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Then, things went badly wrong Crazed by ic mushrooms and an overdose of firewater, the paintedat friend and foe alike Two of Tom's men were cut down He reined in his horse and shouted to the warriors, on the other side of the creek, telling theo to the aid of the princess

It was a fateful on's troops

He'd seen the to and fro, heads stuck out over their Sun God shields, peering in all directions The well-disciplined band of bronzed young men reeled their horses when they heard him Toreyout in the breeze

His ained the initiative One after another they were struck down Adrina's shield was knocked from her An arrow struck her in the breast and she collapsed into the mire

The end seerabbed Adrina by the hair and forced her neck back But, before he could deliver the fatal cut, a spear struck hi rey

For a moment all was confusion

The assassins fell back

Adrina was plucked fro ainst her wound to staunch the bleeding

His cood shields turned outwards, they fornalled to them to join him on the other side of the creek But, before he could take further action, a trualvanised into action Disengaging fro ht to on's forces swept past and the Cattish warriors advanced, hitting out at anything bearing erey

One moment he saw Adrina The next she had vanished He shouted to the tribesst the people they were attacking but no one heard The Catti continued their re only to take heads

Annihilation now seeon's ar for their lives Then, the Great Drum of the Catti sounded and a cry went out

'They're attacking the wagons'

Discipline evaporated

Toroup of tribesmen Their heavy shields were discarded as they took off towards the wagons, thinking only of their women and children