Exile's End: Day 16

Word Count: 96,007

Summary of Events:
Chapter 31:
The Iøsenräl held another practise battle after having done some training and the battle was far and away more successful than their prior battle, and it also featured another duel between Thårijn and Jägen because Thårijn was taking charge of the troops Jägen had assumed for his control.
Chapter 32:
A party of Iøsenräl decided that they were going to leave now that their men were ready to fight, even though Æliyäu tried desperately to stop them from leaving. Thårijn — among others — heard the mourning wail Æliyäu raised up in mourning for the departing group and found out about their departure, which Thårijn was initially happy about, until he realized that if those who had left were found it could spell danger — if not death — for all of the rest of them.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Thårijn looked at the other men in rank and file around him. Most of them were rather rested, it seemed. They weren't working hard. Thårijn didn't feel terribly pleased with this, these men weren't trying — sure they were only practising, but that didn't mean they shouldn't be testing themselves, they should leave the battle exhausted, they should really be putting effort into this.
Backing out of his rank, Thårijn rode around in front of all of the men, they all turned and looked at him, most of them with a surprised expression on their faces.
"What I see here is abominable!" Thårijn cried.
Many men startled and took on looks of shame. Other men just looked ashamed, and others took on looks of indignation.
"Yea, I know that we are only practising," Thårijn said. "I know we battle our own people! Our brothers! Our sons! Our fathers! But we must fight! We must test ourselves! We must test the others! We must fight as if we really are defending our very lives! If we do not test ourselves here we will be exhausted when the real battles come! And we will be fighting real, professional soldiers! They will slaughter us and leave our carcasses to be eaten by the birds who fly above us, and the beasts who dwell in the mountains around us if we do not test ourselves! We must make every effort to be ready! If we do not then it will be our death!"
The majority of the men looked either afraid or determined.
"Who will fight with me?" Thårijn asked. "Who will be ready for to make our way home at longest last?" Thårijn drew out Helännäri and held her high. "Who will be ready?"
"I!" several men called, drawing out their swords. More men joined them and raised up their swords, joining in the shout. It didn't take very long before all of the men had their swords raised and had shouted.
"Who will be ready?" Thårijn asked again.
"I!" cried all of the men in unison, a loud roar that filled Thårijn with a rush of exhilaration.
"Then let us fight!" Thårijn said.
"Fight!" all of the men shouted.
Thårijn swung Græshädå around to face the battlefield. Their comrades were mostly across the road.
"Fight!" Thårijn shouted, and all of the men followed suit. He did it three times before getting Græshädå to rear up, thrashing his grey forelegs in the air. As soon as Græshädå hit the ground Thårijn urged him into action and they charged down the slope, he could hear the men following behind him, many of them were just shouting and roaring indistinctly now, completely fired up and ready to battle.
When they met up with Bæjern's forces they fought ferociously, Thårijn glanced at the men alongside him and saw them fighting fiercely, driving them up the other side of the valley, back to their rally point."