At the sight of this, Akaru's sudden, harsh crow startled his companions.
"Good fortune smiles upon us this day, lads! This dog of war is fool enough to present to us his unprotected hindquarters! A sharp spear thrust up his arse will cut his heart-strings before he can bring his teeth to bear!"
Stanick could only gape. "Are you mad? Have you not counted their numbers?"
"Oh, I surely have!" Akaru rejoined, his mien full of vengeful malice. "They number some one-hundred twenty-eight thousands. A number that is of no consequence, once you have comprehended their position."
Stanick turned his gaze back towards the enemy, hoping beyond hope to see whatever it was that Akaru claimed to see. At this, Akaru clapped him on the shoulder and spoke as though the enemy mattered not at all.
"The narrow pass before us is how wide?" he asked Stanick.
"Some fifty feet, as you well know," Stanick replied.
"The next, that lies choked between those two cliffs?" said Akaru.
"It is less than thirty feet," replied Stanick, a frown of dawning comprehension touching his features.
Akaru nodded. "Once their main body has passed, we are going to ride straight through the ranks of their rear-guard to the second narrows and cut off their wagons and siege engines and supplies! We will hold this neck of the valley against their escape or reinforcements. They will taste their own engines of war, and we shall taste their provender while they starve."