Redsand Canyon acerbitas

upon parting ways with aquene and lady ruenna, germanicus padded back to the strip of red land between the sparring ring and the punishment grounds. 

here he called for @Kallik and @Glaukos, and when both had come to him, he looked at their dusty, bloodied faces.

"today you each proved you are a liability not only to mereo but to my goals for the military here." his tones were stern and unforgiving, the set of his jaw evincing the small show of anger he allowed them to see.

"glaukos." he advanced sharply upon the soldier. "do not for a moment consider that you cannot be beaten by anyone who trains here. i do not know who raised you, but they taught you nothing of humility." his stare bored into the boulder-man.

"kallik. i am told you strove for control and lost it at the last moment. this is not the first time you have your mind has escaped over a woman. let it be the last. aquene is able to fight for her own honor." his yellow eyes were harsh. 

germanicus stared between them for a long moment and then lifted his chin. "the canyon is very large. i am sending you both a day's journey into the south for a week. you will scout together. you will clear together. you will expand together. and you will presumably learn to work together or choose to die when a wild animal or enemy comes upon you."

"your promotions as well as the rest of those meant in mereo will be delayed for seven days. i mean this to come down on your heads from the others, make no mistake. one single careless action too often means death for more. you will learn that each choice you make affects each of us."

"kallik." he stared at the alabaster auxillary. "show me you are ready to give up your impulse by returning to me. glaukos," the eagle went on, his gaze shifting, "show me that you are ready to submit to authority by returning to me. if either of you do not return i will deem you a deserter. punishable by execution. if you leave your brother to die in the wild lands, i will think you a coward, punishable by exile." he did not bother to mention that if one managed to kill the other out from under his gaze, they would be subject to death as well. foolish as they were he did not think them so mindless.

"i will escort each of you to aquene. and then you will leave. you will take nothing. am i clear in the instruction i have given you?"