Chapter 44: The Falcon
Chapter 44: The Falcon
"Halt! Rest where you are!"
The dust-covered Kurdish cavalry troop stopped in the barren desert. With not a single leaf to offer shade, it truly wasn't a good place to rest.
Abdullah, his expression grave, tilted his head up and said, "That eagle has been circling above us for a long time now."
Above the troop, an eagle circled back and forth. It had indeed been there for quite some time.
Lothar inquired, "Can we shoot it down?"
"No, that beast is very cunning; it's flying too high." Abdullah unslung the bow hanging from his saddlebag, tried to aim for a bit, then shook his head.
"It seems we're in for a bloody battle next. Hopefully, it's just a coincidence."
"No, Lothar. There's no such thing as coincidence on the battlefield. If there is, treat it as the enemy's plan. Besides, falconry is an Arab tradition. In this desert, apart from specially trained hunting falcons, no bird of prey would circle over a moving group of living people."
"I understand." Lothar readily accepted the advice and immediately shouted his orders, "Reorganize the troop, switch to fresh mounts, prepare to engage the enemy!"
Nominally, he was the commander of this Kurdish cavalry unit, and he never shied away from issuing commands, even though he knew that if Abdullah gave the word, this cavalry troop would instantly abandon him, their nominal commander, and obey Abdullah instead.