Most of my elites scattered with a hurried purpose while the young male that had just joined my “protectors” sprinted to get my spear. Less than a minute later, he returned, and I held it more like a walking stick than a weapon as Sybil, Brutus, and another of my guards walked alongside me towards the moving mountain and its inhabitants. Behind us and staying within the grasses was Silf. Sybil, with a mental command, set the herds hurrying along, while Joral and the wolfstags kept them in line. The four of us who walked forward did so ever towards what may be our summary death. I led us to stand in a clearing directly in front of where the mobile fortress would pass, my spear planted in the ground and my eyes cast upwards.
“Nievtala,” I prayed aloud, my fear setting my heart to thundering in my chest, “I hope this isn’t a stupid idea. Help us. Bless us with the victory not of conquest but of survival.”
No words answered me, but a slight reassurance settled over me. It very easily could have been my imagination, but I could square my shoulders and prepare for the speech I would have to deliver, the maneuvering that may save my people and myself. With slow steps but a quick speed, the tortoise approached, its form blocking out the suns long before it arrived. With something weighing such an unimaginable great weight, I expected the earth to tremble with each step, even notwithstanding the magic softening each movement, but it wasn’t so. Only its swiftly growing size indicated its approach. Its eyes sought me, weighing the value of my life compared with whatever pleasure it would derive from eating me. The soldiers I’d watched from afar refused to stand before the beast, and we stood like so many stalks of grass before it. I waited for it to stop at a distance where it couldn’t snap out and consume us without a second thought.
It came much closer than that, and I gestured for my companions to retreat with me, but though we sprinted, it grew ever closer, never slowing. The monstrosity did not yield or heed our presence whatsoever, and it was only a mere moment before I directed for the rest to go to the side, hopefully where we wouldn’t be trampled. For the first time, the keelish of my swarm came in contact with the indlovu soldiers. They towered over us, more than double the height of our tallest even though Brutus stood well over eight feet tall. Their glittering bracers, anklets, and necklaces gleamed in the suns’ light, nearly blinding us. The tortoise continued its path, and I feared our potential sacrifice would be for naught.
Then, with a nearly imperceptible sound, the massive beast flowed to a stop, almost like a stone that slowly sunk to the bottom of a pond. Looking up, we stood in nearly the exact middle of the beast’s length, and it towered over the indlovu soldiers that menacingly surrounded us. Before anything could make a demand or threat, I spoke with my sonilphon amplifying my words to carry unnaturally far.
“I am Ashlani, chieftain of my swarm, the fahvalo of Bloodpriestess Ana of the Moonchildren and the Disciple of Nievtala. I have brokered peaceful travel with the indlovu from Chieftain Qaqambi of the Yegolide to Chieftain Lukusu of the Acqamba. I have come to speak with you, and see if our tribes can work in peace and friendship or must take up the iklabhu to protect ourselves and defeat our foes. Please, counsel with me, break bread with me, and let my askari be yours.”
I felt I was gambling with adding the extra line about peaceful travel, but I felt that might help. The soldiers kept a watchful eye on us the entire time, though their faces betrayed no emotion at my words or apparent knowledge of their traditional greeting. Beginning to feel foolish, I fought the urge to shout out a greeting once more. When I glanced at Sybil, her tail flicked in uncertainty before speaking in the keelish tongue.
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“They remain quiet. They have yet to announce anything, Our presence is not being spoken of in any way that I can hear. There is no uproar among the inhabitants of the beast. I… I cannot say what else may happen. Forgive me.”
“Your abilities were a possible edge, but I’m glad you’re here anyways. Thank you for supporting me.”
“Always, my Alpha.”
Even if the indlovu on the mountainous beast never came down, every moment we could delay them allowed my swarm to escape ever further. I forced my mind to calm, to accept the delay, to welcome and enjoy it. Their willingness to make me wait was an example of their pride, their hubris, and I could exploit it. The idea of pretending obedience or fear rankled me, but the thought of deceiving the prideful and defeating them in a battle not of fang and claw, but of mind and tactics assuaged my genetic rage.
Minutes passed, and the soldiers surrounding us remained stoic and nearly immobile. The only movement apparent was that of their ears in the winds. I too stood still, my tail occasionally flicking in the wind. My spear remained planted in the ground, helping to keep me steady while my battle-hardened senses demanded I rush, move, fidget, or do anything other than stand like a placid herbivore.
I glanced up, and saw that the lesser suns had continued in their orbit, the red that had been on top having moved half the way to replacing the blue. A full hour had passed since we left to come here. An hour of needlessly waiting, but an hour of my people making their escape ever further away from certain destruction. With a sigh, I squatted down to my haunches, the position much more comfortable than the rigid stance from before. Of course, the same moment I allowed myself some measure of comfort, the earth underfoot rumbled and a pillar of stone rose to the peak of the fortress. Another several minutes passed before the stone began returning to whence it came.
As the peak of the pillar became apparent, I could see three indlovu standing on its flat summit. Two were soldiers, I assumed, while the third was different from every indlovu I’d seen before. Every hunter and soldier wore leathers wrapped tightly around their arms, legs, torsos and groin, dressed for battle and protection. The soldiers added on additional steel bracers, anklets, and necklaces, but this one had no leather on its body at all. Instead, it wore a golden flowing robe, the sleeves covering its hands that were clasped before its belly. Its tusks were covered with fine carvings inlaid with gold that matched its robes, and its ears were laden with heavy golden jewelry. When it pulled its hands apart and spread them like some false god, I saw each finger glittered and was heavy with rings and ostentatious jewels.
“I am not our hunting chieftain.” He declared with a smooth baritone voice that seemed to drip honey with each word. “And as such, I am not qualified to engage with our sacred rituals in a way that would befit your honor, Chieftain Ashlani. Therefore, I must plead your understanding when I respond with my unimpressive titles. I am Silumkulo, the herdmaster of the Inkulu tribe. I beg your patience. Notwithstanding my lowly position, I am nonetheless qualified to serve as the mouthpiece for my people in establishing our peaceful relationship moving forward. Please, let us set aside such barbarous implements of battle and slaughter, that we may instead engage with a forthright desire to understand and to join our peoples in harmonious friendship.”