Greatwater Lake jenny o' the woods

it was hard to miss the baleful way in which she regarded the stone sentinels behind him, but stigmata was no stranger to the treachery of mountains. he had even left them himself, for a time, and upon returning had been quite rusted to the heights; but return he did, and to remain he intended.

he minded no bluntness, preferred it actually, and he nodded solemnly. "i belong to the diaspora," he responded, without revealing his position among them. he had no reason to act pompous out here on his own, so she had little evidence to suspect his status otherwise. if they were in the mountains, she would've known immediately what his place he held; the only post that could harbor such an ego. her own authority and familiarity with these flatlands was quite apparent to him, but he made no comment of his observation just yet.

"yourself?" he returned a little coyly, wondering - between the two of them - which had the stronger claim.