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

[amygdalae]

"Right now? Nothing that disturbing." Bruce smiled as he said that, the amusement still there, but his voice remained gentle. "Just stuff about herbs generally. I brought back some from the Mire so I intend to see how to go about being able to grow more of them right here in Skyhold."

For one it would make access to these rare herbs easier, and for another it would sage the effort to constantly having to rely on the Mire itself for said herbs. Plus there was only so much the Mire could have before everything went dry, and Bruce would rather not risk that. If they could grow it here, then at least there was more control.

[issala]

Herbs. Sigh. That sounded really boring, but since Gorse seemed to like it, maybe he should at least pay some attention. As far as he knew, the other qunari had been helping getting the garden working.

"So... like elfroot and stuff like that? I don't know much about plants other than the edible kind." Sometimes you just had to eat, after all. Even green things.

[amygdalae]

It was easy enough to sense how uninterested Kas was about the idea, but he couldn't blame him - it was hard to be interested unless you had a reason for wanting to know. Herbs were rather boring compared to many other things in Thedas.

"Yes, stuff like that, but I won't bore you with the details." After all its not as if Kas would bother to try and remember anyway, so it was all fine.

[issala]

"I think I prefer the gross stuff over the herbs. Gorse likes plants, though. D'ya know him?"

He reaches a hand above himself. "He looks kinda like me, but bigger." A bit of a stretch, but the teen could wish, right? After all, Gorse was slim but still a damn hulking qunari, while Kas was still looking most people in the eyes.

[amygdalae]

Qunaris were generally pretty easy to spot, but Bruce supposed for this particular one that Kas was talking about the opposite seemed to hold true instead. He tried to rack his mind again but came up with nothing.

"I haven't seen him," he went, clearly apologetic. "I don't go to the garden that often, so perhaps I just kept missing him in the times that I was around." Skyhold was a relatively large place, after all, so it was entirely possible.

[issala]

He smiles a little at that, seemingly in a better mood just from talking about his... friends? Maybe they really were friends, now.

It was a really nice feeling.

"You should meet him. He's good with herbs an stuff, but also really nice and cares a lot. I think you'd like him." The teen shrugs a bit. "Plus, he likes to help people and you help people, too."

[amygdalae]

"He certainly sounds like somebody I can get along with." Bruce smiles a little as he replies there, more for Kas than for himself - its good to see that the young Qunari was slowly making friends, even if it was just with the other Qunari. Familiarity was always a good first stepping stone.

"I'll be sure to keep an eye out for him from now on," he added on, just to assure Kas. "I'm sure I'll see him soon enough."

[issala]

"Uh, yeah." He smiles awkwardly, and then nods to Bruce again.

I should... um... go. Thanks!"

[amygdalae]

"I'm glad to help," he returns, smiling once more, glad that he could help the young Qunari in some way. "I hope to see you again some time soon."

[issala]

The young qunari looks a little worried at that, but nods. "Just... be safe, okay?"

Stupid feelings, making him worry about people. Bruce was a good guy, though. Definitely not what he had expected, and that was a good thing. So he could spare a bit of worry.

[amygdalae]

Worrying about people was hardly a bad thing. It was good, and it showed that you cared, and that you had feelings. That was important, to know that - at least for Bruce. Knowing your feelings was important. It made you remember that you were still kind and could care.

"I'll try my best." Bruce gives a small nod, still smiling. "And you as well. Take care in your future missions."