Belly of the Beast by Warren Thomas (story books for 5 year olds txt) 📕

arrived a few minutes later, huffing and puffing. It was another ten minutes before the entire company was formed up and ready to march. And march they did.

            Without preamble, or even a brief description of what they would face, or what their mission was to be, Captain Kenelm turned them toward the nearby Three Temples Gate and ordered First Sergeant Dangan to get them moving. There was some confusion and frantic shouting at the gate as several companies tried to exit at the same time. Tane thought it ridiculous for them to fight over who had the right of way, and who outranked who, when the winner only won the right to die first. In the end, Captain Kenelm’s company of auxiliary foot departed third of five.

            “Can’t we march any faster?” Raven shouted as they marched across the drawbridge. “I’ve needed to kill something for weeks now!”

            To Tane’s surprise she wasn’t reprimanded, or even shouted at. The captain and lieutenants grinned, as well as a number of other soldiers. Then Everard Boarsbane bellowed a battle cry, shaking his great battle-axe at the heavens. Raven, all the other Tyrians in the company and a good number of the Jarlanders and Lelts answered him with their own blood-lusty battle cries.

            “Sergeant Black-toof, how about a marching song to show those craven bastards in the companies slowing us down how real soldiers march to their glory!” Raven called, even though the sergeant was just two men in front of her in line. “I know a couple of really interesting ones, if you don’t mind.”

            So Raven began. Tane was a little taken aback by how risqué her song choices proved to be, especially coming from a woman who was one of Ashtar’s Own. The other men and women loved them, though, singing at the top of their lungs. Soon others led the company in marching songs. Even Quinn led the company in a song, and no less risqué than any Raven offered up.

            After he got over his initial shock, Tane found he rather liked them. They were designed to mark their cadence at the same time they sparked their pride and fighting spirit. In fact, the effect bled over to other companies, who began singing their own cadence. Soon the countryside boomed with thousands of singing voices. Tane felt himself swelling with the pride of being a soldier.

            Refugees heading north hurried past the soldiers marching south through the towering, dark forest. Many refugees stopped to cheer them on, but most looked to be frantic with fear and dread. Entire families carried all their worldly possessions as they hurried by, while others had nothing but the clothes on their backs.

            It was almost an hour into the march before they broke free of the thick forest at the top of a hill and saw what awaited them. All singing ceased at the sight. The horizon was burning, belching thick black smoke to feed the glowering cloud bank that paced the invaders.

            “Don’t be greedy, boys!” Raven shouted. “Looks like plenty of glory for one and all down there!”

            All the Tyrians burst out laughing. A few of the Jarlanders tried to feign the same disregard for danger, but all Tane felt was cold dread creeping up his spine. His nightmares of doom and despair came unbidden to his forethoughts.

            They marched on in silence for the rest of the afternoon. The forest became taller and darker the farther they got from the city. Every few miles they passed through hastily abandoned villages, their farmlands providing the only break in the dark forest road, where they were hit yet again by the sight of the somber gray wall of clouds closing on them, needlessly reminding them of what awaited at the end of the march.

            At sundown Captain Kenelm halted the company in an abandoned village. It was large enough that each squad got its own hut to spend the night inside. The huts were typical Leltic structures, looking like piles of hay from a distance. In fact, they were thatch over a wooden frame from smoke hole to ground. Despite appearances, Tane knew they were warm and comfortable in any weather.

            Every squad provided one person for a salvaging detail. Pendar sent Quinn, while Raven was given the first two-hour watch. The rest made pallets of straw and blankets on the hard-packed dirt floor while Corporal Pendar built the fire.

            It was full dark before Quinn returned with arms laden with vegetables, bread and a joint of meat. It looked like plenty of food to Tane, until he was told it was both dinner and breakfast.

            They all sat around the fire watching the corporal prepare a meat and vegetable soup. The aroma emanating from that black cast iron pot sang to Tane, making his mouth water after a long day on forced march. Pendar declared their meal ready none too soon.

            Corporal Pendar carefully rationed it out, to ensure they all had a hearty breakfast come morning. He then surprised Tane by relieving Raven on watch so she could eat before he had anything.

            “Shining Gods, I haven’t been this tired and hungry since I was being trained as a Silk Slave!” Raven declared, wolfing down her meager fare.

            Tane blanched. He had thankfully forgotten about her terrible ordeal. The others hadn’t known, for they all stopped eating to stare incredulously at her. Raven didn’t seem to notice.

            “This is delicious! Who cooked it?” Raven said, thankfully shattering Tane’s train of thought.

            “Corporal Pendar,” Tane said.

            “Really?” she said, eyes sparkling with mischief. Turning to the door, she shouted, “Hey, Corporal Pendar! Will you marry me? Come on, man, don’t deny me. You stole my heart with this dinner, and you know it, you scheming rogue you.”

            Everyone chuckled. Tane felt some of the oppressive weight resting on his soul lighten. Raven winked at him as she stealthily scooted closer to Quinn. The half-elf was lost in his