Redsand Canyon forerunner

sun peaked over the mountains, snow dusted and frigid. maxim was a stark mark against them and he would not be surprised in the sentinels of mereo saw him before he arrived.

such was the way of a place of soldiers.

he halted upon the tended to borders and rang out a call for @Germanicus.

he only wished his visit had come under better terms.

reyson had been gone some time. germanicus suspected he knew where the man might be.

but it was maxim who approached, spoken by those who watched. the imperator waved them back to their posts and then moved to welcome the man.

"you've found us." he looked around at the southern mereo territory, still largely unexplored.

reyson's scent was on the man's coat. germanicus grew grim. "what has happened?"

he wished to be joyed to see the man. newly wedded and readjusted among the canyon. there should have been things to celebrate. instead —

i am not a doctor, but reyson's mind seemed elsewhere when i found him. his lips grew into a thin, thoughtful line. he seemed to be in a dark time of war, even though there was nothing but him.

he has been settled into epoch safely and is watched over. i told him i would come and explain these things to you so you are not in the dark.

how suddenly he had lapsed into the role of an officer giving reports when faced with the imperator!

and how germanicus appreciated the directness of his former officer.

he was quiet. "is he fit to travel? do you know if he wishes to continue his recovery here?" the canyon was his home after all.

or perhaps it was not.

meadow too was a healer. perhaps she tended him.

perhaps it was —

"did he speak to men that were not there?" the imperator asked, thinking only and suddenly of poor agrippa and how he had collapsed during the second battle of germanicus' life, speaking in loud tongues.

he was injured from his running through the mountains and he was found beyond even epoch. i believed it best to let him rest and recoup there. i had not asked first.

and he was willing to wear that mistake before the imperator.

yes. he spoke to me as if i was one of them. he said as a seasoned soldier you may understand.

he did not speak to the way his ears softly planed down down and his lips cut into his cheeks, a hard frown.

germanicus did understand this.

he faulted maxim for nothing. and neither did he fault reyson. these things were the cost of war.

the imperator thought of how he had wanted to go away for a time with fennec. now reyson was downed in another land and tierra was wounded.

he straightened. "i will return with you now to speak with him. i must see how he is."

and he must see arsenio.

he could not deny germanicus this, and he figured reyson may find some sense of ease speaking to the man himself. as seasoned soldiers among one another.

of course. he dipped his head, prepared to depart now if germanicus was ready to head to epoch and yet — the imperator was not a lone man anymore was he? perhaps he needed to send word first.

i can make way back now, bring word of your arrival. if there is anything you must do first.

germanicus shook his head. he stepped aside to loose a short howl for @Fennec alone,t telling her in brief that reyson was recovering in epoch and he must go now.

he would return the next morning when he knew.

he hoped the imperatrix would not be upset with his abrupt move. the eagle nodded at maxim, ready now to be gone.