Redsand Canyon gingerbread

Some unease accompanied Glaukos as he climbed the path to Mereo, followed alongside by Sialuk. He could not place why he felt this way. It served no purpose. Soon they would be in the company of the general and after, Glaukos would give his report of his travels and likely be admonished for his delay; his thoughts swam with the memory of the punishment stone.

Sialuk appeared to be in good humor. She had her bone, her plant sprigs, her bird. Nothing seemed to bother her about the visit. She cast him an expectant look and he took a moment to clear his throat, then tip his chin back to announce his arrival to @Germanicus, carrying forth the message: I return, with a guest.

Now they merely had to wait for the man to arrive — and Glaukos felt more on-edge than before, as if he were bringing home a girl to introduce to his father (but Germanicus was far from that).