KING OF BEASTS (Hiatus)

Ares had awoken with his entire body feeling loose. He cracked his neck from side to side and limbered up, going for a morning run before he lifted a little. A few of the soldiers had come to join him on his way. He chatted a little with them as they rested between sets, letting them approach him as they pleased before he finally made his way to the representatives.

He chat with them about those that needed medical attention and anything else that was on their mind, and trying to deal with each problem diplomatically, he eventually had to cut the meeting short.

“Lana and Heria will deal with whatever problems come. I hope that they won’t just do whatever pleases them, but what works for the best of the tribe.” Ares raised his brows towards the women before he left to go and meet with the stone smiths, who had each brought with them a few of the experts from each craftsmen, save for the tailors.

Team Three were assembled. They were each equipped with a weapon, some armour, and a few other items. They brought along with them their own oxen to carry a few things, whereas the crafters had their own cart. He greeted Anksha, a female oxen that was the Captain of Team Three.

“We’re almost ready to set off. I’ll go have a quick bath and we’ll wait for the hunters here.”

“The hunters said that they would meet us at the edge of town, they needed to hunt in the morning for lunch and were in the process of still working on butchering. They said they’d be done once we reached them, probably.”

Ares nodded. He felt as though he had forgotten something, but it suddenly came to him. “Ah! We’ll need to take a bit of meat with us anyhow, and could you send a Leitenant to go and inform Team One that they will be under Heria’s command, and to inform both Heria and Lana of the fact? They will be sharing policing shifts with the Roaring Tridents.”

Anksha nodded her head and then went to inform one of her Leitenants as Ares quickly took a dip before then returning to the group. He then went to say goodbye to his children, before then leading the group down the road. He yawned and stretched, limbering up a little more.

They met the hunters, who had only just managed to arrive by the time the group had arrived.

“Ishi, is that right?” Ares asked as he shook the pretty wolf woman’s forearm.

“That’s right, Ares-kin.” She bowed her head. “My hunters are at your service.”

“I’m thankful for your good work so far.” Ares smiled. “Is that a new bow I see?”

Ishi smiled nervously and nodded. “Indeed. Jin said that we were allowed to equip ourselves with a few new weapons for our service.”

Ares took the bow in hand and then ran a finger along it and then checked the bowstring on it, flicking it with a finger before returning it back to her. “Have you been able to test it out?”

“Yes. I haven’t gotten used to it yet, it’s much better than my old bow so I need to adapt to it’s ease.”

“Well that’s a good problem to have. As long as you don’t shoot any of us, I won’t mind so much.” Ares chuckled and then with everyone ready to leave, they set out.

The next few days passed without too much of an issue. Asyllia went out against during the mornings, afternoons and evenings to scout on ahead, but everything was peaceful. They managed to arrive at the spot within three days, allowing the crafters to rest whenever they were weary.

Ares made sure to look after the younger members of the soldiers too, speaking with them and training with them during the evenings. He would take first watch as he had before, though they usually had an extra hour in the morning for rest anyway. The hunters would go out and find a few items for them to eat for the day, whereas Ares kept most of the food they had brought in stock with themselves in his ring.

Ares continued the typical deal of allowing them to keep one tenth of whatever they brought, and he took whatever else. Sometimes he’d let them keep anything extra they found, or only took half of it. He felt guilty taking it all, even if it meant it was to help all the other Riveans.

Then they finally arrived during the third noon. It was eerily silent, and the stench of death had disappeared since last he had arrived. Ares looked out, recalling the battle that had occurred here. There were still a few marks of the bout, and the group was shocked to see the walls that he had already created here.

Ares smiled and then turned to face the stone smiths. “This is a fort, or a sorry excuse for one.” Ares ran a hand along the earth and then it disappeared. “Here we will be creating a stronghold, that will eventually become it’s own town. That’s the plan, anyway.” He said as he then waved his arms around. “I’ve brought you crafters here in order to ask for your advice, and to advise you on how I want this to go. I have a few ideas, but I also want to know where a crafter feels it would be best to have their stations. I’d like the carpenters to aid the stonesmiths in whatever way they can.” He bowed his head.

He etched his designs on the ground for them to see and they spoke of it for some time. Ares went in depth about what he wanted, and how big he wanted this layer of walls. There would be a few, and he wanted the base of the path to look rather imposing and powerful. Safe to all those within, dangerous for all those that dared to march up to it. Eventually he’d like a moat or something similar around this layer, but he wasn’t married to the idea.

As they worked on the plans, a hunter whistled and then pointed over into the distance. Ares peered out and gasped. As swift as a hawk, he dashed to the oxfolk peppered with arrows riding on an oxen. The oxen continued on until it managed to get to Ares and then it dropped in front of him, it’s body heaving for air before it grew still.

Ares stared down at it in utter shock and then ran a hand along it’s back. He then looked towards the distance to see if anything else was there before a squad of soldiers arrived at his side.

“That way, that’s… that’s the oxfolk right?”

“Yes.” Anksha said as they looked up at Ares.

Ares stared into her eyes for a moment and then turned to the camp. He ran back to it and then raised a hand to drop some leather before he placed some meat on it. “Bring me the ox!”