Story Narration
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When Kram the Mighty entered the cellar, he was not surprised to see the brawnen premier Awsh nor Kram the Mighty’s own lieutenant Claff. What left the general momentarily speechless was the other figure in the room, the one his countrymen had all been focused on at the time of his arrival: a mildly-bludgeoned, fully mature heir, currently hog tied to a support beam near the room’s back wall. Its rumpled gray feathers marked it, if Kram the Mighty wasn’t mistaken, as a pigeonblood heir; pigeonbloods and other heirs of similar persuasion were known for their maneuverability and endurance during flight, making them excellent scouts.
Kram the Mighty knew all of this at a glance, but it took a moment longer to reform this information into the circumstance he knew must have occurred: A contingent of Claff’s people must have downed an heir scout flying in the skies over Thrad. Such scouting by either race on the land of the other was banned by a treaty between Thrad and the heir island of Will, but the military leadership of both nation-states suspected that the opposition was engaged in subterfuge regardless. Kram the Mighty had authorized similar covert brawnen forays into the outer reaches of Will, but at present, none of his army’s spies had been caught.
“This is exactly what we’ve needed to justify further action against the heirs,” Awsh murmured, placing one hand on Kram the Mighty’s shoulder. “I want you in the field in two days. Spend tonight formulating your battle plan, and have it to me by mid-day. We will make sure that all of Thrad knows about this heir incursion; the people will be behind you. I want you to strike quickly, up to the gates of Testament if you can. I don’t care how you do it, but Kram the Mighty, make sure you bring our architects with you. I want an influx of Source as soon as possible.”
