Chapter 761 - The War Council (1)

Late sun slanted over the mud like a thin blade, showing where carts had cut the camp into ribs. The ground gleamed faintly with puddled water and oil, a broken mirror that reflected the sky in pieces. Stakes and hurdles lined the near bank, their shadows like comb teeth biting into the water. Smoke climbed in several narrow threads that tried not to be noticed, carrying the faint smell of pitch, onions, and old canvas. The rope-yard hummed with quiet oaths and the groan of hemp dragged over rough palms. Men moved as if the ground itself might change its mind at any moment.