Shaman POV

After rushing to warn the chieftain about the potential danger of the situation, surprise upon surprises the sandtrap is there. It's clearly more powerful than any others of it's kind that our little clan has encountered before. Those vicious mandibles and beady eyes both the same deep blue of the sky between stars at night as it watches from over the back of the chieftains throne. My sudden silence alerts him to the danger, and as soon as he looks up, as though the monster were waiting for this it...or more something with it, speaks.

'Well, hello there!'

The booming voice likely heard by the entire camp. Covering my ears at the volume, it's a shock as the chieftain collapses out of his throne, unconscious from the overwhelming pressure of that voice. It does seem to notice this just as quickly however and once more speaks, although, much less forcefully.

'Ah, apologies, didn't mean to be so startling. Or loud, if I'm reading the reason your covering those earholes up then. Now then, who, and what, are you all hmmmmmm?'

It takes me a moment to to find my voice before speaking. There is the chance this...thing, is just toying with us. Hopefully though, it's genuine in it's care and interest, and with this much power, it's better to play along.

"Oh great one, I am simply shaman of our small clan. We are called the Ochre Sand Scales. We are but a small clan, doing our best to survive these wastes in our exile. Please do not kill or eat us!"

The small plea escapes my lips as I tremble on my knees, not even realizing it's out until it is. My look almost pleading as I look up at the monster as more of it slithers out of the sand to lazily lounge just a small portion of that long, lithe body atop the throne.

'Pfffhahahahahahaah! Eat you? Why would I do that. Poppit may be a hungry thing, but I did tell him not to chow down on things that seem intelligent. The way you called yourself shaman, is that your job, your name, or both. And what of the chieftain fellah, he got a name, or is that his name and title?'

A name, it asks if a lowly one such as myself has a name, and the same of the chieftain as well? Does it not know the power that comes from names? If it weren't for that disinterest in leading Vahlu would be chieftain of the tribe, not his brother! It also said Poppit may be a hungry thing...is...oh...oh no. The sandtrap has a name....and the way it looks at me tells me very, very clearly it's not a mindless beast.

"You said Poppit gets hungry...is Poppit your name then?"

Curator POV

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-Ooooh, you are a clever skink fellah ain't'cha! Ya wanna know my name without confirming if you have one, or, what yours is. Clever, but not as clever as Poppit-

'No. Poppit is the name of my...we'll say companion here. You called them a 'Sandtrap Ferret' I believe. Good to know the lingo-franco for your species there buddy.'

Poppit for their part seems immensely amused by this, and...well, you do grow fast from a good meal don't ya buddy, jeeeze, can really understand their hesitancy if you guys can get this big, poor lil skinky boys would probably be on the menu if not for me eh? Focus. Right, questions, answers and determining how things can go from here.

'You also did not answer my question, what are your names. Or, do you just get referred to by what your role here is?'

That causes a response as it nervously starts to twitch and shake more. Then the tent flap bursts inward as another skinky fellah barges in, this one having a slightly redder complexion than the other two. Looks a bit more hale and hearty too, now that I think about it. Watching as he takes a moment to look on the scene, a chieftain passed out on the floor, a trembling old geezer of a shaman kneeling before a throne and Poppit mostly lounging on the top of it. Not hard to guess just why he hefts that spear and carefully steps, moving sideways to put himself between Poppit and the old fellah.

"What have you done to the chieftain, beast?!"

"Vahlu! Hold your tongue you hot headed fool!"

'Ah, so your name is Vahlu then? Pleasure to meet you. That said, I would, HIGHLY recommend not pointing a weapon at my lil friend Poppit here. I may not want him to turn you into a snack willy nilly, but if you try to hurt him, or any one I care for...well...let's just say being a snack might have been a mercy hmm?'

Vahlu POV

Hearing that booming voice coming from the chieftains tent and seeing the other villagers freeze in place like a bird of prey is looming over them, there is but a single thought on my mind. The safety of my brother. Grabbing my spear and rushing the chieftain's tent. Barging in it's easy to see the beast laying over the top of the throne, brother is on the ground like a discarded carcass and the shaman is almost pissing himself in fear as he trembles on the ground. Honestly, if not for being a named on, I'd probably be in the same boat as the old geezer. Rushing to put myself between this beast and the shaman it would be my turn to speak up.

"What have you done to the chieftain, beast?!"

"Vahlu! Hold your tongue you hot headed fool!"

Before I can rebuke the shaman though, everything passing through my mind freezes as it...no, something else, speaks.

'Ah, so your name is Vahlu then? I would say it's a pleasure to meet you were it not for that spear. That said, I would, HIGHLY recommend not pointing a weapon at my lil friend Poppit here. I may not want him to turn you into a snack willy nilly, but if you try to hurt him, or any one I care for...well...let's just say being a snack might have been a mercy hmm?'

With every ounce of effort in my body to not drop my spear. The cold promise in those makes it feel like there is ice in my veins as it's clear the beast....Poppit...is an agent of a much, much stronger entity. Even as my hands shake and knees tremble, my gaze is kept on the beast. Understanding just what the shaman was going through and likely why my brother lay in a heap on the ground. Suppressing a shudder and looking at the furry messenger my next words would be cut off.

"Please forgive the named, he is hot headed and brash in his youth. I am simply shaman, much like his brother on the ground there is simply chieftain. We are not named as such a thing among our kind is rare, a sign of power and strength most do not have. Both from innate ability and what's granted by the name."

Once more words fail me as I try to make sense of everything being said, and spoken. Surely a being this powerful should know these things already if it has a named sandtrap ferret of such power at it's beck and call.

Curator POV

'That does explain quite a bit. Thank you for that explanation shaman. I will forgive your 'name-ed' Vahlu for threatening my lil Poppit like that as thanks for the knowledge you have shared. That said, it does seem like we have all gotten off on the wrong foot proverbially. To ensure we are all on the same page then, it is only fair to give my name as well so you know who you are speaking too. I have given myself the name of Curator, and despite the rough start, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now then, why had you sent so many of your clan toward my domain?'