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{I did a random image search and came up with this gorgeous painting from this person which is the inspiration for this short story, which stars a character from my last writing post, Wyatt Hood}
"General Hood, we're approximately an hours march from Lodelle Harbor."
Wyatt Hood nodded in reply. It was midday, they were ahead of schedule, which was always a good thing in Wyatt's opinion. His gaze turned back to his officer, Yoder, who had stayed next to him.
"If I may sir," Yoder began, "why would the Chii'ten's choose Lodelle for their landing site? It's not even large enough to be a village."
Wyatt looked over at the officer. "I think that is exactly why they picked it, Yoder. If we were looking for the Chii'ten's landing site, would we have even thought of Lodelle?"
Yoder shook his head from side to side. "No sir."
"Exactly, if it hadn't been from the intelligence the fisherman sent us, Chii'ten would have landed here with little to no resistance. Unfortunately for them, they are terrible scouts."
"But what if they meant for us to find out? Like it's a trap, and they wanted us to be here?"
Wyatt thought for only a moment "I've thought of that, but I suppose that's the case with war, you just have to take the risk. Obviously the higher ups don't think we will met with much resistance, since they are only sending us."
Yoder looked at the group of soldiers surrounding them. It was true, they only numbered a hundred and fifty men. If they fishermen in Lodelle helped, they would barely reach two hundred. Wyatt chuckled.
"Don't look so scared, Yoder. We're better than a thousand Chii'ten warriors."
"Maybe a thousand, but what if it's more?"
"Really, Yoder," Wyatt slapped him on the back "Stop being a pessimist. War is already depressing enough."
It was just past midday when Wyatt's troops made it to Lodelle Harbor. As they marched down the path that lead straight through the shambles of shacks, fishermen and their families peered at them through doors and windows. Here and there an elderly lady would lift up from tending the garden, or pull back a sheet they were hanging to dry to watch the soldiers pass. It didn't take Wyatt long to locate the head fisherman of the harbor, who was also the same man to warn them of the coming Chiiten warriors.
"I'm Dan." Wyatt clasped hands with the heavily aged fisherman.
"General Wyatt Hood."
Dan nodded, and motioned for Wyatt to follow him. The old man was incredibly fast for his age, Wyatt thought. Or maybe years under the sun has caused him to look much older than he actually is. Dan lead the general a couple hundred feet to the docks. Multiple fishing boats were moored there, and there seemed to be a constant flow of boats coming and going. For such a small Harbor, there was much activity.
"We 'eard 'em plan ta come at midnight, tonight. Most o' the ships are out at that time, leavin' the harbor empty. Cooler weather makes fo' happier fishers."
Wyatt nodded "Do any of your man plan to go out tonight?"
Dan nodded "All o' them. Hav' ta make a livin', even when those Cheeteen mongrels attack."
Wyatt thought for a moment. "I'd like to speak with some of your best fishers."
Dan nodded once again. "This way."
Yoder looked to his left at Whitlock. "Sometimes I wonder if General Hood is a genius or just dumb lucky."
Wyatt had positioned his men in a single file line along the docks. Behind them were poles that held lanterns, helmets, and upright javelins. In the dark of the night it looked like they had the entire army of {Don't have a name kingdom} with them. Before the troops, in the harbor, the fishing boats were in a line, blocking the docks from any incoming vessels. General Wyatt Hood stood on one of the ships, waiting for the approach of the Chii'ten ships.
It was coming near one in the morning with the ships came in sight, by two they had arrived at the harbor. For a moment it looked as if the Chii'ten ships would ram their way through the Lodelle fishermen, but they dropped anchor and stopped. Yoder could hear distant shouting from the ships, but he couldn't make out what was being said. Nor can any of the other men.
"You just need to be ready to fight at any time." was all Wyatt had told them to do.
It seemed like ages before there was movement in the ships. Yoder watched as a ball of fire was thrown into the air and landed into the harbor waters. That was a signal Wyatt had arranged.
"Archers! Ready!" Every third man in the line drew a bow and aimed.
Another ball, this time the flames were colored green.
"Archers, fire!" Yoder ordered and the woosh of rushing arrows broke through the night. Seconds passed, and then the resounding 'thud' of arrows hitting the wood of ships met their ears.
"Ready!" The archers took position once again.
"Fire!"
This process was repeated five more times before a ball of blue flames leaped into the air.
"Hold!"
The archers lowered their bows. Just minutes later the Chii'ten ships were seen retreating from the harbor.
"Well, that was simple." Whitlock mused. Yoder couldn't agree more.
By the time the sun was rising, the Chii'ten ships had disapeared over the horizon. As the rising sun stained the water oranges and reds, the Lodelle fishing ships moved out of the harbor one after the other. They might have faced invasion only hours ago, but the sun was rising, and life continued.
Wyatt watched the scene as his men packed to leave. He doubted that was the last attempt the Chii'ten had to try and invade by sea. And a little voice nagged him from the back of his head. They had given up to easily. He didn't want to leave the harbor just yet, he had the strange feeling last night had been a ruse. But with no way to prove it, and with orders to leave for the capital after securing Lodelle Harbor, Wyatt had to choice.
What he knew for sure, however, was this wouldn't be the last time he came to Lodelle.
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