You have a pacing problem.Alice is walking through corpses for two paragraphs. She's talking to herself too much. There really is nothing going on here.
Your first line is passive.
Your tags are awkward. "Cackled" really, really stuck out. So did 'remarked.'
This is only 13 lines, yet we are already introduced to the following:
Ramshead field
Old Alice
Healers
Uskars
Lymen
Lyon Gathering
Dharmid of Avan
Lyon Clan
Warding Signs
Avan Gathering
I understand this is only 2000 words and that you feel the need to get this info out there. But it serves no purpose. It's just a lot of exposition that has nothing to do with anything. These names may sound cool, but they're just empty shells. Either drop all these references or make them work for you. This is a shallow attempt at world building, as it stands.
Does it matter where these people are from? Does any of this expostion, other than the fact that two factions are at war, serve any sort of purpose?
What exactly are Healers? I hate that term because it just sounds so RPG, D&D. Are they magical? They are noted making warding signs; what is that?
If you bring something up, you're going to need to explain it. Better to not bring these things up in the first place if you don't have the room to explain.
In 2000 words, I don't see how you can address any of this.
[This message has been edited by Swimming Bird (edited October 12, 2005).]