rode up to the side of the cage for a better look, it launched itself at the bars, snapping and growling. Jupiter and Mars took instant fright. The lead rope was ripped from a startled Ammausias’ hands and he was thrown to one side as the oxen barged down the gravelled embankment by the roadside. Their angle of descent forced the cart to take a different path to theirs, which unbalanced it at once. Within a few heartbeats, it had overturned. Wood splintered, oxen bellowed and Ammausias cursed in vain.
For all that he was in full armour, with almost eighty legionaries at his back, Tullus’ heart skipped a beat as the bear burst free from the wreckage of the cage. Ammausias had not been exaggerating. It was a magnificent beast, with dense brown-yellowish fur and a large, rounded head with small ears. Yet for all its size, the bear wanted nothing more than to escape. Ignoring the oxen, and the crowd of watching soldiers, it lumbered down the slope towards the nearest stand of trees.
‘Damn tribesmen,’ Ammausias cried.
Fresh laughter broke out among those on the bridge, and Tullus smiled despite himself.
‘Fetch the nets and ropes,’ Ammausias called to his companions. ‘We might still have a chance of catching it.’
Rather you than me, thought Tullus. Chasing down a large, angry bear, and then trying to restrain it, was a fearsome prospect. Even if the hunters succeeded, there was the tricky matter of transporting the beast to the camp. The cage was smashed beyond repair.
He hadn’t expected the German horsemen to do anything other than look on in amusement. Urged on by their leader, however, a broad-shouldered man with a black mane of hair, they broke up and rode after the bear.
‘This is more entertainment than I get in days of sentry duty, sir,’ said the guard officer, chuckling.
‘It’s more than I get too,’ replied Tullus. ‘But it doesn’t seem right that we’re standing by while the Germans help to catch the creature.’
‘They’re the ones that scared the bear, sir.’
‘All the same, it reflects badly on us if we do nothing.’ Tullus turned his head. ‘Fenestela! Get up here.’
Leaving his optio in charge of the patrol, Tullus led fifteen men off the road, following the direction taken by the bear. To his surprise, the Germans had already cornered the beast by the time they had caught up. The riders had driven it out of the shelter of a group of birch trees, and surrounded it in a loose circle of horses and inward-pointing spears. Every time it tried to flee, it was driven back by fierce charges from the warriors. Growling with rage, the bear roamed to and fro, probing their defences to no avail. Ammausias was conferring with the Germans’ leader; his companions stood by, nets in hand.
Tullus stalked up, unnoticed.
‘Can you catch it?’ demanded the German in accented Latin.
‘We’ve done it once, so we can do it again,’ asserted Ammausias. ‘It’s roping the brute tight enough to carry it as far as the amphitheatre that will prove dangerous.’
‘I can always order my men to back off,’ said the German with a smile.
‘No!’
‘I jest with you.’
Ammausias let out a rueful chuckle.
Tullus cleared his throat. ‘Can I be of help?’
Looking pleased, Ammausias glanced from Tullus to the German, who smiled, and back again. ‘Yes, sir, thank you, sir. Your men could strengthen the circle, using their shields to fill the gaps between the horsemen.’
‘Very good. You’ll do the rest?’
‘We’ll net him as soon as your soldiers are in place, sir,’ replied Ammausias, watching the bear. ‘Best move fast, though. Soon he’ll charge his way out, or get speared as he tries to do so.’
Tullus issued orders to his soldiers. ‘Do your best not to get injured, brothers,’ he urged, eliciting nervous laughs. Unslinging his own shield and stepping into the ring of men and horses, Tullus threw back his shoulders. They were here now. They would get it done.
To
For all that he was in full armour, with almost eighty legionaries at his back, Tullus’ heart skipped a beat as the bear burst free from the wreckage of the cage. Ammausias had not been exaggerating. It was a magnificent beast, with dense brown-yellowish fur and a large, rounded head with small ears. Yet for all its size, the bear wanted nothing more than to escape. Ignoring the oxen, and the crowd of watching soldiers, it lumbered down the slope towards the nearest stand of trees.
‘Damn tribesmen,’ Ammausias cried.
Fresh laughter broke out among those on the bridge, and Tullus smiled despite himself.
‘Fetch the nets and ropes,’ Ammausias called to his companions. ‘We might still have a chance of catching it.’
Rather you than me, thought Tullus. Chasing down a large, angry bear, and then trying to restrain it, was a fearsome prospect. Even if the hunters succeeded, there was the tricky matter of transporting the beast to the camp. The cage was smashed beyond repair.
He hadn’t expected the German horsemen to do anything other than look on in amusement. Urged on by their leader, however, a broad-shouldered man with a black mane of hair, they broke up and rode after the bear.
‘This is more entertainment than I get in days of sentry duty, sir,’ said the guard officer, chuckling.
‘It’s more than I get too,’ replied Tullus. ‘But it doesn’t seem right that we’re standing by while the Germans help to catch the creature.’
‘They’re the ones that scared the bear, sir.’
‘All the same, it reflects badly on us if we do nothing.’ Tullus turned his head. ‘Fenestela! Get up here.’
Leaving his optio in charge of the patrol, Tullus led fifteen men off the road, following the direction taken by the bear. To his surprise, the Germans had already cornered the beast by the time they had caught up. The riders had driven it out of the shelter of a group of birch trees, and surrounded it in a loose circle of horses and inward-pointing spears. Every time it tried to flee, it was driven back by fierce charges from the warriors. Growling with rage, the bear roamed to and fro, probing their defences to no avail. Ammausias was conferring with the Germans’ leader; his companions stood by, nets in hand.
Tullus stalked up, unnoticed.
‘Can you catch it?’ demanded the German in accented Latin.
‘We’ve done it once, so we can do it again,’ asserted Ammausias. ‘It’s roping the brute tight enough to carry it as far as the amphitheatre that will prove dangerous.’
‘I can always order my men to back off,’ said the German with a smile.
‘No!’
‘I jest with you.’
Ammausias let out a rueful chuckle.
Tullus cleared his throat. ‘Can I be of help?’
Looking pleased, Ammausias glanced from Tullus to the German, who smiled, and back again. ‘Yes, sir, thank you, sir. Your men could strengthen the circle, using their shields to fill the gaps between the horsemen.’
‘Very good. You’ll do the rest?’
‘We’ll net him as soon as your soldiers are in place, sir,’ replied Ammausias, watching the bear. ‘Best move fast, though. Soon he’ll charge his way out, or get speared as he tries to do so.’
Tullus issued orders to his soldiers. ‘Do your best not to get injured, brothers,’ he urged, eliciting nervous laughs. Unslinging his own shield and stepping into the ring of men and horses, Tullus threw back his shoulders. They were here now. They would get it done.
To
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