Chapter 22The wind thrashed the tops of the trees and sent twigs and leaves and sometimes whole branches chasing after Haral’s fleeing group. The men were oblivious to such urgings however, as the terror of the last few minutes drove them relentlessly forward.
Galloping up and down the column, Haral managed to prevent the retreat from turning into complete disorder, but it was not easy. Independent of the wills of their riders, the horses had clear intentions of their own and many were soon not only lathered, but bleeding about the mouth as restraints were applied by those same riders, fearful of being recklessly dashed into low branches or crushed against trunks.
As they drew further from the scene of the assault, however, the wind began to ease and the headlong flight gradually became
