Re: Roadside tent: Daniel W & Damian W
The strange man's laughter did not lessen Damian's irritation. After all, to the man's mind, he had asked a straightforward question on level-footing, though some might have seen its direct nature as aggressive, and in return, he had gotten a response vague and uninformative. That was irritating. (That he was in most senses, save for technicality, a child in many ways did not occur to Damian as an impetus to his reactions.) He glared from behind his mask, his gaze cold in its nephrite jade. He gave a tut at the question posed to him with amusement. Desert—Damian knew what these people deserved, but a thin cat-gut string tied him to Father's 'moral line.' Still, he lifted his chin, defiantly or perhaps even imperiously. "I will take the blood back, yes."
He followed the blown-black gaze of the man to his, Damian's, boots, then to the stranger's bare feet. He registered the sliver of recognition on pale face—the man realizing only now he had forgotten his shoes. Damian did not sense madness in this man before him, and, though perhaps he ought have learned reality was subject to personal interpretation, he trusted his own perception. His brain operated quickly, cultivated to assess and reassess any given situation, to extrapolate where necessary. That this man was visiting at night offered two obvious options: he was the one doing this or he had some stake here. Having stake in a roadside tent, however, seemed contrary to the presentation of the man, to the deliberation in his movement before he had stopped to speak to Damian. He had moved as a predator. He wished to punish these people as well, Damian thought.
Good. A joint venture. He preferred to work alone. In the past, he might have fought this man simply as duty, al Gol-twisted duty, said he must. He must establish himself as the victor apparent. But, that could in turn rouse the tent's occupants, which would be counterproductive.—This assessment occurred in the span of two or three seconds. Damian peered at the man. "Are you here to inflict punishment? If so, we might begin."