“That was cruel.”

Rooster twitched his ears but didn’t lift his head to look at his guest. Instead he rasped his tongue across his knuckles and shifted across his chaise. Lights flickered at the corner of his vision, claws on wood and stone, her voice echoed against brass.
Kielo continued with a sharp turn, a lash of her tail that smacked the rope of one of his Bells; “She deserved Reincarnation!”

The smoldering Soul that singed the walls of Rooster’s Domain still stank, and he curled his tail around himself to groom the tip. He Combed his tongue across the feathers and hooked his tusks between them. “If you saw what I saw,” he said, with no room for argument, “You would not think so.”

Kielo’s feathers fluffed and a snarl rose in her throat. Her radiance flared and illuminated the bell tower. “She made one mistake--”

“You must understand,” he placed his paw on the ground. Hauled himself out of his chaise and finally looked at the kadin, “You do not hear what I hear. See what I see.” Kielo paced across the beams between the bells, feathers flared out and tail hooked over her back as if she thought she could outrank him.
Amusing.
Rooster proceeded, joined her on the support beams. “She relished in her ‘mistake’. It was her greatest achievement. That’s not the sort of soul that I will throw back into the pool. Others of my kind might. That’s their choice. If someone wants a different Judge they should make sure they die in someone else’s Territory.” he stepped into her path, and she glowered back at him. He met her glare with his smile and a small laugh.

Violet eyes flashed with anger; “You played with her!” Kielo spat. “You gave her hope! You had her join our ranks and then--” her snarl filled the tower and she glared again at the singe on the wall. Rooster sighed, and continued across the the other side of the tower, flicking his tail for the kadin to follow.

“...She wasn’t cut out for the job.” he echoed, and lifted himself into the window.

Outside the bell tower, Zolk sprawled down below them. The air a beautiful blue. Keerops swooped and dove around. Some stole various foods from the peoples down below. Igyera roosted in the city square, embroiled in deep discussion with Malani and Lania. If he focused…
No that would be… nosey.
And he had more pressing matters.

Kielo scrambled off of the beam, quieter now, and stood beside him, following his gaze. Her face hard, her shoulders tight.
But loosening. “...What… exactly did she do?” the question was expected. Resigned.

“Her crime in life? Murder.” he waved a paw. “In my employ? …It doesn’t matter. She knew the rules. She broke them.”

Kielo hesitated. She was an interesting kadin, Rooster would admit. Her being so serious was odd. In all the time he’d known her, she usually played the fool. She breathed, had never been through His Judgement, yet she could see his Domain. Everything about her was a fascination. And now, her thoughts roiled and churned a dark storm. Scales balanced in her head.
They watched the discussion in the square. Sat together when Igyera took flight down to Havenfall, and Lania and Malani made their way home.
Only when the sky turned dark did Kielo speak again. “...Could I do it?”

He’d been expecting the question. Better not admit that though. “Hm?”

“This… job. Could I do it?” Kielo angled her ears towards the window. Didn’t look at him.

“...You could try.” he extracted himself from the window with a Stretch and a yawn. A glance downstairs through the gaps in the floor, and there was Garrick, sitting attentively in front of a pull rope.

“And you wouldn’t obliterate me if I messed up, would ya?” Kielo flattened her ears at Rooster. Idly, he reached for his own bell chain.

“You’re Living. Unless you prove a threat, I’m not allowed to harm you. Your… friend? Wasn’t Living. She was one of the countless Dead.” he explained, taking the rope in both paws. “...That said. If you don’t wish to follow her into Death, I heavily recommend that you cover your ears, friend.”

He answered her confusion with a practiced smile, double checked the clock on the wall, and just as the second hand reached zero, he pulled. The bell bearings lurched, thrown into motion with the clanging of the evening bells. Below him, Garrick joined him exactly a second later, and their old dance began anew.