Em'brel helped Sare'en attach a harness to one of the arlack. They'd figured out that while the arlack had mostly gotten used to Grim because they'd been around him since he was much younger and thus smaller, they still kept a very close eye on him whenever the wolgen was present. The resulting stillness made adding or removing gear that much easier.

She smiled at her friend as she cinched the harness a little tighter. "Ready to get back on the road again?"

Sare'en shrugged but also smiled in return. "Well, it's not as big a deal for me as the rest of you. Since I had to move the herd out to the fields to graze every day, then back to the outpost every night, this is kind of the same, except I keep moving in the same direction all day. So the better question is, are you ready to get back on the road again? I remember you complaining about blisters on your feet quite a bit before we settled in for the winter. A fine lady like yourself probably isn't used to all this hard work!"

Em'brel rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation. "Okay, I'm not used to all this walking, but that's hardly any reason to imply I'm some pampered noble! I can fight circles around you in the training ring, and I haven't even lived in that delightful air conditioning in the cave for almost a year now! Also, we both know my stew is better than yours!"

At that, Sare'en's perpetual calm and sweet expression cooled a few degrees as she frowned at her friend. "I'll admit you've got me beat in the ring, but no one, not even you, can rival my cooking! So you take that back, or I'll make you go back to cooking your own meals!"

Lon'thul chose that moment to appear out of a random shadow. He's been getting better at that particular trick, and it was becoming a little unnerving. He tossed a strip of meat at Grim and grinned. "Hey, I'll eat Em'brel's cooking any day! But, of course, I'll also eat Sare'en's cooking any day! Then again, I'll happily eat raw meat...so maybe I'm not the best judge of who's a better cook..."

Both Sare'en and Em'brel rolled their eyes this time, but it was the latter who responded. "You know, it's a lot less efficacious to flirt with two women simultaneously, especially when they're in front of each other.

Lon'thul blinked stupidly for a moment before responding with a confused expression. "Efficwhat? Also, who said anything about flirting? I thought we were talking about food?"

Em'brel and Sare'en looked at each other before breaking down in a giggling fit, causing the poor confused arlack to look back and forth, wondering if he was free to wander off with his harness only half secured.

-

To'brel was packing for the journey when a slight rustle at the tent entrance let him know he had a guest. Turning around, he was surprised to see Chal'ac already inside the tent with him. "You know, you're getting too good at that. Pretty soon, I won't even hear you enter. You gotta be getting as good as Lon'thul at that whole stealth thing."

Chal'ac Flopped onto his bedroll, the only other piece of "furniture" in the tent aside from the chair To'brel was already using. "Afraid not. I'm good, but that churlish is a monster. I swear his mother was a shadow!"

To'brel raised an eye ridge at that. "You don't seem to get along with the other hunters very well. Or anyone, really. Why'd you decide to start keeping me company?"

Chal'ac shrugged. "I dunno. I guess it's the whole fact that everyone else out here came because they were true believers, everyone except you and me. You came out here because Lord A'ngles forced your hand, and I came out here because..." She paused as if realizing she'd started to say too much before continuing, "because I'm no longer welcome back home."

That had To'brel's attention. Chal'ac was notorious for keeping to herself, so he usually didn't pry into her past, but he felt he'd almost caught a glimpse at what drove the woman to behave the way she did. After a moment, he decided to let it go instead. "Fair enough, but you know I'm one of those pesky 'true believers' now, right? Taking classes with Em'brel and everything. Well, I say 'with,' but while we're in the same tent, it's more like we're in separate classes, and she's way ahead of me."

Chal'ac rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know, and I'm a contributing member of the camp too. Regardless of the reason, we're here now. I might be too stubborn for my own good, but living in denial isn't going to improve my living conditions."

To'brel was amazed someone so self-destructive could also be so introspective. "Then why not make more friends around the camp? Everyone knows you're a great hunter and have enough intelligence and wit to win anyone over."

Chal'ac looked up at the young "Lord" with a crooked smile. "I did. I made friends with you. For all you know, you're the first in a long line of conquests for me..."

The younger argu'n laughed. "Yeah, sure. After being with the camp for nearly a year, you've made one friend and don't seem to be moving all that quickly to make any more. At that rate, You should be the camp darling about the time your kids have kids."

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The hunter scrunched her nose with a grimace. "Yeah, that's a no on kids." Then she blinked and grinned wickedly. "Why are you bringing up kids anyway? You're not thinking of taming the camp's aloof huntress, are you?"

At that, To'brel dropped the clothing he'd been packing and started stuttering. "N-no! I-I-I wouldn't! I-I didn't mean..."

Chal'ac laughed and cut him off. "Relax! I'm just giving you grief. I know you wouldn't make a move like that. You're way too high-strung to try something like that!"

It was To'brel's turn to be incredulous as he threw another piece of clothing at the offending female. "I'm too high strung? This coming from the 'Ice Huntress?'"

Chal'ac looked like she was about to counter when someone clapped outside the door, signifying they wanted to speak with To'brel. Without thinking, the young argu'n answered. "Come in!"

Orth'kun opened the tent door just enough to poke his head in. "Hey kid, er lord kid, whatever. Just checking to ensure you have everything you need before tomorrow." Then looking down, the guard seemed to notice Chal'ac for the first time. "Oh, sorry, didn't mean to interrupt!"

Whatever evidence of a friendly Chal'ac had been there moments ago was gone as the Ice Huntress reappeared. "You weren't interrupting anything. In fact, I was just leaving. Good evening To'brel. Orth'kun."

With that, she slipped past the larger guard into the camp, leaving the oversized guard to look back in confusion. "Was it something I said?"

To'brel sighed and shook his head as he got back to packing. "No, I just don't think she's ready for that many friends yet..."

If anything, the guard became even more confused. "Huh?"

-

B'arthon was contemplative as he returned to the village. For a moment during the negotiations, he thought he'd almost convinced Jack and S'haar to throw in with him, though he'd obviously miscalculated. The noble had thought Jack would be the one to show resistance, and S'haar would have been easy to convince. But instead, it seemed to be the other way around.

It kind of unnerved B'arthon how far that female had grown in such a short time. Of course, she'd always been physically formidable, something she'd inherited from that monster father of hers, but she'd never had actual control and influence beyond that...until now.

When she'd first showed up at the village to rescue them from the deep freeze, B'arthon had assumed that had been mostly Jack's doing, and he was just keeping clear of unwanted attention by letting S'haar act as if she was in charge. Then when she'd defeated the undefeatable De'har, he'd assumed she was just coming further into her inheritance from her father, backed up by more of Jack's weird tricks. But what he'd seen in that tent a couple nights ago had shown that she was actually leading their people, and not just in name like he'd thought. So Jack really was simply acting as an advisor.

That changed the situation considerably. With Jack in command, he'd assumed a peaceful resolution would have been likely given the male's timid nature, but now that he knew S'haar was the one leading the charge...

Why couldn't that female simply have accepted the role as his mate and eventually a position as the head of his personal guard? He'd been doing her a favor, really. While it wasn't unheard of for females to have positions of honor and authority, it was reserved for those born to such a position. Being the orphaned child of a psychotic monster, she'd never have achieved anything like that on her own. B'arthon had thought his proposal had been mutually beneficial, she'd get a chance at a life that would never have been within her reach, and he'd have the companionship and protection of one of the best warriors in the village!

But, when she'd spurned his advances so clearly and publicly, A'ngles correctly deduced that their reputation would take a hit if action wasn't taken. So when reports appeared of a new "dragon" that lit the heavens on fire and shook the very earth, the old man decided to claim two kills with one hunt. Sacrifice the female to the dragon, and learn what kind of a threat it might be.

Instead, she seemed to have ended up in the very situation B'arthon had tried to orchestrate for her from the beginning. At least that's what he'd thought before that meeting...

That was when a small voice spoke up from the bundle B'arthon had loaded up in his backpack. "You seem deep in thought. What's got you so troubled?"

B'arthon sighed as he walked. Thankfully they were far enough from anyone who wasn't already used to his strange talking metal, and his guards didn't have the imagination to question him when he'd explained it was a contraption blessed by the gods. He paused long enough to reach around and pull Vox'thon out of his pack so he could see her better.

She was now encased in a smooth metal case in the shape of a small pyramid, the likes of which would be worth a small fortune, though he knew that paled in comparison to the value of that which it protected. She was also heavy enough that carrying her in his arms over long distances was out of the question. "Why'd they choose such an awkward case for you anyway?"

Vox'thon's voice now came through cleaner and clearer, missing the odd buzzing sounds that had always been present. It made her sound even more like a child than before. "Angela said it would be more stable. It's so hard to tip me over in this new form, and apparently, triangles are a solid 'shape,' whatever that means, so I can withstand much more physical stress. Though, she was very clear that I should test that theory as little as possible! But you should stop changing subjects. What's on your mind?"

B'arthon rolled his eyes and sighed. "I was just frustrated because this whole situation is entirely unnecessary. All this time wasted, not to mention the lives of so many argu'n that could have been put to better use! They have to realize what kind of numbers we can bring to bear against them... I just don't get what their plan is!"

The young female was quiet a moment before responding. "Angela told me it comes down to a difference in ideologies. She said you believe the ends justify the means, where they believe the means will shape the future. Honestly, I don't fully understand the difference, and you both seem to be trying to do what you feel is right... I wish...I wish you didn't have to fight."

B'arthon frowned. "I do too. But whether my father's arrogance created this situation or not, they're now standing in our way and refusing to move, so my choice is to give up on the future I've worked so hard for or run them over. Too much time and too many lives have already been spent on that future, and I'm not about to change course so suddenly."

The AI was silent momentarily as she contemplated the weight behind those words. "I know... But I still wish things were different."

B'arthon returned Vox'thon to his pack as his expression grew cold as he contemplated the coming days. "As do I..."