A lone soldier stood on watch at the camp of the dead. He sat in the dirt, his body cold and two flies already busy on him. His unseeing gaze wondered somewhere in the distance, waiting for his new rulers to return. If he still lived, he would’ve heard them long before he saw them. They filled the forest with laughter and savage screaming, telling each other the story of their brave conquest again and again.

“Do you see what I did to the mut? Three hits is all it took.” - the thin one boasted with his feat of killing a starving dog.

“You should’ve left it to me, I was just about to snap its head.” - the burly one responded, still limping.

“Blood wakes something in me. When I see it I become a different man. Last night when it all started I just knew what to do, I didn’t even think about it.”

They walked to the camp like generals returning with the spoils of war. Telling each other how they stabbed their friends in the back and gutted them on the ground. Still feats that had a drop of glory more than what they had just done.

At the gates of their new kingdom, the burly man knelt and shook the hand of the dead soldier on watch. Ice cold fingers greeted him, refusing to return the handshake.

“You’re relieved, soldier. Good work.” - he said, just like his general used to tell him.

Another soldier awaited them with the same gaze as the one on watch, tied standing against a tree. From the looks of it he found his death there, serving as target practice for his captors.

“All quiet tonight, Bek?” - the thin man patted the tied soldier on the shoulder - “Yes, yes, last night was rough but it’s all good now. Don’t you worry. Take an early night.”

“It’s calm today, eh? Maybe we’ll finally get a good night’s sleep with no one around to cause a ruckus.” - the big one said.

“We deserve some good sleep. But first! First, we’ll have a proper meal.”

“Oh I’ve forgotten what good meat tastes like.”

“It’ll hardly be good, but it’s miles better than cheese and bread.”

“Tonight we eat like kings!”

“Like kings!”

They started a fire with the same mastery that they fought with - clumsy but efficient. By the time they were done they were both sweaty and covered in soot. But these are the sacrifices that a ruler must make.

“Maybe we should’ve left one alive to cook for us.”

“Yeah, but he’d want meat for himself too.”

“Aye, you’re right. Better to do it ourselves.”