Taking the Shot
 
by Loren Dean

The day was miserable.

Yesterday's rain had given way to near-unbearable heat. Absolutely absent of breeze, the sun beat down on the churned mud of the Seven-day Plain surrounding Usagi Castle, and the fighting was even hotter.

At the head of the cavalry rode Otaku Marako, carving a bloody swath of death as she heeled Motoko forward. The Cavalry commander had been wounded, and was forced to retire from the line. The cavalry had looked to her, partly out of respect for the prowess she had shown in the first two days of fighting, and partly because it seemed fitting somehow that a battle maiden of the Unicorn clan should be leading cavalry. Now she rode, silent, as all around her the Hare clan cavalry shrieked their war-cries and followed her into the thickest, most hellish parts of the battle.

Megumi must certainly be watching me, thought Marako. I am unwounded after so long. She certainly didn't look it, she knew. Motoko was up to his shoulders in gore, and blood, mud, and other battle detritus clung to both steed and rider like a thick paste. Her armor would probably never get back to its original purple. She would likely have to replace it completely. There was not much white left anymore on the horse armor she borrowed for Motoko, and the armor of the Hares following her showed more red than anything else.

The cavalry had been wildly successful. Under Takeshi, the now-wounded commander, and now under Marako, the cavalry had been a demon on the field, eluding trap-formations and smashing reserves and main lines alike. If only we had more numbers, thought Marako, what damage we could give! We are too fast to be caught, but we cannot do enough damage to make a difference!

Oh, to find Takiro, she considered as she cut down a Scorpion intent on dragging her from the saddle. To chop off the head of the Scorpion, and let the body flail in confusion. That would give us the edge we need. That would bring us victory. Even as she thought of it she discarded it as a viable plan. Takiro was too well shielded. His personal bodyguard of both bushi and shugenja would render any direct attempt on the man's life useless.

She led the cavalry in a wheel around the flank of an infantry formation, and as the Hares careened into the Scorpions she looked away, almost as if guided.

And saw Takiro. He was sitting on his command stool (had she led the cavalry this far into the Scorpion lines?) tapping his tessen against one knee, watching the battle impatiently. He had every right to be impatient, Marako knew. Three days of heavy fighting had not brought down the castle, despite a nearly three to one numerical advantage in favor of the Scorpion army. Marako also knew that to get a clear view of a general like this was something that only happened once in battle. An opportunity that must be seized.

Motoko stopped as she went for her bow, a motion familiar to him. She brought the big dai-kyu up with an arrow in her other hand, and nocked and drew in one motion. As she sighted down the shaft, Takiro seemed to feel her eyes on him, and his head turned slowly to face her.

Their eyes met as Marako loosed her arrow, and Takiro was only beginning to leap from his seat when the arrow took him in the shoulder, and spun him to the earth, sending his tessen spinning out of his grip and into the mud. Bushi were suddenly everywhere, surrounding their lord, screening him from further attack.

Marako smiled as she shoved her bow back into its harness. There would be a round of seppukkus ordered tonight, she was sure. Kicking Motoko back into motion, she drew her katana once again and joined the cavalry's attack.