Ares finished up grabbing up whatever items they would need for the journey. He made sure that each member was dressed appropriately, like a fussy mother would when one was about to go on a trip.

“I understand you’re a big bad dragon lady, but it gets pretty cold sometimes. If you really don’t want to wear it, you don’t have to, but I would really appreciate it.” Ares stared at Saykkera, who accepted the furs without a word, as per usual.

Ares was glad she didn’t fight him on it, and with her example, the rest accepted the extra furs without issues. Ares eyed up Zika, who apparently didn’t seem to have an issue with the cold river. Were Reptai like lizard people or were they more closely related to dragons?

Were dragons even a thing, really? He knew about dragonfolk, the First Dragon too, and… he reached up to rub his head.

Dragons were a thing, at least that’s what his body was screaming. He winced at the memory of speaking with the first dragon, but left the memory right there.

With everyone carrying enough to sustain themselves for a couple of days, and with Ares taking much more into his ring, they finally marched to the fort where Ares took a small rest stop.

There he saw the injured scouts, still resting up from journey before.

“Rivea! At attention!” Ares exclaimed as he looked out to everyone. He threw a look towards a Captain, who then went about rallying the troops to attention.

“Up! Up! The King calls for attention!”

The units began to stand together, even those off in the distance where the hundreds of wolves and wolffolk spent their days, they returned to stand at attention. Then, like a symphony, they saluted together. The sound echoed for quite aways and even Ares was taken aback for a moment.

That was pretty damn cool.

Ares smiled as he looked out to the people and then he began to walk from side to side, pacing in front of all the soldiers.

“You need not worry, for we are not under attack.” Ares chuckled and then he looked at all his soldiers. “Yesterday, a misfortune spread through Rivea. The scouts that had been sent out by the Consul had returned, but they had returned barely a sliver of what they had originally been. If I recall correct, it was a thousand, and what returned was thirteen.”

Ares stopped. He had practised the speech a little, but he forgot one very important thing. His throat clogged up as his eyes burned. He blinked away the tears which threatened to encroach onto his cheeks.

“That was not the first time that we had lost hundreds of Riveans in a day, in fact there was a time when we lost thousands as many defected…” Ares looked out to his soldiers. “Many, but not you.” Ares then turned to the scouts.

“For what you have done for Rivea, and for returning home, I offer you a humble gift.” Ares summoned forth the medals and approached the scouts, who had been laying down. Some tried to get up for the honour of it, but Ares fell to a knee.

“Lay down and rest, don’t worry,” Ares said. “I need you healed up, alright?”

He handed each scout a medal and thanked them. “I don’t know what the status for you is, I’m not sure if you’re Rivean or what, I can’t quite recall which you had picked, but… as far as I am concerned, you’ve done enough.” Ares nodded his head.

Ares turned to a Captain. “If Rori is in doubt of their status, make sure one of the Captains lets him know, alright?”

The Captain saluted Ares once more, and Ares nodded in return. He then turned to Beor. Ares tossed the medal over. “Come along now, I’m not waiting for you all day.” Ares smirked and then marched onward.

The soldiers began to play their drums as Ares and his eight made their way out.

Soon they were beyond the wall, where a few hundred Reptai were along with the soldiers that had been assigned during this day. Ares needed to walk all the way along before he was finally at a gap. He noted that the wall was almost completed and he nodded, smiling back towards the soldiers and the Reptai.

“Good work,” he said.

The soldiers saluted and the Reptai thanked him with their slight hissing sounds. Many looked to see Zika and they bowed to one another before Zika had to follow Ares out.

Once they had marched some ways away, Ares stopped them. Heria had been riding on her wolf, a little ways away from them, but she noticed them stop and so returned.

“Alright, look,” Ares said, “we’re no longer in Rivea, so this Ares-kin business stops. We are on a mission for Rivea, and as much as I am the King, this will go so much smoother if everyone is on the same page. Right now, at this moment, we are all friends. There are no titles between us, no boundaries.” Ares threw a look to each of them. “Do you understand?” he asked.

Torak shrugged. “It’s no bother on my end,” he said.

Heria grinned. “You don’t have to worry about such a thing with me, Ares-kin.”

Ares raised his brows towards her, but she just laughed. He turned to look at Zika.

Zika remained silent for a long time. “It is not that I do not wish to, but we have such a way that we must speak with one another, it is the way our people are.”

Ares nodded his head. “Alright, that’s fine.” He turned to Ezak.

Ezak remained quiet, holding onto his bident and then clutching it tight. His eyes flashed between everyone. “If that is what you wish for, Ares…”

Ares smiled and nodded.

“Whatever,” Beor said.

Ares then looked at Orndu, who seemed to be struggling.

“If it what Ares-kin wishes, I will do so.”

Ares reached over and then slapped his back gently. Then he looked over to Jiaga, who seemed to be at a great unease. His dark skin was slowly gathering sweat, as though such a thing would kill him. Ares waited for a long time.

“I cannot do so, for my King views you with such high regard.” Jiaga bowed his head apologetically.

“I understand,” Ares nodded.

Then he looked at the last person, Saykkera.

She did not say anything.