333 → sorry for the wait <3
The Optio was in a foul mood after hearing about the mansion attack. She’d increased patrols along the borders, taking up most of the slack herself, and that left her weary, shadows appearing under her ice blue eyes. The raven that so doggedly followed her urged her in his croaking voice to rest more, but resting was the last thing on the scarred woman’s mind. She grew upset, she put her energy into work, and that was how the cycle went and always would go.
Bathing was one of the last things on her mind, but Stark had made some pointed remarks about a particular lady who wouldn’t be impressed were Vesper to remain rank, and so she reluctantly padded down to one of the creeks forking through the Waste. It would be swollen with rainwater soon, although hopefully the floods would remain minimal. With wolf attacks already hanging over the clan’s head, water damage would be too much.
Her patchy fur was soaking, slicked to her lithe body and making her appear smaller than her lupus form already was. She didn’t bother to shake the excess water from her coat as she stepped into the meadow, glad at last to see that the bird wasn’t bothering her. They were fond of each other in their own ways, but she would not hesitate to rip feathers from his self-righteous ass should he bother her more than was intelligent.
The scent of a horse caused her nostrils to flare and her body to grow rigid, but the sight of her pygmy friend on the stallion’s back was too amusing for her to stay afraid. She approached the monstrosity of a horse with due caution, ears flattened and steps slow, and spoke from a safe distance.
Hi, Zana, Vesper greeted, realizing how little there really was to say. She could bother the other about patrols, or chat about the weather, or something else equally uninspiring, but as usual niceties failed her. She ground her teeth.
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