Cathun

He had a certain nagging feeling that he was being underestimated. It was not that surprising considering his youth - Cathun did not blame the stallions and mares for ignoring him, nor was he upset that his passionate speech had passed by unanswered. There were plenty of others who received judgmental stares, raised brows and harsh words, and for all that it was frustrating to be left hanging, he didn't make a fuss about it. Unlike the so called 'mature and wise' who chose to call each other out as idiots and no-names the colt kept quiet except when it was his turn to speak, ears turned marginally back in breezy contempt for those who dragged their own honor and good name through the mud by acting like fools.

It was a sad day indeed, when the youngest in the group possessed the best manners.

He remained suave and calm as he and a few others were led aside, his attention focused more on the surrounding landscape than his co-competitors. It was his first time stepping into this forest, but from his father's stories he had a pretty good picture on what the region was like. Dark, misty, narrow paths and trees that blocked the view... oh yes it was exactly like Cathun had imagined it, complete with the heady scent of moss, loam and clear waters hidden from view by fern and fungi. Was it genetic, this love for nature he held, or was it the result of a childhood spent behind stone walls? Regardless, Cathun felt much more at ease here than in the Threshold forest with its skin-crawling barrier magic, or beneath the scorching sun of the red desert he currently called home. The sparks that scattered from his flowing locks burned so much clearer beneath this canopy, the glow of his eyes brighter than ever as he peered around in all directions, breathing in deeply while appreciating the damp coolness of green moss against the frogs of the feet.

Returning his attention to the snow-colored Lady as she revealed the task ahead, Cathun listened with his head tilted, a smile appearing on his lips in appreciation of the 'game' she suggested. It sounded amusing, and after taking a moment to think - and eye the competition with renewed fervor - he offered his solutions to the problem.

"Well, my tactic would be to..."

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Initially Cathun would display a small group of Warriors that will put up some resistance to gauge the strength and ability of the enemy/Ophelia, after which they will pretend to turn and flee, disappearing into the forest. This is meant to make the enemy feel confident and careless, believing themselves to have won already.

Making use of the poor visibility and hilly terrain he would then have some of the Glaziers place out barriers and obstacles to force Ophelia/invaders to slow down and take detours on her way to the goal, potentially separating a larger force into smaller groups or forcing them to move on a line. The barriers would be placed so that only a small number of enemies can pass at the same time, and to ultimately create a bottle-neck effect by the tree so that only one or a few enemies can attack at the same time.

Pre-arranged groups of Warriors and volunteering Citizens would be tasked with performing guerrilla attacks from the sides, hit and runs or long ranged magic bombardments meant to tire out, scare and confuse, with the goal to take out as many invaders as possible before they can reach the tree/far into the herd-land.

Sneak ranks and some Mend rank would move between the fighting groups to gather intel on the progress and heal those who need it, reporting to the Generals and Leaders and remaining Mend and Citizen ranks who stand by at the Tree as the last defense line and headquarters. As the enemy/Ophelia advances the Warriors still able to fight and remaining Glaziers will move the barriers and close in behind her, preventing her from fleeing and ultimately catching her in a pincer attack.

The goal would be to separate and weaken an enemy by taking advantage of the forest, make them feel lost and confused and ultimately lose the will to fight before putting in the final attack, a coordinated strike from two directions.

---

It was a simple plan, but he felt that it should be effective. Of course it was not fool-proof - no strategy ever was, there were too many variables to consider and there would always be a need for flexibility and the ability to adapt to situations as they arose - but for this particular scenario where no great amount of details had been specified it was suitable.

Whether it was enough... well. He would just have to wait and see whether the current rulers were bold enough to bet on someone they didn't know. He was not his father and while he was proud of his heritage Cathun was not about to ride on the fame of a name. He wished to prove himself, burned for a chance to test his mettle, find his limits - and break through them.

so tell me why, baby, they might call me crazy
for saying I'd fight, until there is no more