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...
The White Lion may have had other plans, but Colonel Bod did not mind, he too only desired to stall for time.
After this brief encounter, the White Lion did not immediately launch an attack. But whether he attacked was his business, the Paratu People were leaving.
Upon returning to the fortress, Colonel Bod set about arranging the retreat without delay, "Blow up the ammunition depot! Leave all the torches behind! Light everything that can be lit! The flags... take all the flags. Right! Draw two fake flags and hang them up!"
Winters stood on the south wall of the fortress, quietly gazing at The Styx.
It was hard for him to discern whether anyone was crossing the bridge—because the moonlight was too dim.
Although he could make out ant-sized objects moving on the bridge, that did not mean the bridge was open; it could very well be the engineers building it.
From the vantage point of the Southern Highlands, one could clearly see the Paratu camp.