Bearing Gifts [P]

[Deleted]

Drip, drop, the sound of trickles of blood falling down the lone swordsman's face as he trudged back towards the camp. It wasn't his blood though that ran in thin streaks down his cheeks and splattered all over his armor. No, it was the blood from the two rather large bear corpses he was hefting along across his shoulders. No one had ever doubted that Yu'rei, champion of the east, was weak but one of the men said there was no way he could take on a bear and live. So Yu'rei went out and killed two of them, just cause. That was typically how he did things. One of the boys would said something phenomenally stupid and he would go out and do it whilst also upping the ante. To say that Yu'rei was battle crazed was an understatement. Typically though, when it came to human opponents, he tried his best to stay his hand from killing. There was more value in a worthy opponent growing in strength to challenge you and make you grow stronger in turn than there was in needlessly killing them. As far as wildlife went though he could slaughter with impunity.

So when he came marching into the camp with the two corpses hoisted across his back and shoulders most of Saka's men and women decided it was wise to give him a wide berth. Most of the one's unfamiliar with him anyway. Those that knew him could only roll their eyes and sigh whilst muttering how he was at it again. If Yu'rei wasn't out somewhere doing manly things like killing grizzly bears he was out somewhere trying to get into some fair maiden's bed. That was Yu'rei in a nutshell. He had a problem keeping both of his weapons sheathed. This was especially true in times of restlessness like now. With some many rebels running around he was surprised Saka hadn't sent him out to go stab some of the dissidents. Maybe she had something planned? Who knew? Wasn't his place to argue so long as she gave him things to fight. There was a severe lack of things to fight right now. Thus his blood was restless.

Yu'rei made his way over to where a makeshift throne had been set up for the eastern khan. Sakalam and her merry band of miscreants were traveling about in order to... well... actually... he wasn't entirely sure WHY they were fucking about the countryside right now. Maybe he should have brought that up? Nah. In any case he strode up to the cobbled together mess of a throne and dropped the two bear corpses at Sakalam's feat. With the cheesiest, most shit eating grin on his face, Yu'rei spoke in a singsong manner, "Sa~Ka~ I brought you some gifts~. I heard you wanted a new bed cover. Thought these might suffice~."

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@levin has written 477 words for sakalam!

Made by Riley at THQ!

[sakalam]

The figures on the messenger's report had broken the record again. Herding tribes on the north have lost more cattle and sheep this month, more than half no longer attributed to the cold and disease. Sakalam knew just sending more mercenaries hadn't been much help. Others would disagree. Force by victory was a Feroxi's way but arms and logistics were not as simple as it used to. Sakalam disliked the trickling money being wasted on ungratifying problems. If they could find a route to keep them away from those tanguels...

Sakalam tried to think but she became distracted by the uneasiness stirring from her men. She already knew the source of their discomfort even without looking up from the paper or hearing the singsong tune of her champion's voice. She regarded the bloody corpses of the two bears neutrally.

"Hm. Don't go about sploshing around animal blood on camp. You'll attract evil spirits." Sakalam signalled her men to carry them away. They took the corpses to drain the blood and skin the fur. "And start an epidemic," she added in an afterthought, looking at the childish grin Yu'rei sported on his grown, matured face. He had certainly made the distance from an injured, comatose boy to the East Ferox Champion but his transition as a man was not quite the same with his mentality. Yu'rei was still the same as before.

Sakalam left the paper aside and stood up from the mound of thick animal fur. She wordlessly led the way away from the camp for Yu'rei to follow.

@levin