#I HATE YOU ANET WHY WOULD YOU SAY THE COMMANDER DOESNT CHECK IN ON THEIR WARBAND

[nullvoidface]

Downtime in Cantha

CW: touches on the commander’s PTSD very lightly, spoilers for Icebrood Saga

Arborstone had many nooks and crannies to hide in if you needed to get away from everything for a bit. Though if you needed to be approachable for whatever reason, the back of the building opened into a clearing in the dense forest. That was usually where you could find the Commander if one needed him.

It wasn’t hard to spot him, he was tall even for a charr. Reddish striped fur broken up by large black patches, he was pretty difficult to miss.

Corvus sat in the grass beneath a large tree, papers strewn about and weighed down with rocks and sticks to keep them from flying away. A book was placed in his lap as he wrote.

His mane was frizzy and had patches of dirt and grass in it, presumably because he had napped at some point.

“Are you answering letters?” Kasmeer carefully sat down on the grass, not wanting to disturb any of the pages in the area.

Corvus flicked his ears before turning his head to look at Kasmeer, she had sat down on his blind side, completely forgetting about his missing eye for a moment.

He sighed and lowered his shoulders, seemingly releasing subconscious tension he had built up. “It’s for my warband. Or… I guess what’s left of them.” Corvus scratched the top of his head.

“And how is that going?” Kas didn’t want to assume.

“Well… Admittedly not great.” Corvus chuckled. “I don’t want to bother you with it though-“

Kas gave a comforting smile at that before replying. “You really have an odd idea of what ‘bothering’ someone is. If I can help, just ask.”

“I- Thank you.” A rare smile managed to reach the corners of his mouth for a second before once again fading.

“So, what are the letters about?”

Corvus took a second to think, like he hadn’t expected her to ask. “You know how I covered up my face in Drizzlewood?”

Kas nodded.

“I-“ Corvus chuckled. “After everything… After Zhaitan even- I tried to return, y’know?” Corvus looked past Kas, like she wasn’t there.

“Why?”

“Going back to my life after everything… It seemed impossible. I couldn’t- I can’t connect with people who haven’t seen those things. And I thought I was, well, saving them I suppose.” Corvus sighed, he knew how wrong that idea was now.

“And then Almorra-“ he cleared his throat, trying to compose himself. A good soldier doesn’t show sadness. “I just couldn’t face the Charr after that. Couldn’t look them in the eyes knowing that they knew I couldn’t even keep Soulkeeper alive.” He sounded angry, Kas knew it was mostly directed at himself. That was pretty normal for Corvus.

“Sure, Ash agents knew who I was, but- that’s Ash. I knew they wouldn’t tell on me to Blood or Iron, and certainly not Flame.” Corvus sighed. “I hid, because I can’t talk to people anymore, and I abandoned my warband because I couldn’t go back to my life, so I left.” Corvus shrugged like it was nothing, but Kas knew better.

“Corvus,” Kas reached out, placing a hand on the charr’s paw to comfort him. “If anyone would understand it would be your warband.”

“Euryale, sure, but I don’t even know the others. The ones who were there before I joined the pact are all dead.” Corvus chuckled. “Joined Bangar, had to kill them before we even crossed the river in Drizzlewood.”

“I’m… Sorry.” A look of concern spread its way across Kas’ face as she squeezed Corvus’ paw.

“I’m fine.”

“You know you don’t have to be, right?” Kas let out a chuckle.

“I do.”