Trifecta – Preparation

Today’s Music: Sting – Why Should I Cry For You
Days Til Spring: 8

Another Trifecta Challenge (the setup of which is actually longer than my resulting story. What’s up with that?) As always, the story should illustrate the meaning of the 3rd definition, in a piece 33 to 333 words long.
trail verb \ˈtrāl\

1 a: to hang down so as to drag along or sweep the ground
b: to extend over a surface in a loose or straggling manner (a vine that trails over the ground)
c: to grow to such length as to droop over toward the ground
2 a: to walk or proceed draggingly, heavily, or wearily : plod, trudge
b: to lag behind : do poorly in relation to others
3: to move, flow, or extend slowly in thin streams

So I’ve been reading about the destruction of Robert E. Lee’s army. this probably came from that…

Preparation
In this part of the country, the thickness of the wilderness only allowed single file marching down the sinuous paths between the trees and brambles.
Headquarters, behind the lines as always, was on a high promontory, allowing the commanding General to watch his troops moving out towards the enemy.

Now that the plans had been laid and the orders given, movements begun and troops committed, he cleared his head to leave it fresh for the coming battle.
As he focused on what was to come, his hopes and fears began to trail away from him, like the slow moving lines of his army below…