La Force Le Temps et la Vie

In the waning light of a war‑torn autumn, a thin squad of ten cavalrymen clings to a mist‑shrouded ridge along the Rhine. Their commander, the stoic sergeant Héricourt, guides the rear of the Directoire’s retreat through the black‑spotted woods of the Black Forest, while the distant rumble of Austrian divisions grows louder. Hunger gnaws at the men, their mud‑caked boots and frayed uniforms a stark contrast to the disciplined columns slipping away behind them.

The cold rain and the scent of freshly cut timber drive Héricourt’s thoughts to a simple loaf being shared by nearby woodcutters. He must decide whether to risk a daring foraging patrol, aware that enemy eyes may already linger in the shadows of the valley. The tension between duty and survival sets the stage for a gritty, moment‑by‑moment advance into a landscape where every breath could bring either respite or danger.