Loden frowned and pursed his lips. "But for their small patrols, none else has strayed from before the mineholt door."

"Perhaps we could present them a tempting target as we did at the Rimmen Gape," said Bwen. "Only in this case it would be a wagon train bound for the mineholt on the road from Dael."

"I think they would not fall for that ruse," said Loden. "Given that the Horde marched past Dael on that very same road, it is not likely any innocent caravan would be foolish enough to blindly follow."

Gara reluctantly nodded. "Aye. At Braeton we duped them into believing we had had no warning the Rimmen Gape was held, whereas in this case they would know any train would have been warned of the Horde by those in Dael. Nay, the foe would not likely fall into such a trap."

Phais held up a hand and was recognized by Ruar. "Can we not divide our forces?" she asked. "Some of us could strike at the Rvipt and then flee, drawing many if not all into the foothills after, where the remainder of us would lie in ambush."

"What of the Dwarves?" asked Counsellor Tain, sitting at Loden's right hand. "Where would they be during all of this?" He turned toward Bekki and sneered, "Hiding in their hole?"

" Yahh!" cried Bekki, snatching up his war hammer and leaping to his feet, his face black with rage, and he started across the circle for Tain, the white-haired man quailing back.

And Daelsmen leapt to their feet and drew blades, Tain not among them. And Coron Ruar also sprang up, his own blade in hand. Yet, "Hold!" he called and cast aside his sword, and, unarmed, he stepped between Bekki and the men.

Bekki glared at the Dylvana blocking his way and gripped his war hammer with both hands, his knuckles white, and he started around. But Ruar stepped before him again, and spread his empty hands wide. "The foe is yon and not here within this council, my Drimmen friend." Now Ruar turned to the Daelsman and repeated, "Not here within this council."

The uncontrolled rage left Bekki's eyes, to be replaced by simmering anger, and he glanced down at the blanching man. "Faugh!" he growled, and spun on his heel to return to his place beside Tipperton and Beau.

And a whisper of steel sounded as the Daelsmen re-sheathed their swords.

And Tip released his pent breath and looked up at Bekki as the Dwarf sat back down, to note the jumping muscles in Bekki's jaw as he yet ground his teeth in ire.

Loden turned and glared at Tain, and the counsellor flinched. And Loden, his voice low and angry, said, "That we have a lingering trade dispute with the Dwarves is no cause for insults, Lord Tain. In this war we are allies, and the quarrel between us can wait till we are quit of Modru."

Tain lowered his eyes. "As you will, my Prince."

Ruar took up his sword and sheathed it. Then he too sat down, and he gazed 'round the circle, where an uncomfortable silence pressed down. Yet finally Phais raised her hand to speak.

"Ill-said remark aside, still Lord Tain has raised a point: how will the Drimma engage in this plan?"

Sitting on Loden's left, young Brandt said, "Bekki has promised the Dwarves will act in concert to any plan, yet he does not say how."

Bekki shook his head but did not speak, and a low murmur whispered among the Daelsmen.

Loric cleared his throat and turned to Bekki and said, "Bekki, da unst tak dek an va na ke ein."

Bekki looked at Loric. "Nidpol kanar vo a Chdkka."

Loric now shook his head and gestured 'round the circle. "Nad skou dek va ke ein, ut tak dek au det."

Bekki sighed and nodded, then turned and glared at Brandt. "There is a secret way in, bratling, but I'll not show it to any Daelsman."

Again Brandt flushed red, yet he held his tongue.

"Ah, a secret path," said Durul among the Baeron. "Then if the Dwarves are to join in this ambush plan as proposed by Lady Phais, the Dwarven army could come out along this way."

Bekki pushed out his hands in negation, a stubborn jut to his jaw. "No, no. We Chakka will not allow a Horde to stand between us and our holt, for should aught go amiss and they somehow breach the doors and enter, then we will not be there to stop them, and all of our-"

Abruptly Bekki stopped speaking.

The Daelsmen looked at one another, puzzled, and Brandt sneered, "All of your what? All of your treasure would be exposed? All of your gold for them to loot? Your jewels to plunder? Your-?"

Bekki snatched up his war hammer and shouted, "Silence, bratling, else this time I will not stop!"

Now Brandt's hand fell to the hilt of his sword, but Lo-den grabbed his wrist and would not let him draw the blade.

And Loric called out, " 'Tis not treasure of that sort the Drimma would protect." He looked at Bekki and said in a quiet voice, " 'Tis Chdkia and younglings instead."

"Chakia?" asked Beau.

"Female Drimma," said Phais.

Bekki's shoulders slumped and he nodded. "Aye. And we would not abandon them in the Chakkaholt."

With concern in her eyes, Phais said, "If we go forth with my plan, then we must do so without the aid of the Drimma."

"Then we would be nine hundred short," protested Tain, "shifting the odds even further against us."

A silence fell among those in the circle, and from the encampment they could hear in the distance someone singing.

Finally Coron Ruar sighed, then said, "Well then, what of another plan?"

Long the discussion lasted, as plan and counterplan were put forth, and often ire flared between Bekki and the Daelsmen, for they had been entangled in a bitter dispute ere Modru's war had come raging, and hostile words came easily unto their lips.

And always each plan turned on whether or no the Dwarven army could be brought to bear.

The sun set, lanterns were lit, and still the allies came to no resolution.

Finally:

"Kruk!" exclaimed Bekki. "I say we array ourselves on opposite sides of the hoide and attack them head-on."

"We've gone over that a hundred times, Dwarf," said Tain, "and it seems the best way to lose all. They will simply shift their forces to meet each of us with overwhelming odds."

But then Tipperton's eyes flew wide and he blurted, "I say, Bekki, that's a splendid plan."

"Waldan, haven't you heard a single word we've said?" snarled Tain. "They outnumber us four to-"

Tip pushed forth a hand, palm out. "No, no. Listen to me. What Bekki said is right, but with a small change: can we hold their attention, we take them head-on from hindwards."

Bekki frowned. "Head-on from-?"

"Yes, yes, Bekki. You said it yourself when we defeated that squad of Spawn. And what you said applies here as well."

"What are you getting at, Waeran?"

"Just this, Bekki: a full frontal attack from the rear."

It was after mid of night when Tip and Beau finally unrolled their bedrolls and prepared to bed down. "I say," said Beau, yawning, "what's all this about you and Bekki defeating a squad of Spawn? And what did he mean when he said he wouldn't trade you for a full regiment of Daelsmen?"

"Ah, Beau, it wasn't just me and Bekki, but Loden and Loric were there, too. And though I didn't know it before tonight, there's bad blood between the Daelsmen and Dwarves, and I suppose Bekki was just feeding off that ill will when he said a Warrow was worth a regiment of them."

Beau sat on his blanket and yawned again, then pulled off his boots and said, "Oh, I dunno about that. He seemed sincere to me."

Tip shucked his own boots as well and drew his blanket up to his chin. Now Tip yawned. "Perhaps so, Beau, perhaps so." Tip yawned again.

"Tell me about this fight with the Spawn squad," said Beau. "I mean, this noontime you merely said that it was a minor tangle, but now I find out it was more."

Beau waited, but Tip remained silent. "Well, bucco," said Beau, "if you don't want to-" Beau looked across to discover Tipperton fast asleep.