Calm before the storm

Alexis meticulously went over her equipment, making sure everything was in best possible condition.

She always did this when she had the luxury of preparation before a mission. It was a necessity, of course, if you didn’t want to find yourself pants down on the battlefield with your weapons and/or armor failing just because you could not be bothered to check.
But for her it also served as a ritual of sorts, helping her to put aside white noise in her head and put her focus on what lay ahead.

And she was not looking forward to what was to come. Maybe she should have declined, but… she did decide to see this through. And that raid, like it or not, was part of it. So she would have to deal with the ugly along the way.

She certainly hoped Zane knew what he was as doing. Because this mess had the potential to backfire, big time.

At Islana’s approach and inquiry she looked up from working her blade with a whetstone.

“Sure thing. What is it?”