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THE UNRESTING EXPANSE - THE MORNING AFTER
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Usid walks through the kill field of the previous nights battle. He had spent the night in mourning for their old Elder, aiding in his burial, and rememberence. Now, they prepare to ride once more to war, and Usid walks, unarmed, towards the enemy camp. The old enemy... he stops as he comes across the first of the bodies, recognizing it instantly. Nyzai. He stops, turning to face the corpse with a strange sensation washing over him.
Gareth is pulling a morning patrol, being more accustomed to the stresses and trials of combat than most others in the guard. Despite being part of the counter-ambush the previous night, as well as taking part in the ensuing mop-up, he's pretty sprightly on his feet. He's currently walking on the far end of the array of pterosaur bodies, making sure each one is truly dead by checking for a pulse.
Usid examines Nyzai's body. There's superfical wounds to the wings, and a strange small jab to her neck. The rest of the wounds are so obviously self inflicted... he knows exactly what she did. He sighs, whispering. "No mercy for failure. Nor traitors. In this, we foresaw our ends, did we not? Usid shall not mourn your death, Nyzai the Clever... but Usid shall remember your name. May Yzzayt judge you more kindly than you believe any deserved."
Gareth looks up upon seeing someone examining the body at the end of the row of fallen saurs, he frowns a bit, instantly recognizing Usid as the one he'd personally tangled with some weeks back. He slowly stands up again, listening to Usid talking to the corpse even as he carefully draws a pistol and aims it at him. He waits for the saur to finish talking before speaking up. "Respect fer the dead. I can appreciate that. Still, ye've got some steel to show up at an enemy camp in broad daylight."
Usid smirks, his back to the wolf, but he makes no sudden movement, smart enough to know he's like covered. "Respect... I suppose Usid must have some respect for Nyzai, yes. She was one of the Chosen, just as Usid is. Yet she is dead, and Usid is alive. She is dead, at least in part because Usid's message was delivered by the scouts, yes?"
Gareth hums quietly, pausing for a moment as he considers what Usid just said. "So yer the one that told us about that ambush, hm? Aye, the message arrived pretty quickly." He pauses again, then removes his finger from the trigger and stows his pistol again, slowly and carefully, "Not sure what yer plan is, but aye, one o' yer "Chosen" is dead, by her own hand too, if the battle reports are anythin' to go by."
Usid nods, "Death, over disgrace. Such was Nyzai's way. She was loyal, to the very end." He turns slowly to look at his assailant, eyes going wide in shock at the sight of him. "You... Is it Usid's time to die as well? Sister Louma named you, Gareth. The One-Eyed Wolf, who lives through death, yes? Did she speak truth that you are merely flesh? Or is Gareth a ghost, standing here between worlds, come to ferry Usid to the death he deserves, hm?"
Gareth chuckles, grinning toothily, though the grin somewhat lacks in humor. "Trust me, lad, if I was here to ferry ye to yer death, ye wouldn't have known it. As fer me bein' a ghost or real..." He curls a hand into a loose fist and hits himself on the chest a couple of times, "Feels like I'm real enough."
Usid chuckles dryly, "Usid missed his shot. Just as Sister Louma said..." He shakes his head. "Usid cannot say he is sorry that Usid tried to kill you. But Usid is glad you survived the attempt. Usid's forces are around the rise, waiting to join the Outsider's forces. Usid is here for... peace? Peace for them. Surrender. Death? Whatever Sister Louma or those in command deem. Usid wishes to live." He turns to glance at Nyzai again. "Usid has no wish to fight to the bitter end of everything Usid knows."
Gareth hums and shrugs, then rolls his previously-wounded shoulder. "Missed, maybe. Damn good shot, regardless." He fixes Usid with a curious, if wary look after a moment, "Peace, hm? Interestin'... though that'd explain why ye showed up without weapons, claws aside. Lucky fer ye, we've a person with us that wants to try and negotiate fer peace, too. If yer serious, I'll take ye to her once yer done payin' yer respects here. If yer not serious, well... I'll make good on ferryin' ye to yer death."
Usid glances down at his still-bandaged hand. He does have one weapon, the knife in his belt, which has become something of a symbol for his position now. "Usid wants his clan to survive. Wants to give them a better life then The Whisperer's empty promises buy. Nyzai took that promise to heart. See where it got her?"
Gareth glances over at the pterosaur Usid had been talking to. "Her own knife to her neck, surrounded by enemies o' her own makin', aye." He looks back at Usid, "Then I'll wait fer ye to finish payin' yer respects before takin' ye to meet our negotiator. I'm just makin' sure these other ones aren't tryin' to be sneaky by playin' dead."
Usid turns back to the body and sighs, "We were rivals, bitter and hateful. But still, her death weighs on Usid... Many deaths weigh on Usid, of late. Mph. Usid is glad Gareth is alive. Usid is gathering enough ghosts of his own." He turns away from Nyzai rather quickly and gives a bow to the wolf. "Nothing more for Usid here. To the negotiater."
Gareth glances between Nyzai's body and Usid, then lets out a single, quiet laugh and nods. "Mmh, I understand that, the rivalry thing. Had a few o' me own through the years, and ye get to know them almost as well as yer own crew through that competitiveness." He sighs a bit and nods back towards the tents, following with a gesture as he turns to lead the way, "Anyway, follow me, Usid, I'll show ye to the negotiator. The guards won't cause any problems so long as yer bein' escorted."
Usid snorts, though he was ultimately expecting that. "Used to being looked down upon, but Usid understands." He lets Gareth guide him forward, the wolf wisely staying behind him. "Gareth... you are not their leader, yes? There are others more skilled than you here?"
Gareth shakes his head. "No, I'm not their leader. I'm not even officially one o' the guards. The guard captains are leadin' this trip, and they all have their own specializations. Some are good trackers and scouts, others are good at fightin'. All o' them are skilled at what they do, though, aye."
Usid hums, taking in the sights of the camp. "Usid come from weakest clan of the Saur. Mocked, disrespected. Usid became strongest of clan, best hunter, strongest hunter." He pauses a long moment, as if thinking of something else. "Sister Louma was strong. Makes sense that other leaders of the Walled City are skilled, powerful, yes."
Gareth hums, having heard similar stories of the weak working to become strong. "Workin' yer way up from nothin', I'm familiar with, bein' a former pirate. Ye and yer kind won't be gettin' mocked in Respite, unless ye do somethin' to absolutely deserve it. Like bein' a complete idiot, fer example."
Usid snorts out something that's almost a laugh. "No promises. Usid's clan is... hungry for the chance. Small, eat little, often sent out to feed other, larger clans. Given scraps in return. Scraps for food, for armor. Whisperer promised all tribes to be equal under Yzzayt. United tribes once again under His Word. ...Sister Louma called him pretender. Others think Yzzayt's will is for Peace, and newfound prosperity alongside the Walled City. Usid... cannot say what is truth. Will do what is best for his Clan. Yzzayt will judge."
Gareth chuckles a bit. "Well, then I guess ye'll just have to see, aye? At the very least, takin' a chance to make things better is better than continuin' to work off o' scraps." Time will tell, but first..." He pauses as he comes up to a tent guarded by a couple of fresh guards, "Ye'll have to talk to Xochi, the negotiator, just to formalize all o' this."
Usid turns, giving Gareth a slightly more formal salute of his tribe. "Gareth. You have Usid's thanks. Good hunting."
Gareth pauses as he turns to look at Usid, then snaps off a rather crisp Vamasian merchant fleet salute. "And to ye as well, Usid. I'll be keepin' me ears open fer how things go."
Usid turns towards to the new guards, who proceed to lead him into the Negotiator's tent...