Kai's voice cuts through my thoughts. I glance up from my work to watch him and Ursik sparring near the edge of the training grounds, just past Kai's longhouse. They're not going hard—this is playful, the kind of combat practice that keeps skills sharp without risking actual injury. Kai blocks a swing from Ursik, pivots, sweeps low.
They insisted I join them. This is as close as I get.
Ursik jumps back, grinning. "You're distracted."
"I'm annoyed."
"Same thing with you." Ursik circles, looking for an opening. "What's got your tusks in a twist this time?"
"Drogath found another human tradition."
That makes me pause, jar halfway capped. Another one. The Valentine's Rites were barely a month ago, and the shaman's still recovering from that particular obsession. I'd assumed he'd take a break before diving into the next misinterpretation of human culture.
Apparently not.
"What is it this time?" Ursik sounds more interested than concerned, which tracks. He enjoyed the Valentine's Rites despite—or maybe because of—how ridiculous they were.
It was quite enjoyable to watch for me and him. For Kai… Well, he has a mate now.
Kai blocks another strike, grunts with the impact. "St. Padraig's Week. Or something like that. He's been poring over those texts again, the ones we salvaged from the human settlement ruins."
"And?"
"And he's convinced it's some ancient prosperity ritual involving serpents and rainbows and—" Kai breaks off to dodge a particularly enthusiastic swing from Ursik. "Will you focus? I'm trying to complain here."
"I can listen and spar." Ursik's grin widens. "Multi-talented, that's me."
I return to capping jars, listening with half my attention. Drogath's enthusiasms are usually harmless, if exhausting. The Valentine's Rites ended well enough—Kai found Saela, several other couplings happened, nobody died. Could've been worse.
"So what's the problem?" Ursik presses. "Week-long festival, prosperity blessings, sounds fine to me."
"It's partners again." Kai's voice carries an edge of exasperation. "Everything's about partners, though I hear the couples don't have to be romantic this time. Cooperative challenges, shared trials, bonding exercises. He's making it mandatory for practically the whole clan."
Ursik's laugh booms across the grounds. "You're complaining about spending a week with Saela? Really? That's your grievance?"
"I'm complaining about Drogath deciding what traditions we follow based on his extremely flawed interpretations of human culture."
"But you'll do it anyway."
"Of course I'll do it anyway." Kai sounds resigned. "Because if I don't, he'll make speeches about clan unity and honoring ancient customs and I'll have to listen to that for months. And Bronn will show up at my home, over and over."
I finish with the jars and start cleaning the mortar. The conversation drifts over me, familiar and mundane. Partners. Competition. Week-long festivals. None of it concerns me directly—I didn't participate in the Valentine's Rites, and I won't be participating in whatever Drogath's planning now.
Too much work to do. Always is.
"What about you, Falla?" Ursik calls out. "You joining in this time?"
"No."
"Come on. Might be fun."
"I have patients."
"You always have patients." Ursik blocks a strike from Kai, counters with one of his own. "When's the last time you did something that wasn't work?"
I don't dignify that with a response. Work is what I do. Work is what matters. People need healing, I provide it. Simple.
"Leave him alone," Kai says, though there's amusement in his voice. "Falla's allergic to fun."
