She feels him tense slightly as she puts her arms around him and mentally berates herself for not warning him, for not asking permission. She should have known better.
She watches, saying nothing as he greets the men, reassuring them and spurring them on. He has a way with people that much is evident but will it be enough... The men are fighting on spirit alone. They haven't slept much, eaten only a trifle in the past days as they waited for reinforcements. All things being equal, they would have been relieved, sent to the healers tents or at least to bed. But all things were not equal, Anissina knew. And if these men had to fight and die ... Then they would. Although worse, she would expect nothing less from them.
::They're coming.::
The alternate Shinou's warning startled her. It was far too late to back out now. All she could do was hang on and pray to her own Shinou that he would take care of the men who were fighting here today.
Kohi flies higher, until he can see the approaching army. They are close, but still too far away for his liking. He unwinds his chain and spins it impatiently as he turns to survey their own forces. He can't say much for the living. They look like any other army from up here. He can't tell who will live and who is likely to die. He doesn't care. More dead means more kohi, and there could never be too many kohi.
He can see that his brothers are aware of how close they are to battle. They hover in loose formation down the line, clattering with growing excitement, those that have weapons drawing them free and holding them at the ready.
He drops down closer to the living so they won't have to shout to get his attention and waits for the go ahead.
The rattle of excited Kohi is barely audible over the sound of soldiers hurrying into position. The surge in fear and excitement runs along his senses like shards of white-hot glass.
He knows, intellectually, that he should be on the move. But there are other impulses, older and far more engrained.
The Shinou holds fast. Wars come, wars go and Maous are fleeting features. It is the Shinou who listens to the common folk, who shares their joys and sorrows.
The hells he's going to let them go into battle without him. Nacht tosses his head and Aki guides him to the front of the gathering mass.
The captain looks at him, afraid that Aki will set some impossible conditions on him. The blond smiles.
Ani catches the thought and blanches. On one hand she knew that war was barbaric. She had seen it twenty years earlier but it was different now that she was literally on the front line and sitting behind what the troops considered the General of their forces. How could Gwendal or *gulp* Conrad stand to do this. She had better start reconciling herself with what was to come. The countdown had begun and the troops knew what to do. All that was left was the actual attack.
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She watches, saying nothing as he greets the men, reassuring them and spurring them on. He has a way with people that much is evident but will it be enough... The men are fighting on spirit alone. They haven't slept much, eaten only a trifle in the past days as they waited for reinforcements. All things being equal, they would have been relieved, sent to the healers tents or at least to bed. But all things were not equal, Anissina knew. And if these men had to fight and die ... Then they would. Although worse, she would expect nothing less from them.
::They're coming.::
The alternate Shinou's warning startled her. It was far too late to back out now. All she could do was hang on and pray to her own Shinou that he would take care of the men who were fighting here today.
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Kohi flies higher, until he can see the approaching army. They are close, but still too far away for his liking. He unwinds his chain and spins it impatiently as he turns to survey their own forces. He can't say much for the living. They look like any other army from up here. He can't tell who will live and who is likely to die. He doesn't care. More dead means more kohi, and there could never be too many kohi.
He can see that his brothers are aware of how close they are to battle. They hover in loose formation down the line, clattering with growing excitement, those that have weapons drawing them free and holding them at the ready.
He drops down closer to the living so they won't have to shout to get his attention and waits for the go ahead.
Reply
He knows, intellectually, that he should be on the move. But there are other impulses, older and far more engrained.
The Shinou holds fast. Wars come, wars go and Maous are fleeting features. It is the Shinou who listens to the common folk, who shares their joys and sorrows.
The hells he's going to let them go into battle without him. Nacht tosses his head and Aki guides him to the front of the gathering mass.
The captain looks at him, afraid that Aki will set some impossible conditions on him. The blond smiles.
::No mercy.::
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Ani catches the thought and blanches. On one hand she knew that war was barbaric. She had seen it twenty years earlier but it was different now that she was literally on the front line and sitting behind what the troops considered the General of their forces. How could Gwendal or *gulp* Conrad stand to do this. She had better start reconciling herself with what was to come. The countdown had begun and the troops knew what to do. All that was left was the actual attack.
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