Part 102

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"I don't know why you aren't leading this personally, Al'Aeen! It's your plan after all!"

"Just leave him be, Jena! This isn't the time to start that argument... B-force reports they are about 15 minutes away from the point where they will stop and face the warhogs," Conall informs them.

"Time to go. Jena, inform everyone to shift to animal form and start going full speed as soon as me and my team head out as the tip of the spear. All wolves are to just take bites and keep moving. We need to look as if we are desperate to break through so we can escape. Any chance we know how many we are still facing at the canyon exit?" Al'Aeen asks.

"Umani says you win his next water ratio. By his account, approximately 150 warhogs gave chase to B-force, with the enemy thinning their ranks a little so they can blockade the same area."

"How did you know they were going to send that exact amount after B-Force, bro'?" Seisyll asks.

"I didn't. I assumed. Based on what Jena has told me in the past, a war-group of theirs, hope I'm not confusing the name, anyway one war-group consists of 30 warhogs. Assuming the power ratio they expect is of 3 wolves matching 1 warhog, 3 war-groups would have been insufficient, while 4, meaning 120 warhogs, would have been enough, yet uncertain to a comfortable degree when the actual battle ensued. I would have sent 5 war-groups with the information I had available, making sure I can win against B-force and still have enough to hold the valley exit. I assume the enemy is at least as tactically savvy as I am."

"Or you were just lucky," Emremil says with a grin

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"Or you were just lucky," Emremil says with a grin.

"Yeah, maybe," the big man answers with a smile, realizing his teammate is trying to take some of the edge off.

"Everyone is ready, Al'Aeen. But I still say they would have listened to you just as well. They know you now."

"Thank you but you are the Alpha, and you have the experience to command people. I'm just good with the colored pencils like Umani said."

Jena rolls her eyes at his comment, making a note to chastise the Black Coyote for his loose tongue.

"Oh, and Jena?"

"Yeah?"

"You are to stay in the middle and act like a normal wolf. No heroics!"

"What? Since when? That wasn't in the plan!"

"Because someone needs to be available to give orders to A-force for the entire remainder of the battle," Al'Aeen answers her.

I need to know you are safe so I can focus on my own task, is what he really wants to say to her, but won't allow himself to.

"Fine, I'll act 'average'," she answers using air quotes.

At least until you can't see me anymore. What you still don't realize, my lovely mate, is that Alphas lead by example, their actions emboldening their packs to give their all when fighting. I'll be a nice girl until we shift to war-forms and then the warhogs will learn that you aren't the only one they should fear on the battlefield.

"Let's go! Spear tip on me," Al'Aeen says right before shifting and sure enough, Rin and Ron take his right side along with Vi, Emremil and Meiarr take the left, with Seisyll directly behind him, covering the blind spot of the 4000 pounds bear.

'So Al, I couldn't help notice we are using the exact formation we used to, the one that got the warhogs to call us The Ghost Ravagers when we were attacking their supply lines. Only it's Seisyll behind you, instead of Vi. May I ask why?'

'Is this really the best time for this talk, Meiarr?'

'I need reassurances. I'm scared!'

'I find that hard to believe since you are usually the most gung-ho of us all when it comes to fighting.'

'What's gung-ho?'

'Overly enthusiastic about it! Anyway, since our team has a bit of a recognition among the enemy ranks, us being the tip of the spear as the most experienced in fighting the warhogs, should make the enemy leader feel confident that he understands our tactic. Happy that he only sent 5 of his war-groups after B-force, and hopefully happy to let our people separate his lines, thinking he will be able to attack us from two flanks instead of just one. Oh. and Vi has honestly become a much better fighter with all the training she's been doing with her mate, as my bloody nose has informed me on several occasions.'

'Yeah, I noticed that too.'

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