"The Penitents" / #142: Battle

[ap0cryphal]

Title: "The Penitents"
Challenge/Prompt: #141 / Battle
Original Fiction or Fanfiction: Original
Characters/Pairings: N/A
Rating: PG-13 / K+
Warnings: Violence, Language 
Disclaimer:  Original work, my own stuffs, etc.
Summary:  "The priests wade through the embers."
Author's Notes:  8|   

~

At dusk, the caravan burns. Come daybreak, the caravan lies in ashes. 
 

Priests wade through the embers, bare feet trailing blood and soot, offering benediction to the weary and oblivion to the dying.  Blood taints their saffron robes, marks their wooden masks. Smooth black masks, no slits for eyes or lips. Their satchels hold water and their hands hold sickles, stained mottled red. 

"Why didn't you fight?" a swordswoman curses, refusing their blessing. "I've seen your sickles fell armoured pikemen, and these were just fucking raiders!"
 

"Forbidden," they reply in unison, a chorus of sombre jackals. "We are not kinslayers."

~