Sons of Ironstorm: Book 5 - Griffon's War

Testing Circle

He was still thinking about it when a motion to his right caught out of the corner of his eye drew his attention. Looking in that direction, Shawn found himself smiling as he saw the brunette Manathi Caemoera matching his speed and stride as she moved to join him. As she approached his eyes automatically took in her shapely legs and fit body, her dimensions completely pleasing to him. And his eyes reached her beautiful face, he found her wearing a very pleased and satisfied smile, her eyes sparkling with vivacious energy.

<<What?>> he asked with a chuckle at her look.

<<I just like it when you look at me like that,>> Caemoera confessed, stepping in front of him smoothly enough to get a kiss before falling in on his other side. <<So where are we off to?>>

While he couldn't be completely sure it wasn't the resonance talking, now that he knew it existed, Shawn was pleased that it was Caemoera that found him first after recentering with Dezi overnight. There was just so much about her personality, outlook, attitude and energy that fit nicely with his own personality.

Caemoera spoke her mind, looked at things from a warrior's point of view and meant what she said. It was a unique combination that appealed to him on several levels.

<<The Redeemed part of camp,>> was his answer, returning her bright smile with one of his own. <<We march at dawn tomorrow. I want to check in on the soldiers that I healed the day before yesterday.>>

<<Mind if I join you?>> Caemoera asked lightly as if the answer didn't actually concern her. The athletic lithosin's body language said exactly the opposite, however, even as she leaned hopefully towards him; she very much wanted him to say yes, and for the rest of the day.

<<Not at all,>> Shawn replied, reaching out to take her hand. A simple gesture but she almost shivered with pleasure as their fingers entwined. After long moons of separation, to be enjoying this level of togetherness with the human who held her heart tenderly in his hands was almost too much to believe. Unbelievable but completely welcome!

Hand in hand they stepped into the orderly Redeemed camp. And almost immediately Shawn was pulling up to talk with a group of blue uniformed elves working on inventorying their supplies before setting out tomorrow.

It was a scene that would be repeated over and over as the Wielder worked his way through the Redeemed camp, Shawn having healed nearly a full two thirds of the Redeemed company. And with not a few women now in the Redeemed ranks, thanks to volunteers from not only a number of Torvus'brel and Sovun'chul kingdoms in Reutha, but several Hydran kingdoms and sea elf clans as well, them seeing a veteran female warrior like Caemoera working side by side with Shawn was an additional boost to their morale.

The two took their midday meal with the Redeemed as well, Shawn listening to reports from officers and feedback from regular soldiers on how they felt the campaign was unfolding so far. It wasn't necessary to do so, but again with so many volunteers bolstering the original Redeemed ranks, which were soldiers turned from the Shadow by the power of the Star's awakening and who were completely devoted to the Wielder without question, it was useful to see how many volunteers still had investment in the effort.

And Shawn was pleased to discover the volunteers were as invested in the Redeemed and its goals as they were in the beginning. That despite getting knocked around by the abysslord and their elites at the Tower.

Satisfied with his visit to the Redeemed, the young Wielder decided to do some weapons practice at Caemoera's makeshift yard to work out any lingering stiffness from the five days unmoving in bed. While he had engaged in rather vigorous activity since, that activity bore no resemblance to swinging a sword or lunging with a lance. A little sharpening up was definitely in order.