Let's get down to business to defeat the Hu... uh, demons.

[issala]

WHO: Kas & OPEN
WHAT: Kas returns to Skyhold with a scout team.
WHEN: Today
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Proud teen cockiness all over the place.

1.

He may have mud in places he didn't even know he had, but the qunari teen holds his head high when he passes the massive gates to Skyhold with the rest of his team, easily picked out by the bumps in his hood where his horns were. New, still shiny knives on his back and a well-cared bow and quiver joining them as well made him look even more official. (He might be muddy, but those weapons were flawless.)

He had made it; he had survived, and he had carried out his mission... and he was so utterly proud of it. Kas felt like he had made a difference, no matter how small, and it gave him more determination to continue. He was worth something. He wasn't just a pickpocket and rogue on the streets, desperate to live.

It wasn't a surprise, then, how the boy walked cockily off to the barracks like he was king of the castle. Never mind that he slipped in the stairs. Nobody saw that, right?

"Mud fucking sucks," he mutters, brushing off the leathers with a sigh.

Qunari

One of the first things he had to do when he returned was to check on the other qunari and make sure they were all alive and not murdered by Ben-Hassrath or fallen out in that swamp... mire... thing.

"Gorse...? Korrin?"

2.

Later that day, the teen is out of his scout uniform and back in the somewhat over-sized clothing, carefully mended and cleaned. Hanging out by the stables, he was drinking hot tea and just enjoying life without shame and guilt - maybe for the first time in his life since he left the kith.

It hadn't been easy, but he had already seen a lot of bad things in his life. This was not so different.

One of the horses in the stables snorted near one of his pointed ears, and Kas reaches up to pet the soft muzzle. "I made it," he confesses softly to the animal with an unguarded smile on his face. "They won't kick me out now, right?"

Comments

[gatheringstorm]

Kas' timing is both excellent and terrible, as Korrin's still present in Skyhold but only barely. She's busy packing for her own scouting mission to Emprise du Lion, due to head out that very day. If she's lucky, it'll only be for a few weeks, but if the Inquisition wishes to expand there, she'll be stuck until the main forces arrive.

In her quarters, Korrin does her best to finish up as quickly as possible so she can go meet the others on her team. She's almost eager to get going to somewhere that isn't the Fallow Mire, even if it is more snow and mountain. But hearing Kas' voice startles her out of what she's doing and the Vashoth mage perks up.

"Kas! Over here."

[issala]

"Korrin!" Kas hurries to meet her, relieved to see that she was alright. Of all of them, she would be the most dangerous target to that Ben-Hassrath guy, after all... and his stomach hurt at the very thought of her getting her lips sewn shut and getting collared.

"I'm back," he starts, somewhat unsue what to really say. "...and I'm fine. Are you okay?"

[gatheringstorm]

No lip-stitches or collar to be seen; in fact, Korrin's wearing the same armor as before, thankfully scrubbed clean of swamp-scent thanks to the insight and assistance of others. She grins, slipping an arm around his shoulders companionably. It's a relief to see him, too. Not that she doubted he'd return from his first scouting intact, but it's still good to see it with her own eyes.

"I'm fine. And before you ask, he's gone for now, off on some other assignment. I don't know how long that'll last, but we'll take what we can get. How did your first mission go?"

[issala]

He tenses a bit at first when she loops that arm around him, but he relaxes quickly and instead grins up at her. Hesitance aside, it felt... well, like being back in his own kith. Just with less bruising, trash talk and posturing.

The news that the Ben-Hassrath wasn't around right now brought a lot of relief to the boy - plus it meant he could go into the tavern and have a drink paid with his own money, honestly earned and everything.

"I'm glad," Kas agrees and then shrugs faux-nonchalantly at her question. "Oh, you know. Lots of sneaking, exploring, findig the best routes... maybe some fighting, too. I even killed a bandit!"

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin's expression is all pride, even as her tone is just as nonchalant. "Knew you could do it. Maybe you can give me some tips, then. They're sending some of us out with the regular scouts, to Emprise du Lion. Sneaking is not my forte, but I think I'm mostly going to be there in case things need blowing up."

It's almost one her mind to rope him in, but...eh, that's selfish. Kas just got back he deserves a break. Besides, it's not up to her and if the Inquisition decides to establish a presence in the region, she'll see him soon enough anyway. She'll just have to pester him and everyone else staying, through the sending crystal.

[foxsays]

"No but these horses? Might just kick you in the face."

The voice, practically Antivan, comes from above, as do near-silent footsteps before a young woman peers over the edge followed by a fox, ears pricked up. By now, every horse in the stables is used to a fox having a good look at them and activity up on the roof and the hayloft to the point that they don't tend to react much. Then again, after she fished someone out of the stables then she's probably managed to come to some of strange unspoken accord with the beasts.

[issala]

The look on the boy's face go from relaxed to irritated, and he gives the woman a glare. Kas is almost tempted to give her a rude gesture, but instead he just puts his inner walls up again and sourly glowers at her.

"Like Blight they would," he mutters. "I'm here all the time and they've never hurt me." Horns and qunariness aside, the teen was quiet around animals, and that always seemed to help. (Partly because they made him a bit nervous.)

"Who are you?"

[foxsays]

What is it with her and grumpy young men around stables? Rolling her eyes, she jumps down and whistles for the fox that lands in her open arms only to jump free to inspect Kas.

"One of the last times I was here someone took a bit of a tumble, almost had his head squashed like an overripe melon inside the stable, a terrible mess." More the fault of the one who fell when the lesson was meant to be the basics but a bad introduction to someone who'd only seen horses in books prior to arriving in Skyhold.

"Forgive me, Araceli Bonaventura at your service and the one inspecting your boots is Lux."

[issala]

Somehow, grumpy young men just flock to less crowded places? Like stables, and other weird nooks.

He narrows his eyes a bit as she jumps down and comes closer, and once again, Kas has to remind himself that not everyone's out to get him. That fox does get a rather wary look, however.

"Uh... I'm Kas. Does he bite? 'Cuz I just fixed these pants."

[foxsays]

"What Lux? No, only if I tell him to or if someone does something to upset him, he's a friendly boy, aren't you Lux? Go on, say hello." A quick prod with the toe of her boot and the fox plonks himself down in front of Kas, one paw raised. "He behaves himself unless you have food he believes himself entitled to and, unfortunately, he believes he's entitled to all the food he can see or smell."

If asked, she won't deny that she indulged him at every opportunity when she was younger. What else was she to do with a small sad orphaned ball of fur?

[amygdalae]

As always, Bruce was doing what he always did in Skyhold - treating the sick and injured as much as he could. There was a bit more work to pick up since he had to put everything on hold for his brief outing to the Mire, but at least he was back now.

He had just finished a round of patients and was walking back to his tent for a quick when he caught sight of Kas - somebody he certainly hadn't seen in a while. He watched the young Qunari for a moment as he confidently took the stairs - then blinked when the poor thing slipped and seemed to take a rather bad hit.

Concerned, Bruce made his way over, giving Kas a hand to get back onto his feet if he needed it while he asked, "Are you alright?"

[issala]

Crap, someone did see. The boy groans, covering his face with one hand. "I'm fine," he replies frustratedly before getting up on his own, pointedly avoiding Bruce's offered hand.

Recognizing the man as the healer he'd run into at the ramparts, he's at least relieved to know it wasn't some awesome warrior or officer that saw his stumble. Mentally picking up the pieces of his pride, he eyes the human again.

"Did all of the people in the Mire get back, yet?"

[amygdalae]

Well, if he wanted to do it himself, Bruce certainly wasn't going to stop him. He drew his hand back, and when Kas eyes him he did his best to smile as pleasantly as possible.

"Most of them, yes, although many are preparing to depart in a few days soon enough, if they already haven't." Now that everyone had the time to recover from the Herald's passing things were starting to pick up once more - and to be honest Bruce welcomed the bustle of activity. At least it meant that they were starting to get somewhere.

[issala]

All these nice people were so weird, but he was actually starting to get used to it. It didn't mean he was letting his guard down any time soon, but... maybe not everyone was around to make fun of him or belittle him.

Not even humans like this guy.

"It's gonna be busy around here, isn't it? I'm probably gonna go out again, too, after the squad's rested up." It felt like things were actually happening, now, and it filled him with equal amounts of pride and nervousness.

Smile and help save the world, eh?

"...any casualties?"

[amygdalae]

"Things are certainly going to pick up around here," Bruce added in agreement. Although the stream of activity meant that everyone had lass time to see each other, but it was something everyone was going to just have to get used to. They were all in the Inquisition for a reason after all.

At Kas's question Bruce only shook his head, giving the Qunari another smile that was hopefully reassuring. "Not any that I know of, at least. Were you worried for anybody in particular?"

2. (Did they make a man outta you?)

[el_tybs]

Honestly he doesn't know why he comes to the stables to check up on it. It's dead, and more than a little creepy. Still... it's kind of grown on him, and it does look a little pathetic - actually a whole lot of pathetic. At least he doesn't need to bring it treats or anything, it just seems content on having someone paying it some attention.

It's become kind of routine to do this between lessons until he heads out with the others for Emprise. So when he sees a certain short horned Qunari, Sam has to stop and look. "Kas?"

(so much man. look at his new tiny muscles and everything)

[issala]

It's probably good that Kas hasn't seen the bog unicorn yet, because that's just freaky. There had been a little too many dead shit walking, okay? While he had been off with the scout team, he'd heard all kinds of lovely stories. Corpses should stay dead. Even horse-ones.

He glances up as he hears a familiar voice, brightening up just a bit when he sees that it's Sam. Then, of course, he has to look like he wasn't smiling. Big tough man, right here. "Hey, Sam. How was the Mire?"

(Ooooh, Mr. Kas)

[el_tybs]

Really? Not like you could miss it.

So it was Kas. Knowing that brings a smile to Sam's face as he changes course to walk on over. He doesn't miss how the Qunari starts to smile and then puts on a poker face. It's amusing to say the least, to which Sam raises a brow at but doesn't comment on.

"It was..." The smile drops just a bit as he thinks about a lot of what had happened at the Mire, eventually deciding just to rub the back of his head and shrug. "Full of dead things. Never a day without something exciting going on."

XD

[issala]

Only because he didn't really go in to the stable as much as chilling by the entrance. Saves him from the smell and the dead horse.

Kas straightens up a bit, brushing back his hair and studying Sam as the man spoke. "Full of dead things seems to be the general agreement. Kind of glad I missed most of that." The worst they had run in to were bandits and a bear.

Still, he steps away from the dead issue and focuses on the less gross stuff. "What did you do? I heard they sent a lot of you there for things... and new demon-people?"

*swoons*

[el_tybs]

What didn't he do at the Mire? Sam huffs and takes a moment to think on that, chewing the inside of his lip. "Hm. Well there were a number of times where I had to take care of disposing of ashes. I was sent out with a group to track something down... we brought it back here actually."

Sam's eyes dart towards the far end of the stables for a moment at that before he crosses his arms. Demon-people? The Rifters? "Yeah, right near the end a rift opened up and started dropping people on us. Krem fished out this one guy," he says while bending over to hold a hand up to about his thighs, "that's about this tall. Says he's a Hobbit."

[savethecat]

Gorse was currently using his strength and height to help brace poles and scaffolding in place for others who were doing Skyhold repairs. If you had it, might as well use it, right?

Seeing Kas again was a sight for sore eyes, though, and he quickly made his apologies so he could meet the young scout halfway.

"Kas!" He called, waving the boy over.

[issala]

"Gorse!" Seeing the larger qunari in one piece, Kas grins widely and hurries over to meet him. It was more of a relief that he had anticipated to see the man safe and unharmed. Maybe it was a friend thing?

Maybe. He was still figuring that stuff out.

"I just got back from my first mission, and I killed a bandit! Did you go to the mire?"

[savethecat]

Gorse let out a low impressed whistle at Kas's declaration.

"Yeah! Helped a lot of people, got really wet, it was pretty fun actually. I'd been there before. Ain't killed no bandits, though." Or anyone, for that matter. So far the only blood on Gorse's hands was that of animals for hunting. "Soon you'll be sent all over the place, come on, let's get some food and you can tell me all about your mission."

[issala]

"You're the first person who says it was fun." The teen says, smiling up at him. It wasn't too surprising, though. Gorse seemed to like nature stuff.

He's more than happy to go look for food, all proud smiles and ill-hidden excitement as he follows Gorse. "Did you see anything cool out there? People said there were dead people and weird lights. All kinds of creepy shit."

[savethecat]

Gorse slows his pace a bit so it's easy enough for Kas to keep up, that way they can walk and talk at the same time.

"There were absolutely dead people and weird lights. Y'couldn't go into the water without undead crawling out of it, it was darn spooky." Gorse felt rather bad for the corpses, for the people they used to be having their bodies reanimated against their will and all. "Lotsa bogfishers too, y'ever see one of 'em?"