Barrier Gulch desire and need and failure all spell out

dracarys is silent, albeit attentive as the other man speaks, beginning his explanation with the fact that he believed soto was not a fit leader. on this, dracarys couldn't really hold an opinion. if anything, kemal's explanation only serves to push into focus for the sandviper how truly detached he's been since his arrival to verapaz. and detached, the sandviper knows, isn't a good thing. he lingers like a venomous ghost along the borders, not socializing. not integrating himself.

a flick of his left ear is given, though his expression remains impassive.

and then comes talk of enemies. enemies that dracarys does not feel the same hatred towards that kemal surely does. on the subject, he's also horribly unbiased. whatever fight kemal was impassioned about was not dracarys' own.

a decision needs to be made, then, the sandviper knew. either he stayed and integrated himself fully into verapaz. or he severed whatever flimsy tether he's made.

our numbers are hardly enough to be making threats to verapaz's enemies, drawls the sandviper. he speaks it simply. a statement of fact. to charge into a battle he knows nothing about, that holds nothing personally at stake for him was a large risk. larger yet, given what he has pointed out. yet, he does not doubt that kemal is already aware of this. he is now crowned leader, after all.

i hold no personal stake in whatever war you wish to ignite, replies the sandviper truthfully. if i am to remain among the ranks, if i am to be turned loose to your enemies ... i would know that it is not to be an immediate lost battle. kemal held the power here, and dracarys recognizes that. still, he finds it important to speak his mind, regardless of consequences that would come. the tactician within him refused to stay silent, for better or worse.

what is your plan for bolstering ranks?