Shemira cocked her head for a minute before speaking. Then, she asked, her tone and body language communicating nervousness, "Why name him Ragzak? Why not give the same expectations to your daughters? From my conversations with Sybil… I'm surprised she agreed to Ragzak."
I flicked my tail. It'd been only a single night since the decision was made, and my elites were learning my children's names. "It's not as simple as I wish it was. The name… Sybil had a strong reaction to it as you expect. However, she didn't disagree with it last night, and this morning, you've seen that she is out already."
As I gestured with my head in the direction of my mate, she turned her head towards us before waving a handful of Khatif off. They scurried to comply with whatever her orders were and she stalked towards us.
"I have realized my foolishness." Sybil spoke. "I have been consumed with my worry about my children. I love them, I treasure them. I wish for them to be happy. However, I have allowed for my concern to overwhelm the rest of my instincts and my feelings. They are Keel by birth. There is nothing that will be handed to them. They must earn and fight for every advantage. I have every confidence they will gain every advantage through their own might. I will guide them when they ask, I will care for them when they are needy, but I will require more of them than the world does, so that when the world wishes to destroy them, they conquer it in turn."
She has overcome most of the hormones that control what she feels and thinks remarkably early. It's because of her magic, and she's used it on herself to change the way she feels, somewhat. Her body will continue to excrete them, though, so it will be a constant battle for every Keel mother and father.
I didn't know exactly what "hormones" were, but I could understand what my goddess was saying.
"If that's how you're feeling now," Shemira spoke, "what brought on the change in the first place? You became broody, emotional. Just… different."
"It's something that just happens with all Keel." I said, flicking my tail. "I don't understand the specifics, but my understanding is that it'll happen with every Keel mother and father, though the change seems more pronounced in Sybil. Or maybe that's just because there's a greater contrast between her before and after compared to my own."
"That's going to happen to me?" Shemira cocked her head, chuckling. "I can't wait until Vefir finally succeeds. But why the difference in names?"
It was something I'd struggled with. Why had I felt that way? Was it just a closeness I felt to him? Was it something else entirely? Eventually, I'd realized it was just a gut feeling. Maybe it had something to do with [Voice of Nievtala], or perhaps something else entirely. I couldn't say for sure. Whatever the case was, I decided to trust in it. Maybe it was something that would cause trouble down the line, either for him or for my daughters, or any others that followed thereafter, and I would work with them to ensure that I repaired anything I'd broken.
For now, I was happy to have a feeling in me that said they would live good lives. That I could ensure that. And I'd spill whoever's blood was necessary to do so.
"The lines we've established so far," I said, turning to Percral who stood nearby, simply watching the drilling Khatif and Kha below, "they need to be adjusted. Our focus has been trapping the wyrms with our lines. Against the Misti Hawar, we need to prioritize closing in on them, on being able to react to their movement through shadows as well as their attacks. Holding strong."
"Yes." Percral agreed. "The Huntmaster is doing something with that for now, so I hope we'll be able to see results today."
I looked at the other group of soldiers, mostly Hak'Tal among them. Instead of a full line, they stood in teams of three, one flanked by two. They had other teams nearby, though with just enough space between each group to ensure that each could react to approaching threats and take care of them as each team decided. The drills left something to be desired, but as their Alphas called out commands and allowed instinct to take over, the already proficient spear wielding infantry found themselves working better and better together.
"I wish we could test this in combat." I grumbled. "There's no way to know how they'll react to these changes. But I think this is the right idea. Self-sufficient groups within groups that can cover each other. Why three instead of four?"
"Took said something about flexibility, but she didn't get into enough detail for me to say exactly." Percral answered, still keeping his focus on the drilling. Several of the strongest Hak'Tal were acting as Misti Hawar, rushing around and throwing things at the teams, but that was far from enough to satisfy my own need for battle results. As such, I groaned and walked forward.
"Sybil, Brutus. Tell me if I'm going stronger, faster, or whatever more than the one that attacked the nursery. I'll be our Misti Hawar."
Without another word, I hopped over the edge of the wall I was standing on and jogged towards the drilling teams. As I drew close, Took called out, "Zaaktif!"
"Huntmaster." I greeted. "I'm here to test your ranks."
She paused and looked at me for a brief moment. Then, she bowed her head and answered, "Very well. Be ready! The Zaaktif is coming!"
Trembles of terror spread through some of the fighters, but many more squared their shoulders, fighting against the natural suppression they felt facing me. I grinned and rushed forward.
The first team wasn't ready for me to be there so quickly, and I lightly scraped my claws across the back of their necks as I declared, "Dead and dying."
"Too fast." Brutus shouted behind me, and I slowed myself as I rushed to the next. I grabbed handfuls of sand and stone from underfoot and hurled them in sweeping claws like those that the Misti Hawar had used to shred through my people. The second group, blinded and confused, went down in a similar way. The third was more ready for me, and as I drew closer, they kept their spears aloft as I entered their vicinity and tried to close in. I had to turn and force myself to avoid taking hits while being unable to close into melee with them.
I grinned widely as I pressed the attack. "Good."
My people seemed to collectively stiffen in fear as I pressed back in to train them.