Gallus' smile faded as he listened, but he did not seem angry or sad, just curious. "He wants to join the fight, does he?" Gallus said with a measure of surprise. He looked ahead, widened his eyes, and blew a slightly bewildered sound out of his lips, "Didn't expect that. I guess I've just been so busy." Gallus shook his head and turned back to Peiter and Sabine, "He could just be confused. I sent him to join the march as a message runner for one of the front-line officers. The clan leader said she had spots open for swift runners with a small profile. I certainly wouldn't throw him into the fighting. No, not with his nerves." Gallus furrowed his brow, "And this friend of his, is it one of his new friends? About his age? I wouldn't expect them to be in the assault either. They're both too young and we need only our best for this."

Again, Sabine blinked a couple of times. She had found it hard to believe that Tzirret had been assigned to the assault force beforehand but had they been lied to? Was he just confused about his orders like Gallus suggested?

"With the way Tzirret spoke about his orders, he made it sound like he was to join the fighting," Sabine explained, "Could he have reassigned himself?"

Gallus poked out his lower lip and shook his head, "Not without going through me, unless it was an order from Ri'vashi or Meesei, but I would have no idea why they would place him in the fight."

---

Meanwhile, the afternoon for Tzirret had been somewhat stressful. Training that morning had been frustrating, Ma'tanza and the rest of his friends were busy, and he had little to distract his thoughts. He had tried just walking around the clanhome for a while, but he was too conflicted to escape anything in his mind by simply walking. With virtually no one else to seek advice from, he actually sought out La'khay for the first time in a while. It was not to lay with her or even any particular reason he could put to words at all. He just felt like he needed company.

Of course, finding her was another matter entirely. He had a few suspicions about where to find her but he hadn't exactly spoken to her about her schedule beforehand.

"I believe he was talking about us, and some of his new friends." Peiter explained. "The girl he has been with, Ma'tanza, I don't think she's going to be in the fight, but we are going to be in it, along with Bheja and S'nishi. But, both of them are older than him. S'nishi is a Senche-raht, and an actual warrior, so she is going to be on the frontlines. Bheja is younger, and is apparently going to be near the back of our lines, but in an attack like this...I don't think anyone is going to be spared from the fighting."

Peiter was speaking more confidently now, since he was now aware that Gallus had not actually intended for Tzirret to join the fighting. It seemed like it was a misunderstanding of some kind. That, or Tzirret did not intend to follow his orders to the letter. "I...think Tzirret might not have understood you properly. Certainly, I don't think he found a way to reassign himself in any official capacity. Being a message runner...it would still be dangerous of course, but not like actually being a warrior. He's small, and can be fast, so I guess it really does make sense as a role for him. It seems like he just needs some clarification on what he is supposed to do. Unless...well, what if he ends up trying to join the fight anyway? What if he sees one of us in a fight and brings it upon himself to try and help? He might not be able to keep his composure in the chaos of the battle. Do you think he might do something like that?"

---

In the main chamber, among the garden, La'khay had been admiring the beauty of the area, as she tended to do for exceptional sights along any journey. After such a long period walking through a bland, seemingly endless wasteland, it was almost expected that she would want to spend time in a place that was much more like her home. Naturally, since she had been spending so much time in the garden, she of course finally met the gardener. She and La'tahne had just finished their introductions when Tzirret found his way into the main chamber. Being that she was engaged in their conversation, however, La'khay did not notice him at first.

Gallus leaned forward and rested his palm on his chin, thinking. "Well, he's changed a lot lately," he mumbled, "Although, back in the minotaur cave, he was still paralysed until I ordered him..." Gallus' volume of voice lowered until it appeared as if he had trailed off. Right before it might have been appropriate to ask again, Gallus raised his head and took another breath in. His tongue clicked from the roof of his mouth as he opened his lips. "I would hazard that he would, in the worst case. Effectively? I can't say. Although, if it is made clear to him that he is not to join the fighting, even if his friends are in trouble, he may reconsider. Right now he probably thinks that he has to protect his friends, seeing as he is now more capable of it."

Gallus waved a hand and refocussed on the pair, "Of course, it's all speculation. Have you talked to him about this? Does he know that you're concerned? If you have, it would help for me to know what his response was."

---

Tzirret kept his head held high as he peered around the garden of the main chamber. It was something of a wild guess to try to find La'khay here, but he figured that he would check the most common places before trying to find one of her packmates and asking her whereabouts. His ears perked up when he spotted her and he immediately began walking towards her.

The figure that La'khay was talking to was not someone that Tzirret recognised. It only dawned on him that he might be interrupting something when he had walked halfway to La'khay. With that apprehension, his ears slanted and he slowed down. However, he did not feel the need to stop or run away. The extra time to walk gave him more anxieties about what exactly he would talk about with La'khay. Would it be strange if he simply spewed out all of his troubles in an incoherent babble?

By the time he crept up to the two Khajiit women, Tzirret had one hand wringing the fingers of the other and was cringing with all the conflicted emotion he had before setting out for his walk. "Um, good day, La'khay," Tzirret said, looking to her and glancing to the other woman, "Is...this one interrupting?"

Peiter nodded. "We talked to him, and after he said you had instructed him to join the fight, I offered to help him convince you to keep him out of it. I never would have expected that he would want to join the battle willingly, let alone actually against your orders. I tried to explain to him the danger, and why he should reconsider, but he got pretty upset. If the worst came to pass and he was forced to fight for whatever reason, I don't think his state of mind would let him keep his composure. I definitely think he needs to be talked to."

Although he did not have as much fear about Tzirret being a messenger, the fact that he might still make a bad decision during the fight still worried him. It would perhaps be a good idea for he and Sabine to speak to Ma'tanza about the issue. If there was one person who might have even more sway than Gallus over his opinions, it was her.

---

"Oh, so you're the gardener here?" La'khay said to La'tahne as Tzirret was approaching. "It is beautiful, simply beautiful. It is like the model of what an oasis should be. La'khay thinks the desert is majestic in its own way, but there is little that is more vibrant than nature."

La'tahne smiled widely. "Thank you. It is rare that this one gets to hear new opinions about her work. New recruits are never in a mood to appreciate her work. La'tahne loves using plants as a canvas to create something beautiful. Though, she does admit that she finds the body to be an even more interesting medium."

La'khay started to grin as she leaned forward towards La'tahne. "Really? This one thinks we might have something in common. La'khay...oh, good afternoon Tzirret." She said, interrupting herself once Tzirret spoke up. "No, we are just talking. Have you been well? This one heard you were able to earn the affection of a beautiful girl."

"Mhm, I think I've left it too long as it is," Gallus murmured. He stood up from his bed and began to dress himself, speaking up to Sabine and Peiter. "Do you know if this change has anything to do with his lady-friend?"

Sabine answered after a pause. "Ma'tanza does not seem like someone who would want to put people in danger. We were actually going to try and talk to her and see if she could get through to Tzirret."

Gallus made an approving hum as he knelt down to buckle up his boots, "That's a good idea. Just let her know you're concerned, don't accuse her of anything. If she's going to help, she need only be aware of the situation." Gallus bent his head up from looking at his feet, "How about I go looking for Tzirret and have a talk to him in the meantime?"

What Gallus didn't say was that he knew that he couldn't guarantee getting Tzirret to stay out of the fight. He had a few suspicions revolving around his mind about Tzirret's motives, and he had a feeling that he would try to sneak along even if he was told to stay behind. Gallus would have to tread carefully.

"Was there anything else?" Gallus asked, standing up again. He looked to Peiter in particular, "How about you, Peiter? I have been quite busy lately. I've not had much time for you and Tzirret. How are things faring for you?"

---

Tzirret's ear twitched as La'khay spoke. He was heartened that he had something to talk about rather than just walking up with a mire of incoherent thoughts. "Tzirret is well, yes," he began quietly. He rubbed his upper arm with one hand and smiled upon bringing Ma'tanza back to his mind, "Yes, Ma'tanza. She is...great." Tzirret's eyes went to the floor and back to La'khay as he ended up deciding not to gush on about his feelings for Ma'tanza, "We met by the river before sailing from Senchal but we sort of...bonded slowly. This one thinks he may have overstepped a few times, but things are..." Tzirret broke eye contact and pulled a wide, almost giddy smile, "...better than great now."

As easy as it was to talk about Ma'tanza for days on end, Tzirret caught himself and brought his ears back a bit. He did not want to be rude by focussing on himself right away, especially in front of a stranger. "How has La'khay been? We have not spoken in a while." Tzirret did not spare the gardener, "And, did this one hear that you are the gardener. This chamber is very nice."

"Oh, well, everything has been fine for me." Peiter answered. He was caught off-guard briefly by the conversation being directed towards himself, but he now found himself in a much better mood now that he knew for certain that Gallus agreed with him. "I just finished training for the day not long ago. I've been sparring with some of the Orcrest clan's warriors. They're...tough. You can tell they've been preparing for war. I think the clan leader herself may be involving herself in their training; some of their techniques seemed a bit familiar. Really, this whole place just has that...military feel. Part of it is the style of the stonework I think, but everything is organized, apart from the places the Senchal clan has crowded into. And there seem to be more fighters compared to the Senchal clan, even accounting for their numbers."

Now with a bit of curiosity, Peiter turned his head to Sabine. "Have you noticed anything like that with the mages, or alchemists?"

---

La'tahne was quick to smile at Tzirret's praise. "Thank you. This one puts a lot of work into making this place look just right. Even with all the troubles people have to worry about, La'tahne thinks people like to have a peaceful place to relax. Working here is more enjoyable than the time she has to spend helping grow food. All that matters there is efficiency."

"You do seem to have an eye for beauty." La'khay commented before looking back to Tzirret. "Anyway, it is good to hear you are happy with her. La'khay was hoping her advice would help you. This one did not expect that everything you did would be perfect; no one ever is. But, she knew you would try hard enough to be successful. Ma'tanza is kind, and lively girl with a warm heart and voluptuous figure. Is she enjoyable to talk to? How skilled is she in bed?" La'khay asked. Predictably, her line of questioning did not take long to move to the physical aspects of a relationship, of which La'tahne quickly took notice.

Sabine took a short moment to think about her answer. She didn't immediately indicate a yes or a no. "I have not really got to know them very well yet. I normally practice magic on my own or with Meesei but there does seem to be more battlemages than scholars. It is different to Bruma. As for the alchemists, they are not unusual, but they are making a lot of supplies for the march." Sabine shrugged, "I thought there were just more fighters because the Senchal clan lost most of theirs."

"This is indeed a clan preparing to fight," Gallus added. "Although, I have spoken with Ri'vashi a number of times, and from what I can gather, she was raised with a more militant philosophy of leadership. It has influenced this clan much."

After another half a minute, Gallus had finished fastening his clothing and seemed ready to move out. He still looked tired, likely from oversleeping. "Er...what time is it, by the way?" he asked.

---

While Tzirret nodded gratefully at La'khay's mention of her advice, the word 'voluptuous' caused his mouth to tighten awkwardly and his ears to burn. It went downhill from there, leaving Tzirret paralysed with his hand clasping his upper-arm. He has almost forgotten how La'khay's mind worked.

"M-mwell," Tzirret's eyes darted to one side. He peered up at La'tahne nervously, telegraphing his discomfort, and then looked to La'khay. He spoke in a stilted tone, "Tzirret does not think he should talk about such things in public."

If La'khay wanted to know more about Tzirret and Ma'tanza's relationship, they could do so later. In an attempt to change the subject, Tzirret ran one hand over his head and changed his tone to try to be more upbeat, "So, what had been occupying your time, La'khay?"

A punishing twinge ran up Tzirret's neck as he remembered what La'khay's regular pastimes were, but hopefully she wouldn't be too graphic this time.

While he did not envy anyone who had to live in a "militarized" clan, Peiter supposed that he was glad they had the extra warriors available. Thinking about it, he reasoned that more clans across Tamriel might be forced to adopt such a philosophy, even if it would not be popular.

Peiter brought a hand up to his chin, pausing to think for a moment. "Well, I haven't been looking at the sun today, but I think it was noon a few hours ago. It's still daylight, at least. Um...have you been sleeping all day? That's, uh, not like you, honestly. Did something keep you up...oh, nevermind." He said quickly. Knowledge of Meesei and Gallus' plan with the prisoner had only been shared among the bare minimum number of people, so Peiter was unaware that Gallus had been away the previous night at all. Even for Peiter, Gallus' reputation was one of the first thoughts to come to mind for what might keep him up through the night, so he assumed that Gallus' exhaustion came from less "professional" acts.

---

La'khay chuckled. "Well, you haven't changed that much, this one sees. La'khay has been learning about this clan, meeting its people, and trying to find ways to be helpful. This one does not know how much she can offer beyond her company, though. All of the important jobs that La'khay knows how to do are overflowing with volunteers from this one's clan. And everyone seems so...serious. Like soldiers. La'khay has even tried offering to decorate people's rooms, or make a painting for them, without anything in return, but no one seems to want to take the time."

"Yes, La'tahne knows what you mean." She interjected. "There has been so much of a focus on efficiency here in the last few years. For preparation, and survival. Well, there are still people who would accept those offers, but less than La'tahne would like. This one is just glad she still has her garden. But, it is certainly nice to meet a beautiful person who appreciates beautiful things."

While Peiter may have had preconceptions about Gallus' night, Gallus himself seemed confused by his reaction. Gallus lowered his brow and spoke, "Huh, I didn't know that you were informed of my mission." Gallus dismissed it with a wave of his arm, "Well, there's no harm in knowing now, I suppose. Yes, I was out of the stronghold for most of last night. Meesei recommended that I get a good rest but..." Gallus loudly stretched, "...time's wasting. I need to get something to eat."

"Um," Sabine leaned slightly to one side, "When are you going to talk to Tzirret?"

"Soon enough, soon enough," Gallus reassured. "And Peiter? Thank you for letting me know about all this."

---

Tzirret took a breath to speak, but stopped suddenly as he processed La'tahne's words. Regardless of what the gardener meant by it, Tzirret moved on with nothing more than and errant glance.

"Uh, yes, everyone is getting ready to march out." Tzirret seemed to deflate very slightly, "This one is going as well. He...wants to help but everyone thinks he should stay." Tzirret sighed and looked down, "This one has got braver lately, but everyone still thinks that he is too cowardly to help his friends."

Peiter raised his brow briefly upon the mention of a mission, but did not correct Gallus. He supposed a mission was also a reasonable explanation for why Gallus would be so exhausted, though he had little idea what kind of mission he could have been on for a single day, in the middle of the desert. But, he supposed he did not need to know.

"Any time." Peiter answered to Gallus as they all stepped out of the room. He guessed Gallus would be heading to the dining chamber, so he and Sabine were free to find Ma'tanza, or just go about their day. Reaching over to her, Peiter grabbed Sabine's hand and actually started to smile. "I think that went as well as it could have. I didn't think about Tzirret being a messenger. It wouldn't exactly be safe, but he would be safer than almost anyone else in a battle."

---

La'khay appeared to have some honest confusion at Tzirret's comments. Her eyes narrowed, her ears perked up attentively, and she gave him a questioning look. "Really? That does not seem right. Which friends are you talking about? Sabine, Ma'tanza, or someone La'khay has not met? That doesn't sound like something they would say. This one has heard others say you have been getting braver, and she has seen it herself. What do you want to do to help them? This one can think of plenty of things you might do to help the warriors."

Sabine returned the smile. "Yes. I had a feeling that Gallus would not sent Tzirret into combat without a good reason." She nudged Peiter with her elbow, "You did not need to be so worried after all. Though, it is still a worry that Tzirret could join the fighting anyway." Sabine looked ahead and her smile faded, "We should find Ma'tanza."

---

"It is Sabine and Peiter. They..." Tzirret looked away and lifted one side of his upper lip for a moment, "They do not think Tzirret is experienced enough to join the fight."

Tzirret's tone of voice lost enthusiasm. "I might still be a bit scared but I want to prove that I'm not afraid of everything anymore. It is not fair."

Peiter nodded in agreement. "I've never known Tzirret to disobey a direct order from Gallus, or anyone, really. But, he's been doing a lot of things that I've never known him for recently. Not to mention, he might end up panicking if he sees someone he knows in danger. Honestly, it still might be best to keep him away from the fight, even as a messenger, if we can't be sure that he will listen. If getting Ma'tanza to talk to him doesn't work, that is."

The pair started to walk along, but Peiter was quickly at a loss for where to actually go. "I, uh, don't really know where to begin to look for her, though. I haven't seen her in my daily routine since we got here, except for once or twice at breakfast or dinner. She's not a warrior, so I suppose she has different responsibilities. I think I'll let you lead the way, being that you two know each other a bit better."

---

La'khay's confusion subsided, and instead was replaced by concern. His clarification was much more believable than the idea that his friends would call him a coward. Though, she could not admit to knowing what kind of advice she should give him. "Well...no one can say you are a coward. La'khay would be terrified to be anywhere close to that battlefield during this attack. Hundreds of people on both sides, arrows and spells flying everywhere. It would be easy to get killed by pure bad luck. Even La'khay's bravest of friends, Do'ajee, is nervous about it. La'khay...she loves everything about warriors, except the wars they fight. Our soldiers are brave in mind, noble in purpose, and beautiful in their physical forms. Seeing them all together with their shining metal weapons and imposing sets of armor is almost majestic. But, when they go to actually fight, they tear each other to pieces. Beautiful faces are ruined by scars, strong and healthy bodies are mangled by crippling injuries. It is such a waste. This one can see why you would want to protect your friends from that, but then again, they probably feel the same way. This one...does not know what to tell you."

Sabine looked around as if she might find Ma'tanza in the immediate area. "Hmm...I do not know what her duties are. But she does practice magic." Sabine turned to Peiter, "We might find her practicing with the other mages. If she is not there, we could ask anyone there for her or her mentor."

Without any other leads coming to mind immediately, Sabine began walking in the direction of the training rooms. They had targets set up for practicing combat magic, but there was no guarantee that Ma'tanza would be doing that.

Along the way, Sabine made another suggestion. "We might try finding her friends and relatives in the common areas if she is not there."

---

If he were honest, Tzirret did not know what to expect from La'khay's response. What she said made sense, but there wasn't much advice in it. Her descriptions even evoked a bit of what he feared the battle would be like. Regardless, Tzirret still appreciated the understanding.

"It is okay," Tzirret replied, "I'll show them that Tzirret can do it. Then they might not treat him like a child anymore." A curiosity spread across Tzirret's face that lifted his cloudy look momentarily. "Did La'khay ever have to prove that she could do something that others doubted her on?" he asked.

Peiter let Sabine take the lead in searching for Ma'tanza, looking in the closest spots first. She was not in the common areas, nor in the training room. Neither of them were completely sure on exactly where Ma'tanza's room was, so it would take a while to locate her if she was there, but luckily, they eventually managed to find her in one of the more research-oriented rooms that the clan's mages tended to use. It appeared as if she was doing something alchemical, though Peiter could not tell at a glance what exactly she was doing.

Ma'tanza was focused on her work, and facing away from the entrance, so she did not notice the pair enter. Peiter gave a brief nod to Sabine to let her be the one to say something first, as she was more familiar with Ma'tanza, and would be able to recognize if whatever Ma'tanza was mixing was something that could be interrupted.

---

"That is...a bit of a specific question." La'khay commented with a slight amount of uncertainty. "La'khay is not a competitive person, and she has never really felt the need to prove herself to others. She had some competitions with some other girls in the brothel, but she was never upset with herself if she lost. People have said a lot of bad things about this one, but she lives her life as she wants. There is always someone who will judge you poorly no matter what you do, so you shouldn't worry about upsetting people. La'khay might compete with someone for fun, but never just to prove herself. What reason do you think it is that you want to fight? Is it more for your friends, or just for your pride?"

La'tahne remained silent as Tzirret and La'khay spoke, but she was obviously taking more of an interest in La'khay the longer the conversation went on. Her gaze was curious, and Tzirret might notice her staring at La'khay.

It was a relief that they found Ma'tanza as soon as they did. Sabine exchanged a glance with Peiter at the door and took the hint to proceed for herself.

Sabine stepped up quietly behind Ma'tanza and looked over her shoulder to see what was being made. It could have been one of many things, Sabine was sure, but she could not pin it down unless she observed the process more closely. More importantly, Sabine observed nothing volatile or particularly delicate at this stage, so she felt comfortable enough to make herself apparent.

In an effort not to startle Ma'tanza, Sabine slowly stepped around into her peripheral vision and leaned a smile around to catch her eye. Sabine spoke with an appropriate hush, given the lack of noise in the room, "Hello Ma'tanza. What are you making?"

---

"Well..." Tzirret had to think about that question. His thoughts were interrupted by seeing the way the gardener was looking at La'khay, but he tried his best not to look awkward. As usual, he was not good at hiding his feelings. "Tzirret just doesn't want to be treated like a coward," he said, "maybe that is pride, but how else is he going to make that happen? And what if his friends do need help?"

A niggling feeling was starting to influence Tzirret, telling him to take his leave. The signals that La'tahne was sending were implying a matter of greater importance to discuss than Tzirret's feelings.

Ma'tanza's ears perked up once she heard Sabine's voice. She was surprised briefly at the interruption, but smiled as she looked at Sabine, and Peiter behind her. "Oh, hello. This one is making healing and magic resistance potions. The warriors are going to need the protection for the attack, and Ma'tanza will need the healing potions to help treat the wounded. Hopefully, she will not need to use many of them. Are you going to make something as well? This one does like to watch you work; she always learns something."

Peiter did not speak up yet, other than to return Ma'tanza's greeting. Like with Gallus, he did not yet know how Ma'tanza felt about Tzirret joining the fight, or if she even knew. It could be that she fully supported him, in which case they might have a difficult time persuading her.

---

La'khay gave Tzirret a skeptical gaze. "That does sound an awful lot like you're doing it for pride. La'khay doesn't necessarily think there is anything wrong with trying to build up your pride, this one just wouldn't do anything dangerous for it. Anyway, La'khay won't tell you not to, but...why do you think your friends are wanting you out of the fight? You're obviously upset with them for it, but what do you think their motivation is? Do you think they want to do something good, or do you think they don't respect you?"

La'tahne finally broke her silence after reaching out and pacing a hand sympathetically on his shoulder. "It is hard to believe anyone wouldn't respect someone like you. You seem to be a kind and handsome man. This one would just love to work on your face."

The work in front of Ma'tanza locked into sense in Sabine's mind. The way she was making the potions was slightly different to how Sabine did it but she could tell that it would still be effective.

Sabine stepped up to the bench. "I can help you make potions if you like," she said as she reached for some of the ingredients. She had made so many healing potions by now that she was convinced she could make them in her sleep. Talking with Ma'tanza while they worked would be no extra challenge.

"Ma'tanza, um." Sabine's smile lowered as she looked at her work, "Has Tzirret told you that he is joining the march?" Sabine's eyes flicked up to Ma'tanza and back down to the alchemy just as quickly. "What did he tell you about his role?"

---

Tzirret looked down, flattened his ears, and balled his fists. "They want to coddle Tzirret," he hissed with quiet restraint, "They do not think he is capable. But he is! He can-"

There was an involuntary flinch from Tzirret's shoulder as La'tahne laid her hand upon it. He looked up to La'tahne with a small measure of surprise. Her words turned Tzirret's expression into a mix of confusion and unease. "His...face?" Tzirret asked slowly. It seemed a sudden and unusual shift of the subject. "W-what does La'tahne mean?"

Ma'tanza made room for Sabine at her table, glad for the help. Sabine was easily more knowledgeable than herself in matters of alchemy, so she started paying close attention to Sabine's mixtures as she continued her own work. Though, it was not long before Sabine moved on to the true reason they had sought her out. Ma'tanza's ears lowered noticeably with the mention of Tzirret, and the attack. "This one knows he is coming; he told Ma'tanza earlier. We talked about the attack, and what Ma'tanza should do. This one's sister is going to be on the front lines, which is terrifying to Ma'tanza. She was thinking about joining her to help protect her, but Tzirret convinced this one it would be better to stay back and help the wounded. This one should not be in such a battle. She only wishes Tzirret could do the same. He told Ma'tanza that his alpha ordered him on the march, but she hopes Tzirret can convince him to let him stay back, perhaps with Ma'tanza? This one did take some time to teach him about anatomy." She explained.

---

La'tahne continued to smile. "Oh, this one is a face sculptor. She can change a person's face to look like anything within reason. Almost like carving a sculpture. She can make an ugly man handsome, and a handsome man flawless. It is an art, and your face would be a good canvas. So young, free of scars and the years of stress found on anyone older. It would be enjoyable. But, that was just an observation; this matter with the attack is much more serious."

La'khay's gaze, for a few moments, was fixated on La'tahne in much the same way as she had been looking at her. But, she remained focused on the conversation. "Yes, aside from your handsome face, it does not sound like your friends to treat you badly. But, this one supposes she wasn't there. Are they angry with you too, or did they just upset you?"

Sabine actually paused and looked to Ma'tanza with some surprise, "Anatomy? Did he want to try being a healer?" Sabine resumed grinding up seeds and angled her head, "I think that would suit him better than being a fighter."

As interesting as that revelation was, Sabine did not want to stray too far from the main topic. She took another breath slowly and tried to bring the conversation back. "We have been worried about him too," Sabine said, "We tried to persuade him to stay back, but he got upset. He seemed determined to protect us, Bheja, and S'nishi. Although, when we talked to Gallus about it, we think he might have become confused." Sabine looked up, "Gallus said that Tzirret was to be a message runner. He would be with the soldiers but he was never meant to be joining the fight."

Sabine shifted uncomfortably. "Ma'tanza...we think he might be trying to prove himself. Would you...try convincing him to stay out of the fight again? He is braver than before but he is not very experienced. We do not want to see him getting hurt."

---

If Tzirret were looking for someone like La'tahne to sculpt his face, he might have had a more positive reaction. However, the notion of someone cutting up his face to make him look like someone else made his cheeks tingle as if he had accidentally pressed his hand on a nail. It was frankly terrifying.

Tzirret's face remained still except for his widening eyes. He was glad that he didn't have to answer La'tahne as he turned his eyes to La'khay. He didn't really want to talk about his face right now. La'khay's question, however, did force him to lower his eyes and sigh. "No," he responded with a low voice, "They were not angry. They were just worried, Tzirret thinks." Tzirret breathed in and looked up to La'khay, "How should this one-"

"-There you are, cloudy cat!" Gallus' voice sounded from behind Tzirret. He approached with a grin and his palms turned towards the group. "I've been looking all over for you."

Tzirret turned his head curiously, but did not shift his body. Perhaps it was La'tahne's touch keeping him still. "Oh, hello Gallus," Tzirret said, still sounding unenthusiastic.

Gallus' grin did not fade as he regarded La'khay and La'tahne. "Ah, I see you two have finally met. La'tahne, La'khay," he nodded to them both in turn. "I had a feeling you would find one another in due time. How are you both?"

"You...know the gardener?" Tzirret asked curiously.

Gallus clapped a hand against Tzirret's back. "Yes," he gave La'tahne a sideways glance, "She assisted Meesei, Ri'vashi, and me with a matter of great importance. Thank you again, La'tahne. Our efforts were successful in the end, thanks in no small part to you."

Through Sabine’s explanation, Ma’tanza quickly started to show surprise, moreso than Peiter had been expecting. She had known that Tzirret was joining in the battle, but once she learned that he was doing so willingly, she immediately stopped her work on her potion and looked at Sabine with widened eyes.

For a few moments, Ma’tanza was silent in her confusion until she spoke up hesitantly. “Wait…do you mean he doesn’t have to join in the fight? And he actually refused to stay back in safety when you tried to talk to him? So he can try to protect his friends?”

Again, there was a pause, and Peiter again noticed something he was not expecting. He had anticipated that she might be worried about him, but she started to narrow her eyes and bare her teeth. She tightened her grip on the edge of the table, raking her claws across its surface. “Ma’tanza very much wants to talk to Tzirret. Can you help her find him?” She asked with unmistakable emotion. It was possible that she was concerned about Tzirret, but what was showing through her demeanor at the moment was the fact that she was angry.

---

La'tahne nodded graciously. "It was no trouble, Gallus. La'tahne will serve in whatever way she can; she just wishes she could ply her trade under less unsavory circumstances. People tend to be afraid of going under this one's knife. Ah, but anyway, why is it that you think this one and La'khay were so destined to meet? There are many people in this clan now."

La'khay started to laugh. "This one thinks you know the answer to that, La'tahne. Though we just met, La'khay can already see you are a woman after her own heart. Though, this one does wonder if Gallus had his own, more...selfish reasons for wanting us to meet one another? Perhaps he wants to stay around with us after he speaks to Tzirret?"