Redsand Canyon No We Will Not Sleep

Shadows rose from the west, as the sun sank down beyond the hills and valleys beyond. There was a restlessness to him, a feeling of prickling beneath his fur. He wasn't certain why or what he felt this for. He imagined it had a lot to do with the feeling of displacement, and discontent he had, had lately.

Though he was fast learning to get along and trust again. It was a slow process. Mostly he was just fearful that he would open his heart or begin to trust and they would trust him and then he would not be able to save them if it became an issue. That was his biggest concern.

Large footpaws on sand gliding and slow. Gilded in gold, he walked blue eyes lifting from one tree top to the other. He shook his fur out.

would you mind making this a present dated thread? :D

her time would soon come to a close in mereo.

she wondered if she should ask for an extension. there was forever more work to be done, it felt. she had not met every face and garnered hardly enough information of everything going on.

the things she did know felt simple enough. the soldiers were in a hierarchy and all seemed to follow a daily schedule. there were a few plebian, even more children. like her.

this man? she did not know him, but she was willing to bet the finest furs that he was a soldier.

he simply looked of one.

she offered him a chuff, one that demanded his attention.

Resyon had heard of visiting princess. Though he had not met her yet. He knew there was time. Though he hadn't sought her out.

A chuff roused him from his thoughts and he turned to meet the gaze of the she wold that had called him.

She was gilded in gold and smaller than he. He moved towards her with gentle steps.

Hello.

He stood at attention, waiting silent, watchful. Neutral. Gaze averted.

Sure.

she held herself with the trained poise of the a princess before him.

she noted the averted gaze, relished it even.

i am princess makono of akashingo. simple greetings would not do. no hello or hey would fall from her lips here. you must be one of the soldiers here. her tone invited him to say more about himself, about his place in mereo. where did this one fall in their military hierarchy.

Reyson was not a fan of royalty, but he would do his best to show his respect as guests and allies of Mereo. He would be protecting her even possobly some day.

i am, indeed. I am Scutarius, Reyson Ebonywood. Warrior. Pleasure to make your acquaintance Princess Makono.

The niceties fell off his tongue as if he were born to it. He knew respect had made his living from it.

This small wolf was much younger than he and he hoped a benevolent leader eventually. More often than not royals ended up spoiled.

reyson ebonywood. warrior.

scutarius.

if you are busy, i can accompany you while we talk? the imperator seems to keep a tight schedule for you soldiers. her tail swayed behind her, the image of kind and polite.

which she intended to be! an ambassador could not be a cruel image.

He shook his head and motion3d towards the borders. I was merely going to freshen the borders. Take stick of some of the caches and hunt if needed.

Reyson chuckled. That he does, but it works well. Helps us be better solders. Easier to respond to threats if the ranks run well.

He motioned for her to step in beside him, making sure to keep her on the side away from the outside border. She wouldn't be harmed on his watch. He was not the kindest, but he did know the rules and roles.

she appreciated the ease of which he shared information. the ranks and schedules were designed to help mitigate frenzy in the face of a threat.

she moved alongside him with graceful steps, finding the inside of mereo was not much different than akashingo.

so what is a scutarius? we have no such title in akashingo.

mentally, she would map the borders they moved along.

Reyson was careful not to bowl her over with his large bulk. She took mincing graceful steps. Gliding across the sands of Mereo. It felt like it would take much forethought to get to that point.

His brow furrowed as he thought how to answer. The ranks were new to him also. He was only two months in or so.


The ranks are a bit confusing, but. You have your leadership tier, then your three military tiers. Cohort 1, 2 and 3. And your civilians.

He tore a chunk from the ground and rubbed fur off on trees as they walked. Keeping the princess in sight and on his aide nesrest the border.

Each cohort has other titles. I am in cohort 2, lower than two others. I am also however new. I've only been here a few months.

he explained more than she had expected.

leadership, three chains of military ranks below. then the civilians!

he was lower than only two others and while he may have said he was new, he clearly must do good work. otherwise why would he be where he was? she regarded all of this with a nod of understanding.

but you say scutarius. is that what all warriors are? unlike, say, guardians?

she watched as he marked the land.

There were many ranks and it made semse to him to have more militant ranks than civilians and leaders. They were a mitant pack after all.


He shook hia head. No, Scutarius is the position in the hierarchy. Though you must have a trade to get it. Mine just happens to be warrior.

He sniffed out a cache and took a mental stock of it. Still fairly full.

There is one other scutarius above me and above he is a Tribunis a bit like a commander. We report to him and he reports to the one above him who reports to one above him.

He nosed at the cache again and lifted his headcto look at her. Are you hungry princess?

He motioned to the cache he could dig it up should she like.

the tier below us is all auxillary, new recruits so to speak.

scutarius reported to tribunis.

there was one above the tribunis who reported to, who she assumed to be, germanicus.

oh, yes, thank you. a meal would always be welcomed, she used far more energy here in mereo than she did back home.

yet still she was learning! that below all of these soldiers was auxillary. newly recruited soldiers.

mereo has many ranks for what would be the same back home. we have mazoi, both hunters and fighters. scouts too.

The ranks were many in Mereo, but they all played a part. It was all Reyson knew really. He found solace in it. A routine always knowing what was expected.

Reyson dug and found choice pieces of the ewe he had helped to fell. He deposited it gently in front of the princess. And settled to his haunches.

Mazoi? he tried not to butcher it to badly. S
So leaders then mazoi? That is all?

well, no. she started with, a sheepish smile as she offered a glance to the meat placed before her.

but mazoi are the hunters, scouts and soldiers. there are many ranks for other roles. we just do not have whole chains just for soldiers.

she paused, looked to him with a warm look. she imagined he was not the kind of man who would fit in akashingo, but she wondered if the palace might still charm him.

akashingo takes part in all the wonders of life. whereas mereo seems to be just military.

Reyson studied her. She may not be used to the meat from caches.

i can catch you a fresh rabbit if you prefer.

It would be no hardship for the brute to hunt her fresh game. He would rnjoy it actually, probably as he always did.

Military is all i know. Your palace would be foreign to me. Though if I wish to rise. I must join a detail in your palace for a brief time.

she dismissed the idea of him hunting with a shake of her head. she would eat, but truthfully he had enamored her with this conversation.

such important knowledge to bring back home!

but she would not insult him, so she chewed on some of the meat while he spoke of how he'd have to do a detail in akashingo.

akashingo would welcome you. we have special members — fellahin — whose job is to tend to guests and members alike. you would be given all you could need. to do a detail in akashingo might be too delightful!

she laughed warmly, partaking in the meat once more.

Reyson nodded at her dismissal. And shifted his large bulk, ears forward to listen.

He wouldn't have been insulted. Very little did so unless you argued against his honor. Then, well all bets were off, truly.

He balked at the thought. I would bore them. I do not need many things. I am a man of simple means. A place to train, to sllep, and food. All that extra is just that extra.

He offered her a crooked smile, his chipped fang on full display.

bore them or not, the wonders of akashingo would still be there.

she did not doubt that he would be so duty bound into such a bored state. perhaps a thought proven by the chip of his tooth, that crooked grin.

did you break the tooth in battle?

He gave a brief nod. Well then I look forward to seeing them at the very least. But your fellahin need not take care of me. Though the thought is appreciative.

He had a broken tooth for so long, he had almost forgotten how he had gotten it, almost.

It was one of the first wounds I received. One of the first battles i was in, I underestimated my opponent and cracked my tooth for it. It was also where i received the notches in my ears.

He had been young, and inexperienced, but they had trained him anyway. Sent him into battle green and unbroken. Untried. And he had won, but he had also lost pieces of himself on the battlefield.

she would not argue it, but she knew the fellahin would anyway. it was their job! they would be bad fellahin if they would not.

she thought fondly of nazli for a moment, the thought lost as he told he story.

what would you say your skills are like among the rest? he was battle torn! yet she wondered how those skills carried here against the others of mereo.

It didn't sit right with Reyson having servants to cater to his every whim. It actually rankled a bit. It made him think of the poor sods who had found a commander they liked and the commander had took advantage of their position. It made his stomach turn.

However, it was also not his place to judge. Especially if they knew and accepted their place. Her next question drew him pause.

I think I am one of the few who has seen actual battle. The Imperator perhaps and Towhee perhaps, but other than that. I believe most have seen a fight here or there, or have trained merely in Mereo. I have been a warrior since I was very young.

she delighted in this bit of information.

to hear that this man was one of the very in mereo with actual experience. yet he was not even the second or third highest here!

she swallowed a chunk of meat and regarded him with a curious gaze.

why are you below others than? shouldn't such a military heavy place have the most experienced at the top?

she asked with curiosity of a child and not as the cunning viper of a princess of akashingo.

The princess's gaze was on him, and it prickled at his fur. She was so curious. She seemed to seek out knowledge, at first he had thought it for her pack, but now he wondered. IF she was just not a wolf that liked to collect tidbits of knowledge. The question was, what would she use it for.


Because I am new. I have to earn that place. The leaders were not there when i cut my teeth on others, and fought my way to the top in my other pack. I must do the same here. It is a sense of honor. And why would i wish to step on the paws of those who have been with Mereo since the beginning when I am a newcomer. It would not bode well.

He offered her a small smile, half lift of his lips.

he seemed so noble!

she offered a small nod. i understand. she she supposed she did. no one gained much of anything from stepping on toes, if they wished to remain liked.

i look forward to when you tour in akashingo.

her tail offered a few gentle taps.

Reyson didn't know if he were noble or honorable or any of those things. He simply knew his place, and no one got anywhere without a little hard work and courtesy. Oh some did, but they fell to the bottom just as fast as they had risen.

Reyson smiled. I don't know when it will be. I must make it to the last cohort tier. But I will seek you out.

Then he dipped his head. Or am I not allowed? I am not sure how your hierarchy works.

He scratched a little at the borders. Leaving a mark to cover the territory in scent, while he awaited an answer.