Kingdom of Ash

From the enemy lines, an order arose.
“Archers!”
Bowstrings groaned, targets were fixed.
“Volley!”
Great iron arrows blotted out the sun,
aiming for the racing cavalry.
But ruks, golden and brown and black as
night, dove, dove, dove from the skies, flying
wing to wing. And as those arrows arced
toward the earth, the ruks intercepted them,
taking the brunt as they shielded the charging
army beneath them.
Ruks went down.
And even the queen leading the charge
wept in rage and grief as the birds and their
riders crashed to the earth. Above her, taking
arrow after arrow, shield raised to the skies, a
young rider roared her battle cry.
The front lines could not break.
Ironteeth witches on wyverns banked