"Hey, Këj, how ya doin'"
Këj turned, glad of an excuse to stop staring across the blinding whiteness of the snow-and-ice-bound plain. "Fair enough, Rin; you?"
Rin bounded energetically up the steps, grinning cheerfully. "Rarely better." He grabbed Këj in a rough bear hug and tousled his dark hair.
Këj grimaced. "Will this ever not be your preferred greeting?"
Rin felt Këj wince as he set him down. "What happened?"
The smaller boy cocked his head to one side. "How do you mean?"
"Why'd you wince like that?"
"Oh. Assis, again." Këj sighed. "I trusted her. Again." He shrugged and winced again.
Rin thought the better of throwing his arm around Këj's shoulders and playfully cuffed him instead. "Come on, smile. Or's that bruise on your face gonna hurt too much?"
The big Tarian's smile was infectious and Këj found a lopsided grin creeping onto his face. A moment later, they were both laughing over nothing, attracting the attention of several people in the yard below. "Hey! Are you on guard duty, or not?"
Këj hastily turned around. "Sorry."
"Well, just see you don't forget." Rin's sister, Mena, walked away, her golden hair glinting in the sunlight.
Këj glanced at Rin, who was shaking with suppressed laughter. "What?"
"Your face when Mena shouted. You-you looked so startled." Rin doubled over, tears running down his cheeks. He hurriedly brushed them away and took a deep breath to calm himself. "You looked like you thought 'was Thās Sālinan."
Këj shook his head ruefully. "That frightened?"
Thās was a young outlaw who was renowned for his storytelling abilities, sometimes to the point of almost making you see what he was describing. Këj had been about eight when Thās had arrived, seven years his senior, and frightened all the young children (and quite a few of their parents) with a story about warriors made of mist who could appear and vanish at will. Këj had overcome his nervousness and misgivings and had found Thās to be friendly, if a bit melancholy and given to composing tragic epics. From him Këj had learned of the beauty and power of music and poetry. Despite the fact that he had always thought of Thās as uncanny, Këj missed him when he left the previous summer and still felt his throat tighten when he was mentioned. He blinked and drew the back of his hand across his eyes.
Rin, instantly sympathetic, gently squeezed Këj's shoulder. "Sorry, forgot about that."
"It's alright; not your fault." Këj forced a smile and glanced at the clear blue sky. He narrowed his eyes, trying to focus on a distant speck which rapidly grew until he could make out a small ship approaching. "Incoming ship, south by southwest!"
Instantly the compound became a literal hive of activity: everyone who could shoot straight grabbed a gun and readied it. Këj dashed to the southwest doorway closely followed by Rin. He seemed almost to vanish as he melted into the shadows cast by the noonday sun and only the sound of a gun being cocked as Rin passed him and positioned himself in the dark corridor gave evidence of his presence.
