The near-right sentry still lay face-down beside the fence, exactly where the rifle volley had dropped him. The dirt around the body had soaked up everything and darkened.
Cedd stepped past him and entered the camp again.
Morning light fully covered the valley floor now. The haze from before dawn had burned away, and for the first time since descending the slope, he could see the camp clearly.
The tent rows remained intact. No fire damage.
That had been intentional from the start. The mission had always centered on the supplies, and supplies required a camp that wasn't razed when the fighting ended.
The fire pits had smoldering coals, and smoke drifted north on the morning air from two of them. From the tents came the sounds of organized work of boots on the packed ground, canvas shifting, someone barking a short instruction.
Cleanup. Consolidation.
