"The man wishes for his camp and ours to enter into an alliance, a pact of sorts."
"That is excellent my lord, we may have an ally in this area that could provide what we need."
"Yes, they allowed a safe exit to the forest, and led the soldiers back to the camp. I will need a few of the cavalry to stay with me though.."
"Yes my lord." After the brief exchange. Joken began ordering the soldiers to move out, the wall of shields began deforming as men started moving away from one another, looking up at the hooded figures as they looked back down at them.
The men returned to a square formation, still weary of their new ally.Joken stood in front of them while cadin instructed a few of the horsemen to stay behind while the rest left.
Cadin walked towards the man, followed by steeds and his warriors, all still ready for a fight and awaiting their leader's orders.
"Where shall we head to, to speak with your leaders."
"Follow me." Braddock turned around, raising his hand he started gesturing to the soldiers again, this time they began spreading out, moving onto different branches but still observing Cadin's army.
"I instructed my men to follow your soldiers, that their way out is uninterrupted by an ambush."
They walked through the dense shrubs, away from the cave and back to the path outside.
"Tell me, did you simply want that cave from this forest?" He began talking, asking Cadin while still walking from the front.
"Resources, mainly metals. That and settlement perhaps."
"Well, it seems our wants do not conflict with one another. That is good. The path to meet them is nearby, one of my men already called on them to meet you. Do not try any tricks, and we will not."
Joken led the soldiers outside, heading out of the forest with a few soldiers visibly peering down at them.
Cadin and his escort continued following the man, passing through another dense line of bushes and shrubs reaching to his stomach, poking into his armor with a few sharp thorns and twigs.
"They should be around here at this time." The shrubs slowly grew bigger and bigger as Cadin passed through, moving further in.
After passing through leaves reaching above his head, Cadin entered a new area of the forest. Partially overgrown but barren with a dirt path already made. The sun's rays hit from large gaps in the tree branches, providing great light as Cadin and the man stopped in the middle of the dirt path. The ground was bumpy, bearing no sign of foot marks from any wandering soul. Silence filled the place, not even the noises of animals could be heard with the wind singing a whistling song, passing through the place.
While standing around, three figures jumped down from the top, causing Cadin to move back in slight surprise.
'Ah, the white haired warrior." An older woman's voice spoke from the three, their heads sealed by similar masks and hoods of dark green. Longbows rested on their backs along with quivers, bearing short swords on their waists/
"We have heard of your exploits, mostly of conquering and fighting. From the distant forest to the plains. You made quite the title for yourself."
"I take it that you are the leaders of the tribe?"
"Indeed we are." They removed their hoods, revealing their faces. An older woman with a long scar on her left eye, an older man already growing white stubble with short dark brown hair, and a younger one standing on the left side. His eyes were blue and his hair was spiky.
"We are the leaders of the tribe. The one of the side is the youngest and oversees the expansion of the camp, Foren, my son. My name is Silvia, and my husband here oversees all else, mostly the war we have. His name is Holden.
Cadin began nodding his head to the other two, both looking back at him with no change to their faces.
"We heard of an attack a day or two ago nearby. We assume that this was your soldiers getting attacked as well?"
"Yes, you are correct."
"From a few wandering scouts they detailed as well of the rumored white haired warrior. Thus, we sent a few soldiers and you came again." The soldier that brought Cadin to the path neared the woman, nearing his head to her he began whispering something unintelligible.
"You wish to settle in this forest?"
"Yes, I wish to settle here and expand further from the plains."
"Well then, with the things I have heard I see no further problem. We may begin our alliance here, with our goals known and our plans understood." The woman reached out her hand.
Cadin extended his hand, accepting the alliance with the leaders of the camp.
"For a start, you may return here by tomorrow when your men have been fully healed and ready to fight once more. A simple attack is a start, our son wishes to expand north which bears fruit to be harvested. The problem is that it belongs to a neighboring tribe that hunts and kills. My son shall direct you to where they are and you shall deal with the threat. Mainly fight alongside our own soldiers."
Cadin thought to himself for a second.
'Fighting archers high on branches while on the ground? Are they making us into baits for them? Nonetheless, the demon better corrupt them so this can be further improved. That the alliance can be more stable and solid.'
"Very well, I shall return with my army and we may begin our first battle." Cadin said with an enthusiastic voice.
"Excellent! I am glad we can come to an agreement." She turned to the soldier, "Thank you as well Flynn for managing to speak with him." The man nodded his head in gratitude.
"I shall leave now, we may speak again here the next day." Without another word spoken. Cadin turned around and walked away.
The three who spoke with him began climbing up the trees quickly, disappearing into the leaves with the soldier walking with Cadin until they returned to the path.
"Good luck, and may our alliance continue on." He said.
After nearly an hour of walking with the man, Cadin reached the exit with his horses and escorts.
Jumping onto one, he left the area, moving out to return to his camp with his soldiers.