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// Planning An Assault 
// Story: Fact or Fiction 
// by Mocha Star 
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        Spark and Pea looked at the city of Dogdurhal from a distance.  The large wall that surrounded it did a good job of keeping the city itself out of view, save for various signs of modern life such as rising smoke from chimneys or trade caravans of various races, entering and exiting in a slow but consistent flow.

        The morning was fresh with dew and newly hatched bugs swarming around them, some getting into Spark’s ears and making him yelp or shudder.

        “Stay still, fool,” Pea said firmly, “this is basic training for you.  If you move and get us caught, you’ll be caught.”

        Spark looked to her and cocked his head. “What do you mean… oh, I see.”

        “And I have no desire to tear an entire city apart to find close friends of mine, then to look for a cowardly unicorn.”

        “...Yes ma’am.”

        “Now, what do you see?” She asked, her eyes locked on the city that seemed to never sleep.

        “Uhm, a wall.  Smoke?”

        “A city of impermeable defence, the average size of a centaur is just a little larger than us-”

        “I thought they were all giants.”

        “-with a few elders or wealthy ones who have the time, means, and resources to learn to grow gigantic.  Those are the ones you want to avoid.  The main road goes halfway through the city, circles around the center, where the city hall, police, and courts are, then splinters out in several paths, none of the others leading straight to the center.”

        “How do you see this?  All I see is a wall and a gate.”

        “Easy, worm,” she said as she moved her shoulders, “it’s a city of antiquity.  Before the wall, they were simply like any other town.  As it grew the main streets couldn’t all lead directly to the center.  If, and when, they were raided or invaded they couldn’t just give a straight line to their most important assets.

        “So, the buildings would be built in the street paths, making the invaders have to go around buildings and into, or between, armed locals with the home advantage.  Over time the large ones would have needed a place to make their own, the safest place for the elite would have to be near the back of the wall, where we can’t see.  No main entrances or exits to be used, and no way for any creature to storm.”

        Spark snickered. “Yeah, who in their broken mind would wish to try and storm the home of a giant centaur?” Pea looked over to him, deadpan. “Oh.”

        “We are in no shape to mount an assault, regardless.  The rear is the ideal place to enter from and save our friends, but we will need a distraction and several allies to make it even close to the rear walls and survive.”

        “Survive?” He gulped, “what could be back there that even you are concerned about?”

        “I don’t know, and that’s why I won’t be taking any chances.  We travel to the Sun Kingdom in half an hour.  It’s a three week journey, but I think I see a way to save some energy.”

        He sighed and slumped to his belly, laying his chin on crossed forelimbs. “I wish I had your tenacity and insight, madam.”

        Without looked over to him, her gaze locked on the city, she spoke kindly to him. “You shall, before you know it.  I have a mission for you… it’ll delay our departure but it’ll work for us all in the long run.

        



        “You want me to what?!” He shouted at her from the wooded area they were now in, nearer to the traveling path.  Pea hushed him and glared at him as she adjusted her sword.

        “Go in, get me the stuff, come back here.  You used to be a slave of humans, they’re only a sixth human, so it’ll be a piece of cake,” she assured him and placed a hand on his neck, “you have to grow some balls, Spark, or you’ll never make it with me.  Do you want to find your own way?”

        Spark swallowed hard and looked down the path, cart and wagons being pulled by slave horses, ponies, and even a pair of wingless gryphons.  He licked his dry lips and blinked at the city gates that seemed to have a vertigo effect on him as he looked.

        “S-k?  Sp-rk?  Spark!” Pea shouted at him, snapping his out of his fearful reverie.

        “Huh?  I-ma’am, I don’t know…”

        “You can do it,” she said squeezing his flesh firmly to the point that he winced from the pinch, “I believe in you.  This is for way more than just us, right?” He nodded quickly and coughed dryly, turned, and began to stumble ahead.  “Hey Romeoats, you forgot the money,” she giggled.

        He stopped in place, his rear legs trembling he stood still. “H-help?”

        Pea sighed with a smile and trotted beside him, reached into her vest pocket, and produced a leather sack with cloth drawstrings and held it out to him.  He looked to the side at it, without turning his head.  He lit his horn, took it into his magic, then to his mouth, and began to trot ahead.

        Pea watched him and smiled. “He’s an adorable idiot, and he just might make it,” she said as she watched his trembling body, dropped tail, and flattened ears moved away from her and towards the looming city beyond.