Heriwulf

At spear training, Heriwulf had talked about the deep, steady breathing that helps a warrior maintain both the body and the mind. How you breathe is one of the easiest things to learn, and the hardest things to keep up in the heat of the moment, and most important things that made a good warrior a great one, though no one knew it. You need both air and calm to survive the challenges; and steady, deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth, give both.

Scarlet Jay rushed up from the birthing shed, which was now more of a puppies' play-pen, with the remains of near-mortal embarrassment only now leaving her appearance, with her complexion finally no longer out-shining her russet locks. She dashed her way up the small rise to what was left of the healers' tent – by now, mostly a fabric roof on poles and the marks of where pallets had been, plus a few shelves for supplies.

The tiny bed in Heriwulf's tiny room was actually full to and beyond its limits, but felt, somehow, empty. Three hounds, any of which could stretch to fill the whole bed, shared it with him. Brunan, the matriarch of the pack, now getting a bit of grey in her dark fur; Hundr, the youngest (at least until Brunan's last litter) and most playful of the pack; and Niht, the implacable and tireless husky. Most nights, one of the three might sleep at the foot of the bed, while the others stayed outside, with the pups, or helping to patrol the stockade; they never shared the bed.

Based off of the RPed Woodmen Clan Moot, 16 February. Observations and introspections from Arastal's point of view.

Rynel was growing on her, both figuratively and literally — the pup was getting undeniably bigger, though he still barely weighed anything in Ljota’s lap. She was actually starting to look forward to having him and Breon in the hut, but for right now the shed would suffice.

In the space of a single sennight, everything in Heriwulf's life had been turned upside down. They were all good changes, but they were exhausting, too, full of risks and challenges, demands and urgency, and the promise of things ending much better, soon. Or becoming the source of yet more regrets to hang about his neck.

There was no question in Heriwulf's mind anymore. He should never have let Faron make him promise to offer himself as chieftain. Or he should never have accepted the position. Now he wondered, though, was it really about that position, farcical as it was, or was it just him?

Heriwulf is using the hand-cart to bring archery targets and hay bales out into a clear space within the stockade, and setting up the targets atop the hay bales.
Jessandra breaks off the sizing up she's been doing with Marney and wanders over. "Need help with that? Or would it be too much bother to tell someone else how?"
Heriwulf | Hundr runs up to Jessandra as soon as she approaches and gives her a cheerful yip. Brenn and Dalgo, on patrol around the stockade (but mostly staying near the entrance) don't seem much interested in her.

[The writing is curlier and looser than normal, unhurried, but of course still messy.]

Jan. 31

Fortunately, pups don't take a lot of care, especially in the first few fortnights when their eyes aren't even open yet and they can't do much more than waddle and nurse. But that's also unfortunate, because tending the pups was the best part of Heriwulf's day.