At first, Gallus wasn't responding with anything but a grimace. Even when Ri'vashi removed his helmet he was just holding his fingers to his head and scrunching his eyes shut. He didn't talk for another few seconds while the ringing cleared up.

"Yeah, yeah, I can hear you. Don't worry about it," Gallus said to reassure Ri'vashi. His gruff tone was an attempt to mask the pain. "That would have left a nasty welt without a helmet, no doubt. It's loud, but I prefer it. Say what you like about it being a disadvantage." While he spoke, Gallus picked at his ears with his little finger, checking each one for blockages or blood. He thankfully found neither.

With a defiant smile, Gallus looked up to Ri'vashi. "How hard did I hit? Well I struck the inside of your knee joint as hard as I could." Gallus bent one knee slightly to see the small splinters left on the edges of Ri'vashi's armour. "I can't attest to you or your armour, but I've not faced anyone in battle with a proper hammer without at least giving them a harsh limp and a reason to scream when I hit there. Even those in plates." Gallus gestured to the point of impact with the haft of his mallet and looked up at Ri'vashi again. "Not meaning to brag, of course. I did pay for it there." He rubbed his ear again.

[hr]
Peiter's response stopped and grounded Tzirret. He spoke with a more level voice to reply, as his first answer was one that he wanted to make absolutely clear. "No," he said flatly, shaking his head, "at least, we didn't go so far as to mate, but..."

Tzirret lowered his head and his ears, "...we got...really close last night in her tent. This one was about to ask her if she wanted to...go further, because it seemed like it was going that way." Unfortunately, Tzirret began to get worked up again, angling his head this way and that as he went over his points. "But then this one remembered that he might make her with cub, and then he got worried about it, and then he didn't want to pressure her, and he thought it would be rude to wake people up to solve something like that, and then he was beginning to show his nervousness, and..." Tzirret stopped and his eyes went up to Peiter again, looking humiliated. "He had to just wish her goodnight and get back to his tent, really suddenly. He felt so awkward about it. This one still feels awkward."

Now that everything was clear, Tzirret ran a hand nervously over one ear and waited for Peiter to answer.