Twix Family/Dyan/Dark Mood

After several weeks of policing in the north of Melhed...

Dyan tosses himself onto his cot in the Winifael barracks, bouncing a couple of times. The bed's shrill creak makes Jake cringe, a couple cots over.

"Ouch! That thing's seen better days." he comments, pulling to loosen his police jacket's collar.

"Nnn." Dyan rolls over onto his back like a ragdoll, staring listlessly at the ceiling. "We all have, haven't we?" he mutters quietly to himself.

"Hm? What'd you say, D?" Jake is tired, his formality slipping away into his country boy slang.

"We're like this cot, you know... seen better days. We're not old, by any means, but do we really have a purpose anymore? We haven't seen a monster in weeks!" He kicks at his monsterclaw cloak lying across the end of the bed. "What good is a reminder of courage if all you're doing is looking for shifty peasants all day?"

"Well... maybe we've finally proven ourselves to the Old Gods, ever think of that?"

"Yeah, and maybe the Children gave up? Unlikely." He sighs gustily and throws an arm across his one eye. "I didn't come to the land of monsters to be the leader of a band of police, wandering about the countryside looking for shifty peasants. But it's the only place for me now. The Vanquisher vanquishes petty crime. I left a land of politics for one of adventure, to find another land of politics. Huzzah..."

Jake stands mutely two cots away, gazing at his leader with a small frown. He's in a black mood. I thought peace would be desirable, it's what we've been fighting for after all, isn't it? "Sleep on it? Today was trying, there's been no lord in Winifael for many a day now. Perhaps frustration is clouding your thoughts." he offers.

And now my second-in-command thinks me a colicky child. Wonderful. I suppose I'm being immature. "Perhaps, Jake, perhaps. Though there is truth in my statements, this is not the first time I have thought along these lines. I'll rest, it's late." He rolls over to his side, facing the wall.

Jake nods. He's a good leader, he'll find his way. He starts pulling off his tunic and readying for bed. He climbs into his own creaky cot, sliding under the scratchy warm woolen covers. He can hear the rest of the unit returning from repairing their gear and booking prisoners as he settles into his pillow, and sighs contently.

"And Jake?" a muffled voice interrupts his quiet thoughts.

"Mm?"

"Thank you for your hard work. Having a strong second makes my work that much easier."

"Anytime." he smiles into the darkness.