Redsand Canyon viriliter

They were drawing to a close in their conversation. It was another that felt like it had amounted in nothing more than feelings of inadequacy for Crowfeather. The young seer did not understand how things had changed so much.

Once, Germanicus’ company had been easy to keep. Now, it felt as though it was straining for the man to even sit in the same room. The shadow did not like it. He didn’t know how to remedy it, or if it could be returned to their former comfort. He thought that time might heal those things but there was no real way of knowing without stepping back, stepping away.

You have always been good at doing what you were trained to do.

It was not meant as a compliment.

Crowfeather glanced toward the untouched food that he had brought with him. It probably smelled like Germanicus – he did not want it in the tablinum.

You should take that to your wife. I’m not hungry…

The shimmering gold of his eyes pulled away from the older man and cast toward the ground.

the last words stung him badly, the bite of a wasp.

he supposed he deserved it. germanicus had no words with which to parry. crowfeather was right to rebuff him so cruelly.

he had a wife now. he had children. he had a structure here. he had a place he must uphold. he possessed now the roles of husband and father to fulfill.

germanicus did not wait.

he picked up the cooling prey with its viscous blood and walked noiselessly away.

there was no evidence of his aching heart upon his stoic face.