“So, you are the calamity which could devour many of our tribes?”
Right now I sit with Snow in front of a cow person. He is the elder of the Bovine tribe and he is old. And I mean it, he looks at least a hundred years old, while smiling at us.
“Well, maybe? I do not know really about your powers of seeing the future in your dreams, so I can not tell anything.”
“Do not worry, we had similar dreams, but only for the tribes around us being devoured by Darkness to become strange creatures. Seems black Claw has headed my warning.”
“Your warning?”
“Yes, our Clan is a peaceful one. Well for you we might not really that peaceful, but we only go to battle if we get attacked. That is a difference between us and the Cat tribe you met. Telling black Claw about the difference in our Dreams and why we believe our Tribe to be spared was the reason to go more diplomatic towards you.”
Makes sense. They looked quite warlike with everyone being armed to the teeth… well their teeth are armaments themselves so maybe even to the ears.
“And what do you think about me?”
“To be honest, I see you as a blight on Mother Earth, but also a boon as the original calamity was stopped by your arrival and got contained. While you are not one of this World, she slowly accepts your presence, as you help her clean a heavy wound. Like a leech taking the bad blood out to let it heal better, you are here for a reason.”
Was that praise or offense? Old people make me crazy, I never know what is something nice they said and what is something bad. How the hell should I answer this assessment?
“Null is no blight. Null helps who needs help and is nice to people who deserve niceness.”
“Yes, little Rat. That is one of his noble sides. He might be like a puddle. If you look angry into it, it looks angry back. If you smile it smiles back. And we Bovine always smile first and only get angry if someone hurts us.”
So… An ally?
“To be honest, I am having a hard time following, but it seems you would be ready to be friends with us?”
“Yes human. We would like to, as we seek also shelter behind you for the angry Metal.”
Angry Metal is a rather strange saying, but might be okay.
“You seek the secrets buried by time, and we can ask our friends to help. Not all will be happy to see you in the Steppe, but we will abstain from fighting you even if you eradicate some of our allies. Please remember, not all are fighting out of rage but out of fear. If you find it in your heart, spare those who just are scared by your presence.”
Well…
“I can try, but it is often not really easy to see who attacks with what intent. If they try to kill me I will retaliate, you should know.”
“I understand that. Just I thought I give it a try to help with blunting the spear, that might be thrown against my kin.”
Okay, he is a nice guy. With him I can easily communicate. There should be way better opportunities to negotiate with him.
…
“Snow is such a fitting Name. Your hair looks really like the color of snow. If you were born in the Steppe, they would have called you ‘hair as white as snow’ for sure!”
“Thank you little Dot. Your Name is also fitting. That dot on your Nose gives you such a nice charm.”
Right now we mingle with the Bovine Tribe. They seem to be way more comfortable around us after Red Horn, their Elder was announcing us as friends of their tribe.
While a soup is being made I gave a few magic onions to the people cooking for flavor. Feeling the Mana, they were profusely thankful and the festivities are now even a notch higher with that.
Instead of leather clothing this Tribe wears nearly all flaxen clothing. It is not that intricate of a design as the Cat people had in their clothing, but you can see the love of their craft in them.
“You seem happy, Human Null. That makes me also happy.”
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Near me the Elder of their tribe is sitting on a cushion and watches the whole tribe and us.
“Yes, it is nice to be welcomed like that. I rarely have been welcomed like that, and those times… I hope not all of them were fake, but I will find out.”
“There is deep hatred in you. I can not speak for the place you came from but destruction does not bring change it only brings an end. If you really want revenge, then you should change what was bad and empower what is good, so you can show them how it is done.”
I thought he would tell me not to go through with my revenge, but his speech was enlightening. What do I want to destroy is not the whole World, but the status quo, which made it so despicable.
There are many heads that need to roll, but not all the heads of the Kingdom. Maybe some changes in their upper caste will make it easier for them to become decent.
The God on the other hand needs a flogging. And while I am at it, I found a great way to turn Miasma into Mana, so making a monster Kingdom for filtering that Miasma into Mana should show them what the World really needs. Reduce, reuse, recycle!
“Your Words hit a cord in me. Maybe I should look for who is really to blame and try to be careful not to hurt innocent.”
“If I can make you be more humane, I can visit my Ancestors proud. When I am gone, I hope you remember me.”
“Wait, gone?”
“I am old. There is no way I will live until the Metal is walking the Steppe. What I am doing right now is maybe the last great decision I make before meeting my Ancestors. So please be an ally for my successor.”
Yes… he is old, but I did not even think about… So this is his last will? As the Tribe is nice to Snow and me, I have no reason to not help him. His descendants and I might be even friends as long as I exist in this World, so long as they want to be friends.
“I understand. I am sorry for forgetting your age. For all I can promise you, I will try my best to be on good terms with your Tribe and if we someday have an outing I will remember you, so I will not do something I might regret.”
His old face grew an even wider smile. He seems to have no teeth. He really is that old...
“That is all I am asking for.”
“Grandpa, here is some Soup. It has rich Mana in it and is delicious. Come on eat!”
Little Spot brought her Grandfather a wooden bowl filled with soup. As I can see the pieces were already mushed so she might have worked extra hard for him to eat right away. What a nice Family. I wish…
“Null, here you go. The soup is still hot, so be careful to not burn Ava. Do I have something on my face?”
Maybe I do not need to wish. I already have.
“No Snow. Sit down, lets eat together.”
…
The next Morning arrives and while I take over Ava again, Snow wakes up, too.
Yawn “Good Morning.”
“Morning Snow. Petal has arrived today in the Crater.”
“Huh? Is it two Weeks already?”
“We searched rather long time. The Steppe is wide.”
“So we need to begin our trip back to the Lost Village. I will kinda miss Spot, but at the same time I want to see Anna again.”
While being guest with the Cat and Bovine Tribes the last days were faster over than the ones we searched for them. Now that we know where they are I have it easier next time to find them, even if they are nomadic and might move around.
The way to find the way in the Steppe was explained to me, but has gone right over my head. They can read the earth, the way grass was bent, see in the clouds, the wind currents and can even differentiate smells over Kilometers apart. And I thought Ava was superhuman, those guys make him look like a faker.
…
“...and the light itself shows the direction to where my Village is located. When worn the Guardians of the Forest know, you are with me and will not attack you. Also the light is annoying to Monsters… “ “~uuuh~” “...and Snow, as she is an Albino.”
Explaining the Amulet to the people who might come for trade I show it to them. Snow herself uses the Parasol to not see the light it produces. Poor girl…
“Such a great Artifact. Sadly it can only show us to you and not back, but if we have gone the way once we should be able to go the way every time. We will breed some more livestock for you, but will take us time until maybe Summer. Wait for us, we will not forget.”
“I anticipate your arrival. We will have a nice feast when you visit us. I have some Monster meat, so there will be enough to eat.”
“Keep the meat at minimum please, we eat more Vegetable and fruit. Although we also eat meat, it is for us more the side dish to fill us up.”
Ah, yeah bovine, I should have known.
“Got it. I have many produce and can give you some Water with high Mana also, for the trip back.”
“Do not go out of your way to be nice to us. It will just be seen as patronizing.”
Well Hoof has misunderstood me and looks angry. I should explain better.
“No… that is not what I meant. We have a problem with it. All our Water is imbued with Mana. There is no non Mana having Water so we have to put it in urns to dissipate it slightly.”
“...wow, to see that as a negative… Well, yeah I can see how problematic that can be with time. I am sorry I misunderstood.”
“No, I was the one who did not explain in the right way brother.”
Well they keep us like family and want to be called brother or sister, so I oblige rather happily. It is nice to be welcomed into a community even if someone is an outsider. If I see some Beastkin slaves I should buy them and bring them back to the Steppe.
The guys are really welcoming… Oh, yeah forgot not all of them are. Hoping for the best in the future for all the other Tribes I meet.