The center force pushed through the last trees before midmorning, and the field opened ahead exactly as the screen reports had described the night before. Seeing it from the rise was different from hearing about it from scouts. The ground made more sense when it could be viewed all at once.
Batu rode Daichin up the rise along the field's southern edge, the Khar Kheshig following close behind. Suuqai took his usual place at Batu's left. Gunnar, Einar, and Bjorn rode among the steppe riders near the shoulder of the rise, their coats standing out against the felt and leather around them.
Below, the sounds of the arriving army faded into a steady background murmur as units found their positions.
From the rise, Batu studied the field one direction at a time.
