Poppit POV

As the interesting duo crosses the sands at break neck speeds, the trip almost feels too short as the camp comes into view. Vekla for his part would be holding tight and occasionally cheering slightly as the wind whips past him while they travel. Poppit however, would be thinking just about as fast as his little legs are moving under the sand to have them move so quick. Even as they hear the warning whistles from the sand plume behind them being spotted, Poppits train of though would stay on the rails. Well, at least from Poppit's view point that is!

-NEW FRIEND! Curator made that scalething into a new friend! It's like us now, touched by their mana! It's easy to tell too, with the horns and the eyes! Oh and being the only grown scalething that isn't scared of Poppit! That's nice, the few little scalethings aren't scared of Poppit, but all the grown ones are. It's so silly of them to be scared! Curator said Poppit would keep them safe and not eat them, what could possibly make Poppit go against Curator? Nothing, that's what!-

Vekla POV

Slowing as we get close to camp, it's not long until we come to a halt in the center. With a chuckle, it'd be time to say hello, again and in a way, for the first time, to my former chieftain. Picking up that basket bowl that I rode in. With the full and the two parts to make up the rest of the other massive leaf, I'd stride confidently toward and into the chieftain's tent, even as I hear the sounds of a hushed argument.

"...shouldn't trust it..."

"...what choice...could wipe us out...surviving...maters"

"Not as a slave"

Entering fully as that last statement is said by Vahlu as he and his brother, once more bicker. Vahlu cares about the people, it's just a shame he's too hot headed and honestly, terrible at speaking with others that don't intimately know him. Now though, that's neither here, nor there.

"Chieftain, Vahlu. I've returned, even if a bit more changed from that little adventure than any of us could have anticipated!"

Taking in their first confused, then shocked faces as they realize just who has barged in on their conversation and interrupted it. As if to make up for their prior showing, the chieftain is the first to respond.

"Shaman, is that you?"

"It is Vekla now, but yes. Curator, the dungeon's core, gave me a name and some of their mana. It's changed me a good bit, I know, but I've not had such vigor in all my life. That's not even including the gifts they gave me while undertaking the trial of trust they'd set for me. They can be trusted. It's not like the dungeons in the old tales, not of fire or ice, or elements or violence. They are a fundamental force we too use when raising our young. Here, try some of this, but, do not eat too much at once."

Handing over the already bit into leaf portion, the markings of one of our own biting into it should show it's safe. Smiling as the two look at it hesitantly before, once more, the chieftain is the first to act, taking it and taking a small, tentative bite. As soon as that sweetness hits his tongue he takes a second massive bite before shoving it at his brother to try. Watching his eyes water in joy at just how sweet it is as he slowly chews, it doesn't take any further convincing before Vahlu also takes a bite. This time though, I have to stop him after he takes another and moves to take a third.

"Calm down Vahlu, and stop. Curator made mention of an illness caused when one eats too much when near starving. They also want to replace what....water....we've stored with clean, clear...PURE, water. I've had some of this too, again, before this change, and it is...compare the small dry berries we have to these leaves when it comes to sweetness, and that's only a partly there comparison to the difference from just the water. They also weren't being untrue about having a fresh water spring that they wish to nurture into a full on oasis, even having gone so far as to dig out the bowl of such to start letting it fill properly, and naturally."

Stolen story; please report.

Finally finishing his bite the chieftain would look to me with wonder as he licks his snout some to get every last taste of that leaf he can.

"And we can truly trust this Curator?"

"Yes, truly we can, so long as we do not betray their trust. The task they'd entrusted me with was to move them. Move their very core, the most vulnerable, and dangerous thing they could have me do. They even asked me to move their other scion at the same time. Poppit is the second scion. The SECOND. Let that sink in. The Dangerous scion was the second one, and they were originally just sitting atop a coil-cacti. Instead of getting the most dangerous thing likely in their domain first, they instead made a grimoire scorpion their first scion. They even asked if I wanted their gift which made me as you see, even if we hadn't known for sure it would, just that it would change and mark me. They ASKED, didn't demand, didn't require, but offered. To those they feel they can trust, and those in their care, I've seen naught but compassion and care, they even gave me food and water. All while I was still carrying them up the temple they created when I was still approaching in the first place."

Stopping to shake my head in a soft chuckle at a memory that, while only made this morning, honestly feels as though it were a lift time ago.

"I have to say, watching a temple made out of stones made from sand, rising up from the very desert in front of me was...quite the awe inspiring experience!"

Looking at the slack jawed looks from the brothers, my only response would be a curious, slight, tilt of my head. Unsure of what to say next, I'd wait as that pregnant pause slowly grows into an awkward silence before the chieftain coughs.

"You say this...Curator, let you, before giving you any gift, handle their very heart as a show of trust, and a kind of, trial?"

Nodding emphatically as I look at the chieftain, it'd be so very easy to respond.

"Yes, they had me carry them up to the top of their temple and place them in a receptacle for them. Halfway up, they gave me water, and even taught me a way to test if a plant is poisonous up the remainder of the steps to ensure these leaves were safe for our....your selves. They taught me about the truths of heat and cold even before asking if I would accept their gift. Were honest, and open with me the entire time, and continually assured me that they did not expect me to drive myself to harm to complete their trial. We can trust them. Here, if this alone, with these leaves for every one too enjoy some of tonight, is not enough, let us show you the other part of what they bring, just to help us more easily."

Turning and heading out, it's easy to get over to the communal water pots. The few earthenware containers, close to the center of the camp, lids on. I would grab the first one and pull the lid off, the stench of that stagnant water almost nauseating after having had properly clean water. Before any one can stop me, it's already dumped over and emptied out as a realization hits me. I don't know how to contact Curator to ask him to refill the pot, as in my own haste, I acted rashly much like Vahlu would.

'Don't be hard on yourself lil buddy. You were just defendin' a friends honor, and it's pretty touchin' honestly!'

"You...you heard all that? You were listening, and said nothing?"

'Correctamundo! I've been riding along on your senses the entire time actually. Gotta say, I'm sorry to know you all were making due with this...bile, to get by. I'm going to put a little water in the pot, your going to need to shake and slosh it about to get as much of that stuff out as possible before dumping it out again, where I'll properly refill it. Ideally though, when you all get here, these pots are gonna get 'lost' and replaced with new ones that wont run the risk of having been tainted with that filth.'

Nodding as I hear the soft, wet, crash of water being more or less dropped into the pot it would be grasped quickly. Rocking and sloshing the large thing even as I notice others of the clan staring it me as though I'm mad, it's easy to hear the brothers catch up to me as I dump out the pot a second time.

"SHA...VEKLA WHAT ARE YOU DOING! WITHOUT THAT WATER WE D-ie?!

Curator has impeccable timing it seems as the chieftain's screams die in his throat as, from above the pot, pure, clear water flows out of....nothingness and into the pot, quickly filling it. Every one can hear and see the over flowing being caused on that pot as the sand slowly soaks with that life giving fluid. Once more the brothers just start, slack jawed and wide eyed.

"As I told you, we can trust Curator. They really do wish to help and raise us to a new place that we've never been before. They even confided in me that they wanted us to prosper enough from just being a small clan to being a full on, thriving, tribe. They need us to help them, but also desire to help us in turn and have the foresight and knowledge to do so."

Before I've even finished speaking, what few adults we have and even the children have crowded in around that now full pot and us. Slight murmurs of confusion, and mutterings of wonder and awe from the crowd before the youngest move and drink from the pot. Slurping curiously then rapidly transitioning to wet, loud, gulps before their parents grab them and pull them away. The children excitedly saying how cool it is, how refreshing it is to drink, leading adults to tentatively drink even as the chieftain and Vahlu try to calm every one down and have them stop. It is, however, to late, as every one starts to greedily drink their fill of that clean water.

"Curator said we could head out to their domain in the morning, we simply need pack up most things tonight, and then take down the tents in the morning. They can even help with moving everything, in the same manner they move the water from their domain, to here. If you wish to stay, or any one does, they can. However, I hope no one here is so foolish to turn down the offer, it will very much so help our people more than anything we'll likely come across for generations."