[ P ] The Price

Colossal figure shook out, earthen debris falling to the sod as I did so. I had just finished schooling one of my soldiers on precision, a harmless spar, one yielding no winner - just learning. I nodded the younger man away, sending him to recuperate. I decided to take a small break as well. I exited the training area and left just outside of the barracks, where I soaked in the early morning sun. It was still cool from the night, the heat of summer just on the cusp of firing up, but it was still pleasant at this hour. My one working eye took a quick assessment of my surroundings before moving forward again.

I moved only a small distance out into the surrounding wood, to a little babbling creek. I took a long drink, soaking my chin as I sat in solitude. I watched the crystal clear water as it flowed by, taking note of the minuscule fishes swimming within it. It sent my memories flying into fishing trips and swimming adventures, and while the mere thought was enough to coax a grin, i stifled it where it tried to conceive. I was too focused for any of that right now. After all, I had just made lieutenant.

The price I paid for such a title at my age wasn’t too costly, but I knew it would stir some of the jacobites up. Good. I’d need them riled up and reckless so that my tactical and coldly calculating team could bring them down. My strike was true and painful, I hoped it made them bleed for weeks to come. Lost in thought and what I’d do next to gain the next ranking, my mind whirled, but I sat quietly, regarding the morning’s breeze.

For Ashira.

The morning came early for Ashira, as most mornings did since she joined the army. The military had scooped her up without hesitation, intending to use her for her body, brains, and continuous patience through the bullcrap that came from war. She was not a machine, per say, but she was not a meek and mild character that would fold. Life had been too good to her, only because she intended to go where fate needed her. Her path had already been chosen and she would not fight.

She came to one of the valuable water sources of the army, where the purity was so great, it could be used for multiple things. Many used it for clean drinking water; others for cleaning wounds and soaking themselves when the temperatures became too hot. None of these things mattered more to Ashira than the other; they were all requirements in life at some point and she knew she would use them sooner or later.

When she came to the edge of the bank to clean her stained paws, she caught a glimpse of an unfamiliar male not too far from where she stood. He appeared lost in thought and she didn't initially intend to pull him back to where he physically sat. Instead, she paid attention to getting her front paws wet, watching the gory details float around, then away from her pads as the stream continued to move along.

Solitude didn’t last long but it didn’t bother me too much as I wasn’t exactly reveling in it at the moment. The woman greeted me with silence, regarding me with only a passing glance before returning to her task before her. Blood washed away from her paws, floating down the small creek and dissipating into the water. I studied this, and her, wondering just what she might do here. What was her job? As only a new Lieutenant, my authority presided mainly over my outfit and lower ranks. I’d be careful not to swing too high, for it could ruin my chances at becoming the highest ranking. So I kept my manners, for the moment, and granted her a nod.
"Morning. I would hope that is not your blood,"
I gestured with a slow dip of the snout toward the vanishing crimson, swept away by the overwhelming power of water. Baritones were low and void of too much emotion, matching the stoic expression on my ruined visage. But the air about us lacked a sort of heaviness and stress that I much enjoyed.

Before saying anything else or mentioning my name, if she didn’t already know it, I waited for her answer. She could be busy. She could be in the middle of something. I could be busy, too, then. Either way, I let silence blanket us again until she saw fit - or until I’d break it once more.

Ashira did not need prompting by fate to realize that the male nearby was a planned encounter. Deep tones would rumble in a stoic baritone, greeting her with a simple, 'Morning. I hope that is not your blood.' Her right ear perked in the direction of his voice and she returned his greeting. "Morning. And no, fortunately, it is not." She continued to rub her front paws together, feeling the rest of the early morning's rounds ease into the current. While others would have cringed at what the job entailed, Ashira did not find anything wrong with what she was doing.

The male's eyes continued to bore into Ashira's skull and it was then that she turned her head to meet his gaze. Bright silver eyes did not waver and she did falter as she caught the finer details of the man's scars along his face. She was not one to speculate on how things happened or made up stories of others' characteristics. Whatever happened prior to their first encounter, Ashira would not ask unless he shared. "You're here early," she stated, taking note of the time of day and where they had appeared as the day had started to try and get hot.

Denying that it was her blood, I nodded. Good, then. She must be a nurse of some kind, for when she observed my face and regarded the apparent and rather blatant scarring - she didn’t flinch. Not even a flash of curiosity crossed her eyes which meant she had seen it all by now, or wouldn’t press me for the trophy stories. Unlike most, I wore my scarring with absolute pride. It was my journey, and these were hard earned. They were part of my aesthetic. But I needn’t shower her with the details.
"You’re here early,"
I nodded slightly, careful of my sore ear.
"Yes, I was up early with my squad. We begin training quite early."
A small grin spread the marred line of silver lips.
"I was recently bested by my captain. I have many improvements to make, therefore they do too."
I gestured with a large paw haphazardly at the newly ripped ear. Another trophy.

The conversation had small beginnings, but it was moving along nicely for the most part. Ashira was not like most wolves; if the chat was meant to be short-lived, she did not press for what was not meant to happen. The male raised his head and spoke in a deep rumble, confirming his activities that morning without her having to ask. 'Yes, I was up early this morning with my squad. We begin training quite early.' His face broke into a grin and she nodded in turn. "I see," she said, prompting him to continue. 'I was recently bested by my captain. I have many improvements to make, therefore they do too.'

The male showed off his ear, proving his story was true. Ashira finished cleaning her paws and she stepped towards him at a slow pace. Bright eyes assessed his ear from far off, until she was within touching distance. She did not press to get closer, out of the chance he did not like intrusions upon his personal space. From what she could see, the blood had begun to clot at the site. "Gruesome," she stated, her voice not betraying any type of negative effects to her given adjective. "Has it been cleaned since your injury was sustained?"

The woman came closer, but not with a timid step. Perhaps a more respectful one than I’ve seen a lot of wolves take, so I regarded her in kind. She asked if it had been cleaned since the tear, and I nodded slowly.
"I had gone to the infirmary after it happened. Though I haven’t given it much thought after the one visit."
Which was too true. Of course it hurt and stung still, but it was something I wore with pride - as all my scarring was worn. Like a cloak, or royal attire, I displayed each blemish as if it were adorned in gold.

And to me, they were.

"Does it look alright?"
I asked then, though I hadn’t premeditated the question. It came out suddenly, as I was still no fool. I knew infection could kill me where I sat, and that simply wouldn’t do, I had far too much to accomplish still. I shook my head lightly.
"I apologize. I didn’t mean to be so rude,"
I then took the liberty of looking at the woman now. Maybe she was out here on a break and I was throwing my newest wound at her to look at. Regardless of rank, there should always be a level of respect upheld, I thought.
"I am White Timber."
My attempt to smooth it over was a rather belated introduction.

‘I had gone to the infirmary after it happened. Though I haven’t given it much thought after the one visit.’ His explanation gave Ashira an image in her mind, playing out as his imagined self walked in to the infirmary, then out only a couple of minutes later. She was not one to question why it had seemed addressed in a short amount of time, though it could have been a question that was available to ask. Her own words had left a ping in the male’s mind, for he asked, ‘Does it look all right?’

Ashira’s silver eyes caught bits and pieces of his ear’s mutilated shape, noting colors that would, otherwise, not be there on a normal ear. She was not indignant, but she bluntly stated, “It could look better.” An ear twitched before she asked, “Does it give you any pain or discomfort at this time?”

When he introduced himself, she lowered her gaze to meet his without a pause. “I am Ashira Lanolin,” she returned, tones showing no sign of smugness or haughtiness regarding her name. “If your ear is causing you any problems, White Timber, I can fix it.”