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The women with bows and javelins slowly come from behind
their protective coverings and horseshoe outward from the
center of the village.
As the children are placed under cover some of the men take
up arms alongside the fighting women.
It is a difficult battle because the enemy stays hidden in
the forest.
Hesitation on the part of some of the villagers costs them
their lives, or painful wounds as arrows and javelins
continue to come flying in.
Amrita throws her javelin. From the sound we know it has
found a mark. She picks up her sword and shield and races to
the right flank, dodging arrows all the way.
Wolf races by her side.
ANTIOPE (cont'd)
FLANKS! WHEN IN POSITION, DRIVE
THEM OUT TO US!
Amrita and a dozen or so other women enter the forest on the
right flank of the enemy. In the distance we see Mikaleta
and another group of village women doing the same on the left
flank.
Amrita holds her sword with both hands over her head. The
sun glints on the blade and flashes across the village to the
left flank.
A returning flash.
Instantly, with a horrific battle cry, the women charge the
flanks of the enemy and drive them into the waiting arrows
and javelins of the women at the center of the village.
Amrita, as are others, is engaged in individual combat from
time to time.
Amrita cuts down one of the enemy and two more attack her.
They back Amrita up against a hut. She side-steps and pins
one against the hut, but the other one is about to stab her
in the back.
Wolf attacks the back-stabber. He grabs the sword hand and
drags the warrior backwards into a fire-pit.
Amrita dispatches the warrior she is battling then turns to
acknowledge Wolf's help.
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Mikaleta, overcomes the warrior she is fighting.
The three of them, Amrita, Mikaleta and Wolf, almost single-
handedly drive back the attacking warriors.
The center of the village is quickly becoming a bloody
battleground.
The battle goes to the villagers as, what is left of the
beaten enemy, retreat back to the forest.
Amrita, Mikaleta, Wolf and the women of the village start to
chase the enemy into the forest but are stopped by a command
from Antiope.
ANTIOPE (cont'd)
HOLD! Leave them go. They will
take this message back!
Reluctantly the village women stop their assault on the
retreating enemy and return to their own casualties.
With the adrenaline of battle still coursing through her,
Amrita turns her attention to something else.
Wolf leads the way as Amrita races through the village.
One of the fallen enemy rises as if to throw a sword at the
passing Wolf. He stops momentarily to growl. The warrior
falls back.
As the warriors head dress falls away, WE SEE that just as
the defenders of this village, the fallen warrior is also a
woman.
Amrita comes to a tent outside of which a man, TUAOK is
slumped with an arrow in his shoulder. He is struggling to
rise.
Amrita grabs him to hold him steady with one hand, while
clawing at the flap of the tent with the other.
Wolf meanwhile runs up and sniffs around the side of the hut
under a pile of furs.
AMRITA
Tuaok! Atileene! Atileene!
TUAOK
She is safe. She is in the
shelter.
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AMRITA
You.....?
TUAOK
I am fine. I will live. Look
after her.
Amrita's face shows grave concern for Tuaok, but something
pulls deeper inside of her. With reluctance she lowers Tuaok
to a comfortable position then races off to the side of the
hut.
Wolf has already pawed aside a pile of furs. Amrita lifts a
ground cover.
Inside is ATILEENE, a gorgeous three year old girl. Amrita
snatches her up and checks her out all over, as does Wolf.
With obvious relief she holds Atileene in her arms and
returns to Tuaok.
ATILEENE
Daddy... hurt..
AMRITA
Yes, I'll need your help. Get some
poultices from inside, hurry.
Atileene dashes inside the tent as Amrita braces Tuaok for
what will be coming.
AMRITA (cont'd)
It is clear through. That is
helpful. I'll have to break off
one side and pull the shaft back
out.
She looks in Tuaok's eyes. He nods grimly.
Amrita grabs the arrowhead coming out of the back of Tuaok's
shoulder and breaks it off. She then grasps the shaft of the
arrow in the front, puts her foot on Tuaok's chest and pulls.
The arrow comes out cleanly as Tuaok grimaces in pain.
While Amrita holds him and tries to ease the pain, Atileene
comes out of the tent with the poultices.
ATILEENE
Here, mama.
AMRITA
Put them here..
(She indicates the wound
on Tuaok's shoulder.)
Hold them tight now..
Atileene presses the poultices, Amrita rips a strip from her
own tunic and binds them to Tuaok's wounds.
Amrita looks at her daughter, then at her mate. There is
With wolf lying at their feet, this is the typical Amazon
family portrait, after battle.
to be continued...
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