FSE

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He'd never really lived in the house. Sure he stopped by every once in a while to clean the place out, but beyond the table, a small lamp and three remaining chairs, there wasn't much in the way of furnishings. The place at one time was probably a farm shed, given its single room layout and loft style upper area. A simple set of stairs to the loft lined the northern wall, with a with a fireplace occupying the wall opposite.The loft was just as spartan as the main room, its contents a simple bed and a chest for storing the few personal effects he kept here. Acentral beam in the house served to reinforce the loft, though it could've been used to divide the lower area into animal stallsduring years prior. Whatever the case, it was his, and it was well past midnight by the time the four entered. Skeks had insisted on traveling by foot rather than having anything to do with the horses, so it'd been a slow ride.

There were two immediate issues, excludingthe frontdoor. First was ensuring the village was safe, and second was what exactly to do with Skeks. At the fort, it'd have been a rather simple matter of allocating her aroom and making the proper announcements. Here though, he had to worry about the townsfolk and whatever issues Samin would bring up.As to the former issue, the day prior they'd established severalpatrol routes that were to be run at semi-random times.Each party consistedof two experienced soldiers and four trainees. Shield's abilities served as their fail safe should any sneak past the patrols.

"Shield, you'llhave your leave for a weekstarting tonight. I want to make sure that nothing appears here, so it's a working vacation in terms of letting me know if anything does show up." In truth he knew it'd be anything but a vacation. Suddenly having a second child in ahouse would make thingsrather chaotic for the first few days at least."Braxton, two things. Check on the patrols, make sure things are being done right, then send a message to the fort. We'll need a healer to arrive in the morning. Once you're done, turn in. It'll be a busy week."

Braxton nodded,"And we hope uneventful, sir." By the look of things, both the Lieutenant and Shield were ready to call it a night. He didn't blame them, his own energy reserves were rather low.

"Yes, that too." He tried in vain to stifle a yawn. "For now, Skeks can stay here. I'll sort more details out tomorrow, but the fact that she's contracted stays within these walls for the time being. Everyone good with that?" Before word ran wild, he'd like to get Samin involved. He'd hinted as much to the mayor over the third bottle of honey mead, though he kept his own consumption to as little as possible.

"It's probably for the best, but don't delay too much." Shield stretched a bit before heading to the door. "Oh, and Skeks, if you ever want to see the child you saved, he's at my house. Rem can show you the way." The gnoll's ears pricked forward and she gave a slight nod in response. Shield turned and nudged the door to the side, it's remaining hinge creaking in protest, before heading off to her own home. Braxton gave a brief salute on his way out, stepping neatly through the space and avoiding the door altogether. This left Ferad and a somewhat inquisitive Skeks to their own devices, seeing as she was already sniffing around the house.

Ferad pulled a chair out, hopefully no more would fly against the walls, to sit and think on things. His bed was calling, but before he could answer its siren song, he had to figure out what to do for his house guest. The bed was a non-starter for the simple reason that she wouldn't fit. This left makeshift bedding, though he wasn't sure what sleeping arrangements gnolls normally used. "Find anything interesting?" She'd just finished examining the area under the loft, sniffing around the small door which led to the outhouse.

Skeks didn't look back, choosing instead to continue her investigation of the premises. "Horse and cow were kept here." Well, that confirmed his suspicions on the origins of his house. "Long ago, but scents stay in wood for a very long time." She was heading up to the loft. The differences in her leg joints compared to those of a human made the climbing a bit awkward, but this was probably due to a lack of experience more than anything else. "You say this is your house, but it doesn't smell of you." Skeks was looking down at him over the loft rail.

"That would be the case. I own the place, but rarely stay here." The gnoll nodded before heading to the back corner of the loft. "It may be surprising, but I'm not exactly easy to get along with. I'd rather not deal with neighbors if I can help it." If she caught the sarcasm, she completely ignored it. "Right now the more pressing issue is where you're going to sleep at. I've got two bed rolls, but nothing here that's going to be big enough for you."

Skeks was making her way back down the stairs, "Outside."

"I'd rather you not, at least not tonight." Under normal circumstances, he'd agree easily. "If anyone caught sight of a gnoll within the village at night, the alarms would be sounded or some fool would try and attack you. Maybe both." His explanation brought a bit of a sour look accompanied by a low growl. "Look, we'll get you introduced to the mayor properly and get word out that you're supposed to be here. Tomorrow, you can sleep wherever you want, but..."

"Fine." The word was growled at him. She was angry, and rightfully so. In dealing with humans it probably wasn't the first time her species had been problematic, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. It was, however, a reminder that she was an outsider here and alone. In an instantaneous shift, gone was the inquisitive person, quickly replaced by a temperamental and defensive creature.

This isn't how he wanted things to start, hell most of the day wasn't, butif he could just figure something out... "Scratch that, we're taking a walk." Ferad pushed the door out of the way, the bottom edge scraping over the paving stones and digging into the gravel.

This at least prompted a curious look, but Skeks said nothing as she followed himout. The night was clear, save for a few sparse clouds which posed no threat of rain. Ferad headed towards the main road and veered off to the east gates where the camp was. With any luck Braxton would stillbe up. "Hail!" He might be loud, but walking up with a gnoll in tow could cause worse without announcing himself.

The guardson duty looked up at his voice, bothoffering a proper salute, "Commander Rem..." The fellow's voice trailed off in uncertainty at the sight of Skeks. Ferad glared at the man, causing the brief lapse in protocol to stay exactly that, brief, as both guards snapped back to attention. "Sir!" A quick nod as he walked past was enough to remedy any remaining doubt about carrying on as normal. Shield was right, get this out of the way first. The troops would know soon enough, and he might as well handle things up front.

Skeks, on the other hand, was holding true to herself. She may have been exhausted and uncomfortable being around so many new people, but she wasn't going to show it. As soon as they entered the camp, he could feel her presence walking steadily behind him. It was as if he had a seven foot tall shadow that dared anyone to say an out of place word.

Braxton was just entering his tent, another late night carrying on even later for the Lieutenant, but upon seeing the Commander, he gave a proper salute. "Sir, what brings you down?"

"Gear. A smaller pavilion tent with vents, clean straw and extracanvas. You find it, get it moved over to a suitable place and we'll handle the rest." Normally he'd have some of the trainees handle the setup, but he wanted to give Skeks as much space as possible and working with her would help build trust, something gnolls were very guarded in giving to anyone outside their pack.

* * *

"Last one, you want the honors?" Skeks took the offered mallet and proceeded to drive the final stake into the ground. She was both a hard worker and fast learner. They'd managed to get the pavilion in order and set up the awning in fairlydecent time. While she handled the last of the anchors, he started to work on the straw, getting it into the pavilion and set up on one side. Shortly after, she followed suit, pushing the remaining straw until the pile covered enough area and was of sufficient depth. Ferad draped the canvas over it all,tucking the edges to hold the straw in place. "Not exactly a normal bed, but at least itshould be comfortable." He gave a few experimental pats on the surface before sitting down. Gods he was tired, no doubt she wasn't faring much better.

Skeks sat beside him with an audible grunt.She'd put on a strong front with the other soldiers around, but in the relative privacy of the tent, she didn't have the energy to maintain it.The canvas and straw was about as comfortable as the bed in his house, so with itcomplete and workable, theirlast task was finished. He'd left the vent flaps rolled back so the night sky was at least visible, it was the best compromise he could think of that allowed her a sense of being outdoors and prevented anything from happening with the villagers. "Better than being stuck in the house?"

"Much." Thatwas all she was going to say on the topic as she untied then wriggled free of her armor. It was a simple but effective design against an average sword or club, cloth and padding stitched around lightweight wooden rods for extra rigidity. The wood reminded him of bamboo, maybe it was a southern variety he hadn't come across before.He'd ask later about getting her some stronger gear, maybe a breastplate with a chainmail neck guard. If you could get past their teeth, a gnoll's neck made for a rather large target, heavily muscled or not. Free from the confines of her armor, she stretched out, falling back onto the bedding with a rather wide yawn.

At least it was past the first day. In the morning, there'd be food and drink, either from the camp or the tavern, along with a host of administrative issues to deal with. For now though, he had a rather exhausted roommate who had gone through more in a day's time than most experience in a monthslong field campaign. "You doing OK?"There were brief moments when she did speak freely, or at least less guarded, but in general she'd been exceptionally quiet.

Skeks had been staring through the open roof towards the stars beyond, where ever her thoughts were, they weren't focused on the here and now. Several seconds passed before she pulled her gaze away from the sky, but rather than engage in any conversationshe turned her back to him and answered over her shoulder, "Yes."

* * *

Ferad wasn't sure exactly when he fell asleep, the last thing he remembered was looking at the stars and thinking about his schedule for the following day. Judging by the color of the morning, it was shortly after dawn, and the noise outside meant that work at the camp was back in full swing. With the amount of hours he'd spent awake, it was little wonder that he'd slept later than usual. What was somewhat surprising was that Skeks was already awake, back in her armor andsitting quietly. Between her injuries and over exertion, he'd expected her to sleep at least to midday, not up early and watching the dawn passing by."The healer will be here soon, twohoursat most. Hungry?"

It took a moment before she turned to him, "Healer? Why?"

"We spent the better part of an hour stitching you up so I know more than a few of those run fairly deep. The healer will make sure things are setting properly and can get you at full strength sooner." Ferad stretched his arms and shoulders, trying to get the morning's stiffness out from his joints before standing up. "Come on, let's get some food."

He got a brief nod at the mention of food before Skeks took his offered hand and pulled herself up. Whatever had her preoccupied was finally losing its hold. By the time they stepped from the tent, she was fully alert, scenting the air and keeping careful watch on all the activity. Her ears swiveled in various directions, taking in the sounds of the camp as different things caught her attention. By now word of the unusual guest would have made its way through the entire camp, so he expected each and every soldier to behave as if nothing were out of the ordinary, a sharp salute and courteous nod, nothing more and nothing less.

Their destination was the food tent. While it was a little late, there should be some of the basic fare left. Hot, brown, and plenty of it fit most of the meals served at a military camp, and this one was no different. Ferad led the way through the rows, stopping off at several tents to get an update on tasks or other information rather than taking a direct route. It was a good way to ensure that Skeks was able to see everything, and at the same time be seen.

Ferad looked across the tables at the steaming pots behind, "And we're here, just in time too." Within moments of their arrival, two rather deep wooden plates were assembled and handed over. One of Ferad's rules was that the same meal was served to everyone, regardless of rank. This meant a captain would be treated the same as a trainee when it came to food provided by the military. It was one of many reasons he was popular among his own troops. In spite of being a general hard ass, he was fair and didn't use his position to make himself comfortable at the expense of others. "They have to keep to a pretty tight schedule if they're going to have meals ready on time. In a few minutes this area will be closed down and commander or no, we'd miss out."

Skeks eyed the plate with a curious glance as she took it. The server went through the same steps on both plates, a hearty root vegetable base with some meat stock spread across it, followed by some hard bread. Each part of the meal was about the same shade of brown, even the wooden spoons shared the same hue. It was only the ale was that had any real difference, it being many shades lighter.

Ferad had been on numerous field campaigns, and the food always had a uniform look and taste, it didn't matter what base components were used. He often debated if this was genius or folly on the part of the cooks, but never could quite come to a suitable conclusion. In any case, it was hardly the carnivorous diet a gnoll would be used to, but it'd be filling and she'd need some reserves built up if the healer's efforts were to produce any results.

With food in hand, they made their way back to the tent they'd set up, this time by a more direct route and no extra stops. Braxton was waiting for them, his morning started well before the sun rose. In the time they'd spent getting breakfast, he'd set up four camp chairs near the outside of the tent. The Lieutenant gave a brief salute as they approached, "Morning, Commander. Figured you'd need places to sit. And a good morning to you, Miss Skeks." He followed the salute with a courteous nod.

The politeness seemed to catch Skeks by surprise. Most of the troops seemed to not know exactly how to address her, so after talking with Ferad, they'd give her a brief nod at most. She didn't seem to take any of that as an insult, in terms of the gnoll culture, it was fitting they addressed the pack leader. Her ears pricked forward and head tilted slightly to the left as if trying to figure out how to respond.

Ferad sat on the closest seat, setting the mug of ale just off to the side. "Thanks Braxton. I've been thinking on the matter, and the best I've come up with is a WO. Skeks, you'll be below him by rank, so you can call him Lieutenant, or Sir if you need to be brief." For now, he'd be happy with the most basic of protocols. The rules were in place to assure the troops remained coordinated and worked together properly, and she already had an innate understanding of working in a pack.

"A Warrant Officer then. Our resident gnoll specialist?" As usual, Braxton was quick on the uptake. The choice was a sound one, she probably had more experience fighting off the packs than anyone else here, save Ferad himself. Her entire life had been spent doing just that, though at the moment she was getting situated in a chair not quite built for someone with a tail.

Ferad nodded rather than answer directly, he'd already started in on the food so a slight grunt 'yes' was his audible response. Skeks was also well into her meal, but her muzzle wasn't adapted to using human utensils so the spoon served more as a hindrance than anything else. After a few frustrating moments, she switched to a simpler approach, using it more as a shovel. Both plates were cleared in short order, with Skeks going through the added step of licking hers clean before setting it to the side. The ale was downed immediately after. "No complaints then?" There weren't many that could keep pace with Ferad when it came to food.

"Only the spoon. We don't use them." Skeks set the mug on top of her plate, mirroring Ferad's actions.

"The healer's arrived too. We're setting him up at the inn given that the rooms have a bath and there's space for his pavilion" Braxton took the empty dishes, "It's Thalbi, sir, and he'll be expecting you. I'll take care of these." With that, the Lieutenant headed off.

* * *

Being a healer meant that one had the utmost attention to detail, a fine understanding of both the mechanical workings and the energy flows of the body, and a keen intellect for guiding both back towards their optimal functional state. It was about as pretentious a job description as possible, he'd heard the spiel many times before from healers themselves, and it fit Thalbi as if he was crafted entirely for this purpose alone.

Just as Braxton reported, Thalbi was waiting for them, the pencil thin wisp of a man standing outside the rather large tent which had been erected next to the inn. Both the man's uniform and the pavilion donned the red diamond of the Healer's Guild, an organization which extended throughout most human kingdoms and recognized no borders when dealing with patients.

"Ah, Commander Rem, it's not often that I'm privileged with your company, but here you are, and bringing me a rather unusual case at that." The healer had entirely too much energy for his slight frame and it spilled over into his speech. Ferad wondered if the man ever did take pause for breath. "Which brings us to you, my dear." His focus shifted instantly to his new patient. "One Skeks Kestra, gnoll, and recently added to the esteemed ranks of the Commander here." As he talked he moved swiftly beside Skeks, ushering her into the tent, "Fear not, while under my care you can be at ease. But I have gotten ahead of myself, haven't I? I am, of course, Healer Raspin Thalbi, at your service."

Ferad followed the two into the pavilion and lowered the tent flap. In spite of Raspin's rather oratory nature, the man was exceptional at his trade. All the while he'd been giving the long winded introduction he was observing Skeks. The way she moved when walking, how she reacted to his presence, what her stance was when standing still, all these things were being recorded and processed just under the mop of curly black hair.

"If you would be so kind as to remove your armor, from what Lieutenant Braxton tells me you were in quite the scuffle, we can begin where the Commander's field treatments left off and get to work setting you right." Thalbi motioned to a flat table in the center of the pavilion, "I think you'll be more comfortable sitting up for now as this table is sized more for humans and, I'm afraid, a bit on the short side for accommodating someone of your stature."

Skeks had been watching the healer intently, being just as observant but for vastly different reasons. This was Thalbi's territory, and in it was displayed a rather odd assortment of instruments, a treasure trove of books, and items for which Ferad had no clue as to their function. What Ferad_did_ know was that the healers performed their work slowly. It was a meticulous task and the sheer number of her wounds meant at least several hours for the deepest ones alone. If Skeks held any mistrust here, it would make things even slower. For the moment, Raspin was distracted while rummaging through a stack of books, the man couldn't have had better timing. Ferad waited until he had eye contact with Skeks, then gave a brief nod holding her gaze.

Her ears went back, almost flat, as she untied the armor and pulled it over her head. Though she may not like every circumstance, she'd need to trust his judgment both on and off the field if her time in the company was going to produce any positive results.

"Aha!" As if queued by the sound of the armor hitting the table's surface, Thalbi rose from his book stack, triumphantly holding a medium sized volume. "I knew I still had a copy of this, and it's very good fortune indeed that my memory held true." He strode confidently toward the table as Skeks seated herself on it, the book offered for her to examine. "You see, when we practice our craft we must know the workings of what's under the surface to the finest of detail. Humans, of course, I know exactly what goes on inside of them," he gave a dismissive wave toward Ferad, "but for you, I have only seen models, or in this case books, by which to go on." The healer tapped the cover of 'Comparative Anatomy, Volume 3: The Gnoll'. "Muscle groups and orientation, nerves, everything. Between my observations and this reference, really the book is quite marvelous in it's attention to detail, you will be good as new."

It wasn't exactly the most glowing self appraisal of his foreknowledge, but Raspin's frankness, combined with an infectious amount of enthusiasm, was slowly lessening the tension between healer and patient. The scene had different actors, but it was a well rehearsed act nevertheless. The eager to learn student and an exceptionally verbose teacher, Ferad resisted the urge to chuckle to himself. The book was sitting on the end of the table, opened to a page detailing the musculature of a gnoll's forearm. Raspin was going over each feature with Skeks, using her arm as a comparative to the information in the book. It was a simple way to provide her with information and get her accustomed to his contact, the Healer was very good indeed.

"And now that we understand the area impacted by this laceration, we can begin our work of mending it." Raspin opened a drawer just below the surface of the table, producing a sheet of paper, pen, and ink bottle. "This, perhaps, is the most tedious, yet most important piece of our task." The healer tapped the edge of the pen against the sheet, a look of slight consternation crossing his features. "The untrained think of our work as something of a dark mystic power, some half witted mumbo-jumbo with a pointy stick and fairy dust, yet the truth of the matter couldn't be farther." He dipped the pen in the ink and began writing out a long sequence of glyphs on the sheet, "What we actually do is much more involved, my dear. We guide nature itself, not exactly breaking, but bending the laws of the world to our purpose. If you want an exact result," the writing continued at a furious pace, "then you must be exact in your instructions. The way the underlying muscle tissue mends, are there any tendons which must be taken into account, how the skin reforms over the injury." Raspin placed the pen on the table after he had nearly half the page covered in glpyhs, "Everything." After a moment's pause to collect himself he held his hand out to her, "Now let me see your arm once more."

Skeks had been taking the entire procedure in with keen interest. Gnolls did have Shaman among their packs, but these worked in the polar opposite of Raspin's orderly world. The healer read from the glyphs as he traced his finger across the cut, touching various points along the outer edges, each place he made contact with her left a short after glow, light blue in tint, which lasted no longer than a few seconds. As his finger touched the end of the wound, he read the last of the written glyphs then made a final sweeping motion back across the entire line of the cut, "Tabdin!"

The wound flashed with a brilliant blue light, miniature copies of the glyphs from the sheet flaring into existence across its surface for only an instant. Skeks pulled her arm back reflexively, surprised by both the sudden light and rapid movement of the healer's hand. Her warning growl vanished as quickly as it formed, her attention captured by the result's of Raspin's efforts. She turned her arm over, experimentally flexing the limb, all traces of the treated wound had vanished from what Ferad could see.

"Don't worry, everyone has a similar reaction the first time. Thank you though for not acting further. One rather unpleasant fellow took it upon himself to hit me as if I'd cursed him rather than save the use of his hand." After an exasperated sigh at the memory, he pointed at her arm, "Oh, you will notice the area ache for a bit. For this healing, we're primarily drawing from your own body's energy. I'll add some of my own for the larger ones, but I've nearly lost count of what needs fixing, and between the both of us, I need my full concentration for the duration." He was already pulling out the next sheet of paper.

* * *

It was late afternoon by the time the healer finished his work. Though he started with a relatively minor cut, more for demonstrating the process to Skeks than anything else, he shifted focus to the more severe trauma, mending the deepest wounds first. It was a rather impressive sight with some of the workings extending well into three pages of glyphs. The last of the injuries was treated with a relatively small script and by a completely exhausted healer. Skeks blinked at the final flash of light, having dozed off just minutes before.

"There you are, Commander," while tired, the man's spirits never seemed to dull, "With a few days rest and proper food, and I mean _proper_food not the field rations you're so fond of, I'm confident she'll be ready to meet any challenge." Raspin collected the book from the edge of the table, "I think we've examined this cover to cover, twice over, but my question is how do you feel, my dear?" Skeks had just finished a rather wide yawn, "You've hardly said two words this entire time."

Her ears pricked forward, focusing her attention to the healer, "As though I've hunted for days, but not hurt." Skeks stood and stretched, arching her back and working her arms and legs loose from sitting for so long. "You have my thanks."

"Think nothing of it. You are welcome here if you ever find yourself in need of my services again." Raspin began collecting the used sheets of paper, "I've learned new things today, and you, unlike half the lot outside the gates, have manners." He ended the statement with a brief nod to emphasize the point.

Ferad chuckled, "The truth of the matter is Thalbi doesn't like excessive chatter while he's working." It was a bit ironic given the healer's own habits, and the answering glare made the slight jab worthwhile, "But he's the best that the Guild has to offer."

Raspin shook his head as he placed the book back and neatly deposited the sheets into a small tray. "Commander Rem, I'm hardly..."

Ferad cut the protest short, "It's the truth, Skeks, don't let him tell you otherwise. The man will work himself ragged if it means seeing a difficult or interesting job done right." He was convinced this was primary reason for the healer's slim build. "Now then, I remember you saying something about proper food, so we'll have the best the inn can offer, both food and drink."

Raspin was about to give arguments to the contrary, but his own stomach growling defeated his case. The best he could manage was a annoyed huff of resignation as Skeks and Ferad exchanged rather amused grins.

* * *

The downside to such a slim build was the inability to hold anything more than the most watered down of ales, and Raspin was well into his fourth. Yes, the sausage and potatoes had disappeared in record time for the man, working most of the day straight and refusing to break at a decent hour would boost anyone's appetite, he'd even asked for seconds, but the drink was excessive. The healer's normally pale complexion was a rather reddish hue.

"But I can tell you this much, I've seen the man walk out from places no one else could have, that I promise you." Tales from past battles were on the menu and Thalbi was intent on serving a full course. "It's how I met the Commander, actually, barely out of training and hauling his Captain to me. Blood everywhere, and very little of it his own." Another swig of ale capped off the thought. Skeks was on her third plate. After finishing the first in mere seconds, and the next in minutes, her pace had finally slowed to the point that she was paying attention to the healer's winding thoughts as much as the food.

"Alright now, the Captain was as good a man as any out on that field." Ferad didn't fancy himself as a hero of any sort. "Besides, unless I'm completely off you showed more metal than I did that day. Skeks, the Healer's Guild has rules, everything you saw today followed those. Write it out, make any corrections needed, precisely make the casting." Ferad waved his fork dismissively, "Raspin didn't write a damned thing down when he took the Captain. In a single casting, he healed two dagger wounds, one of which went through the captain's lung, and a bite to the man's face. Yes he passed out when the spell took hold, but the Captain's alive and well because of that."

Rapsin pulled a rather sour look, and not from finishing his mug. "And then how many didn't make it after? If I'd done as I was supposed..."

"Not that again. There were other healers there and those that didn't make it were dead by the time they were hauled out." Ferad pointed his fork in Raspin's direction as he looked at Skeks, "He's the only person that can do that, and I've seen it more than once."

"Now you see here, Commander, don't try and shift the attention at me. She's not a member of my Guild, she's in with you. The least she deserves is to know what kind of person she's thrown her lot in with." Thalbi nodded once with the look of someone who'd just had the last word. The drink's fault no doubt. "Now then, Warrant Office Skeks, this is Commander Ferad Rem. He and his partner, that bloody spear of his, have sent more of the Scourge and their ilk to ground than anyone else in Alkat living today. The only reason he's here and not out in the capital is because he can't stand the politics."

Raspin had him pegged on this, even now he riled when thinking about it, "Name one good thing they did when Mahozarm started..."

"See?" The healer's look of triumph was proof enough he'd fallen for the bait, "Exactly that. Though it's not without good reason, I'm afraid. Even with the loss of Meshra village, they left it to provincial forces. A man with a horde of beasts, the likes of which hadn't been seen in these parts since the Great Northern Wars, strolls up and they do nothing." Rapsin pushed the empty mug and plate to the side, electing to whisper in a rather too conspiratorial tone, "The Commander is from Meshra, you see. Fought like a man possessed by both the gods of vengeance and war just to give people enough time to escape. Did this repeatedly in spite of his own..."

Ferad set his own mug down a bit too hard on the table, the noise breaking the healer's monologue and causing more than a few curious glances in their direction. "Skeks, when you're done here, make sure he gets to his room, I'll go talk to Samin and arrange a meeting with you two for tomorrow. Wait for me at his pavilion outside and I'll take you back to the camp."

* * *

His discussion with the mayor went fairly well, at least by his standards. Nothing was thrown and no one threatened to press charges against his conduct. In fact, Samin seemed rather pleased. There was always an angle, and Ferad was the closest thing to one of the King's own that the village had played host to in quite some time. The added bonus of something genuinely new to these parts, a heroic gnoll of all things, would make Samin's 'handling' of the situation seem all the more impressive.

With that out of the way, Ferad walked back to the inn at a measured pace. Skeks would probably have questions, it depended on where Raspin's tales picked up and just how much she felt like talking, which so far had been very little. It'd make the meeting tomorrow all the more fun. Samin could go on for hours and say so very little of substance. Raspin, by contrast, would also talk you to death, but at least you learned something in the process.

It was sickening the way people's attitudes changed. When he'd been in the village in times past he'd get curious glances, more so by being a fresh face on the streets than anything else, and maybe a courteous nod here or there as a soldier. He was in charge of training recruits, nothing more and nothing less. But now there were the hushed whispers which accompanied all too formal bows or curtsies. It'd get worse when people began digging a bit, he was single, a widower of eight years now. Everything had a price, and this was what the realm's word cost.

He found Skeks right where he asked her to be, sitting just outside the healer's tent. The night was heavily overcast, the moon barely glowing through the thick cloud cover and only at infrequent intervals. "Hope you haven't had to wait long."

"No," her answer was swallowed by a rather large yawn before Skeks stood up and shook the dust loose from her coat. By morning at least some of her energy would return, but the heavy meal would take it's toll in the short term. At least she didn't seem as taken to the bottle as Raspin was. The man was brilliant in just about every respect, save for his weakness against spirits.

"Thalbi didn't give you any trouble?" The healer hadn't before, even at his worst, but the he also hadn't been in this state for quite some time.

Skeks shook her head, "No trouble, just no balance." That much wasn't surprising in the least. "The keeper will check on him, tonight and morning too."

"Thanks for that, I appreciate it." Save for Braxton and Shield, Rapsin was the closest thing to a friend he had these days. Once safely in bed, the worst he'd have was a hangover.

Skeks nodded, matching his pace as they walked back toward the camp. At least she didn't seem as on edge as she had the day prior. Whether this was due to the healing or that she was beginning to settle in was anyone's guess, but it was good that she seemed relaxed for a change.

The guards at the camp's entrance were much better prepared, a quick salute from both with one issuing proper greeting as they approached, "Sir. Ma'am." Skeks followed Ferad between the two, her ears set slightly back

"That you'll need to get used to, and I'm afraid I can't do much about it." He wasn't sure how much she knew of military protocol, probably none, so best to start from the beginning. "You rank higher than most here, save a few, but as a WO you've reason to consult with me where the average trainee would be busy sharing a tent with three others and running drills for most of the day." Activity in the camp was winding down, save for the night watch and patrols, so their walk remained fairly quiet. "Anyway, simple rule is most people will address you with a salute and Ma'am, give them a nod acknowledging them. For those ranking above you, do the same for them when you first see them, a salute and Sir or Ma'am. That's myself, Shield and Braxton. We'll have to go over ranks before we head to the fort, but for now this will do."

Skeks nodded, trying in vain to hold back another wide toothy yawn as they approached the pavilion. It'd been a long day, and judging by the clouds and damp wind, probably a wet and cold night. Most of the other tents had already been prepared against the upcoming weather, but a few had been left untouched. Field training was a good way to learn some important lessons though, and better here than catching a cold in the middle of war. Ferad watched as she scented the air and turned to him, "Rain."

"True. Let's get this thing ready, it'll take a few minutes, but working now means staying dry later." Ferad began unpacking the pavilion's rain fly. "It'll ruin the view, but better than being soaked."

* * *

Shit. He was halfway down his walkway when the first of the raindrops began to fall. The trip to his house was needed for two reasons. Thefirst wassecuringthe door and shutters. Second, the equipment in his pack would be needed, mainly the lantern if the tent were to have any lighting until the weather broke. The front door was secured by pulling it back into place and barring it from the inside. He grabbed his packand spear on the way out the back door, shoving both through before pushing the door shut and wedging it closed.

By the time he reached the camp he was soaked. The guards on duty emerged from theirtent long enough to see who approached and, after giving a brief salute, retreated back to their shelter. As he set foot past the gate, the rain intensified to a heavy downpour. When it came to luck, Ferad had two kinds, bad and worse, the only exception to this was onthe battlefield.

As he walked through the camp he was glad to see all the tents were reconfigured for the weather. Maybe a few had been caught in the earlier part of the shower, but at least they were in and dry by now. He was the only one out in this mess, but a little rain never hurt and he could dry off once inside.

Ferad stopped at the pavilion's awning, shaking the pack off as best he could before depositing it just inside the flap. Next was his shirt, after wringing it out, and then boots. He did his best to push the water from his hair before backing into the tent himself and bringing his spear through last.

He could barely make out any shapes within the tent as he set his spear down and fished through thepack, retrievingboth the lantern and flint set.Skeks looked to be asleep on the bedding, at least he couldn't see any movement, and if he managed to stay quiet enough he'd keep from waking her. He used what little light came through the flap to set the wick and strike the flint. After a few tries, the lamp flared to life with a little puff of smoke before the flame came to temperature. The rain was beating heavily against the canvas overhead, the extra covering of the fly doing its job rather well, though the inside of the tent still sounded with the constant rhythm of the storm.

After adjusting the lantern to keep the flame fairly low, he held itup, foundthe center post's hook and deposited itthere. With the lamp finally in place, he could see properly and began rummaging through his pack. Thank the gods these things were proofed, his bedroll remained mostly dry, as did the majority of the pack's contents. What little dampness there was had been brought in on his hands and arms. At least he could dry his face and head on the spare rags he kept inside, the rest of him would have to wait.

After a brief sigh, it had been yet another long night, he stood up, glancing around the pavilion. He could set his bedroll opposite the straw and canvas. It wouldn't leave much room, but it was better than having wet straw to deal with.

Skeks was curled up along one side of themakeshift bed, her armor and wrapping folded and neatly deposited along the back wall of the tent. Her black eyes reflected against the lamp light and her roundedears were pricked forward. His attempt to keep from waking her had failed completely. She stretched out, ending the motion with a wide yawn, her ears set flat back and razor sharp teeth glinting against the flickering lantern before laying on her stomach.

"Sorry, I was trying to stay quiet." He pulled one of the rags from the pack and began drying vigorously. The second he'd use for his head.

Skeks blinked, somewhat surprised, "Why?"

Ferad looked down, switching out to the second rag, "Didn't want to wake you."

It was soft, but he could hear the high-pitched laughter forming as he worked on getting his hair dried, "I wasn't asleep. Resting yes, but not sleeping." She propped herself up, leaning on her elbows as she watched his efforts. "I heard you outside, and sensed that," she nodded at his spear.

"Hmm," it was the first he'd known that someone could feel the presence of his spear, but it stood to reason that it was possible.

"It callsto those without Light, loudly only when held." Skeks's tail waved as she spoke, a measured relaxed pace reflecting her mood. At least she didn't seem bothered by the spear. He'd taken it by habit andsince he wasn't staying at the house it made little sense to leave it.

"Didn't know that." He'd finished with his hair, using the damp rags as best he could to get the remaining water off his chest. "There, not perfect but at least not sopping." He pulled the bedroll out and spread it across the pavilion's floor.

"Tell me of your pack." Just how far had Rapsin's drunken rambling gone?"Before the Scourge."

Ferad couldn't help but scowl, it wasn't something he liked talking about. He took a deep breath to restore his calm, it was too easy to get worked up, even eight years later, and he could feel himselftensing. Instead of answering, he focused on smoothing out the bedroll and blatantly ignored her.

"Tell me." It was the closest thing to a request gnolls would make. He looked back from his now wrinkle free bedding. She was laying there, tail swishing, ears pricked forward and those black orbs staring right at him.

"Skeks, I know this isn't the answer you're looking for, and I don't know what Thalbi went on about before he finally decided to stagger up to his room, but no." Her ears went back at the rejection, "But I will say this. Twice now, you asked me to leave you to them, three times actually." This was something he needed her to understand, not just for her sake, but his as well, "I don't care about the circumstances. I don't care if they're hunting you. I don't care if they bring a hundred packs to my doorstep. I don't care what bargains they want to strike. I flat out do not care. Anything the Scourge want, anything they desire, if I can deny them, I will. I can't make it any more plain than that. You stopped them three times yourself, they wanted the kid, wanted you, and wanted the Kestra gone. _Never_ask me to undo that."

Skeks seemed to be weighing what he said, at the very least she wasn't too disturbed by the sudden intensity in his voice. Eventually her ears righted themselves and her tail resumed its measured sway,though she never took her eyes off him. "Is this why I am here?"

Ferad knitted his brows at the question, "No."As he answered, herealized he hadn't said word one about reasons, just what things meant for her. Sometimes the rationalebehind a decision was just as important as the consequences it brought, this would be one of those times. "There's several reasons for that. First, I'm looking at someone that was able to bring a toddler out of a situation I don't think anyone else could have. It means you know how to fight _and_how to protect, and are willing to do both. Second, you're a gnoll, and with that you bring tracking and hunting skills many here don't have. It also means you know a lot about Scourgetactics and how they hunt."

Ferad went back to work finishing off his bedding as he spoke, "Apart from what you can bring to my command, and there's more there if you need me to go over it, there's the morality of abandoning someone that just saved a kid to the very ones she saved the kid from." He finished off with readying his side of the tent, and turned back to her, "That, I can't do. Yes, somewhere down on the list is spite forthe Scourge, but that's not at the top, not by a long shot. I wouldn't have the right to call myself a Commander if my personal issues swayed my professional duties." His pants were still soaked and he couldn't very well go to bed with them on, "Now then. If that's settled, I'd like to turn in."

Skeks tilted her head slightly to the side, but beyond that, her body language didn't change. While he felt wrong for even thinking it, the gesture reminded him of of the farm dogs staring at something that caught their curiosity and werepuzzling over it. Eventually she nodded her acceptance of the situation but remained watching him.

With a heavy sigh, he resigned himself and pulled the soaked pants off. He didn't even know where to begin to try and explain this one, so he worked in silence hanging the clothing to drip dry. Even Light Touched, gnolls just didn't understand human sensibilities, or maybe justdidn't care. At the very least, he stillhad his trousers, which was more than she had on. Oncehe finally got in his bed and made himself comfortable he thought he heard very faint laughtercoming from across the tent, though when he glanced back she was curled up and facing away.