Redsand Canyon paulatim

we can set this after his talk w arsenio so feel free to reply whenever or wait till that is wrapping/finished! just posting for posterity <3

germanicus had not missed @Kallik's reaction to their meeting with towhee.

when they had all parted ways, the imperator took himself upon a patrol. he returned when a cold twilight had filtered over the canyon, and it was the pale soldier he sought now.

he would join ruenna for their evening meal and discussion afterward. the eagle shook snow from his coat and continued his search.

sounds good <3

Kallik was on his way to the borders, intent on going past them and wandering for a bit on his own. It was his attempt to clear his mind; he thought it might be the only way to think about something other than Towhee and the imperator. 

The auxillary headed towards the forest on the southern edge of the territory. He found it easiest to get into the mountains from there. Climbing high up into the snowy peaks sounded like a good idea.

silently he followed.

it was similar to their first meeting.

quietly he found his pace beside kallik.

"speak your mind, soldier." it was both an order and the rough understanding of another man. in the forest for now was only himself and kallik.

The first answer that came to the auxillary's mind was why. He wasn't sure why it mattered what was on his mind, and he was angry enough that snapping something petulant at the imperator sounded like a better idea. 

But, he didn't want to be viewed as a child who made childish decisions anymore. And something Aquene had said seemed to stick with him: that he was more than what he believed about himself. Something like that. Maybe the imperator saw that in him like the healer had. 


I don't trust Towhee and I don't understand why she has a say in our promotions when she does not know us at all, Kallik finally answered after a stretch of silence. His gaze remained ahead of them as he waited for the imperator to respond.

"towhee will need to earn your trust. and i want all of my soldiers to be well-rounded. i am a master tactician. towhee has the talent of practiced mastery and guardianship."

he too faced forward. this was how men spoke to one another, germanicus had found. 

"her assessment of you is my assessment of her."

the eagle was silent now.

Of course he understood the need to be well-rounded. And he was thankful that the imperator wanted to provide that training for them. That part made complete sense.

He hadn't, however, seen things from Germanicus' perspective. He hadn't understood the reason Towhee had been given the task of assessing them, not outside of his own anger and resistance to change. But to use it as a way to assess her made sense. If the imperator didn't agree then maybe he wouldn't take her opinion to heart. Okay, he said first. He could handle that. 

Do you trust Towhee? After what Arsenio said? he asked. He was curious to know what opinions the imperator had formed of the matrona's friend. Kallik wondered if things would have gone differently if she had been a complete stranger.

"i trust that she is skilled. i trust that the matrona is a good judge of her character. i do not trust her the way that i trust you. not yet."

he saw very keenly in his mind's eye that he wanted the boy for a centurion. but he did not want to speak that yet. ambition had ruined many a good soldier. 

"do you believe you could grow to put your faith in her?"

Kallik thought over his answer. Germanicus trusted the matrona and he trusted in Towhee's skills; that gave him peace of mind while he decided if he could actually trust Towhee. The auxillary would have to let that be enough too. Or at least, he would have to trust that the imperator knew what he was doing. 

Again, he thought carefully about the commander's words. He drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. Maybe, he finally said. But she would have to earn it. He wouldn't just blindly put his faith in anyone, but he could try and give her a chance.

"i agree." towhee would also have the responsibility of learning how best to earn each soldier's trust. it was not an opportunity taken lightly. and he had not seen any doubt in her at the borders. 

"a bond between soldiers is imperative. each must be able to trust the next wholly and completely. one day your life may well be in another's hands. and it is in that moment you discover how deep your trust runs."

Kallik was relieved to know that he and Germanicus were on the same page regarding Towhee and having to earn the trust of the soldiers.

As the imperator spoke of trusting each other, Kallik thought about his fellow auxillia, going over each one in his mind. He wouldn't say he was very close to any of them. Glaukos was probably the only one he trusted, and the trust was minimal at that. He wondered if it was a Kallik problem or an everyone problem. 

I don't have that kind of trust with any of the auxillia, he told the imperator. Trust is not something I do easily. He always thought of it as a strength, but he was beginning to see ways in which it hindered him as well.

germanicus nodded.

"i trust arsenio in this way." he knew that himself and the red wolf had worked hard to inspire trust.

after all, the other's place in akashingo had been decided by the roman.

"i think you will learn he is worthy of it."

he wanted kallik and glaukos to bond with one another as much as he felt diesel might be a better match for himself.

but these things were left unsaid.

Arsenio had said the same of Germanicus. They trusted each other in a way he wished to one day trust the rest of the auxillia. So far, only the imperator had that level of trust from Kallik. He knew he could trust his commander with his life, just as he would give his own to protect Germanicus. 

I think I could trust Arsenio eventually, the auxillary answered. The other soldier had given him space, let Kallik come to him when he was ready to know him. But to someone who spent his childhood learning what it was to lose those who meant most to him, he needed time to develop deep bonds with others. He needed to be allowed to come to things in his own time.

"good. i hope that you will seek him out."

germanicus quickened his pace. there was a strange scent upon the air. perhaps a fox. perhaps an owl

the eagle considered the children that might come with a protective air.

he moved on, knowing that kallik would follow as their path after the winged shape jutted sharply upward.

owls meant many things. germanicus wondered what this omen could be.

There was nothing else to say. He was often thankful that he never had to say more than was necessary to the imperator. 

A scent pulled his attention just as it did the commander. The auxillary was curious as well. If it was a fox, then it would need to be taken care of as any of the others had. 

Kallik followed silently, searching ahead for clues to what they were following.

it was an owl.

the bird alighted in a pine tree. its head swiveled to stare at the wolves.

germanicus lifted his head. "we have come peacefully. and you?"

there was a pause. "owls are said to be an omen of thoughtfulness. they are the only winged thing i know that might speak with wolves."

he fell silent again. if it did not speak it would have to be routed.

Kallik had never thought to attempt communication with a bird. They were usually just a part of the background to him, noises and scents he sifted through to search for anything of interest. 

But this bird, an owl as the imperator had told him, was different. There was something about him that held the auxillary's gaze. Gold-rimmed eyes met olive green, and they held each other's gaze for a few moments. 

Kallik wondered if the owl might say something, but it remained silent, wearing a knowing, piercing expression that made the soldier wish he knew what the bird was thinking. 

He finally pulled his gaze away and quietly asked the imperator: Have you spoken to one before?

"once, when my brother was confirmed as heir."

germanicus shared very little of this with anyone. he did not even think he had spoken to ruenna upon these subjects. "an owl was brought in. the senators spoke with it to assure themselves that he was the correct choice. i heard its voice."

the imperator was silent. the owl took to the skies and winged away. "unfortunately they prey upon the very young. be aware if it chooses to make this canyon its eyrie."

The imperator offered information from his past, and Kallik looked at him. He didn't think the commander had ever shared anything from his past before. But then Kallik had never shared much either. It was just an unspoken thing between them that neither wanted to delve into topics like that. Or maybe it was just all the auxillary; maybe he just never asked the right questions because he never wanted to answer them in return. 

Kallik looked up when the flapping of wings broke his focus. Germanicus explained that they ate young, and Kallik would be sure to keep an eye out. He knew there would likely be pups in the spring from the imperator and matrona. 

Was he the correct choice? Kallik tested the waters. He wasn't sure how much the commander would tell him.

"my father believed it to be so." through long practice only had germanicus been able to control the loathing which always came to his tongue when speaking of the emperor and his heir.

"i have not been back to my birthplace since he took the throne." the imperator quieted. he made a mental note of where the owl had been sighted.

"if i asked you to find this tree again three days from now, how would you find your way back?"

The subject of fathers was sensitive for the auxillary. His own father's betrayal still hurt more than he had words to explain. He had sufficiently buried it somewhere dark in his mind so he wouldn't have to feel anything about it. But he wouldn't change the subject. 

The fact the imperator had not returned home made Kallik wonder if there were things in his past he wanted to avoid too.

But then Germanicus changed the subject and the auxillary was grateful. The commander wanted to know how he would find this tree again in three days. Kallik looked around. We are just south of the sparring arena, he started. The he walked over to the tree and found a large root sticking up from the ground. The soldier dug at the root until there was a large, deep scrape in it. 

He turned back to the imperator. I know the the general area and I marked the tree so that if I come back, I know which one it is. He wondered if Germanicus had a better way.

kallik spoke two options: one a cardinal direction and one a visual reminder.

it was a tactical choice.

the imperator grunted in acceptance and continued them along their path. the pale wolf was sharpening under the lessons learned in mereo. already he saw more attention to detail in kallik. there was increased control in the boy as well.

pride flared along his sense of responsibility for a moment. germanicus quelled it. there was a good deal of promise in each of them.

"are you ready to go back?"

The imperator found his answer acceptable—Kallik could easily decipher his grunts by now. The lack of actual words didn't have any less of an effect on him, though; it still felt like praise, which he was always seeking from Germaicus. 

When asked if he wanted to head back, the auxillary nodded. He would only wait for the imperator to start walking before moving to his side to walk with him.