As Uhe saw it, it came to be.
With each mountain and valley crossed, the Denvedah saw the Irrvedah fight more fiercely for its land. And with each mountain and valley conquered, the Denvedah grew stronger as it fed upon the bounty of the Akkujah and as the captured Irrvedah joined the ranks of the Denvedah. Few Irrvedah chose to inhabit the Madah as outcasts. Tocchah, however, remained elusive.
On the morning of a new day, the scouts reported to their warmasters that half of the Black Mountain crests had been crossed. The Denvedah prepared to advance through the next valley to the next crest.
Aakva’s light had just stained the sky when a lone scout from the First Denve was carried by two warriors and placed at Uhe’s feet. Conseh was with them, and the warmaster commanded the scout: "Speak to Uhe the words you said to me."
The life blood stained the scout’s skins, and its breath was short. "My name is Pitea. My child, Rohmuna, is under Daes’s care with the Sixth Denve."
Pitea opened its eyes and looked up at Uhe. "Ruler of the warmasters, you must see that my child learns of its parent’s deeds."
Uhe squatted next to the scout and supported Pitea’s head with its hands. "Conseh, have you called a healer?"
"Yes."
Uhe looked into the scout’s eyes. "Hear me, Pitea. A healer is coming. But if you should die, I promise that your child will know its parent."
Pitea brought up its hands and held tightly to Uhe’s arms. "Just beyond the next crest. Thousands of the Irrvedah wait for our attack. The near side of the crest is prepared with clever traps. Death pits covered with forest litter such that they look like any other ground. Hills of rock that can be loosed down the mountain with the single blow of a hammer. The warriors are of a new kind. Tocchah has learned from us. Its new warriors carry black metal axes, short spears, and shields of hide."
The scout seemed to drift away until Conseh spoke sharply, "There is more, Pitea."
"Yes." The scout looked again at Uhe. "After counting the traps and fixing their positions, Lekki and I stole across the crest to count the Irrvedah To hide their numbers they burn no fires, but Lekki and I are hunters. We moved around and through them and felt their numbers. Waiting for the Denvedah there are eight thousand Irrvedah warriors." The scout looked to its wound and then back at Uhe. "We were captured. Lekki died."
The scout maintained its grip upon Uhe’s arms. "I promised Lekki that if I returned alive Lekki’s two children would know their parent."
Uhe nodded. "I will see that it is done. What are their names?"
The scout’s hands released their grip and dropped to the ground. Conseh squatted across from Uhe and helped lower Pitea’s head. Once the body was arranged in death, Conseh spoke to Uhe. "Our northern scouts report that the Irrvedah also waits for us to our left. There are another eleven thousand waiting for us there. They too have weapons of black metal. But although they are better prepared this time, the Denvedah outnumbers them, and with better warriors. We can defeat them, Uhe."
Uhe stood as the healer called by Conseh arrived. Uhe spoke to the healer. "It is too late. Arrange the rites for this warrior."
The healer nodded and stooped to pick up Pitea’s body, but was halted by Uhe’s hand. "But before that, I want you to go to the Sixth Denve and bring to me a child named Rohmuna, born of Pitea." Uhe faced Conseh. "Did Pitea tell you the names of Lekki’s children?"
Conseh nodded. "They are called Mos and Fanda."
Uhe placed its hand upon the healer’s shoulder. "Bring to me as well Mos and Fanda, born of Lekki."
As the healer left to do Uhe’s bidding, Conseh pointed toward Aakva’s light. "It grows late, Uhe. Shall I begin the attack?"
"No. Have the warmasters give their Derive a day of rest. Double the camp guards and send out day scouts. I want careful maps and a detailed accounting of the Irrvedah’s numbers, positions, and weapons."
Anger crossed Conseh’s face. "Uhe, we have all this information. We can defeat them! We are trained, and we outnumber them."
"Do as I say, Conseh." When the warmaster did not move, Uhe stared into Conseh’s eyes. "Yes, we can wade into them and slaughter them, and by so doing we can also lose many good warriors. All hunters know that it takes no skill with a spear to get a kill when the weapon is flung into a herd. But think upon this, Conseh. Waiting out there are almost two derive of armed Sindie with the will it takes to face an army that has seen nothing but victory. Think of what they and their weapons would mean if they were added to the Denvedah. This is what I will be thinking of as I tell the children of Lekki and Pitea the nature of the price paid by their parents. Now go and do my bidding, Conseh. I will never again justify my orders to you."
Conseh watched as Uhe turned and went into its tent. And then the warmaster gathered its runners, telling them to give Uhe’s order to the warmasters of the other denve. After the runners had left, Conseh squatted next to the dead scout’s body. And the warmaster asked:
"Pitea, we have invaded their land, taken their crops, and killed their children, siblings, parents, and friends. And now they wait for us, sharp metal in their hands, praying to Aakva for our blood. From where you are now, Pitea, can you see how Uhe will transform this army that waits to blood us into faithful Denvedah?"
The warmaster looked back toward the lightening skies. The breath of a prayer touched Conseh’s lips, then shame covered its face. "Do I feel this shame, Pitea, because I pray to that in which I do not believe? Or do I feel this shame because I offer to my true god the prayer of a murderer?"
Conseh stood and walked away, letting the dead scout keep its answers.
That evening, as Aakva sank into the Land of Death, the inside of Uhe’s tent was bright with torch light. Gathered upon the ground before Uhe were five scouts, and Kioe, the maker of maps. After Uhe dismissed them, the warmasters were called. When they had assembled in the tent and were seated around the map, Uhe spoke to them:
"The scouts have confirmed what Pitea paid with its life to bring to us. Facing us are eight thousand. To the north are eleven thousand more. All are armed and stand ready to fight."
Birula pointed at the map. "And for this we have wasted an entire day? This we already knew."
"There is more." Uhe squatted next to the map and pointed. "This is the valley where we are now." Uhe’s finger moved. "Here upon the mountainside facing us are the traps prepared by the Irrvedah, and behind them, beyond the crest, are the eight thousand." Uhe’s finger moved again. "But beyond the eight thousand there is another mountain, and upon it stands the ruler of the Irrvedah, the Great Tocchah."
Uhe rested its arms upon its knees and clasped its hands. "You should know this, as well. The Irrvedah was surprised that we did not attack this morning. This has had three results. First, the eight thousand spends this night in a different place than was planned. Their supplies of food are still being held by the eleven thousand to the north."
Yaga held out its hands. "Missing a day’s food is no great burden."
Uhe smiled and nodded at Yaga. "Not to those who have had to eat their young, Yaga. But the Irrvedah has never known hunger. But listen. They build fires and fill their bellies with wine, for they believe us to be afraid of them."
The warmasters laughed. Conseh, however, remained impassive. "Uhe, how does this avoid a battle?"
"Perhaps it does not, Conseh. But consider this: Tocchah has not organized its warriors in stages as we have done. Tocchah commands directly even the smallest of units."