help getting situated.
Heriwulf nods, then turns to his units. "We'll go first through the ambush spot. The rest of the forces will be arraying themselves in hiding around it. As we do, watch your hound, or someone else's, and follow them. You won't see the traps Jessandra has placed, but they can smell them and will avoid them. Get used to following your hound so you will do as we return, being pursued!"
Beastmother makes her way over to the healer's tent, raven on her arm still and the pale wolf following behind her.
Hildegund nods, and leans down to consult with Fang. It looks... strange. Is she really just staring into his eyes and not actually talking?
Aelfrida kneels down and puts some mud on Honeycake's forehead, "You don't really need it, you know."
Leohna takes on last look around to extra quadruple check everything is set and ready. She looks to the elves, River-Wader and nods. She looks over and sees Em. "Hello Em. Ye joining us in the healer's tent?"
Heriwulf does a few jogs in place. "Once we're through the ambush, Tree-Walker, lead us to the camps." He then sets out and leads the way deep into the woods, his bait unit following, and the larger Woodmen force behind, fanning out.
Beastmother nods to Leohna and spots Arastal and the Elves, giving them a nod of greetings and a slight smile before looking back to Leohna, "Hound-Friend said there are message ribbons here for my friends."
Heriwulf is careful to follow Brunan, with Niht and Hundr trailing him, as she weaves between invisible traps. The ambush ground is a dense bit of woods a bit south of the lake; Heriwulf points out some specific white birches that mark the borders of the trapped area. Once to the other side, he turns to Tree-Walker to lead, and points out the tracks she's left, so that even dim orcs will be able to follow the unit back.
Leohna nods and points to a basket. "Right here for ye. All sorts of lovely colours. Do ye have any experience healing or are ye coordinating messages from here?"
Hildegund nods, and ponders a moment as she follows the early movement. "Far to near. Mean west to east. Get all camp. Is want?"
Heriwulf | Throughout the woods, Woodmen and others from the Vales take positions, some in the trees, some hiding in bushes and behind breaks or boulders. Scouts take position around the perimeter, ready to watch the fields and give warning of the bait team returning. Tree-Squirrel shimmies up a tree and some of her archer unit follows suit.
Heriwulf nods to Hildegund as he follows, spear now in hand. "Every single one if we can. We can split up if needed to get them all."
Beastmother steps over to the basket, "Thank you. I'm mainly coordinating the messages, but I know how to bind a wound if you need an extra hand. I'm...more used to doing it for beasts than Men, though."
Faelingil smiles calmly, but a little distantly, and gestures to the two accompanying her. With the brisk efficiency of familiarity, the three open the bags and contribute their contents (salves, bandages, needles, sinews, and splints) to the well-organized tent. When they are done, they turn to briefly to each other.
Faelingil | (S) “May the Elbereth protect you,” they murmur quietly, nearly in unison, reaching out to place their hands on each other’s shoulders for the barest of moments. Arastal turns to Leohna, waiting, calm. Siloriel and the third elf, tall, with narrow features and slender limbs, duck their way out of the tent and move swiftly to take their places at the ambush point.
Hildegund nods. "You saw two with me. I get far and run back. Run fast. See Fang, know I follow."
Heriwulf | Grimhild speaks from the center of the ambush ground, her voice loud enough to carry even to the bait unit. "Woodmen, and our friends from Beorn's Lodge and the Woodland Realm, we have fought many a time against orcs, and worse. Many, and foul. Treacherous, and brutish. Cunning, and foolish. We have made acre after acre of the once-proud, once-befouled Mirkwood green and hale again. Today we find a wood that has never felt the withering touch of the Shadow. Far better would it have been, had we been able to bring axe and spear to Greenwood the Great and keep the darkness away, as we can here, than to have to reclaim it furlong by blood-soaked furlong. Today we save the Chetwood. Let your bow thrum, your axe howl, your spear shriek!"
Ljota gets her spear out when she sees Heriwulf doing it.
Heriwulf nods to Hildegund. "Where should the rest of us run, Hildegund?" he asks, jogging in place, too full of energy to stand still. The ruins loom in the middle distance.
Hildegund smiles grimly. "I run fast and south. Unless you go east first? We meet middle, come here? But if too close, just run here. Not let orc catch."
Leohna waits for Widow to finish her speech and nods. She looks to Em, "Then ye can help with any wounded hounds brought here." Turns to look at the NPC helpers supposed to be gathering wounded. "Move quickly, bring the wounded here, Man or Beast. All get treatment. Keep your arms close at hand just in case." Looks to Arastal, "Yer in charge of triage. I'll be tending the wounded from the tent. River-Wader will be helping me. Yer friends can help with triage as well. We will need all hands. Triage the hounds like ye would people cause that is what they are." Says that last firmly. "Now prepare. The battle begins."
Gelvira would've stop to prepare her spear, and did so as promptly as she was able, as she had been watching Alaric's trail for her to avoid any of the traps, and she followed after them. When they stopped again, so did she.
Beastmother nods to Leohna, "I would never treat the companions of Araw as anything less."
Heriwulf strokes his chin. "Hildegund is the swiftest of us, she goes west. Ljota and me will go east. Aelfrida, you and Gelvira stay here at center. If you see us coming back without the middle camp riled, call them and run. We'll all meet up back at the ambush, run through it. At the far side, those who remain to fight, turn to join your unit. The others back to the stockade."
Heriwulf asks, "Everyone clear?"
Leohna nods to Em and stands in between two healer's tables looking anxious. She taps her hand on the hilt of her sword as she waits for wounded to be brought in.
Ljota glances between Hildegund and Heriwulf and nods a bit. Her brows are furrowed, but there's probably not a lot that could change that.
Aelfrida nods "Aye!"
Faelingil had smiled quietly to Beast-Mother at her approach. (W) “Wounds in beasts are much the same as wounds in Men and Elves,” she murmurs, “though... Men and Elves will use words to complain at you.” Then, she’d smiled calmly, giving a nod in response to Leohna’s directions. She doesn’t appear to be anxious at all as she turns toward the tent’s entry.
Gelvira nods at Heriwulf; ''Clear.''
Hildegund nods. "Is plan. I go. Is far. Be back." With that, she takes off running, Fang keeping near her side.
Beastmother chuckles slightly, "Yes, that's why I enjoy the company of beasts more myself."
Heriwulf sets out at a brisk run as soon as he sees Hildegund run, though he can't go as fast as she can, he has less far to go. As he nears the camp, he pulls his bow into place, and starts tossing arrows willy-nilly into the camp.
Ljota tries to keep up with Heriwulf.
Beastmother | The raven takes flight from her arm towards the others. Gloss stays over by her side, giving her a whine.
Hildegund is quickly out of sight of any but ravens, and maybe any of the 'visiting' scouts.
Faelingil follows the raven with her eyes as (s)he takes flight, then drops her curious gaze to Beast-Mother's wolf-hound. (W) "So I see," she says.
Heriwulf sees orcs starting to come out, growl, shake spears and swords, and gather. He fires a couple more arrows and follows them with a shout -- not of defiance, but alarm! He angles his run sharply left, aiming for the center camp, hoping the shouts of the orcs starting to pursue are enough to get them moving.
Beastmother kneels down in front of the pale wolf and gives him a scratch behind his ears, (S) "I will be fine, old friend. You should be careful out there."
Beastmother | The wolf nuzzles against her slightly, setting a paw on her bent knee before he turns and heads for the woods as well.
Heriwulf | Niht, hard on Heriwulf's heels, starts barking loud, and Brunan and Hundr join in, the three running past him and then back. The noise is quite a ruckus, probably audible back in the woods.
Heriwulf | Back at the stockade, the gates are swung mostly closed, though not quite barred -- there needs to be enough opening that the bearers of the injured can get in quickly. Brenn takes up position in the gap, sniffing eagerly for news.
Beastmother | The ravens do lose sight of Hildegund, but the others circle over the trees, keeping up with other scouts and Captains.
Faelingil produces a single, soft chuckle. Someone used to reading taciturn elves of middling age might recognize it as a barked laugh of surprise.
Hildegund | Jess sets up betwen the tent at and the gate, wishing now she'd thought more about how she was going to see when she was needed without being too much a target. Hilde, on the other hand, has slowed her run a little to be sure she has enough breath to make it back, too, and is just now nearing the third ruin.
Leohna hops on one foot and uses a long stick to itch inside her cast. Her armor going tink tink tink while she hops.
Heriwulf closes on the center ruin, but there's no longer time to fire more than one arrow into the camp -- they're already rousing from all the shouting. That also means there's not time to see into the camp. He turns again, charging towards Gelvira and Aelfrida. "Too many, too many!" he shouts in mock alarm, winking to them. "Run!" Niht slows, though, glancing to the west, as he hasn't seen Fang yet.
Ljota has managed not to fall behind Heriwulf much, but her eyes are wide and she's already breathing hard.
Faelingil looks over at the armoured woman, raising a brow at the jangling metal. (S) "You should not scratch it," she says, a little curtly, her expression unusually stony. Then her eyes soften, and her smile turns warm again. (S) "It will only itch more."
Beastmother stands and watches Gloss until he runs out of view, then turns her gaze to the skies for signs of ravens.
Hildegund shoots the nearest sentries, one each, using each of the three tribes' fletchings, exposing her scheme of the past weeks to them on purpose, and does so to maim rather than to kill. She bellows at them, "Stupid orc stink!" That barely gets a notice, but when they investigate the sentries and the different fletchings, they get the message, despite the sun. They come boiling out after her, but she's already left at high speed.
Aelfrida turns and takes off at an astounding speed, bellowing to Honeycake while grinning and winking, "FLEE! FLEE FOR YOUR LIVES!" She charges headlong into the woods, heading to the ambush site.
Leohna stops hopping and look to Arastal, (S) "I cannot help it. I know it is thusly, but it itches. I have a salve I can apply to make it stop, but I am saving that for the patients." Turns to River-Wader saying in Westron, "Lead the others and fetch water. I want water on the fire I started over there boiling constantly, please." The lad nods and runs to do her bidding.
Heriwulf gets a couple of orc-arrows in the shield on his back, almost making him stumble -- even hitting a shield, an arrow has momentum. Dalgo runs out in front of him, angling for the woods, coming alongside Gelvira and Aelfrida, as he and Ljota close the distance. Behind, orcs pour out of the ruins and charge. The woods loom ahead.
Hildegund is running back at an angle, heading for the ambush field and not so much for the centre, and sends Fang ahead. "Fang. Tell Niht!"
Gelvira had been waiting anxiously, yet prepared. Once she had caught a glimpse of Heriwulf, and heard his proclamations, her eyes would widen but she nodded. She'd turn to follow Aelfrida in her direction, directing Alaric to do the same, and wasted no time in doing so.
Beastmother glances back briefly to Leohna as she converses with Arastal, (S) "An admirable decision."
Heriwulf | Niht barks to Fang the first time he catches a scent of the other hound, and then barks louder and quickens to catch up with Heriwulf. The unit plunges into the woods, and through. The orcs slow a bit as they reach the periphery of the forest. Even being out in the sun is uncomfortable for them; woods more so. But they have come too far and they keep coming.
Faelingil nods. (S) "How well-" she pauses, looks toward the Woodmen assisting in the tent, and sighs almost imperceptibly. (W) "How well does it bear weight, now?" she asks Leohna.
Heriwulf | The lake looms, and beyond it, the white birches. Dalgo takes the lead, his keen nose picking out the traps dabbed in salve, and he weaves an unerring path through the ambush grounds, with the other hounds and Woodmen trailing behind. All around them, the ambush forces wait with bated breath.
Leohna nods to Em, then looks to Arastal, (W) "It can bear more weight than before. It still needs the cast, but I can lean a little of my weight on it. Not quite all, yet."
Hildegund makes her own way in through the woods so as not to be caught between orc forces, but she lets Fang guide her through the traps soon enough. The density thereof is not overly high, but soon orcs start to come up lamed and in serious pain, with spring-jaws on ankles or spring-spikes up into feet. When that starts, she angles off on a path she'd noted earlier into the trees again. "Fang! Lead Ljota!" With that, she's out of sight again, and then up a tree.
Aelfrida rushes through the ambush site and slips behind a large tree with a huge trunk, forcing her breathing to slow as she waits for the first orcs to start passing her position. She looks at Honeycake and makes a few precise gestures, and Honeycake silently moves behind a large bush nearby. As the first orcs start to pass, she raises her axes and glides out from behind her tree, her movements graceful, silent, and slow, as if she were leading a courtly dance.
Heriwulf reaches the far side of the white birches and brakes hard left towards Tree-Squirrel's position. As orcs spring traps behind them, arrows begin to fly, and warriors charge out of hiding. At the north, the last group, led by The Widow herself, swoop in to close off retreat, trapping the orcs within the ring of birches.
Faelingil nods quietly, and if one were particularly attentive, they might realize that she's been fastiduosly avoiding peering too closely at Leohna's armour ever since it's jangle garnered from her that stony look. (W) "Best not test it," she says, then smiles. "But you know this."
Heriwulf | The cries of warriors and the clash of weapons begins to filter through the woods, dimly audible even in the stockade.
Leohna nods, "Aye. I do. I would rather not test it, but who knows if I'll have a choice? If I need to, I will be prepared." Knocks on her armor and rests her hand on her sword. Her shield leaning on a tree nearby. She looks over towards the sounds of fighting. A worried look on her face.
Heriwulf tugs the shield off his back and lets it fall, then takes a spot below Tree-Squirrel's tree, and begins to take the targets she calls for him. His archery skill is adequate but not exceptional; even so for now he can make the best impact that way.
Faelingil sighs quietly and shifts her weight. Her sensitive elven ears likely picked up the sounds of battle a touch earlier than those around her.
Beastmother looks to Leohna again, "I will try to keep the Orcs away from you if they come here."
Hildegund takes aim when she's given a sector assignment for her rain of death from above. Or so it would be, if it weren't that the orcs do have some amount of armour, and the trees the archers are in don't always make for clear shots.
Heriwulf | The orcs are bunched up, bewildered, in many cases fearful to move. Traps may rear up, hounds may knock them over, arrows come at them from unseen foes, and screaming warriors leap at them. Their discipline falters. A few orc-captains start rallying their soldiers and forming up, but they suffer many losses before they can even ready to fight back.
Aelfrida's every movement leads to the next as she smoothly shifts between and around orcs who are trying to fend off her swirling axes that find their vulnerable areas as they raise their own weapons, slicing under arms and in other armor gaps. She parries and slips aside, then swings her axe as if it weighed nothing, slamming it into orc heads and slicing off ... bits. Only to move onto the next. She manages to stop four before they've fully focused on their foe. Inevitably, one swings his spear around and slams into her back with its butt, making her "Ooof" loudly. That's Honeycake's signal, and she lunges from her bush like an avenging angel on four legs.
Leohna nods, "Don't ye worry about me. Protect the patients and River-Wader."
Beastmother turns her gaze back up at the cawing of a raven and holds out her arm for it to land. She bends down once its legs grip her vambraces, giving it a ribbon before sending it off, "The fighting has begun."
Faelingil says, a little sharply, again, and in Sindarin, "Focus on the healing. There are others who will protect you." Another pause, a cautious smile. (W) "But it never hurts to be prepared."
Heriwulf | From time to time a raven flits across the field, carrying colorful ribbons and dropping them to captains. In response, a group of Woodmen in close combat might retreat, opening their enemies to a hail of arrows, or lead orcs into a trap.
Aelfrida | Honeycake leaps onto the orc, using his spear arm to launch herself at his throat, ripping into it with her teeth and clamping her jaws shut on his windpipe, holding on and jerking as he falls with her on top, growling and yanking at his neck. Aelfrida doesn't even pause in her deadly dance, and Honeycake joins her once the final gurgles escape the orc's throat. They move gracefully through the party, only retreating strategically, when numbers threaten, and using the cover of the large trees as if they've been practicing this dance with them for years.
Heriwulf | Hounds circle the orcs, darting in to shout barks and howls at them, biting where they get a chance but mostly keeping enough distance to avoid being hurt while keeping orcs off balance so the warriors can cut them down.
Heriwulf | Soon the stench of blood and death begins to fill the field. Mostly orcs, but a few Woodmen are hurt or killed. Soon captains are directing people to carry the injured back to the stockade. The fallen as well, when time allows.
Leohna looks to Em when she announces the fighting has begin. Nods to Arastal and turns towards the others, "Fighting has begun. Prepare for wounded. Finish whatever ye are doing quickly. Runners, be prepared to fetch wounded. Go!" She turns back towards the gates and watches them anxiously.
Faelingil | Siloriel and Ialloron, well-concealed within the trees near Tree-Squirrel’s position, have been busy at work but rarely seen, ... Except for the arrows of Silvan make that steadily pick off orcs one-by-one.
Beastmother continues to distribute the colourful ribbons to incoming ravens, who begin arriving with more frequency now.
Gelvira had kept running as many of her Clan members had now stopped to fight, looking back occassionally to check the path behind. For the most part, however, she would follow Alaric's trail once more to avoid anything, but her pace would be slower as she'd need to catch her breath. She'd hope to have eventually reach the stockade, giving herself a few brief moments to catch her breath, before she'd frantically take herself back up to the healer's tent to offer her aid there.
Heriwulf hangs his bow on a tree and his quiver by it, then takes his spear and charges into the battle on ground, as the field is growing too crowded for an archer of his limited skill, especially firing from the ground. His spear swirls and twists, makes ringing cracks against orc skulls, and is soon deep crimson to halfway along its shaft.
Leohna grips her sword and turns to wash her hands once she sees wounded being brought in. She waits for Arastal and her friends to do triage. When she turns towards the wounded she looks incredibly calm.
Heriwulf | One of the larger orcs, probably a captain, barks orders in a guttural tongue few if any of the Woodmen forces recognize. Orcs move together, and cut a path towards Grimhild. The large orc lunges towards her back suddenly as the others clear a path, axe swinging. Down. Dalgo leaps into the air and the axe sinks deep into the hound. Grimhild whirls and her sword plunges through the orc's neck, too late to save Dalgo.
Faelingil kneels quickly beside the first stretcher as it comes in, looking over the man within it for injuries. (W) "Blade wound, salve and stitches," she says, before swiftly moving on.
Ljota is relieved to spot Fang when she does, though you wouldn't guess it looking at her face. She looks to a captain, drops her shield, then stoops and grabs the nearest wounded Woodman she sees. She groans under his weight, but makes her way after Fang, albeit at a reduced pace. Somewhere in the ambush zone, a great bear who isn't Ljota bursts from the bushes and tramples an orc.
Heriwulf | Not long behind Ljota a few other Woodmen come also bearing the wounded. Soon the stockade will be busy.
Aelfrida | Plank-Hewer and Tree-Feller work together, using their axes in much the same way as Aelfrida, though they occasionally throw and retrieve them for each other in complicated patterns. They keep Aelfrida and Honeycake within shouting range, and retreat strategically in the same pace as orc numbers increase slightly, pressing an advantage.
Gelvira looks to all those at the tent, yet as she arrived, she gave herself a bit more time to catch her breath back. Once she had, she'd look to them all; ''What can I do?''
Aelfrida | The four of them continue with their dizzying yet stately axe-dance, lopping off parts usually find necessary and getting more covered in unpleasant fluids. They save one another several times, with fierce snarls on their faces mirroring the one Honeycake displays. Slowly being pushed back by the overwhelming numbers.
Faelingil glances up briefly as Wood-Sculptor approaches, beckons her over with a quick jerk of her head.
Beastmother turns to the healers after another raven is away, "Many more wounded will be here soon."
Leohna gets to work quickly treating the wounded, "River-Wader, yer on salves and stitches. I'll get the more worrisome wounds. Ye can do this lad." She looks to Em and nods. "We are ready."
Hildegund keeps moving from tree to tree, looking for safe shots to take, but also watching the orc movements as best she can from that central area. 'Waru, however, on the flanks, sees more danger, and sends her raven with the 'danger' ribbon.
Gelvira catches Arastal's beckon, and follows it, moving to be at her side as quickly as possible. Once she had, she'd look to her rather blankly, simply awaiting any orders from her.
Faelingil says, '(W) As the wounded come in, judge how serious the wound is. More serious - Leohna; less serious - River-Wader.'
Heriwulf directs a few of those carrying the injured to also take some hurt hounds back. A few hounds who are not too injured to run simply lope along with them. But it's mostly Men, not hounds, shedding blood today.
Aelfrida | Eventually, a particularly large orc manages to force his way through the dance, and sticks Plank-Hewer in his thigh with a spear, making him bellow in surprise in pain. Tree-Feller cries out in anger but Aelfrida shouts, "Don't break the pattern! Honeycake, HEALER!" Honeycake takes off like an arrow from a Silvan bow, looking for one of the many helping carry out the wounded.
Aelfrida | Aelfrida and Tree-Feller pick up the dance and make the orc pay heavily for his impertinence.
Hildegund | Jay then also bellows in the woodmen's own tongue, "Enemy inbound, west side!"
Faelingil speaks calmly but briskly, most of here attention fixated on the wounded.
Leohna sees more people arrive and quickly looks them over, coming off as a nod, to see if they are injured. She moves along to the other wounded.
Heriwulf | A raven finds its way to Grimhild. "South and west units, to the stockade! North and east, close the ring!" Half the forces set off at a run towards the stockade, while the others keep mopping up the remaining orcs.
Heriwulf | At the stockade, though, the first five orcs, swifter than the rest, reach the gate and burst in, roaring.
Faelingil hisses as she looks over one woman in particular. (S) "Poisoned arrow!" she directs the Men bearing the woman toward Leohna.
Leohna | What the Orcs see: Leo charges forth pulling her sword. She stands her ground ready for the onslaught. As they near, about 10 feet in front of her, she will lift her face to the sky and call out in an ancient elvish language (Quenyan), "By the flame that burneth bright, O my Queen! I call thy name into the night! I beseech thee my great Queen!!" What the Woodmen see: Leo charges forth pulling her sword. She stands her ground ready for the onslaught. As they near, about 10 feet in front of her, she will lift her face to the sky and call out with a primal sounding cry to the heavens. She mutters gibberish then looks to the Orcs with her sword raised for combat. The Orcs shriek and run from the 4 ft 11 in, petite woman. "Send these beasts into the abyss! Vala Elbereth!" Her face and eyes light up with the divine presence of her Great Lady. The light blinding those near. Her voice rings out like a primal cry gripping their hearts with icy fingers. Her cry drives a fear into them greater than the threat of failing their masters. Those affected would run away screaming in terror.
Aelfrida | Honeycake yips to catch the attention of one of those carrying wounded, and turns as she smells more Orcs heading close, and heading towards the stockade. She licks Plank-Hewer's face then barks loudly and runs towards the stockade.
Ljota pants as she reaches the healers' tent, and tries to delicately dump her injured man wherever the earth looks the least painful for him. She grabs her spear after that.
Heriwulf | Brenn barks and growls but retreats towards the healer's tent as the orcs start to approach, but stands her ground as the orcs instead turn in a panic and rush out at the stockade, almost running into the other orcs, and the south and east units, starting to converge in a sloppy chaos just outside the gates.
Heriwulf | Some of Tree-Squirrel's archers, on reaching the stockade, shimmy up the ropes that Aelfrida left hanging down and into the archer towers, pulling the ropes up after them, so that archers can climb up from either side of the wall. Soon arrows are raining down on the arriving orcs.
Aelfrida | Honeycake runs up to Leohna then immediately turns and stands guard for a moment, ready to fight, but seeing the orcs fleeing, she gives chase, biting orc asses and hamstringing any she can.
Hildegund | Marnewyn yells an alarm as she takes aim to shoot where it's clear. She's hopelessly confused as to what's happened, but live orcs need to stop qualifying. That's what she knows. Jess is not about to be lured out of the gates, but she's ready for more to make it in. She hopes.
Beastmother follows Leohna, her quarterstaff held at the ready, and watches as the Orcs run away, (S) "Impressive feat."
Heriwulf charges into the battle, spear whooshing. Before, he was calm and clear; now, they are at his home, threatening its very walls, and he is roaring as he attacks. Inside, Brenn takes a guard position at the healer's tent, bristling, growling, but staying close to the tent.
Gelvira nods at Arastal's request and rushes toward one of the wounded who was not being tended it, examining the wounds. She'd not know much about how to deal with wounds, and so awaited for someone to confirm for her what she had to do. Once that had been done, she concentrated on doing so until she heard the others move off, looking up to them with widened eyes.
Beastmother adds in Westron after a moment, "I can help hold the Orcs at bay. You should probably look to the wounded. And keep from hurting your leg."
Faelingil looks up with a hiss, clearly torn between the poisoned woman in front of her, and the orcs threatening those within the stockade. (W) "Wood-Sculptor," she calls, her voice a little curt yet somehow calm and, perhaps, a little soothing.
Leohna steps behind Em with her sword still out. She looks surprisingly worn out, (S) "Only works once." Sees more warriors joining the fight in the stockade and shieths her sword, limping back to the healer's tent. She looks to Brenn. "Good Brenn." She immediately goes to the worst of the wounded.
Aelfrida fights her way to the stockade with Tree-Hewer, her face covered with blood and worse, her expression stern and unforgiving, though her axes are barely slowing as they maintain their pace, hardly noticing the various cuts and bruises they've earned in this fight.
Hildegund makes her own way around, taking pot-shots still as the situation allowed, as do several other scouts. Scouting means having to keep watch, but they're also, mostly, archers.
Gelvira looks over the shoulder to Arastal directly, a brow raised.
Heriwulf | As one unnoticed orc charges around from an unexpected direction across the camp towards the healer's tent, he is suddenly ambushed -- by a flurry of pups. Breon bowls the orc over, and Rynel, Song, Scorn, and the as-yet-unnamed pup pile onto him, snapping and biting. The orc flaps its arms trying to work free.
Ljota barely registers anything going on around her, but she sees orcs, so she steps forward with her spear, taking a place near Em.
Faelingil says, '(W) Bring the salve furthest on the right, hot water, bandages.'
Hildegund | Jess hears the commotion and charges up for the orc among hounds, just in case it's too well armoured for them. She yells, spear ready to thrust, but isn't about to spring that attack until the hounds clear enough.
Leohna sees the hounds and trusts Brenn to do her job. She looks to the pup with the axe in his side and does her best to save him. Barking orders to her other assistants. Some in Westron, some in Sindarin.
Beastmother stands ready to hold back any more Orcs that break through the gates and come for the healer's tent.
Aelfrida finally sees Honeycake not far away from her near the stockade, and she starts moving that direction when an orc manages to plant a heavy kick into Honeycake's side, knocking her hard into a tree, stunning her. Aelfrida roars in almost inhuman rage and throws her axes so hard it splits the orc's skull and pins him to a tree.
Heriwulf | With a great roar, a dozen warriors from the Vales, led by Grimhild, emerge on the path and close in on the last stragglers of the orcs. A few try to surrender, but no quarter is given. The battle grinds towards its inevitable, bloody conclusion, right on the threshold of the stockade.
Gelvira quickly nods, moving carefully through the scene of the tent to retrieve what was requested of her. Firstly, she'd retrieve the salve, and then the hot water and bandages, ensuring that she'd carefully carry them back to where they were required; ''Can.. Can I help?''
Heriwulf | The pups keep snapping at the orc, heedless of Jessandra, until Brenn gives a sharp yip, and Niht answers, running in and barking at the pups. They pull away, leaving the dazed orc helpless before Jess.
Hildegund | Jess pounces, thrusting through his throat and partway into the ground. She twists and slices across as she yanks the spear back to make sure. "Good dogs!" She runs back down to re-join the line of two now three.
Aelfrida rushes to Honecake's side as soon as she can, crying out, "oh no, no nononono, no" She heaves Honeycake up into her arms, "You're fine, we'll see you right, what else did he hit you with, anything?" As she starts clomping heavily inside the stockade, moving slowly with the weight and exhaustion creeping up on her.
