mods please delete

[Madame Butterfly]

It was an unwelcome tragedy, though certainly not unheard of. Evin sighed. He couldn't focus to long on the loss of two good, solid riders. His brain instantly jumped into gear, going over the familiar image of Tortall's map in his head and roughly calculating the time it would take to send word to a group close by the town that had been taken; and then, the time it would take to get them there and ready to re-claim it.

'I'm sorry for your loss' did not have to be spoken--they were all sorry to lose riders. Sixth's hit was his hit as well. He did not pretty his words, and instead stood up. "We'll arrange for the groups here to know. Trainee's shouldn't be arriving until another two days. They'll be properly put to rest, among friends and fellow riders here." He sighed again, "As for their ponies, place them in the pen with the new ones. Is that all?"

~~

Daichi busied himself with unpacking, as Briar and Evin talked. It was easier to focus on this task then to hear his friends being talked about in such a... dispassionate way. He knew that Evin really did care, but it was one thing to know that and quite another to hear him talk like this was just another day, as if this happened all the time. Daichi slammed down his last bag.

He frowned at his loss of control, expecting a remark. But if Evin noticed, he did not say a word.

[LegionWolf]

Looking rather upset herself, though more angry that she couldn't do anything to save her fallen companions, Briar had a look on her face that betrayed her emotions. There was a dangerous look in her cobalt eyes, something that told of doom for the damned raiders who were responsible for the death of Sonja and Carter. "Of course, sir," she answered tensely when Evin stated that the two ponies of her companions would be put in the with new ones. It wasn't that she was upset by his decision or was angry with him, just the situation in general. She also couldn't help but wonder if the rest of the group she lead blamed her for their loss... she was the group commander after all and was ultimately responsible.

[Madame Butterfly]

Evin's eyes darkened, noticing Briar's distress. Sometimes he forgot how young the woman was. Riders tended to veer on the side of younger adults, as was the nature of the work--which did bring a lot of good to their atmosphere. Younger adults tended to be more passionate, more versatile, and less likely to be tied down to things that were not in the interest of the Queen's Riders. However it was tough work and it wouldn't be good to let her mull over this issue alone (the unspoken rule with older men and women in general, he'd noticed, was to let them sort their emotions out alone and not get involved).

He put a hand on her shoulder, meeting her eyes. "I know what you're going through right now," he said. He did, he'd lost people under his command after all. They all had. It was the nature of their work, an unpleasant fact of their lifestyle. "Believe me when I say this wasn't your fault. How were you to know they would raid that area, at that time? You did well."

That dangerous look in her eyes was both good and bad. It meant she wasn't broken; a good mark in a leader. It also meant she might slip away and go challenge those who had hurt hers. While he smiled inwardly at the thought, he could not approve of it.

"You are to help me out with the trainees, right? It'll be good for you to focus on that." He glanced over at Kael and Daichi, two members of the Sixth who were nearby.

"It might be best if your group stays here for a while, and focuses on the trainees as well. It will lift their spirits." He smiled softly. Two birds with one stone; fix the Dogs and give the new recruits a whole working group to learn from. A little uncommon, perhaps; but knowing the situation, not a bad idea.

[LegionWolf]

The commander of the Sixth was tense under his hand when he laid it upon her shoulder. At first, Briar gave no response to him as she tried to calm down. Deep breaths... you can't loose your cool here, she told herself. Finally looking up at him, she met his eyes and forced a small smile that held more edge than anything else. "Of course I'll help with the recruits," she replied, feeling somewhat glad to have a break from the road and getting to concentrate on the next generation of riders. At least now there would be an unlikely chance her, or either of the two who were also going to help, would have to witness death for a while. It was rare for a rider in training to be killed in the training process, after all. It would be a good break.

((gah, there's a bunch of people copying me now D< I made an auction for all my Halloween candy and was the only one yesterday and the day before, and there there's a ton >_> ))

[Madame Butterfly]

"Good." Evin said, returning to where he'd been sitting. "Assign one of your riders to put the ponies with the others, and I will work on arrangements for the fallen as well as assembling the riders who are here for tonight so that we can gather for a few words." He glanced up, "Make sure your group is fed and taken care of," he said. It was all too easy for a rider or two to go off eating or sleeping properly after the death of a comrade; looking at those of Sixth he was sure they had taken care of themselves, but he did not know the group as well as Briar did. It was up to her to guide them out of this dark time.

He picked up a map; the markings showing where each rider group was around at this time. He had to think quickly on how to regain the land that was lost.

It was a clear dismissal.

[bipolar-wolfcat]

Kael glanced at Daichi when his friend slammed his final bag, his eyes snapping open from the sudden noise. He frowned, empathizing with Dai over how cold Evin sounded. Then again, some amount of that is needed for this type of work. You can't get worked up over everything or else you'll go totally mad... Even as he thought it, his muscles tensed with anger at his own words... He'd like nothing more to track the raiders down and cut them to ribbons for their transgressions... In due time, perhaps...

Kael grimaced and got out of his bed, awaiting orders from Briar as he wondered if he might be asked to take away the ponies. His heart felt heavy, and his was growing more anxious due to lack of an outlet. He straightened out his bedsheets once more, maintaining his relatively calm appearance.

[LegionWolf]

Briar nodded curtly and gave a brief salute to Evin. "Of course, sir," she replied and turned around to regard Daichi, Kael, and the two other guys that were in the Sixth. "Derek, go take care of the horses, will you?" she asked, then looked to the other three. "The rest of you come join me for a good meal, alright? Derek, meet us at the Dancing Dove when you're done, and get Lil on your way." She didn't want to leave out the last member of the Sixth, after all.

Without even waiting for a reply, feeling too cramped and stuffed in the men's barracks, Briar turned and headed out. Once outside, the cooling evening air washed at her face. Closing her dark blue eyes, she faced the wind and sighed. Tonight I'll give the group a break,' she thought, so maybe their spirits... and mine... will lift.

[bipolar-wolfcat]

Kael was out of the barracks in the blink of an eye, standing next to Briar as the wind blew past. He didn't feel like sticking around the barracks too much, and he'd been starving ever since they'd entered Corus, "I'm in, as long as I can have a drink or two with that meal." He glanced skyward, taking note of the clouds in the sky and feeling glad that, if they were a sign of coming rains, he wouldn't have to sleep out in it.

[Madame Butterfly]

Daichi followed the group. He wanted to focus on something other than his own thoughts for a while, and eating a proper meal listening to fellow riders unwind was a good way to go about it.

The wind was actually a bit irritating for him, reminding him again about what they just left behind... who they just left behind. He didn't want to do anything but stay indoors at the moment and sort of "shift gears". However, he did make note the other riders he was with did seem to enjoy it. Personality differences, maybe their minds worked differently.

"Is it always about drinking with you?" He addressed Kael, quietly. He meant it as a joke, being friendly; but it came off sounding too serious even to him. He shifted his feet uncomfortably and then started to head to the Dancing Dove.

~{fix'd and decided to end it there because the rest of what I wrote makes no sense now! I will get my mind out of Pern and into Tortall... I swear I will...}~

[LegionWolf]

Leading the other three from her group while Derek took care of the horses and fetched Lil, Briar remained quiet as they walked into the city. The hustle and bustle of the day was coming to a stop as the sun began to set and as the temperatures began to drop a bit. It certainly wouldn't get cold enough that night for frost, but it would be a bit chilly as the autumn grew deeper.

Soon arriving at the Dancing Dove, Briar smirked and waved to the barkeep whom she'd known for a while. The burly man with a thick scar across his face gave a goofy smile and waved back with the rag he'd been using to clean a tankard. Spying an empty table near the back, Briar pointed there and the barkeep nodded, indicating he'd send someone over to serve them in a moment. Looking back over her shoulder at the three men, she grinned. "This way, my lads," she said, trying to sound cheery and only partially getting there.