Chapter VI

Somewhere, West Virginia, USA.

Jeb awoke with a headache. Which already meant that today would go about as good as the one before. He groaned as he got out of the warmth of his bear fur blanket, stretched and popped his body, and made his way to the bathroom for the morning ritual and painkillers. Chalking up last night's weirdness as a mix of being overworked and stressed, he cracked a smile as he remembered the short lizardman he dreamt up last night.

-----

The Den Mother was awake before the Chief was. But with how yesterday had turned out it was best to let him rest more. Her and the Trap Master had already set about the tasks assigned to them last night.

The Trap Master had gathered a group of his remaining skirmishers and some others from the Tribe to scout the nearby hills and search for usable wood, food, and possible future shelter if the Human's kind indifference ran out.

Speaking of the Human, as she was setting up a temporary Hatchery for the eggs and hatchlings, she could hear the cabin groan as he moved above them. He must have awoken. With the Trap Master out and the Chief resting peacefully she resolved herself to continue negotiations with the Human.

-----

Jeb got dressed for work, sporting work overalls, strong boots, a thick leather coat for the cold, thick gloves, and a company cap to keep his head somewhat warm and dry. He made his way downstairs and started preparing his morning meal and coffee.

-----

The Den Mother slowly opened the door leading from their shelter in the cellar and peeked out and just saw the Human go past the wall leading further into the cabin.

Swallowing she made her way after him.

As she got closer she could smell something in the air, something strong and fragrant, but also something that smelled like roasted boar and warm bread. The smells made her mouth water as she remembered their own tasteless rations that they had hastily brought when they fled their now destroyed home.

She took a deep breath to both steady her nerves and to enjoy the smell of food possibly for the last time, and turned the corner and faced the Human.

He was cutting some kind of block of curdled milk, and she could see steam rising and hear the boar sizzling on the pan, a glass object near him was bubbling with a dark liquid.

Was he an alchemist? She thought as an image of the annoying gnome from the tunnel flashed in her mind and she bumped against the wall.

She went still as he turned to face her.

His eyes reminded her of some of the gems the Master had in his hoard, she recalls the Chief calling them "Aquamarines".

Seawater contained in gem form he said, and looking in this Human's eyes she could see the power and beauty of the sea in them.

His face was tanned from long hours in the sun and he had a short reddish brown beard that covered his face.

She couldn't see much else of him under the thick blue clothes he wore.

"Maybe I hit my head harder then I thought last night?" The Human's words shook her out of her daze. She stepped towards the Human and began to speak.

-----

Maybe I can call in sick? Jeb thought when he studied the short red lizard in his kitchen.

The lizard person was maybe 3.5 feet short.

A bit muscular overall but had a bit more around its digitigrade legs which ended in five short claws.

It had red scales allover but they were like unpolished ruby, it was also nekked aside from some straps of leather around the wrists, ankles and neck.

A couple of horns sprouted towards the back of it's head, going straight a good 4-5 inches before curving back at the tip.

Short rounded snout that seemed to contain rows of small pointed teeth.

It also had eyes with rounded pupils and were a molten amber in color.

"M-m-mister Human?" The lizard SPOKE?!

"W-we are g-g-grateful for sparing us and allowing us sh-sh-shelter in your h-h-home for the n-n-night." The lizard WOMAN stuttered as Jeb could hear a tone difference between her and the one he ran into last night.

Did he? Jeb thought as the rest of last night came back to him.

The lizardette continued, her words getting faster as she spoke.

"While I'm sure that your mercy has limitsandwearethankfullforwhatsmallmercyyouhavegivinus-"

"Stop." Jeb said before she could aggravate the headache that had started to go away.

"Look Miss-?"

The lizard looked stunned, embarrassed and scared. But she collected her courage and spoke.

"Den Mother"

"Right, miss De-" Jeb stopped.

"Den Mother?" He asked uncertain he heard right.

"Yes, I am called Den Mother." She said.

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"Right. But don't you have a name?" Jeb asked.

"That is what I am called." She stated.

"Well, I'm gonna call you-" Jeb paused and came up with a quick pretty name that could work.

"Ruby, 'cause Den Mother is a bit too formal for my likin', if'in that's alright with you Mam?"

If anything the lizard woman seemed to get redder. Jeb wasn't sure if he had just insulted her, she wouldn't meet his eyes so he couldn't tell.

"T-t-t-t-that i-i-i-is f-f-f-f-" She jumped as the toaster dinged.

"Hold that thought." Jeb said as he turned to get his toast.

When he turned back he found the lizard woman was still frazzled, he also found a four foot long orangish-red lizard that was the size of a dog and a couple of other short lizard-folk, that resembled her in looks except for their horns which reminded him of antelope and seemed to be wearing carpeting, had joined her.

-----

The Den Mother was thoughorly embarressed. First she stumbled her words like a hatchling learning to talk, then he NAMED HER, and a name like the precious stones of the Master's hoard!

Can he read her thoughts!?

"Friends of yours?" The Human asked pointing his gloved finger behind her.

"What?" She asked and let out a yelp as she turned and found her mount and a couple of the Tribe had came up behind her while she was busy trying to talk to the Human.

"What are you doing!?" She hissed at them as she tried and failed to push the giant salamander back to the cellar.

"We smelled food and heard you talking to the Human and thought it was safe to come out." One of them said trying to look anywhere but at the Human, the other one and the salamander both looked at the pan of frying boar with obvious hunger.

"Y'all hungry?" The Human asked them.

The one that hadn't talked nodded her head like it was the last thing she was going to do and the salamander all but bowled her over trying to get at the offered food. Perhaps noticeing her distress the Human grabbed a handful of boar and threw it past the salamander.

The beast forgot all about the Den Mother and chased after the food like it was life itself. Tripping over itself on the wooden floor it scarffed up the strips of boar.

"Hmm, just like Dougie used too." The Human said. The salamander turned around and licked an eye with a forked tongue while waiting for more.

"Yup, just like Dougie." The Human said as he threw a sausage at the giant salamander.

The Human offered some of his food to the others, the first Kobold who spoke grabbed a slice of bread before she hastely retreated behind the wall, munching and peering at the Human from supposed safety. The other Kobold was not so shy and readily ate anything the Human offered. Meat, bread and scrambled avian eggs dissappeared down her snout before the Den Mother could stop her other wise.

-----

Jeb watched as the lizards ate like wild hogs before remembering he had to work.

He didn't think "lizard-folk" would be a good enough exscuse even if it was true.

"Right, well this has been an experiance and a half, but I have to go to work or my Pa will tan my hide." Jeb said as he downed his coffee and made his way for the door.

"Wait!?" The lizard now dubbed Ruby called after him.

"What about our staying here?"

Jeb stopped in the doorway and turned to the precious little lizard and said.

"Well, my kin have a sayin', "Come in friendship and be honored as guests". Do ye come as friends?" Jeb asked.

Ruby paused, briefly stunned, before nodding her head.

And with a flourish and tip of his cap said "Then as stated by the ancient laws of this land I grant ye Sanctuary within mine home! Names Jebadiah but my friends call me Jeb, and since ye be friends, I'm Jeb to you as well. But I gotta' go to work or my Pa will have a cow. Don't break nothin' expensive." Jeb said as he left the lizard-folk in stunned silence.

-----

The Den Mother wasn't sure what to feel. Embarrassment at the complete one-sidedness of her attempted negotiation with the Human, flustered as he gave her such a precious Name, or shock at the word he used and the meaning it meant?

"Sanctuary." She breathed the word, the same word that rung out in their hour of need was now used once again when they needed it most.

Was he the one that called them here? The one that used the orb to guide them to his home?

She was broken out of her deep thinking as the two that had followed her up as well as her mount and a few others that had snuck up and overheard started to make themselves at home, particulerly of the food that the Human, Jeb she remembered, and started to grow flustered again at the thought of Jeb.

Also the kindness of him offering his home to the Tribe.

She shook herself out of her rememberance and ushered the growing group back to the cellar, she didn't want them to make a mess of their new home already.

As she decended the basement she saw that the Trap Master was back with some wood and game. Some hares and small fish. She also saw the Chief stirring and was excited to tell him the wonderful news!

"Chief!" She said as he began to rise.

"Hmm, what is it Den Mother?" He asked as she practicaly ran to him.

"I'v been Named!" She exclaimed with joy!

"Well thats wonderful!" The Chief said. "Who among the Tribe has done so?"

"Jeb!" She said, but the lost look on the Chief's and now Trap Master's faces were obvious.

"Who is "Jeb?" The Trap Master asked.

"The Human." She stated with her heart fluttering.

The Trap Master made a face as he tried to puzzle through the implication. The Chief's looked as if the red was drained from his scales.

"You spoke to the Human?!" He exclaimed.

"Yes, with you resting and the Trap Master gone I took it upon myself to negotiate in your stead."

The Chief paused and thought as to what the Human had truly offered.

He sat down on a stool brought for him and looked at the Den Mother.

"What EXACTLY did you two agree on?" He inquiered.

-----

They kinda remind him of Kobolds from their Game Books. Jeb thought as he made his way to the Railyard in his truck.

Wonder if I should tell Morty or Clive?

Probably not Morty, he'd just make fun of him if he didn't believe him and try to get them to slave away at the coalmine if he did.

Clive for sure, he'd atleast humor him long enough for him to see them for himself.

Not Pa and DEFINATLY not Sammy. Jeb thought as he pulled into the Railyard.

He clocked in and made his way to the trainbay where he would find Clive, working on the train engines.

"Clive! You ain't gonna believe what happened last night!" Jeb said as he entered the engine cab.

CLANG

"Ow! Not now Jeb." Clive said as he rubbed his head while elbow deep in the machinery of the engine panels.

"'Sides, works for WORKIN' Jeb." His Pa, who he didn't see, said as he sat to the side greasing up parts and tools for the engine.

"You learn your lessen from yesterday Jeb?" His Pa asked.

Jeb shuffled his feet. "Yeah." he mumbled.

"And what was it?"

"That if I'm gonna hangout with my friends I shouldn't do it on company property?" He said uncertainly.

His Old Man sighed.

"Good enough." He says

"Go help Gerald take a look at the brakes on engine #4, took longer for it to stop on the old things last run and the Owner is worried." He said as he stood up.

He wrapped Jeb in a greasy hug before he could leave.

"How are you after last night?" He asked now in Father-mode.

CLANG

"Ow! Wait? Something actually happened last night?" Clive said as he pulled himself out of the guts of the locomotive compartment, rubbing his head where he hit it.

"You didn't feel it?" Jeb's Pa asked.

"Felt what?"

"There was a damn earthquake last night!"

Clive looked at the two Jeffersons like he thought they had too much to drink.

"There wasn't a earthquake last night Mr. Jefferson."

Jeb's Pa looked insulted. "Like hell there wasn't! Shook the very hills themselves!"

Clive looked ready to argue, thought better of it, and just nodded and said.

"Of course Mr. Jefferson, guess I must have just slept through it."

Jeb's Pa took the half-hearted confirmation/apology. He turned to Jeb and, his duty as a father done, shooed him off to work.