Herbalists' Cache gloom days

he is glad to hear it.

he had been prepared for the worst, and felt relief to know it would not come. there is no displease that comes upon knowledge that this woman is cousin to sun eater; if anything, he had come to expect it. the lanzadoii were many, like his own family, in that respect.

where there was one, more came.

he turns appraising eye upon the woman and heaves a great sigh, it is like the fell of a axe upon a chopping block. to my knowledge. short, brief, curt. words cut and simple, not to waste breath. this will be a quick exchange, lest anyone overhear. briefly, he surveys—and upon finding no one, he begins moving shortly thereafter. from the brush and into clearer snow, where their tracks bloody the fresh fall. i was first to meet this woman. she stole from a carcass, like man just now. i should have finished her then. he says.

he adds: your cousin took to her... quickly. he passes a knowing glance, and his lip curls at that. but that not why i dislike. star eater was once, he pauses, brows knitting, and thinks of how to explain this so that she would best understand. sun eater's kind had no concept of queens, of thrones, of courts. she was chieftain. my chieftain, and my woman's chieftain. gjalla. of who he had not spoken to in days, but she occupied every waking thought. his heart yearned for her, but his mind did not let him admit it. not yet. it was too soon—and he would not go to her. she would come to him.

he treats her like trophy. does not respect. she is womb to him. his tongue darts across his nose. i know this your people's way but it is not mine. he makes sure to quickly move on lest that resentment he had worked hard to choke down in favor of peace rise back up like bile. nagruk is ambitious and sun eater is blind because she is woman. man like him... he turns his gaze aside, a woman could never threaten, in his eye.