Dawn before a battle

this is the most complex picture I´ve done so far, it was very hard and took me a lot of time so hopefully I have learned something. Getting all bodyparts and spears of the soldiers in the back in their right place was a challenge for sure.

Exiting a strategy meeting a prince and princess, commanders and siblings are still in discussion about the best course to take in the coming battle against the Khitan, a coalition of mountain tribes seen as barbarian. To their sides they have their respective pets, the prince having imported a southern species called a Dhamid cat that prefers staying indoors during the cold of winter up here in the north. The princess however has chosen a native species, the Verinian wolf that is glad to assist in hunting expeditions any time of the year. Slender, graceful animals such as these is the latest fashion among nobles.

The soldiers in the back are the heavy spears, elite soldiers of the kingdom wearing a combination of plate and lamellar armour. They are not the very best though, that is the Bardiche guard, carrying heavy axes and able of a devastating charge.

Pencil on A3 paper. Planning on doing a colour version in time, a change I´m considering is moving the motif down a bit adding more sky showing less grass.

 Any comments are welcome.