the Visigoths arrived and saw the sheep, lightly guarded, they charged without hesitation down the gully at full gallop towards them.
The first horse fell into one of the holes dug by the Basques, unseating his rider and breaking his leg. As they passed, the hidden Basques sprang out. Axes flew and the air was filled with a flurry of arrows. Six riders fell. The men on the hillside charged, yelling their war cries. Axes and arrows flew through the air again and more riders fell dead or wounded. Inaki, at the back of the sheep, watched terrified as four mounted men broke through and came charging towards him; spears lowered at the ready. Aguirre moved to his side. The riders were 500 paces from them and approaching fast.
“Remember what I’ve taught you. They are only targets not men. Take a deep breath and aim well. Take hold of your axe firmly and put your knife in your mouth.”
Aguirre and the boy stood in a line a few paces apart. The horsemen came on with spears lowered. At thirty paces Aguirre sent his dogs in. They came in from behind the horsemen and dismounted two. Storm sprang on a fallen man and ripped his throat out. The horsemen came on. The boy picked his target and threw his axe. The horseman lifted his shield and the axe head buried itself in it. Inaki instinctively threw himself to the ground. The horseman passed over him and turned his horse around and charged. Inaki stood, took his knife from his mouth and threw. In his haste his aim was low. The knife buried itself in the horse’s chest. The horse fell and the rider came over the top, breaking his neck as he hit the ground. The remaining horseman fled.
“Never seen that before,” Aguirre said slapping him on the back.
Inaki was violently sick. Storm approached his master, his mouth covered in blood. Inaki was sick again. Never in his life had he felt such fear or elation. It took a long time before he could stop shaking and compose himself. He would never be the same again. He had killed a man.
As the rest of the Basques approached, Aguirre turned, raised his battle axe and said: “Every Basque has to perform an act of valour before he can be called a warrior. I call you all to witness that Inaki Etxebarria has performed just such an act and he is a slayer of our enemies. From hence forth he shall be called a warrior. Does anyone dispute the claim?”
The all Basques shouted “no” followed by a cheer.
“We must develop a better way to deal with cavalry,” Aguirre said to Anton.
“Agreed,” said Anton, “the Moorish cavalry are much better.”
“So are the Franks and they are coming our way. They would not have taken the bait so easily. They would have held their charge and waited for their foot soldiers, shadowing us until they arrived.”
“So you have heard the tun-tun drums as well?”
“Oh, yes. Now let us hurry back, Anton.”
Anton gave the order to kill the wounded and then he sent one of his young warriors off to Urigoiti, at a run, to tell them they were returning with the sheep. Anton needed men at the border, if they were to return safely home. They would not rest until they reached their homeland but their speed would depend on how quickly they could drive the sheep.
Chapter Five
The Return
They forced marched for four days before finally reaching the border. The young warrior had met with shepherds who had passed on the news of the raid that had been carried out by the men of Urigoiti. There at the border to greet them were 150 Basque warriors, cheering and waving their weapons. After a while, the pursuing Visigoths reached them, took one look at the Basque force and turned back. There followed several days of feasting and dancing. On the fourth day Inaki began to have disturbed nights. For a week he had a recurring dream. He could not remember it clearly, but he had woken repeatedly in a sweat for the last few nights. For the first time he did something that his uncle had not taught him. He went up into the
The first horse fell into one of the holes dug by the Basques, unseating his rider and breaking his leg. As they passed, the hidden Basques sprang out. Axes flew and the air was filled with a flurry of arrows. Six riders fell. The men on the hillside charged, yelling their war cries. Axes and arrows flew through the air again and more riders fell dead or wounded. Inaki, at the back of the sheep, watched terrified as four mounted men broke through and came charging towards him; spears lowered at the ready. Aguirre moved to his side. The riders were 500 paces from them and approaching fast.
“Remember what I’ve taught you. They are only targets not men. Take a deep breath and aim well. Take hold of your axe firmly and put your knife in your mouth.”
Aguirre and the boy stood in a line a few paces apart. The horsemen came on with spears lowered. At thirty paces Aguirre sent his dogs in. They came in from behind the horsemen and dismounted two. Storm sprang on a fallen man and ripped his throat out. The horsemen came on. The boy picked his target and threw his axe. The horseman lifted his shield and the axe head buried itself in it. Inaki instinctively threw himself to the ground. The horseman passed over him and turned his horse around and charged. Inaki stood, took his knife from his mouth and threw. In his haste his aim was low. The knife buried itself in the horse’s chest. The horse fell and the rider came over the top, breaking his neck as he hit the ground. The remaining horseman fled.
“Never seen that before,” Aguirre said slapping him on the back.
Inaki was violently sick. Storm approached his master, his mouth covered in blood. Inaki was sick again. Never in his life had he felt such fear or elation. It took a long time before he could stop shaking and compose himself. He would never be the same again. He had killed a man.
As the rest of the Basques approached, Aguirre turned, raised his battle axe and said: “Every Basque has to perform an act of valour before he can be called a warrior. I call you all to witness that Inaki Etxebarria has performed just such an act and he is a slayer of our enemies. From hence forth he shall be called a warrior. Does anyone dispute the claim?”
The all Basques shouted “no” followed by a cheer.
“We must develop a better way to deal with cavalry,” Aguirre said to Anton.
“Agreed,” said Anton, “the Moorish cavalry are much better.”
“So are the Franks and they are coming our way. They would not have taken the bait so easily. They would have held their charge and waited for their foot soldiers, shadowing us until they arrived.”
“So you have heard the tun-tun drums as well?”
“Oh, yes. Now let us hurry back, Anton.”
Anton gave the order to kill the wounded and then he sent one of his young warriors off to Urigoiti, at a run, to tell them they were returning with the sheep. Anton needed men at the border, if they were to return safely home. They would not rest until they reached their homeland but their speed would depend on how quickly they could drive the sheep.
Chapter Five
The Return
They forced marched for four days before finally reaching the border. The young warrior had met with shepherds who had passed on the news of the raid that had been carried out by the men of Urigoiti. There at the border to greet them were 150 Basque warriors, cheering and waving their weapons. After a while, the pursuing Visigoths reached them, took one look at the Basque force and turned back. There followed several days of feasting and dancing. On the fourth day Inaki began to have disturbed nights. For a week he had a recurring dream. He could not remember it clearly, but he had woken repeatedly in a sweat for the last few nights. For the first time he did something that his uncle had not taught him. He went up into the
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