Stanick's role at Akaru's side was taken over by a tough young aide from Angorain named Tran, who nodded curtly as he joined Akaru in his surveillance of the Enemy.
"That great beast of yours is as stoic as any soldier I've seen. He took those stitches to his flank without once trying to gore my handlers."
Akaru smiled grimly in return. "You are the first he has allowed approach him, besides myself. The anticipated relief from the wound might explain the matter somewhat, but otherwise I think his response to you is genuine."
"I might be flattered," Tran remarked dryly, "were his nature not so utterly devoid of kindliness. That said, here is the casualty report: we have suffered sixty-three dead and wounded. Of the wounded, eighteen will shortly be fit to return to battle. Twenty-six were killed outright. Nine horse were killed outright and are now being slaughtered for their meat, and another twenty-eight are sorely injured, and will soon have to be butchered.
"That said, our beasts, meaning the horses, of course, necessarily represent provender, as they are otherwise utterly useless to us in this predicament. The quartermaster tells me that, taking into account our own most probable attrition of numbers through battle, we should be able to hold out for two months."