They bore no banners and held no formation, instead rushing en masse toward the lines of ponies awaiting them. The infantry captain standing on the company's left danced in place for a moment as he watched the oncoming horde funneling onto the open ground from the road, then lifted his head and ordered, "Ready! Action front!" The last of his words all but disappeared under sudden deep booms as a few shrewder, or less impatient, opponents paused to take their first shots. Puffs of blue-gray smoke blossomed around them.