Border Watch

Thomas had no idea why he was still out in the cold. The larger moon shining on the snow covered field illuminated no approaching enemy. Not that anyone in their right mind would be out marching in weather like this. Cold winds blew drifts of snow around, and occasional flurries still fell over the borderlands. Skirmishes were a summertime activity anyway. Winters were for sitting around a fire telling stories about attacks and counter attacks. Not for trudging through snow drifts in order to cross a nearly frozen river.

Sitting in a guard shack looking out at the fields might not be so bad. But the Sarge wanted someone outside at the open posts along the river. "Just in case." is what he had said. Just in case of what Thomas didn't know. But he was too far down the pecking order in the militia guard to argue postings. So now here he was sitting behind a log wall freezing his butt off while the rest of the squad was inside next to a heater.

Nobody could even tell him what the fighting was all about in the first place. There wasn't anything on this side of the border that wasn't on the other side in the same quantity. At least from what he had seen the last time they had crossed over to raid the outposts over there. That had been months ago in good weather. They had gone over to hit a supply base the other side had set up, no doubt in preparation for an attack of their own. But that was the way things went. One side attacks then the other counter-attacks.

A shift in the shadows caught Thomas' attention. At first he thought it might be movement on the far side of the river, then he realized it was just the smaller of the two moons rising over the treeline. With both moons up and full, there was no way anyone would plan an attack. The multiple shadows would make it easier to spot an approaching unit. Everyone knew that, except it would seem the Sarge. Who knows maybe he was right. Maybe someone on the other side was crazy enough to send troops out in the cold, on a night when they would be at the most visible. Never mind that all the supply depots were at their lowest levels in the winter.

With the snow damping most of the normal sounds of the countryside, the sound of approaching footsteps was unnaturally loud. Turning his head Thomas saw the Sarge walking up with one of the other junior members of the squad. With a shock he realized it must be nearly midnight and shift change. "See anything?" the Sarge asked. "Not even a deer looking for forage. Nothing wants to be out on a night like this." Thomas hoped his tone didn't sound to insubordinate. Actually he didn't really know what made something sound insubordinate, maybe they teach that in NCO school.

The Sarge just chuckled, "Maybe we'll be lucky and those bastards over there will agree with you." He turned to the private standing next to him. "Just make sure you stay awake and keep your eyes open. This wouldn't be the first time an attack happened when everyone absolutely knew one wasn't coming." Thomas had a strong feeling that was a jab at him, but knew better than to react. He wasn't that new. Instead he just said to his relief, "Have a good watch. The nights may actually be getting shorter, but they sure seem to be longer when its cold." Then he followed Sarge back to the shack for a chance at a warm blanket and a few houts of sleep.