Nia sits in shock. Her friend toyed with by a monster worse than the Fang itself? She can only feel sympathy for him now. Until this moment, the Fang and the Wolves around her seemed to be invincible.
Quillen still sits on his knees as Nia allows this story sink in, slowly he removes his arm from the bucket and immediately gets emotional, thinking about what the Crow has done to his people. One of the assisting solders comes and begins wrapping his arm up with bandages and applies freezing cold pads to keep the skin from heating up again.
"Thank you, C'ray".
The daughter of the Claw commander, B'ray. Although not as scarred and loud as her father, she is dedicated to the Dune family, especially Quillen. Less so Jaco.
C'ray looks at Quillen, seeing the sad red eyes that have stayed with him since he returned. She lifts his good arm over her shoulder and takes him to a bed to rest and recover, she very gently places him down, then she turns to Nia, eyes showing her own emotions inside. Her anger, her resentment.
The right side of her head is shaven as the left side has hair that hangs over her smooth but firm face, and drags over to her shoulder. From there, almost like a tribute, her left arm is wrapped in tattoos, starting from the shoulder on the shaven side, the wolf clans' symbol of a howling wolf is visible past the dark blue vest, then it spirals down into complex, beautiful patterns coiling into a sword, large and menacing, but familiar. Then in an explosion of patterns, it dies and a pack of wolves surround the fore arm till the wrist displays the alpha, her fore finger and thumb the alphas mouth and the rest of her knuckles and hands display the eyes of the predator.
"We grew up with those men." She says to Nia quietly as Quillen slips into a light slumber, she turns to Nia once he drifts into a snore and walks to the back of the barracks while dragging Nia by the arm. Nia can feel the intensity of this warrior, someone devoted to nothing but the war they are born in too. A pure wolf by birth.
She stops and stares right into Nia's eyes.
"there is – WAS 40 warriors in our vanguard." She pauses, the wound still fresh in her mind,
"with the Fang and commander Quillen with us, they were a force the whole of Wrah respected." she steps closer to Nia, "I grew up with those people, some I saw as uncles, others as my own siblings, my family." A tear builds up in her visible eye, she grits her teeth trying to hold back the sorrow until she is alone,
"For him, his first defeat is a lot for one day. But the fact that we also lost all of our people in that way just breaks our hearts even more! That monster couldn't even -" she stops mid-sentence, realising she almost lost it, when she needs to stay calm for those around her.
"Who is 'The Crow'?" Nia questions, "What does this monster think he is!?", C'ray looks at Nia with a raised eyebrow.
"I was honestly hoping you knew, 'The Crow' is a new one for me. But in Wrah, we grow up and realise some monsters live beyond a page that scare us as children. And some of those monsters are worse than The Fang sometimes…"
C'ray sits down on a chest, removing her chest plate and gauntlets, her skin is marked by the edges of the armour, wrists, shoulders and her neck all have a red ring around her, it was clearly armour that's a bit small for her now.
"It was able to beat the Fang. But not kill or maim; it completely destroyed him. Quillen mentioned not even the Fang stood a chance, did you see him walk away from the cart? He was moving so slow, even swaying side to side like a living corpse. I don't want to know what how it broke the Fang beyond its body." She clenches her fist, "It even has the gall to involve our own people... and it got away." Nia's heart skips a beat. It can 'break' Jaco? What does that mean?
"If the Fang is a beast, then the Crow is a monster" Quillen stands behind them both, hatred seeming to leak out with each minimal motion he makes,
"The Crow is a new threat for ALL the clans. We know fuck all about the Crow. That is dangerous. An enemy we cannot understand or identify is almost unbeatable. Ha, it just walked out the fucking door after it had its way with us! Then there's my brother…" Quillen stands between them, Nia shifts away slightly, uncomfortable at seeing this side of him,
"For us, we fear him 'cause he is impulsive, unstoppable. Or used to be anyway…" He walks to the wall behind them, a tattered and torn map hanging under the gentle flames of a torch displaying the outpost, he drags his now bloody palm over it.
"After seeing him be toyed with and beaten so badly the Crow didn't see it fit to kill him? WHY?! What kind of person is that?" he turns, "Yesterday was the first time it has ever been seen. And I hope I never see them again." He tears up.
"It is Jaco it wants, it was like it was testing his skill or reflexes, and he failed miserably. I have never seen him lose so badly ever. The first time. I saw his bloodlust rise before he charged in! No… it was something worse! And yet he STILL lost!" Quillen lets out a sigh, his hatred is replaced by sympathy for his brother.
"When he saw the Crow, he changed. He just snaped, and Jaco disappeared for a moment, and the Fangs techniques and attacks are replaced by an animal consumed by..." Nia can't help herself now.
"And what of you? Did you not try to help him fight such an overwhelming enemy?! You left him to do your dirty work, or you were too scared…" Nia couldn't hold that in, it blurted out like vomit, but the simple questions leave him silent as she watches a fresh wave of guilt wash over him and the offended eyes of C'ray.
The door swings open before C'ray can say a word. Kaycon jogs inside, then meets eyes with Quillen and rushes to him.
"Oh, nephew, are you alright? Ah, your arm…"
"I'm okay uncle. This is nothing compared to our defeat." Kaycon gently hugs Quillen, an odd affectionate side Nia never expected from this cold-hearted man that tried to kill her days ago.
"My father?" he asks with defeated eyes.
"I am sorry son, he had other things to attend instead of being here." Kaycon watches the pain hit his nephew like a slap to the face,
"But what did that bastard Jaco do? I swear I'll have him-"
"It was this thing that looked like a Crow, uncle." Kaycon's incoming rant is cut dead at the name.
"Who?.."
"The Crow…"
"Who is that?!"
"I do not know uncle." The door swings open again.
"Whatever they are, they completely broke the Fang, hahaha." Thee walks in with a grin and looks all smug, as usual. Nia can feel an unfamiliar urge to hit her. Next time, you try and fight it…
Thee drops the act, she looks to Kaycon seriously as she whispers,
"If the Fang wasn't here, then we wouldn't have had to defend the outpost to begin with! This never would have happened if you're brother sent him to that fucking prison!" Kaycon only shakes his head, but he does not disagree.
"Thee, I don't think the Fang invited it there. Plus, you are always on the assumption that he is not clever. You think he can cover his tracks and avoid blame?" Thee lets out a laugh, an aggressive one at that.
"Fuck off, you think he didn't contribute to another slaughter on our own people?" she swiftly steps up to Kaycon. But he steps back, trying to pull away just as quick from this mental battle.
"Those eyes only remind me of that monster now…" Quillen says with unfocused eyes. Nia gets extremely unnerved by his words. Does he mean the Fang, or the Crow...?
"The prison?" Nia questions, hoping to avoid a round of accusing and bashing Jaco's name.
"Oh, I never noticed you there, young lady." He turns toward her as Thee sees to Quillen,
"There's an island north of Wrah, and it is used as a prison. It's commonly known as Patak Tur'ma. It holds people who the clans deem as too dangerous to be free. People like The Fang who kill his own, and monsters like this Crow!" Nia nods but doesn't like what she is hearing. Thee continues for him as he sees to his nephew,
"Those that cause more danger to everyone around them than good are detained and the surrounding clans vote to take them away. The name Patak Tur'ma means 'Where villainy dies.' In the language of the Clopsi. The wardens are made of each of the great clans warriors, and they break them, ensure that they can never leave, and suffer until the day they end it themselves." Thee tries to hide it, but Nia can see the sick grin hiding behind her grotesque scar.
"You seem to think that's fun… commander…"
Before Thee can defend herself, Quillen falls into the wall, then slides down to his knee, almost passing out.
C'ray & Thee help Quillen back to bed, his body now feels like double his weight. As Nia walks over with Kaycon, they lay him down gently, then C'ray escorts Nia out of the barracks with Kaycon watches over the unconscious warrior.
"Nia…" C'ray places a hand on her shoulder and grabs her hand,
"Just in case." She whispers and sneakily hands her what feels like, a fork?
"Be careful."
C'ray gently pushes Nia out, now alone with her thoughts and this knife.
Nia jumps once she realises what she holds, what did C'ray have in mind when handing me this?! Nia's heart starts to beat fast like terrified prey, she looks up to the steps, knowing she will be walking into the den of an unpredictable wolf.
I have to check on him, no one else is going too. It's always easier placing any blame on him, than hearing his side. And he just takes it. It is all I hear about, that he is the bad guy, but all I see is a confused boy who only follows his instinct cause he doesn't trust anyone. Nia takes her first step to the den of the Fang.
"Uncle… I need to tell you something…"
"I know what you did Nephew…" Kaycon says as he places a gentle hand on Quillen's sweating head,
"I made sure to make the bodies be covered and watched so no one knows." Quillen bites his tongue gently, trying to reel back tears and guilt with pain.
"At least you are here, uncle."
"Always, I promised your mum I wouldn't let you down or let you feel pain."
"Yet… even though my arm is burned, the thought of killing my own soldiers… and still losing everybody there… it is too much uncle. I don't want this; their faces are everywhere…" Quillen begins a heavy, breathy cry as the guilt overcomes the pain.
"It's okay son, we'll get through it." Kaycon drops his hand onto Quillen's hair as he looks over him, soon Quillen's crying stops.
"I'm surprised you let the girl go." Thee says once Quillen's close. She gulps down some wine from the table next to the map, it's almost empty already.
"Why say that?" Kaycon asks, but not with the usual tone, this time it is accusing.
"You tried to get the girl killed that night, wasn't a bad idea. She was a risk if she told people about us."
"And I learned to leave it since the Fang chose to put her under his wing. Which is very out of character for him… And what of you? Your soldiers were found dead outside of her tent the very next day." Kaycon grins up at Thee.
She nearly throws down the wine had it not been for Quillen falling back asleep,
"How do you know that? Haygon covered that up-"
"Against your need for revenge. Explains the group of your idiots who attacked him too…"
"You watch your fucking tongue… They were good people. I never ordered them to do that." She says defensively, desperately.
"And yet the only people who knew of the incident was my brother, myself… and you. Revenge can be pretty tempting. Especially when the target is the very person you hold a long-time grudge against."
Thee can only fake a smile and finish the wine off in a single sharp swallow. She drops the cup at Quillen's bedside and leans over Kaycon, but it does not reel back his cocky smile any further.
"I never would have sent my boys to fight that bastard. He isn't some lackey or fool. He is the Fang. That is my prey. My loose end to burn when the time comes. But until then, I'm going to poke the beast with a stick till it finally gives me what I want."
Thee storms outside without waiting around. Kaycon giggles to himself and allows himself to revel in this little victory.
C'ray walks back inside eventually, having her own moment to let out her grief before checking on her friend. Once composed, C'ray walks in and sees Quillen holding his wolf medallion, Kaycon leaves as she approaches,
"He'll be a mess for a while. Watch him closely, please."
He walks off as Quillen starts to cry again, tears crawling down his cheek, his chest aches as he thinks of the veterans who brought him up and the friends he had known from his childhood. All gone. Because of you…
C'ray leans on the post next to his bed, the worry clear in the way she scratches her wrists, anxious of what her leader will do. she walks around slowly. Will he snap like that Fang?
Quillen throws the medallion to the ground below him and C'ray stops dead. Quillen places his head in his hand, teeth bare while his bandaged arm spasms. The tears slip past his fingers as his pained gasps are barely a whisper.
C'ray stands beside the grieving warrior, years of fighting and death finally catching up to him now, never having experienced a defeat this terrible. He has never broken down like this before…
She kneels down in front of him, gently picking up and inspecting the medallion. After years of battle and the slam it just took, only the feint cracks caused by radiant energy are the only evidence of damage this trinket has taken, His mother really was great at crafting stuff, the love put into this is makes it unique. Maybe indestructible.
He looks at C'ray, tears starting to slow down,
"I hate him. I hate him so much…" C'ray places the medallion in his defeated hand, closing his bandaged fingers over it,
"Maybe you should talk to Kaycon later, he's had nearly 30 years of this shit, maybe he can help you cope with the-". Quillen ignores her and swings his legs onto the bed, almost as if he never heard her at all there.
She does not move however, she sits behind him in silence, knowing her company will do for now. I wish I could be better at this. Fuck both of those monsters.
As C'ray watches over Quillen, only moments ago did Hik and Jarjo get relieved from duty. After being instructed by Kaycon to keep the bodies covered in front of everyone, his soldiers took over and Hik saw it fit for her friend and herself to crash at her place tonight.
Hik tenderly budges the door open, the couch is empty, table bare and the fire only producing cinders. She turns and nods to the close by, but distantly minded Jarjo, they sneakily head inside without making a sound.
Jarjo has been here before plenty of times back when they both only started. Hik points to a large crate in her kitchen as she seats herself at the couch with fresh bandages and alcohol. Jarjo helps himself to the contents of the crate. Though he isn't much of a drinker, the goldy orange colour of the liquid alone told him it was raspberry cider, the good stuff, made specially from the pub her son works in. Must be a batch he brought home to her, what a nice kid.
He pops of the cork on his bottle and grabs another, he steadily makes his way over to Hik and slumps next to her as she performs her operation;
Slowly she wipes the black scar that's cracked open to reveal a crimson lava flowing forth. The alcohol spills over it like water and killing any infection, Hik surprisingly keeps in her scream as she cleans it off. Jarjo is already a step ahead and delicately grabs her arm to wrap it in a fresh bandage.
"I can do it, Jarjo." Hik whispers with slight aggression wrapped in the words, as much as she thinks she can get away with.
"I know. But you've been non-stop since the fight. Take a breath and drink up." Jarjo carries on seeing to the wound.
"If I start drinking now," Hik whispers, "I won't want to stop."
"I don't blame you. I want to forget what happened too." Jarjo takes a deep drink, the gulp seems painful but he carries on and finishes the bandage,
"First drink I have had since I joined."
"Celebrating your recruitment?"
"Mourning the death of my uncle. The last family I had." He says so quietly, Hik only could hear it because of the complete silence in the city.
"You never said. I remember that night we bumped into each other after I got recruited."
"Yeah. I didn't like your attitude back then, that confidence got to me though. One of the reasons I wanted to sign up too, I wanted to train and prove size doesn't mean strength."
"I think we both know you wanted to prove that ever since someone mentioned your height for the first time." Hik says to tease her friend. But he isn't laughing. He can't right now. He is done. He takes another shallow swig of the cider before slumping into the couch, almost being absorbed by the cushioned material. Hik can feel his sweaty head lean onto her arm, but she doesn't mind.
When they both started out, this would be common. After a gruelling siege or long day of marching, they'd find a corner to rest, one would stay up as the other dozed off, and somehow if either of them started to fall asleep, the other would awaken, just in case. It is a bond they have held and strengthened with every battle.
"Stay the night, you can take the couch buddy." Hik offers motherly, like speaking to her tired son in denial.
"No. I just need a breather. I don't want to close my eyes. Not tonight." Jarjo stares forward into the blank grey wall with a slight, but significant crack on it.
"Come on. You must have a sweet heart waiting for you Jarjo."
"You know I never found love to be my thing.", he sits back up and leans forward with his bruised elbows on his thighs, "That was your thing."
"Pff, you say that, but I am not so sure anymore. Come on, the soldiers down at the barracks must be looking for ya'."
"If they are, it is to find out what I'll spill. I understand that most wolves are in it for the money, the drama and attention, maybe even glory. But me? I have come to love battle. It doesn't have the politics of being a commander, it isn't the stress of dealing with stock and profit of a merchant. No, it is a simple role; to fight. And fight until you win, or die trying."
Hik laughs to herself a bit. She has never heard her friend talk so seriously about ANYTHING before.
"Explains your crush on the Fang then, you have been on him ever since he started out a few years ago."
"And who wouldn't be?!" Jarjo covers his mouth quickly, realising he is getting heated up over this, both the injured soldiers smile and continue,
"Beyond the animal we focus on, there is something there that is pure. A perfect soldier- no, a perfect warrior… he is just so young and I don't want him to waste it on being a killing machine, he is more than that." Hik nods, although she may not agree with Jarjo, she can respect and understand where he is coming from,
"And much like me, he came into this war with no one. I at least knew my family before they died off one by one in this war, and I got you Hik. Fuck, he isn't even the chieftain's son…" Hik sighs deeply and looks up into the ceiling as Jarjo finishes.
"That isn't entirely bad ya' know. Sometimes having a legacy to follow sucks. Remember my dad? He was adamant I joined. Wanting to continue the 6 generations of proud soldiers of the wolf clan." Jarjo giggles to himself a bit as Hik leans forward again and looks at her bottle, still not wanting to chance it tonight.
"At least your uncle was around though, he was a great man, nothing but love from him." Jarjo says to comfort his friend.
"Yeah, but he got nothing but hate from my father. The bastard thought he was weak. When really, he already served his time as a soldier and wanted out. Had a nice little bar for decades till he passed away." Hik lets a tear build up a bit before she swipes it away, Jarjo saw it but he doesn't want to push her.
"He passed on with a smile. Meanwhile dad got too pished and cracked his head open when coming home. Idiot."
"I'm sorry about that Hik, must have been hard."
"Nah, he was a prick. What I wish I could say to him is that I hate some of the shit I took from him, his attitude, his aggression… I am just really glad my boy is much more like my uncle than my dad. I do not want him to carry on this stupid legacy shit my father drilled into my head!" Hik gives in and takes a drink. Then she starts to gulp it all with surprising enthusiasm. But Jarjo stops the bottom of her bottle going up, it is enough for Hik to slow down and enjoy the taste, instead of chasing the hazy fog that helps forget things.
"Thanks mate." She pops the cork back on and places it far away on the table,
"I just want him to see life beyond war. I'd do anything to make sure he never had to fight in his life."
"You ever tell your man about this stuff?" Jarjo asks.
"Pfff. NEVER. He is as good at listening as he is staying home. I don't have an idea where he goes honestly, but our boy can see to himself thankfully. Heck, he thrives more than me. I can't wait to see what a good man he will be, and when he finally begins home his first lover, I will embarrass him sooooo much with stories, like when he kept eating sand!" Hik laughs feverishly and soon it infects Jarjo too.
"Oh, it was all up his nose and ears, he was a mess!" they try their damndest to suppress the laughter amongst the silence. Eventually they join the silence. The events of that day weighing heavy on them both.
"I have to go back to barracks. Got stuff to deal with. I'll see you later Hik." Jarjo mumbles, he nods at Hik and makes his way outside, leaving Hik with herself and a bottle.
She waves him off as she stares off with the bottle. She isn't thirsty for it any longer. Instead she looks in the reflection, she can imagine the skull helm she has in it, then it bubbles away to her teary eyed, defeated look. Her head collapses into her hands and allows herself to close her eyes for just a moment before she reaches for the drink for a final drink before she can finally sleep.
As Jarjo leaves the building and drops down 7 steps toward the barracks, he drops into the alley beside him and breaks down. He starts to wail and sob into his arms as his knees fold into his chest. I don't want to go back. I don't want to see their faces… I can't…
That was when Nia walked past the alley, but the thumping beat in her chest blocked out all other sounds and the grip she had on the knife in her hands seemed to attract the nightly chill into her bones.
Nia stands outside Jaco's home, every muscle in her body screams at her to run and stay away, but in her mind, she knows she cannot.
She knew both of them were so similar and it scared him, they both grew up an outsider, seen as a monster, and have lived in fear by those around them. The only difference is she had someone. Whereas Jaco has had no one, he has to be the one to do the dirty work, and is painted as a complete monster, making him feel like he had to kill to survive, only to care for himself.
He needs someone to take his side for once, to save him from himself before Jaco is consumed by The Fang forever.
She shuffles slowly to the door, hoping to see Jaco before he saw her. She cranes her neck and peeks inside.
Jaco lays dormant in the far corner, the window to his left just barely hitting his domain, she can barely make out his legs and knees in the moonlight. As she makes her way inside, she carefully places that knife on the table as a reflection catches her attention, looking over to the source she can see his sword is stabbed into the wall, completely horizontal. Ok so he won't attack me. I think.
She tip-toes to him, ready to soothe the beast.
Nia is pinned against the wall. Right beside the sword.
The Fang has his claws wrapped around her neck. Nia panics and tries to break out, but he pushes back, a wild beast now taking over. Jaco slowly raises his free hand up to his sword handle, the tight grip displaying his intent.
"Look at me." Jaco whispers, Nia pulls away her eyes from the sword, seeing the Fang for what he truly is. His lips and nose are covered in fresh blood, his eyes deranged, wide open, emanating that unhinged animal inside. She glances at his arms; the gauntlets are gone and are now replaced with another fresh layer of blood. As it flows, she can see teeth marks and deep scratches.
She is frozen on the spot, unable to look away from his eyes. She then relaxes her muscles, letting him have control, knowing she cannot fight her way out now.
"I can defeat hordes of Wrah's greatest killers, the most ferocious beasts nature could throw at me, I'm even called the greatest killer of my time…" He moves his head closer, displaying his bloody teeth and crimson gums.
"but there are 2 people I can't even hurt." He stares dead into Nia's eyes,
"One is The Crow."
He rips his sword out of the wall. Nia's breaths are quick and sharp, terrified of what's to come, fearing the pain she will go through. He pulls her towards him.
"And you."
He drops his sword, the blade collapses into the ground with a terrible rattle against the sand stone floor,
"Why can't I hurt you?"
Jaco releases his grip and backs away into his corner again.
"Leave. Please."
Nia rubs her neck, not because of pain, but to wipe the sticky and thin blood marks he left behind. She looks at the moonlit doorway, the cool soft wind inviting compared to this dark and grim place.
She walks around the house picking up various items and the knife, all while trying to compose herself again, taking deep breaths and remembering WHY she is here. Jaco looks up, seeing a shadowy figure hang over him.
WHY DO YOU HAUNT ME! HAVEN'T YOU DONE ENOUGH…
He gets a fright as Nia plunges from its chest and kneels beside him, spreading the pieces she has collected onto the blood-stained ground,
"We both know you aren't great at seeing to your own wounds, you always want to just keep moving, never stopping to think." She starts unfolding clean cloth and mixing some paste with alcohol from a left-over bottle.
Jaco grabs Nia's arms. His nails gently dig into her skin, but Nia just stares into his eyes, knowing he will not hurt her now, not after he could have killed her moments ago. Or ever since that night he was meant ti kill her. He raises his head slowly, the killer now flowing out his body as tears fall, he lets go, allowing her to help him.
In time the cuts and bites are covered by these bandages, Nia uses that knife given in defence to cut up bandages and stir the alcohol with herbs.
The blood slowly rises but is contained, now it can heal in time with care. Jaco just looks down, tears quietly crawl as Nia cleans him up. Her clothes are stained by the blood, hands drowned in the man's years of stress, anxiety and fear, he thinks he must become the best to be safe. To protect the clan from its enemies. But they don't deserve him.
"Nia." She turns slowly. Jaco looks into her eyes, his cold dead eyes turn to soft waters.
"It's ok, Jaco."
He gets frustrated and hits the floor with his fist, the bandage unfolding slightly and blood slowly seeps out. But Nia slowly leans over to him once more, cautiously re-applying the bandage. She looks into his eyes as he sits up to make it easier, she finishes quickly and gently.
She carefully places her hand on his neck, Jaco flinches as she pulls him towards her but lets her do as she wants now. She wraps her arms around,
"I couldn't walk away, just like you couldn't from me."
Jaco stubbornly wraps his arms around her, still unable to fully accept she didn't have any ill intent, soon enough he breaks down. His head on her shoulder and arms so tight around her it slightly squeezes her breath out. But she just smiles and hugs tighter as well.
Jaco cries into her skin, the years of loneliness and anger too much to bear now. And Nia cries with him. She felt like she was looking into a mirror when she saw him, when he seemed dead inside, she felt the same her whole life.
If he was going to save her from her fate, then she was determined to save him from his too.