At the start of the Bronze Age, the first walled city arose in The Land Between the Rivers. This city, Akkad, would create the world's first empire, and Eskkar the outcast barbarian would play a leading role. That story is told in 'Dawn of Empire.' But in the years before the founding of Akkad, Eskkar would wander the land, struggling to stay alive. His only friend and companion, Bracca, a Sumerian thief, accompanied him. Together they shared danger as they traveled from one adventure to the next, almost always pursued by some angry group of villagers.
In this escapade, Eskkar and Bracca have their horses stolen by a band of bandits, and have to flee for their lives. They decide to chase after the thieves, and discover that the brigands are far more cunning than the two companions expected. This time they will have to outthink and outfight the bandits just to stay alive.
Author's Note: this is a short-story of 13,500 words based on the characters introduced in Dawn of Empire and the other books in the Eskkar Saga. It is not a full length novel.