Updating Orion II

Orion remained quiet for a moment after Sophia finished speaking.

There were countless questions running through his mind, but one stood above the rest.

“So…” he began. “Did you ask everything you wanted to ask?”

Sophia winced, a flicker of guilt crossing her face.

“I didn’t. I only asked the basic things.” She paused, shaking her head. “I hate to admit it, but I forgot about the other things I wanted to ask.”

Orion’s lips twitched, but he didn’t tease her.

“It’s alright. You can always try again.”

“I doubt that,” Sophia told him. “She told me that was the last time she would see me in that form. It was like she was saying a final goodbye, and perhaps it was that shock, or maybe the realization, that made me forget exactly what it was I should have asked her. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t see any need to apologize, Shorty. We all make mistakes and forget things sometimes. We’ll just have to figure the others out as we go then.”

“You don’t even know what I asked her.”

“Enlighten me,” he told her. “But for some reason, I feel like it’s about the prophecy, the writings, and not about the other things you told me.”

Sophia gave him a look before nodding.

“He feels like he’s on top of the world just because of that,” Ronan said with an eye roll.

Sophia chuckled before continuing softly.

“The last vision I had showed Victoria and the Enclave army already marching into Nirvana. Like I said before, give or take two days, and they’ll arrive.”

Orion nodded thoughtfully.

Daniel leaned forward slightly before speaking.

“Like we said before, concerning the sneak attack, the blizzard will be our greatest advantage.”

Orion turned toward him, his attention sharpening.

“Tell me more.”

“As you know, the original plan was to hide some of our warriors beneath the snow and use them to attack the enemy. And as was said before, we are the only ones accustomed to the weather in Nirvana. We know how to work around a blizzard. The Enclave does not.”

“Our warriors will still be hidden beneath the snow,” he continued. “They’ll mask their scents also, just as we planned before. The Enclave warriors have never fought in conditions like ours. They’ll already struggle because of the freezing temperatures, but with the blizzard coming, they’ll struggle even more.”

“It will interfere with their senses, and it’ll make it harder for them to pinpoint exactly where our warriors are. They won’t know where the attacks are coming from, which is one of the reasons why we were second-guessing this.”

Brynhild nodded.

“The moment they begin advancing, our warriors hidden beneath the snow will attack from different directions. The Enclave warriors will be forced to defend themselves without ever knowing exactly where the next strike is coming from. And while that’s happening…”

She smiled faintly.

“Our archers will already be waiting. They’ll remain hidden within the trees. The snowfall will make them even harder to notice. They’ll use the weather just as much as the warriors beneath the snow, and they’ll attack from above while everyone else attacks from below.”

Orion slowly nodded.

“That’s… actually better than the original plan.”

“Paula was the one who brought the suggestion to us,” Ronan said. “Just so you know, we have smarter women than men in this pack.”

“We already knew that,” Caspian said, laughing. “Most leaders are women after all.”

“Hence why I worship the ground they walk on,” Ronan said with a smirk.

“I wonder how Annabeth will feel about you worshipping the ground women walk on,” Tobias muttered.

“Come on, brother. I’m admiring the talents we have in the pack. Annabeth is still my favorite woman.”

Brynhild shook her head before speaking again.

“According to Sophia, the Enclave is bringing close to a thousand warriors. Maybe more. Our pack doesn’t have nearly that many.”

She paused, letting the reality of the numbers sink in. A thousand warriors against a fraction of that. The odds were staggering.

“So we’ll use every means we have to win,” she continued. “We can’t afford to match them in numbers, but we can outsmart them. We can outfight them. And with the blizzard on our side, we have an advantage they won’t see coming.”

Caspian adjusted himself in his chair. The movement was slow and deliberate, as though even sitting had become an effort for him.

“The camp for the healers has already been set up in the place we concluded on,” he said. “We’ve started moving supplies there. Before the Enclave arrives, everything will be ready. The healers will be positioned safely behind the front lines.”

Ronan nodded, his arms crossed over his chest.

“The paste to draw the Tidebreakers has been created. As much as we can make, and even more. We have enough to use against them. If the Enclave thinks they can use the beasts against us, they’ll be in for a surprise when those same beasts turn on them.”

Mary added her report, her voice tired but steady.

“We’re also going with poisons,” she said. “The healers and the priestesses helped us come up with poisons that can weaken the enemy. We’re already implementing them into the weapons. The arrows, the blades, the spears—everything will carry something that will slow them down, weaken them, and make them easier to take down.”

Orion smiled, a slow, satisfied curve of his lips.

“You’ve done everything then. All preparations are complete.”

Mary shook her head.

“Not yet. By the end of the day, the craftsmen will have prepared all the weapons and armor. But after that… yes. Everything will be ready.”

Orion sat forward, his gaze sweeping across the room. There was a new energy in his posture, a readiness that had been missing before. His eyes were sharp, his jaw set.

“Since we’re prepared,” he said slowly, “what are we waiting for?”

The others turned to each other, exchanging glances. Confusion flickered across some of their faces.

Eldric adjusted his glasses.

“What do you mean?”

Daniel laughed, a low, knowing sound that cut through the uncertainty.

“Naughty boy.”

He turned toward Orion, his eyes gleaming.

“Why wait for the Enclave to come to us,” Daniel said, “when we can go to them instead, right?”