They wandered along the path, through the forests of oak and willow trees, each painted in the hearty swathes of rouge and crisp golden leaves. A scattered apple tree bent low over the path as they passed under it, its branches long cleared of fruit.

They had ceased bickering long ago as they'd grown tired of each other's voices. Coming to prefer the quiet of the road instead.

As they passed under the fiery colors of the harvest trees, the smell of cold weather and faint smoke clipping the air across their noses, A sense of peace and merriment fell over them as they walked. Quiet contentment that sighed with a full heart, as the Earth prepared itself for rest. Its tired yawnings coming in the form of cold winds and autumnal rains. But as one readies for sleep, the brothers readied for celebration.

"I wonder, they'll bring Helm Nut soup again," Tolan asked whimsy, Vir's face crumpled into ugly wrinkles

"I hope not, it was far too bitter for anything besides hogs to eat," he replied, adding an exaggerated gagging sound "It was terrible, I pray I never have to eat that much again, Heavens save me."

Tolan slapped his brother.

"Stop Swearing on the Heavens! you'll bring bad omens with your foolish tongue!" Vir swore again as he rubbed his cheek. "Agh, Stop hitting me, you idiot! My head is delicate!" flinching expecting a second blow.

But Tolan was too busy to hear his brother's protests. He'd stopped dead in his tracks with his hands pressed together as he was fiercely reciting something under his breath. Vir threw his head back and groaned aloud.

"By the Birds, What are you doing?" He strained, dreading the answer he knew would come.

"I pray The heavens to stay their wrath against you brother, I wouldn't want your foolishness to be the end of you, no matter how deserved of it you are," Tolan said solemnly

Vir rolled his eyes before planting a kick into his brother's shinbone. The blow glanced off and struck a hard stone instead, cutting himself "Atch! Devils Whore- I'll-" He bit his lip against saying anything further.

"You're enjoying this aren't you," he demanded, but Tolan remained impassive to his cries.

"You should know better than to attack one who is praying, they are under the Sparrow's protection. None may interrupt the fervent prayers of the faithful. This is the law, you have broken it, and thus " Tolan motioned towards his brother's foot. "You have been punished for your insolence. This is the way of things Brother. And thus I pray all the Harder for you." He resumed his citations, speaking quickly and in hushed tones.

Vir merely watched, sitting on a rock while he bound his foot, pulling a rag from his pocket. Looking back he taunted his brother. "All this prayer, you should join the Blessed. They'd be happy to have you. Pray all day and they wouldn't mind a bit." He paused gauging his brother's twitching reaction. He pretended to empty his sandal of a stone.

"Hell's, Tamia might marry a Brave Warrior Monk, there to save her from all the Demons and wild animals. She might even-"

"Stop" Tolan commanded. His voice had a heft to it, like a falling hammer.

"What, don't you like the Blessed? The warrior Believer. Think off all you get out of becoming one. I bet you scared you'd find some beautiful damsel even better than Tamia, and then you'll marry her instead of"

"I said, Stop."

There was a quiet, wrathful quality to Tolan's voice that always made Vir flinch. Like wondering which way a beast was going to pounce. And whether or not to run away.

Tolan had always been a fervent believer. Ever since Mama passed beyond the Sky gate, he'd been devout. Which was a turn of face, Vir had gotten used to baiting him into trouble and finding his brother return it to him, it was the game they played as children.

Now, Tolan was the rock anchoring Vir to the solid earth of responsibility. It had become boorish, but many in the towns surrounding appreciated the devotion he'd taken up.

All it meant to Vir, was he could steal his brother's food during evening prayers. Until even that had stopped working.

But it had also transformed his anger into this quiet rage that Vir was afraid to stir, instead of the spitting kindling it once was. And it bothered him that he didn't know why. Tolan never had qualms about raising a hand against anyone before, but the fact there was something that could hold him back so fiercely seem deeply bizarre to him.

"Fine Brother, I'll stop." he soothed, Tolan's face visibly relaxed, spreading to his shoulders. Like a tree sagging in the wind, he breathed deep and released a labored sigh.

"Do not mock the Blessed Vir, they are Holy men." He paused "and also celibates."

Vir looked up in confusion."Wait, Really. ?"

Tolan nodded.

Vir's feet hit the ground as he sat there a moment.

"Their Whole lives?" he asked, Tolan, shrugged in mild acceptance.

"Huh."

They paused in a strange silence for a moment before Vir stood up, stretching a moment.

"Well brother, let us be on our way." He stated and simply started walking. He stopped when he saw Tolan wasn't following "Unless you'd like to stay here and begin fasting on my behalf."

Tolan sighed, swaying his body back and forth a moment before standing upright. "Alright, I am coming. I don't love you nearly that much." Vir flashed a smile, running ahead while Tolan walked at his leisurely pace, caught up to him eventually and they walked together the rest of the way.

It was not long before they came within sight of city gates, lazy trails from innumerable smokestacks rising from behind the horizons, guiding them till they could see it fully.

A Wooden wall rose from the land and ran the circumference of the settlement, broken only by the broad swinging gates before them, which could be thrown closed at a moment's notice in case of animal or Demon attack. As the Brothers drew close a guard shouted to them, standing before the gate with his spear in hand and companion to his side.

"Ah, Tolan, Vir, You made it. Grandmother Hela was beginning to ask for you. We feared you wouldn't make it!" The figure shouted from the gate, dressed in the uniform blue-black coat the guards all sported, a line of single red knots ran down the side, next to the buttons, Announcing his rank within the Militia.

Tolan laughed as he and the guard threw arms around each other, being careful of the spear. "Ah, Frow, it is good to see you again! Benji, Hello to you too. Vir! Come say hello to Frow and Benji!" Vir drew closer and eagerly clasped his arms with Benji.

"Ah, good soul, you are a sight for tired eyes, I can't stand being on the road with this lunk anymore." He said exaggerating his weariness. Benji laughed and clapped him on the back

"And yet, everyone can't wait to be rid of you, come in before I'm forced to throw you out for loitering like vagabonds. You've arrived at the perfect time, The Harvest Festival is just tomorrow, you must have started late. Shame, we were hoping to have you two up on stilts again." The small circle laughed and shared a pained expression over lost opportunities.

"I guess you'll just have to leave earlier next year, Eh Tolan?" Benji mocked, Vir groaned.

Tolan chuckled at the thought "I would've been here sooner, but I had to catch this wild thing first."

Frow gave a cracking laugh as Benji snickered. Vir was unamused and fired back.

"Well at least we got here, If we'd followed His direction, we'd be halfway to Serpents Bend!" The two armed men bawled again, A Gruff voice called from atop the gate.

"What's the Trouble down there!?"

Frow Shouted back "No Trouble just a pair of lost fools here for the Red Harvest."

"Well then, let them in, don't stand there all day. We have a Watch to keep!" the soldier responded. Frow and Benji let their smiles flatten and resumed the soldier's posture.

"Yes Sir, Pass along you two." He commanded. Vir whispered an aside as he passed " Say, any chance you could snag us a wineskin before the--"

"Oi, Move along You!" the Gate master called down again. The two shrugged at each other and Vir hurried to catch up with his brother before he outstripped him completely.

The Two men walked to the village square, taking in the festival decorations and the smell of prepared food for the celebration later.

Tolan took a heavy breath, letting the long journey and stresses of travel wash out of him, exchanging it for the anticipatory air of the oncoming festival. All the smells of the bustling village, that sense of excitement, made the sight, sounds, and smells all the more tantalizing. Both brothers took in a lung full of steamed vegetables, frying ham, beef roasts, and the unmistakable aroma of sweet loaves of bread, baking in a hot bakery, brick and stone, oven.

The sounds of men working to set up colorful banners and putting nails into place, the laughter of children away from their chores. The ongoing daily tasks required to keep the village running, all swirled around them. Into their ears and noses, sweat and sawdust, meals to be eaten next to the sounds of living and excitement.

Vir's face broke open in a lopsided grin "Smells like Home Brother." he said wistfully.

Tolan looked at him and chuckled "Indeed so Vir" He breathed out his own emotions

"Because it's Good to be Home."