The rest of the day had passed in a blur. Everyone was either recovering or very busy. I kept myself busy as well. For a while I chopped wood, to help out with our efforts to fortify the camp. I didn't use my glaive for that though, swinging a good old axe instead. It wouldn't have done for the wood that was to be used for the palisade to be decaying after all. Later I switched to carrying water to top off our supplies once again since a lot of water had been used today. That gave me the chance to learn the basics of the cleansing spell, that I had seen used on wounds and clothes before, as well.

All the while I was accompanied by Quu'za and on my to the creek and back by several other harpies as well. Kaele must have been really insistent about not letting me wander off on my own. The harpies weren't exactly good at carrying heavy pots full of water but they certainly were good security. They ranged around the camp, the clearing where we were cremating our dead and the creek we used to supply us with fresh water. Once again I was pretty glad that Ii got to meet Quu'za and her kin. They were proving themselves to be irreplaceable so far. I had no idea what we would do without them.

Either way, once evening rolled around everyone was pretty much tired and exhausted. We could be proud of ourselves though. The camp was properly fortified now and the healers reassured me that we would not need any additional pyres for those who had suffered any wounds during the battle. I still felt our losses keenly but at the same time it was a great relief. Neither Tortho's scouts nor the ranging harpies had found any more threats heading our way anywhere nearby either but despite these good news I doubted that I would rest easy.

A ghoul horde could march, shamble, shuffle or crawl all day and night after all. Even if none of them were nearby now they could still start showing up any time during the night. It was troublesome. Chances were, that something would happen the longer we spent resting here. We really needed the time to rest and recover though. Even with all our medical supplies and magic to speed up recovery, wounds would only heal so fast after all.

I took another sip of my tea, no wine tonight, the healers had insisted on speeding up everyone's recovery with a herbal concoction of theirs, and let my gaze wander. The others sitting with me were just as exhausted as I felt, or even more so. Both Kaele and Tero had fallen asleep sitting there, leaning against each other. I envied these two a little. It was understandable though. Both had been casting spells pretty much all day. One to heal, the other to keep the fire in check as we burned the gruesome remains of our enemies.

As a matter of fact that fire was still burning even now. The fire had burned down enough though that Tero had felt comfortable leaving the watch over it and the wind that carried away the smoke to a mage from his banner. I had expected some complaints about not looting the bodies before we incinerated them but none had come. It probably had been to gruesome a mess for everyone. Besides, we could bury the remains and come later to recover whatever was worth recovering sometime later. I doubted that twisted and charred remains of armor and weapons would run away.

Tortho had only been by for a brief visit and a cup of tea to warm himself in preparation for a long night. Yath'zur was fast asleep, under the watchful eyes of his company's shamans. I would visit him tomorrow, at least if nothing else came up that demanded my immediate attention. Ugh! No, I shouldn't think like that. I would visit him, no matter what!

Anyway, that left me with Gash'zur, who already had her eyes closed as well, although she was not quite asleep yet, and Quu'za, who had huddled down on my other side but still was very much awake.

I looked over at the nearest watchtower. It was a rather makeshift, tripod construction that would never carry the wight of a troll, giant, or even most demons. I had expected humans, darkelves and gorgons to man them but it had been harpies who volunteered first. They had climbed the equally makeshift ladders to make themselves comfortable on the raised platforms before anyone could object.

I looked over at Quu'za again. “What is up with the watch towers? Why were some of yours so keen to take these posts?”

It took me a moment to realize that the noise the harpy made, as she shifted a little to look up to me, was the harpy version of a chuckle. “Its the older ones.” As she noticed my confused look she elaborated. “I think its some kind of nesting instinct taking over. You remember our huts from when we first met, yes? We dig our nests into the ground to make use of the volcanic heat, yes? Well, some other tribe prefer to build there nests high up. That is them. We a re really good at keeping watch like that as well. When they have their young ones huddling under their wings they have to keep watch for days at times.”

Now I was chuckling as well and so was Gash'zur on my other side as took another slow sip from her tea, never opening her eyes as she did so. “Nesting instinct, huh?”

The harpy shrugged. “Probably. Either that or they jumped at the chance to not spend a night on the ground for a change. We are all flightless but some still prefer to keep watch from somewhere higher up. They hunt that way too, waiting in ambush up in the trees.”

I yawned. I was finally getting sleepy for good as the exhaustion caught up with me. I drained the last of my tea with a big gulp. “I think I'll call it a night. Wouldn't do for me to look like something Kaele's familiar dragged in when morning comes.” The giantess nodded, yawning herself while the harpy only bobbed her head.

I didn't have to retreat far, as my tent was nearby, surrounded by those of the rest of my banner. It took me a moment to struggle out of my armor. I had thought about sleeping in it again but my night would be even less restful in that case thus I compromised. I took it off but I left some of the buckles half closed so I could slip back into it quickly. Surrounded by all of my men and women I should have at least that much time if something were to happen.

With a tired sigh I sat down on my cot. My bruises were starting to make themselves known despite the ointment Kaele had spread on them after a quick sponge bath. I probably would feel them even more in the morning. Well, there was no helping that. I had barely slipped under my blanket when I felt the familiar weight of a certain cat land on me.

“Ouch! Careful there!” She had landed right on one of the worse bruises. I kept my voice down but the little treecat was obviously determined to ignore any protest of mine anyway. The tip of her long tail only bopped me in the nose once, absentmindedly as she kneaded briefly before curling herself up.

I winced as the claws dug into me, through the blanket. Once the little thing had made herself comfortable though, I started to relax. I braced her with one hand to make sure she wouldn't fall of if I were to shift in the night and she started to purr. At first sleep would not come easy to me as I was afraid I might hurt the feline if I were to shift in my sleep. As her warmth started to spread muscles I hadn't even know I had still tensed, started to relax though. And at long last, as the tension left my body, sleep took me. I still woke several times through the night but overall I still slept better than I had anticipated.