Who Can Judge?
Everspring, the Forest of Doon
4 Ur
"Of all the times to draw the night-shift, we had to get this one," Calledth complained, as he hurriedly filled his quiver with arrows, being careful to set aside the barbed and mildly-poisoned ones.
Lyssah chuckled. She too was preparing her weapon - a spear which was normally tipped with sharpened steel provided by either Qal'ath or the forges in the Bevérohii, depending on who was available and open to a barter exchange. Today, however, she had carefully prised this from the runed shaft and was replacing it with a pinewood 'blade' Calledth had carved, which was edged with smooth bones found within the Forest of Doon. As few creatures 'under the roof' were hunted by the Woodsmen, Nature's cycles claimed its inhabitants, and as all beings were part of the delicate balance of the Elements, they tried to honour the fallen as much as possible.
"You know, love, if you look at this, it's almost heart-shaped," Lyssah smiled.
Glancing up, Calledth frowned.
"I'd been going for two raindrops side-by-side, making the bones into leaves of a kind. But if you see a heart, that's fine too, so long as it doesn't distract you in the moment."
Lyssah, focused as she was in binding the tip on, did not need to look at her life-partner to see the expression of consternation on his face. As she was from the Foyverii - or the Green-Leaf Clan, and he the Foyruszii - the Red-Leaf Clan, their world-views were often radically different. But they had made the partnership work and usually made up for the weaknesses of the other.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have tried to poke fun at you in the dead of night or early morning," she replied, "I am grateful for this whatever it looks like. It should work wonders in only inflicting minor injuries if it comes to confrontation."
Checking his supple Maple bow was still in good working order, Calledth threw his quiver over his shoulder and folded his arms.
"'When', you mean? If the Kyadii are going through the Viàn, they know what they are doing. And, I tell you, they will not have any concerns about inflicting wounds - fatal ones if necessary. Preserving life is one thing, but if it comes down to them or us...."
"Do you think any of us can correctly judge that in the heat of battle, love?" Lyssah gently questioned, reaching her hand out to squeeze his shoulder.
Calledth sighed.
"No, I guess you're right. I just hope our humane methods here don't put more at risk that's all."
Lyssah fixed her new spear to her back and embraced him, running her fingers through his coarse black hair.
"I don't expect you to abandon everything about your clan, you know? There is more to life than fighting. And, before you retort, there is a time for fighting too. That's why we go together, alright?"
She drew back and looked into his blue-grey eyes and nodded. Calledth took a deep breath, drew in the scent of her and the wood around him, and let his shoulders relax for a second or two.
"Okay Lys, let's get moving. The others should be heading that way already."
