Deran Arakias walked into the healer's tent, nose wrinkling
instinctively as the musty aroma of the herbs assailed his nostrils. Most
of the beasts in the tent were being bandaged, minor wounds and cuts,
probably from carelessness with their weaponry.
Deran was grateful Jald had let him go to reprimand Windclaw. To hell with reprimand, Jald would have strangled the young fox where he stood for bungling a single mission; The ferret's tender pride would be bruised by even the slightest failing of his puissant warriors.
Deran nodded to a weasel who wore a healer's sash. The weasel nodded respectfully and before the ermine could open his mouth the weasel gestured to the back. "He's on a spare cot, commander Arakias."
Deran nodded. "How bad?"
The weasel shook his head, "Its bad.he lost a lot of blood and the blade probably pierced his lung. He may live for an hour or a day but Windclaw's role in this world is over."
Deran nodded, several years of his mercenary career taught him from showing the emotions brewing within him. "Alright.it's a shame."
The healer nodded. "He's safe from the Manticore's wrath though.go see him if you want to."
Deran nodded, placing a paw awkwardly on the hilt of the unfamiliar blade he wore at his side.
He walked to the back of the large tent, on a thin mattress, wrapped in a rough blanket was Windclaw.
The young fox's breath came in labored gasps and Deran saw he was deathly pale, golden eyes half open.
But his hearing certainly did not fail him as he rolled his head towards Deran as the ermine approached. "S-sir.I.I did my best.none of us knew it was a trap.I'm sorry."
Deran forze for a moment, feeling a rush of pity. How badly did Jald TREAT his subordinates? By the fates, if he could terrify his subordinates more then death itself then Deran began to wonder if Jald's skills were worth what they had to go through with him as an ally.
"I'm not, Jald." Deran whispered soothingly. "Its Deran." to hell with rank, etiquette and ceremonies.
Windclaw's groaned, the sound having a relieved note to it. "H-he's not coming then?"
Deran shook his head on pure instinct, replying gently, "No.he's not."
"Thank the fates, thank the fates." Windclaw managed to whisper, golden eyes shutting gratefully. "Are you here to 'reprimand' me, commander? I'm sure I.deserve a demotion for such a screw up, eh? Perhaps you can.report me to whoever runs hell."
Windclaw laughed, a choked coughing sound as if he was pleased with his little joke. Deran sighed, walking closer to the prostrate fox. "You mock me."
"Yeah, I do." Windclaw's eyes opened and the dying fox's eyes held a sudden conviction Deran had not seen before. "Not the first time, either.I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"We considered you cowards, you know.Preferring to attack from the rear then a straight charge into a battle. Jald, the others, even me.we considered ourselves better for it. I'm sorry for that, Commander Arakias."
Deran shook his head, wrapping his blue cloak tightly around himself. "My name's Deran, Windclaw. and you should have heard what some of my slingers said about your squadron.'too many hits to the head, willing to charge headlong into a fight.' We ridiculed you too, Windclaw.I don't suppose I ever hated you though."
"Well I did hate you, Deran." Windclaw's voice was oddly firm. "I hated you for your rank, I hated you for being favored by Kalis and I hated you for being a good fighter.I guess I was jealous of you though.for all those reasons. I was a Calpathion from near birth, you know."
"And I was just a low bandit Kalis picked up after the Splintering, eh?"
The fox nodded. "I wish I had the chance to talk to you like this before today.pity it takes a mortal wound in the side to make friends."
Deran could have comforted him, denied that claim but he knew it would only anger Windclaw. They were soldiers and a soldier knows when death has found him. To deny this would have been an insult to the swordfox.
"I wish I had just taken some time myself, Wind." He smiled a bit.
Windclaw nodded slowly. "Deran?"
Deran nodded. "Yeah?"
Amber orbs rose, catching Deran in their compelling gaze like a bug stuck fast in the sap of a tree. "Will you do something for me, Deran?"
Deran nodded. "Name it."
Windclaw raised a paw, tried to salute but failed in the effort, dropping his paw back to his side. "Stay with me tonight.while I die."
Deran was grateful Jald had let him go to reprimand Windclaw. To hell with reprimand, Jald would have strangled the young fox where he stood for bungling a single mission; The ferret's tender pride would be bruised by even the slightest failing of his puissant warriors.
Deran nodded to a weasel who wore a healer's sash. The weasel nodded respectfully and before the ermine could open his mouth the weasel gestured to the back. "He's on a spare cot, commander Arakias."
Deran nodded. "How bad?"
The weasel shook his head, "Its bad.he lost a lot of blood and the blade probably pierced his lung. He may live for an hour or a day but Windclaw's role in this world is over."
Deran nodded, several years of his mercenary career taught him from showing the emotions brewing within him. "Alright.it's a shame."
The healer nodded. "He's safe from the Manticore's wrath though.go see him if you want to."
Deran nodded, placing a paw awkwardly on the hilt of the unfamiliar blade he wore at his side.
He walked to the back of the large tent, on a thin mattress, wrapped in a rough blanket was Windclaw.
The young fox's breath came in labored gasps and Deran saw he was deathly pale, golden eyes half open.
But his hearing certainly did not fail him as he rolled his head towards Deran as the ermine approached. "S-sir.I.I did my best.none of us knew it was a trap.I'm sorry."
Deran forze for a moment, feeling a rush of pity. How badly did Jald TREAT his subordinates? By the fates, if he could terrify his subordinates more then death itself then Deran began to wonder if Jald's skills were worth what they had to go through with him as an ally.
"I'm not, Jald." Deran whispered soothingly. "Its Deran." to hell with rank, etiquette and ceremonies.
Windclaw's groaned, the sound having a relieved note to it. "H-he's not coming then?"
Deran shook his head on pure instinct, replying gently, "No.he's not."
"Thank the fates, thank the fates." Windclaw managed to whisper, golden eyes shutting gratefully. "Are you here to 'reprimand' me, commander? I'm sure I.deserve a demotion for such a screw up, eh? Perhaps you can.report me to whoever runs hell."
Windclaw laughed, a choked coughing sound as if he was pleased with his little joke. Deran sighed, walking closer to the prostrate fox. "You mock me."
"Yeah, I do." Windclaw's eyes opened and the dying fox's eyes held a sudden conviction Deran had not seen before. "Not the first time, either.I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"We considered you cowards, you know.Preferring to attack from the rear then a straight charge into a battle. Jald, the others, even me.we considered ourselves better for it. I'm sorry for that, Commander Arakias."
Deran shook his head, wrapping his blue cloak tightly around himself. "My name's Deran, Windclaw. and you should have heard what some of my slingers said about your squadron.'too many hits to the head, willing to charge headlong into a fight.' We ridiculed you too, Windclaw.I don't suppose I ever hated you though."
"Well I did hate you, Deran." Windclaw's voice was oddly firm. "I hated you for your rank, I hated you for being favored by Kalis and I hated you for being a good fighter.I guess I was jealous of you though.for all those reasons. I was a Calpathion from near birth, you know."
"And I was just a low bandit Kalis picked up after the Splintering, eh?"
The fox nodded. "I wish I had the chance to talk to you like this before today.pity it takes a mortal wound in the side to make friends."
Deran could have comforted him, denied that claim but he knew it would only anger Windclaw. They were soldiers and a soldier knows when death has found him. To deny this would have been an insult to the swordfox.
"I wish I had just taken some time myself, Wind." He smiled a bit.
Windclaw nodded slowly. "Deran?"
Deran nodded. "Yeah?"
Amber orbs rose, catching Deran in their compelling gaze like a bug stuck fast in the sap of a tree. "Will you do something for me, Deran?"
Deran nodded. "Name it."
Windclaw raised a paw, tried to salute but failed in the effort, dropping his paw back to his side. "Stay with me tonight.while I die."