But as Wood-wise was at point to give the word to depart, from behind
them rang out the merry sound of the Burgdale horns, and he turned to
look at the wood-side, and lo! thereunder was the hill bright and
dark with men-at-arms, and over them floated the Banners of the Wolf,
and the Banners of the Steer, the Bridge, and the Bull. Then gave
forth the bowmen of the kindreds their first shout, and they made no
stay in their shooting; but shot the eagerer, for they deemed that
help would come without their turning about to draw it to them: and
even so it was. For straightway down the bent came striding Face-of-
god betwixt the two Banners of the Wolf, and beside him were Red-wolf
the tall and War-grove, and therewithal Wood-wont and Wood-wicked,
and many other men of the Wolf; for now that the men of the kindreds
had been brought face to face with the foe, and there was less need
of them for way-leaders, the more part of them were liefer to fight
under their own banner along with the Woodlanders; so that the
company of those who went under the Wolves was more than three long
hundreds and a half; and the bowmen on the edge of the bent shouted
again and merrily, when they felt that their brothers were amongst
them, and presently was the arrow-storm at its fiercest, and the
twanging of bow-strings and the whistle of the shafts was as the wind
among the clefts of the mountains; for all the new-comers were bowmen
of the best.
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