Chagrin

[Treble Tiderunner]

"Is he..."

“He’s alive.” Tam said brusquely, forcing herself to say the words. She hadn’t broken down when he lay near death, she wouldn’t now. “Go on.” Her actions belied her tone as she gently pushed him forwards.

“Tam?” A voice said behind her. “Wha—Tirael!” Fern dropped the bucket of snow she was carrying and rushed forward, arms wide to give the otterlad a big hug. “Are you alright? Did they hurt you? What happened to your head? Skipper’s hurt!” She tightened her arms, burying her head in his chest. The last was muttered low for only him to hear.

“I missed you.”

Tam picked the bucket up and moved to Skipp’s side, where she sat, setting the snow aside to melt.

[Elicia]

Lady Farryn Silverclaw sat with her back to a large tree, leaning against it. Elicia, never too far away from her Lady, sat a ways away, watching her friend. Eli knew that the Lady was far from asleep, however, the badger had closed her eyes, and for once, all the worry lines on her face had disappeared. Eli smiled sadly; it was rare to see her friend look like that. There was so much stress, and Ryn was too young in Eli's opinion. What with Skipp and everything else... the hare shook her head sadly as she stared out at nothing. It was sad, what had happened to Skipp. However, Eli knew better than to let tears fall-so many Long Patrol hares had fallen in like manner that she had steeled herself against sadness.

Suddenly, Eli's ears pricked up, and Farryn's eyes flashed wide open. "It is Tirael!" Ryn said softly, standing up. The small badger looked at Eli, and shook her head. "You really should get some sleep, Eli dear. You look awful." The hare only smiled sadly, and shook her head.

"There're more important things, m'Lady."

"Wait a moment." Ryn held out a paw, blocking Eli from going to greet Tirael. "Give them a minute." The hare consented, and then, a few minutes after the otter had entered the tent, Ryn let Eli go.

The hare walked slowly, and so did Ryn. When they reached the tent, Ryn looked in. "Tirael?" Her sad smile said it all-she didn't have to say that she was sorry. Eli stood by the badger's side.

"'Tis good t'see ye back, sirrah!" Elicia forced a smile and a small salute. "It's been..." She bit her lip. "...It's been a while, eh?"

[Tirael]

“He’s alive.”

Relief lifted away a good portion of the shock, and, slowly, Tirael pulled himself away from Tam and a little closer to Skipp. He was still a bit scared to go near; he was used to seeing injured creatures, but never his father, not to this extent. It was like a dream, and knowing his dreams, getting close to Skipp would just be asking for the real nightmarish portion to begin.

“Go on.”

Tirael moved forward, too distracted to resist Tam's push. Hesitantly, he felt Skipp's forehead, instinctively checking if a fever had developed. Of course, it wasn't necessary, somebeast else was taking care of him. And why? Because he'd been gone. "I should've been here," Tirael muttered. "You've done so much to help me, and the one time I could've helped you..."

“Tam?”

That voice...oh, no...

“Wha—Tirael!”

This was a mixed blessing for Tirael, who wrapped his arms around Fern as she had wrapped hers around him. Of course, he was glad to see her, he loved her...but she'd come right when he was in the lowest depths of guilt. With that timing, it was anyone's guess as to whether she was there to pull him out of it, or because fate felt like adding salt to the wound. He'd deserted her, just as he'd deserted Skipp, and he was glad she did all the talking.

“Are you alright? Did they hurt you? What happened to your head? Skipper’s hurt!”

He didn't even have time to answer the first question before she added,

“I missed you.”

There's that guilt again... "I missed you, too...so much..."
____________________________________

"Tirael?"

After a good, long hugging and self-loathing session, Tirael had begun preparing the Skipper to be safely moved from the camp when two more visitors entered the tent. He was surprised to see Eli and Ryn: he'd barely spoken with them before his enslavement, and he certainly didn't expect them to actually approach him like this. Well, it was a pleasant surprise, at least.

"'Tis good t'see ye back, sirrah! It's been...It's been a while, eh?"

The verbal tip-toeing almost made Tirael cringe. In a way, something blunt like "Good to see they didn't kill you, eh?" would have been easier to stomach than polite avoidance. Maybe then, it wouldn't sound like they were discussing something shameful. "Uhh...yes...longer than I would have liked..." Deciding a subject change would be best suited to reduce the awkwardness, he asked, "Is everybeast ready to go? From what Kutenai said, the Fort's probably on its way..."

[lorki]

There it was again. It was Tirael. Soko spun around in the dark, nearly tripped over a branch and waved out a paw, blindly. A paw caught her shoulder and turned her back, this face was clear, with how close it was to her. "Sleet?" The light colored ferret looked surprisingly displeased, Soko observed, glancing past her to the shadowed form of Kutenai. "You're brothers back! And Tirael..?!"

Sleet nodded curtly, with a clearly defined scowl. "At dawn the troops from the fort will move here, probably from a few angles, surround it. Don't pack it all up, then. Move out in both direction. get to the opposite side of the fort and take it once they have come into the forest. You need to move before they do." Her voice had an odd sort of warning edge to it, as if she wanted to add 'by the way, get out while you can.' But she appeared to have swallowed that desire and muttered, "good luck," before turning back.

Soko blinked, why hadn't this been told to someone more... well, knowledgeable? Tampa should know... but Tampa wasn't the most friendly with strangers, Ryn maybe... oh no, not with Sleet. Goodness that ferret was a downer. Soko swallowed uncomfortably, by that time Enon was rousing the sleeping masses, she turned to glance across the camp, helped now by the few fires that had been lit or stoked back to life.

She dashed out then, carefully moving about the camp with only the occasional trip in the dark. She found herself bursting into a surprisingly crowded healers tent. "Tirael!" She greeted, flinging her arms open and briefly embracing her friend, "I'm so happy you're alright," she stepped back and raised a brow while looking over his somewhat swollen face and clearly clobbered head, "well... mostly."

[tacticalotter2]

Rogg's eyes snapped open, the pads of his webbed paws were sweaty, his whole body was shaking, and he felt like the small, dark tent was going to swallow him, like a whale swallowing a small shrimp. He was so nervous after he had made the choice to stay with the rebels, he felt so uncomfortable eating their food, drinking their water and sleeping in their tent, it just made his feel sick. Especially after nearly killing their leader. The reason that they had spared him eluded the young otter, they had even given him back his weapons and armor; what strange creatures that could forgive just like that. But somehow... he still felt hated. And that made him want to cry, and he did, not in public, but in the small tent he had been alloted, thinking of all the wrong he had done in his life, tormenting himself thinking of how he could have changed lives in his past, but instead, had destroyed them.



The young otter lay there for a moment, then he threw the blanket off of himself and slid out of the front of the tent; he needed some fresh air... He slowly got up, and then felt a warm wetness on the back of his leg. Frell... He reached down and touched the bandage that was wrapped around his leg, protecting the wound. He brought his webbed paw back up and squinted in the soft moonlight. It was red with blood. The big otter sighed and wiped his paw on the front of his shirt. What an inconvenience, to have a bleeding wound, but at least it didn't really hurt, it was just a flesh wound. But still, the bloody cloth would need to be changed for a fresh one from the medical tent. He was going to walk around anyway, why not have a purpose in it.


Rogg walked along, almost enjoying the peaceful night as he took a deep breath, but then he saw the stake which he had been tied to, and he shuddered. But he tore his gaze from the awful memory, and strode into the tent, then stopped as he saw a badger, a hare, and four otter inside. Well, this was a setback... All the creatures who hated him most all in one place, and a hare too. Great. The surprised otter starred into the group for a moment, not knowing what to say, then he started to back out, apologizing as he did.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know there was a party in here, I was just trying to get a new ban-"
He took another step, and stepped on his own tail, the poor otter let out a pained squeak and started to fall backwards, his footpaw not being able to find purchase besides the muscular appendage that was his tail. Rogg fell to the ground with a thud, and sat there in a heap of misery, what could possibly happen next?

[Tirael]

"Tirael!"

Before his question was answered, Tirael was once again discovered, excitedly greeted, and hugged. Briefly wondering if he was going to have to endure that a thousand times, he chided himself for being ungrateful for the care others were apparently investing in him. Better to be liked and welcomed back than not to be cared about.

"I'm so happy you're alright," she stepped back and raised a brow while looking over his somewhat swollen face and clearly clobbered head, "well... mostly."

Tirael's expression was somewhere between an embarrassed grin and a wince, but he just nodded and replied, "I'm glad you're more alright than I am." She seemed somewhat less unhappy than the sable he'd encountered in the forest all those months back...had it really been a year?

"I'm sorry, I didn't know there was a party in here, I was just trying to get a new ban-"

Now noticing the fifth creature to squeeze into the tent, Tirael felt something he rarely did: sympathy. (Not that he's not an empathic kind of otter; he's just never viewed himself as being in a position to pity anybody else.) The injured newcomer seemed pretty horrified that he'd walked in on anybeast, something the healer understood all too well. He made his way to the tent's entrance, helped Rogg up, and said, "I can help you with that." After guiding him to a cot, Tirael turned to Tam and Fern and said, "Skipp should be ready to be moved. As soon as I'm done with this, I'll be right behind you guys." Uncomfortably turning to address everybeast (except for Rogg), he said a little more loudly, "We should get moving."

[[Indeed we should. Try to get going for the forest?]]

[Treble Tiderunner]

"I missed you, too...so much..."

Fern beamed with the relief of worry and anxiety, looking around as Badger Lady Ryn and her Lieutenant entered the tent. She released Tirael, looking around at the gathered assemblage.

"Is everybeast ready to go? From what Kutenai said, the Fort's probably on its way..."

“Oh!” Fern suddenly remembered her mission in the healer’s tent in the first place. She made a swift, abortive move towards Skipper, but checked herself when she caught Tam’s look and saw Skipp moving to sit up. “Well… I’d better get ready…” She smiled at Tir, nodded to Eli and curtsied as she slipped past Ryn.

There was a young otter outside with a bandage on his paw. Fern nearly bowled him over. Her fur grew hot and she just knew her ears were lowered with embarrassment.

“Oh, I’m sorry…’scuse me…” She skidded to a stop, moving around, out of the way. She made a break for her tent, glad that the torches and fires shone bright on the packed snow. No reason for any further clumsiness.

---

"I should've been here," Tirael muttered. "You've done so much to help me, and the one time I could've helped you..."

Skipper was resting, his body enjoying one of its few respites from the insane hallucinations or restless wakenings of the past three days. The antidote had neutralized the murderous portions of the poison, but he still felt his body weakened in his lucid moments, wracked by high fever and their consequences.

He stirred a little when Tirael spoke to him, but lapsed immediately back into sleep, subconsciously trying to avoid the chatter and exclamations about him. Finally some tiny part of him dragged the rest of him into full consciousness, he kept his eyes shut in an attempt to sleep more. There were always creatures about, coming to look at him or to help, all usually accompanied by looks of pity mixed with anger—anger at him, anger at the poor otter who had shot him, anger at themselves, anger for whatever they could drag up. He wanted to tell them he wasn’t quits yet, he didn’t want their pity, he had done what he had done and would do it again—

"Skipp should be ready to be moved. As soon as I'm done with this, I'll be right behind you guys."

“Exactly where are we moving Skipp?” He croaked, his voice rough, but he found some pleasure in the fact that he had strung the words together without pause to breath or cough. He didn’t ask if the voice belonged to his son, he’d been fooled before, it was more than likely that this conversation was all an illusion and he was still asleep.

"We should get moving."

“Where?” He asked again, coughing a little. He moved to sit up, making it only when his niece helped him. He smiled at her, irritated at his own weakness. He’d walked on his own out of the tent to talk to Rogg and Skipper, but he couldn’t now sit up by himself. Too much blasted laying about, is what he thought. He should be up, moving, helping, leading. He turned towards the voice and stared.

“Tirael?”

[Elicia]

Eli breathed a small sigh as Tir practically grimaced at her words. Sometimes it felt like she couldn't do anything right at all. The hares wouldn't listen to her, Ryn would flip, and she would be left to do everything by herself. Well, not really. Ryn rarely worried. But the Long Patrol did have an annoying habit of ignoring her, as did everyone else. She always seemed to give the wrong order, say the wrong thing, everything. Usually Elicia was not one to pity herself, but it had been hard ever since Lady Ryn had led the Patrol out from Salamandastron, and things were building up over time.

Eli winced slightly. "Sorry, sah, didn't mean it that way-" She was cut off by Tirael's second statement. The hare opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Soko's entrance. It calmed down for a moment, and Eli started to say, "We-" but, lo and behold! She was cut off once again by yet another beast entering the tent.

Elicia closed her eyes and turned away, aiming to leave the tent. "Marm, I think that I'll be jolly well goin' now, eh wot, not a lot o' -"

Elicia seriously considered punching someone.

Ryn, not at all in favor of her friend's departure, placed a hand over the hare's mouth. "You're not going anywhere." She rumbled. "You stay right here, Eli." The hare sighed, but complied with her Lady's orders.

Meanwhile, Ryn turned back to face the rest of the creatures. She waited for a moment, then said, "I hate to cut in on a reunion, but we should be moving soon, and I believe Skipp is owed an explanation, hmm?"

Eli nodded. "Quite right, old chaps-" Her eyes narrowed.

Ryn had cut her off again.

[Tirael]

Tirael watched Fern go with a mixture of relief and longing. After all that waiting, it was painful to see her go again...
________________________

“Exactly where are we moving Skipp?”

Inexplicably, the voice sent a slight shiver running up Tirael's spine; he'd been apprehensive about talking to Skipp from the moment he'd come home, and especially with the rush they were in, now was really not the time for him to be thinking about his father's shame of him. With any luck, Skipp would be too dazed or too focused on the situation to think about his son's failures.

“Tirael?”

Turning slowly, Tirael glanced at Skipp, then looked down and nodded. He could feel his cheeks burning under his fur, but the sensation was nothing compared to the cold shame crushing him inside. He fervently wished that Skipp would stop staring at him.

"I hate to cut in on a reunion, but we should be moving soon, and I believe Skipp is owed an explanation, hmm?"

"Er...right," Tirael said uncertainly. Deciding that now would be a good opportunity to get out of this awkward situation, he turned to Tam and said, "Could you explain it to him? I've got a patient to see to," indicating Rogg. It wasn't technically a lie...just a very convenient escape, and with that he glanced at Skipp once more, looked down again, and went over to Rogg. "I'll need to see your paw."

[Skipper of Sea Otters]

The Skipper and his crew walked back to the main encampment, They were armed to the teeth, Vicious fighters when they needed to be. Hungering for the blood of another beast that endangered the lives of others. "Skip..." Blade Steelclaw said, looked over to his Skipper. "Yeah, Blade..." He replied, Straight faced and thoughts focused on the task at hand. "Are we doin' tha' right thing...I mean...what about tha' sea....I wanna get back...but I don't know if we should." Blade seemed troubled. He was a river otter by birth but being at sea so, long made him long for the lifestyle again. Still he had a job to do, an obligation. "I dunno Blade...I don't know if it is or not...I hope so..."

They reached the medical tent and Blade waited outside. The Skipper was armed as he usually was. His cutlass's strapped to his back, and his dagger strapped to his belt behind his back for easy access. He didn't seemed to smell like the sea though. He had actually bath and smelled quite sweet. His fur however had some odd white lines on them. A white X across his heart, one on his stomach and a line going across it horizontally, one of his forehead and neck, along with white lines across the inner thigh across his tunic. One would definitely question this kind of markings. It seemed odd. ((someone should wonder and ask him about it))


He walked over to the other skipper and stood beside him. "What do you need of me, mate..." he said, grasping the Otter's paw, His eyes that of readiness and concern for a comrade.

[Treble Tiderunner]

Eli nodded. "Quite right, old chaps-" Her eyes narrowed.

Skipper, sitting up by himself now--mostly--coughed a little to hide his amusement at Eli's predicament. The poor hare couldn't get a word out edgewise. "Well, I'm glad... someone agrees." He noted with distaste that the hitch in his lungs was back, the one that made him wary of taking deep breaths.

Suddenly, the older otter was sure he was not hallucinating. Everything was too real... besides, the hare maiden had not featured in any of his dreams so far, and neither had the Badger Lady.

"Tirs... c'mere." Skipper asked, seeing what his son tried to hide. Shame and fear, but of what, he didn't know. (not to say he didn't mean to find out.)

"Er...right," Tirael said uncertainly. Deciding that now would be a good opportunity to get out of this awkward situation, he turned to Tam and said, "Could you explain it to him? I've got a patient to see to,"

But apparently not now. Skipper was more than a little annoyed that Tir seemed to want to avoid talking to him, but he turned his attention to his niece's brief explanation. At the end, he leapt out of bed.

"We've got to get moving!" Or at least he got out of bed. It was not quite enough to be called a leap and not quite a crawl. He stood upright though, even if wobbly and weak. Just then the other Skipper entered, painted and attired for war. Skipper's paws ached to hold a weapon, to lead his troops into battle to end their oppression. The work of his life-time and he was going to leave it in the paws of another.

"What do you need of me, mate..." he said, grasping the Otter's paw, His eyes that of readiness and concern for a comrade.

Skipper returned the firm grip, searching the SoSO's eyes briefly before speaking. "Ye are not of Mossflower, matey, this is not... your fight. But I do ask ye... if ye will lead them to victory... or freedom." The freedom of death. The warriors would die for their loved ones, to allow them a chance to escape. One final bid before winter got really fierce.

---

Tam stood clear of her uncle as he stood to face the other Skipper. He eyes came to rest on the otter's strange new markings. (Not much else to see, standing as close as he was... he was big)

"What are those for, sir?" She asked.

[tacticalotter2]

Rogg stared into a pair of lovely eyes that shown forth from the face of a young female otter. He sighed again; there were even beautiful otter ladies here, and he had to go and try and kill their Skipper. What a life...


"I can help you with that."


Just then another young otter came over and helped the injured creature up. He stood to his paws and couldn't help but smile, finally somebeast that didn't want to rip his innards out and hang them from a tree, he wouldn't let this go to waste. The disheveled mercenary walked over to a cot that Tirael led him to, and took a seat on the edge of it, kicking his paws slightly.
"Well, how'r yall doing?"
He sensed the tension in the air, looked down at his footpaws and exhaled with a slight whistling sound, waiting for Tirael to do whatever he was going to do...


"Could you explain it to him? I've got a patient to see to," indicating Rogg. It wasn't technically a lie...just a very convenient escape, and with that he glanced at Skipp once more, looked down again, and went over to Rogg. "I'll need to see your paw."


"Of course" Rogg said cordially, lifting a webbed paw for the other otter. Now this was quite strange; they seemed to be going somewhere, maybe even a fight, and Rogg Streambattle was not one to miss out on the chance to shed blood. So he inquired to no one in particular.
"Um... Where are you guys going? It sounds kind of... well fun."
He looked down at his bandaged paw and sighed once more. Hopefully he would be able to suck-it-up and actually use his paws...hopefully...
"I'm... uh... I'm fine, I could help you if you needed it, I was in the military you know"


The young otter looked up and his eyes widened as the Skipper of Sea Otters entered the tent, he was probably here to kill something... But it didn't matter, all that mattered was there was apparently going to be a small fight, and he was going to miss out on it if he wasn't ready. He shifted and made as if to leave the tent, so he could go get his gear on.
"I'll just go get ready if your all going to fight somebeast"....

[Grath]

Meanwhile, Ryn turned back to face the rest of the creatures. She waited for a moment, then said, "I hate to cut in on a reunion, but we should be moving soon, and I believe Skipp is owed an explanation, hmm?"

Eli nodded. "Quite right, old chaps-" Her eyes narrowed.

“Beggin’ your pardon marm,” a grizzled old hare ducked into the tent, saluting the badgerlady. “Need t’borrow t’lieutenant colonel!” He bowed politely to the gathering. “Troops t’ready for battle an’ all that, wot wot!”

The old hare’s dark fur was graying with age, but he stood straight and upright, with only a slight paunch that was hidden by his tunic. “’scuse me, marm, no bloomin’ time t’waste! Ready t’go, Elicia?” With a flourish Brigadier Wavebob bowed once more to the company and strode out, clearly assuming the haremaid’s accompaniment and the badger lady’s permission. Silly t’leave an officer waitin’ around a sick tent when she could be put to good use directing troops, if you asked Aidan.

---

“Skippers? Lady Ryn? Tirael, Tampa?” The owner of this voice didn’t even attempt to enter the tent, there was no way she would fit. Well, maybe if it was empty. Of everything. It really was quite a small tent, surprising how so many had managed to fit in it. “We haven’t the time for chitchat.” She nodded respectfully to the Skipper[oSO]’s first mate, standing outside the tent as she was. How she wished she had her own crew here, but she daren’t take them and their subsidiaries off patrolling the North and protecting Fort Bane. There was even a new town, Verminsbane, they called it.

The white badger’s head and upper torso was painted in intricate designs, the black warpaint telling of her exploits and of her family. Her ruby-red eyes already shone with battle light as she adjusted her gauntlets and picked up her pike. The mace was already strapped to her belt, she checked it as the beasts within the tent began to file out.

[Elicia]

Elicia flushed furiously as Wavebob interrupted. She was furious at the other hare for catching her in such an embarrassing position, and half thought about staying where she was and refusing to follow him. However, a stern glance from the Lady Silverclaw, and Eli was out the tent door faster than she could blink.

"'Scuse me, sah." She said in her best mocking voice. "Forgot to tend to the jolly troops, wot!" The haremaid sent a poisoned glare at Aidan. "Not meaning t'be out o' line...-" She did, actually, mean to be out of line, and Aidan probably knew it. "-Wot were ye thinking, sirrah? The Lady Silverclaw'll have my hide! She's sharper than the edge of my bally blade, Cap'n, an' she only gets sharper closer t'the battle!" Eli simmered with resentment but kept her eyes front as she marched quickly, keeping up with Aidan.

Back in the tent, the Lady Silverclaw, whom the haremaid was discussing, watched as her two faithful friends walked out together. Vaguely, she could hear Elicia's raised voice. The Badger Lady smiled. That was Eli for sure. However, she was brought back to earth by the other badger's words. "Quite right." With a curt nod, Ryn pushed through the exit of the healer's tent- allowing much more space for the other beasts still inside. As small as Ryn was, she was still a badger, and badgers were big.

Stopping for a moment, Ryn looked at the white badger who was standing next to the exit. "My friend," She said quietly, seeing the battle lust in Carwyn's eyes. "Not yet." The small badger inspected her fearsome silver claws, showing them to Carwyn. "They've not broken on me yet." By this time, Ryn had removed herself so she could still talk to Carwyn in a low voice, but also wasn't blocking the entrance. She touched her broadsword.

"But I have backup." Ryn looked meaningfully at Carwyn, lowering her voice slightly. "All beasts of the Bloodwrath do." With that, she turned away walked away, meandering slowly towards a larger, more open area where the many beasts who were packed inside the healer's tent could move. She sent a glance towards Elicia and Aidan-Elicia seemed to be going on about something or other. Still, Ryn could not help but smile. Those two together were more than enough for anybeast, let alone the Long Patrol. If Elicia didn't shout them into order, Aidan would force them. Or vice versa. Ryn didn't feel like devoting much attentions to the particular methods the two hares used to get the Long Patrol up and running, even if they did quarrel.

[Tirael]

"Tirs... c'mere."

Tirael felt a stab of anguish when Skipp used his nickname. It was killing him not to turn around, not to speak to his father after having been gone so long, but he also knew it would be impossible to do otherwise. What was there to be said, after what had happened, after Tirael's enormous failure? He couldn't bear to see it, the look of disappointment and shame he was sure the Skipper wore. Nor could he blame him; he was a chieftain, the leader of a large, powerful holt. How could he feel anything but revulsion for a son who couldn't even keep himself out of the hands of the enemy?

Except maybe anger...

"Well, how'r yall doing?"

Applying all his willpower to focusing on Rogg, he said honestly, "I've been better. And apparently, so have you--what did you do to your paw?"

"Of course."

Glad that he finally had full distraction, Tirael began going through the process of cleaning and bandaging he knew so well by now. Of course, he had to do it much more quickly than usual; the little roll of bandaging was practically flying around Rogg's paw.

"Um... Where are you guys going? It sounds kind of... well fun."

Tirael just gave Rogg a bemused glance, then resumed the last stages of bandaging. "We're evacuating, Lorna's got her horde on the move. Whether or not that's 'fun' is up to you, I guess," and with that, he finished tying off a thin, neat dressing around Rogg's paw.

"I'll just go get ready if your all going to fight somebeast"...

Nodding distractedly, Tirael glanced around the tent before realizing he had very little idea what to do now. He supposed he should stay with Skipp; after all, until there were casualties from the battle, his father was probably the sickest creature in the Camp. The realization of that fact caused his stomach to grow rather icy, but he also knew, deep down, that it would be better to clear the air now, rather than wait for the battle to be over.

At least, with arrows flying and warriors falling left and right, there would be a bit of a distraction from the emotional confessions.

Still averting his father's gaze, Tirael fell into step behind him and Tam as they left the small tent. At least for now, he was sticking with his family. As Tam had said, "You're staying with me."