Nahern, still nursing his coffee, observed the exchange in silence. The tension between him and Taegan seemed to simmer beneath the surface, but for now, they shared a common ground in the warmth of the yurt.
"If I may, Saint." Taegan placed his empty mug on the bed, his ears down and low. "Might I ask why you were even at the Capital? The Forsaken Prince is forbidden to be there but he never listens to rules, but to take you to such a dangerous place…"
Oz sucked in a breath. Nahern gave her the smallest nod before she breathed. "I need to take on a dungeon, and …you appeared as a party member. Actually the only party member available to me."
The beastman pointed to himself, his ears sky-high. His mouth parted open in surprise, "Me?"
Oz gave a small nod, "I need to take on the dungeon across the mountain. I am a hunter by trade, my job is to clear dungeons. So to repay me for saving your life, will you join our party?"
Without even taking a breath, Taegan grabbed her hands with his large ones. "Yes! Of course!"
Oz chuckled at his enthusiasm, glad to see him excited rather than weighed down by the shadows of his recent past. Nahern, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical.
"Are you sure about this, Saint? He is a Beastman. A creature governed by only his instincts." he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"Absolutely! Taegan is strong, and having him with us will only increase our chances of success in the dungeon. Plus, he's our only chance unless we somehow want to cross that Ravine you told me about." Oz pointed out.
Nahern sighed, relenting. "Very well, but I'll be keeping a close eye on him."
Taegan, not picking up on the subtle tension between the two, beamed with excitement. "I'll be sure not to disappoint you Saint."
"Let's hope not," Nahern muttered under his breath.
Oz clapped her hands together, changing the topic to a more practical matter. "Alright, we'll need to prepare for the dungeon. We should gather supplies, check our equipment, and maybe even recruit some additional help. Dungeons can be tricky, and the more, the merrier."
Nahern nodded in agreement, his earlier reservations momentarily set aside. "Agreed. I'll make arrangements for supplies and see if any skilled elves are willing to join our expedition."
"And I'll check our inventory and restock on any potions or supplies we might need," Oz added.
As they discussed their plans, the atmosphere in the yurt shifted from tension to a more cooperative spirit. Taegan, still new to the dynamics, observed quietly, trying to understand the intricacies of the group he had unwittingly become a part of.
After the impromptu meeting, they each went about their assigned tasks. Nahern left to make arrangements with the camp, and Oz headed back to her workshop to ensure they had enough potions and remedies for the journey ahead. Taegan quickly returned to sleeping.