"Quiet paths make me nervous," he said with a grin, glancing sidelong at Ash, "Either the beasts are waiting to eat us all at once, or Yvren's glare scared them into hiding."
It was Kalrek who broke the quiet first, laughter bubbling out as he swung his warded staff against his shoulder.
Yvren's eyes narrowed at the jab, his scarred face tightening with clear annoyance.
"Enough, Kalrek," he snapped, his voice edged with command, "Shut your mouth and keep your focus—this path doesn't forgive fools."
But his retort seemed to have fallen on deaf ears as Veyra chuckled, brushing her fingers across the fletching of her arrow, "Better humor than silence, Kalrek. At least it keeps the air from freezing."
Kalrek laughed louder at that, puffing his chest, "Exactly! When we're knee-deep in mandibles, you'll thank me for the jokes. Fear doesn't like laughter—it chokes on it."
