Laer sighed. While she had been happy to not be under the thumb of someone else, and their plaything as they felt like it, she had to admit that she wasn't ready to experience managing everyone. While she seemed to be the best of everyone, she still wasn't happy about it. Though, she was at least grateful for all the help the others who met with the Lady who had saved them. The one Polelin and her adopted children called 'Jenn.'
While it wasn't the best she'd seen done, they had at least built up structures for everyone to be able to take shelter from the elements in the five days since they'd been brought to this place. Laer wasn't sure about if they'd be able to grow anything fast enough before their food supplies ran out, but Jenn had entrusted all of them to take care of everyone, and they weren't about to let her down. Not when they knew she'd be returning eventually.
Polelin turned out to be surprisingly good at hunting. Even though he was a twig, he was at least better than most of the young woman who would get sent out to find something to hunt. While there wasn't much wildlife in this place, Polelin seemed to have a knack for finding what did live there.
"Sorry to bother you," Cithis said, pulling Laer's attention away from the problems she been ruminating about, as she entered the building where Laer was doing her best to keep the business of this settlement in order. The building she was in was one that had been built that doubled as a central office as well as a meetinghouse for everyone if something came up that required everyone's input. "I was sent by Zirisia to see if anyone was able to find a location where any metals could be found. Even the simplest metals would be useful."
Laer sighed. She fully understood what Zirisia wanted, which was to get those who had skills with working metal to start helping them make more tools. Such as faming tools to help with taking care of what they had been able to plant. It wasn't clear if they'd be able to survive what they had planted already, but only time would tell.
Zirisia's demands were also only one of the issues she was dealing with right then. Part of what made her hate this job. Especially since most of what she knew about where they were, everyone else already knew, so it wasn't like she was hiding anything from anyone.
Besides, the people who knew about metals, including those who knew how to work the metal, were out every day looking for even the slightest hint of metal they could try to extract from the rock. It didn't matter if it was the cheapest metal in existence, the few people who could use magic among them could turn it into whatever metal they currently needed. Primarily iron, which then would be turned into steel.
Even though 'Jenn' hadn't given specific instructions of how to go about things here, they were all determined to show her what they could do with the trust she'd placed in them. That way when she returned, she'd know who she could trust with whatever she had planned for them once she finished helping the Lost.
"As far as I know, no one has," Laer replied to Cithis as she walked to stand next to Laer. "We're still waiting to have anyone find any hint of any kind of metal."
"Also, just to let you know, Polelin suspects he's found tracks of an animal similar to deer. Well, if it isn't actually deer, that is," Cithis added.
Laer smiled and extended a hand to ruffle Cithis' hair, but she quickly dodged the attempt. "Mother's the only one allowed to do that," Cithis declared, glaring at Laer.
Laer merely chuckled and shook her head. Each time she tried to do that, Cithis made that declaration. Though Laer wasn't sure how often Jenn actually did that. Haln didn't seem to have any qualms about others ruffling his hair like that, but then he was a boy, a twig, and so it could just be that Cithis was only willing to let herself be treated that way by the one she'd chosen as a mother figure for her.
Regardless of the reason, Laer had other things to take care of. Such as checking on how much wood they had. Once they found any source of metal, then they would need plenty of wood. First for the tools that they wanted to make. Then second would be so they could make better buildings than these rickety houses that hardly did anything to stop the wind as they barely stopped any rain with how they were now.
Laer sighed as she turned to make her rounds. If nothing else, she hoped to have a better house for Jenn to sleep in built before she returned. She hoped that Jenn would be satisfied with that level of respect towards her when she returned. If only for Laer to show how truly dependable she was and how she'd be able to serve Jenn in the future.
_
"Sure you should have shot that cat?" a voice from behind her asked. "They're not always alone, you know."
Embris turned to see Laurise. The woman didn't look like she cared what Embris had targeted, but was merely making a comment. Though, Embris couldn't help but feel like she was still passing judgement on her.
"I just shot the arrow before I even realized I'd gotten anything in my sights," Embris said, turning back towards where the cat had been shot. "If nothing else, I think it's skin will be worth something."
"True," Laurise agreed. "The cats of the plains here do tend to have more unique hides. Though, it's a shame a cat of that size won't be as nice as it would be if it had still been a kitten."
"At least it'll be something more than I'd have been able to get before I came here," Embris said as she started to walk out to take care of the next step of hunting.
"Want any help? Might be good to even see how much of that cat's meat is edible. Never had any of these plains cats to eat before. Should be interesting."
Embris merely shrugged at Laurise's comments. She didn't plan on wasting the meat of the cat, since Nuem had made it clear that they needed to ration what food they had carefully. Which meant anything they hunted would be a welcome addition to their food supply as well.
Laurise followed Embris out as she went to collect the cat. Which Embris was thankful for. From the size of the cat, Embris was doubtful if she'd be able to carry it back to the wagons on her own without any help. With Laurise helping her, she was confident that it'd be a rather simple task.
However, she'd barely reached the cat when drumming sounds started sounding out. At first out from over the plains, then behind them. After what felt like mere moments, the drumming sound was coming from all around them.
Laurise looked panicked and she quickly helped Embris pick the cat up, but then moved so fast back to the wagons that Embris felt like Laurise was carrying the cat more by herself and she was barely able to keep up with the woman.
"What's that drumming sound?" Embris asked.
Laurise didn't turn to look at Embris but merely said, "Trouble."
She wished she knew what Laurise meant by that, but didn't feel like trying to get more information about that right then. She worried what the issue might really be, since she seriously doubted that the sound was the problem in and of itself. Besides, if there was trouble, it would be better for all of them to be in one group so they could all cover each other. Especially since the sounds came out from all around them. Meaning that they were surrounded by whatever this 'trouble' was.
Depositing the carcass of the cat in the first wagon they reached, Embris followed Laurise to where the others were gathering. The look of alarm on everyone's faces didn't make Embris feel any better about the situation. Though, she was determined that her siblings wouldn't have to worry about anything happening to them, no matter what else happened.
"I hoped to have avoided them," Embris heard Nuem mutter to herself as they all took positions around Nuem and the few drivers she had working for her, in addition to Embris' brother and sister.
Embris wished that they had more people who could fight, but didn't see the point in saying anything about that. She couldn't blame the drivers for not having learned to fight, since they were proficient at what they did anyway. As it wasn't like Embris would be able to drive the donkeys pulling the carts herself. As she'd seen times when the animals would panic for no apparent reason, but the drivers seemed to know exactly what to do in order to calm the donkeys down, no matter what it was, without letting the donkeys hurt themselves or the wagons.
"Any idea what they want?" Taesin asked.
"Not really," Nuem said. "I've merely heard that you only find out after they approach. That you won't know until they let you know."
"Maybe you should have saved that arrow, Embris," Laurise commented. "At least then we'd have another arrow to work with, even though it's doubtful that it'd be what decides what's gonna happen."
Embris shrugged. "If I have to, I'll draw my sword," she said, wondering why everyone else was so tense. Did she maybe miss something before they started out over these plains?
"A sword might be useful in close range, but who's to say you'll get that close if it comes to a fight?" Jueniaes asked. "The natives of this plain tend to kill people before it comes to that in a fight."
Embris wasn't sure she liked that, but she still didn't plan on dying. Not when she had her brother and sister with her. She wasn't going to let them get killed, no matter what else happened to her. Which meant that either she wasn't going to need her sword in this fight or she was going to be able to get close enough to use it herself.
The drumming sounds slowly were getting closer, almost like it was designed to make them break formation so these people could pick them off, but while Embris felt the tension from those behind her, she merely found the sounds helpful in focusing her mind and putting out all other distractions.
Embris wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but she could feel her muscles starting to complain about the tension she was keeping on them when she saw signs of movement.
At first she wasn't sure she was seeing things. She'd see a bit of hair or a head pop up here or there over the grass of the plains, almost like these people were trying to keep her from identifying where the attack would come from. Although, she'd yet to see any weapon that these people might be carrying.
Then suddenly she say a person standing before her. Embris wasn't sure when the woman appeared, but she was just standing there staring at Embris. Embris didn't sense any hostility from the woman, though she couldn't say that she was friendly either.
The woman had black skin, incredibly close-cropped curly black hair, brown eyes, a piece of leather than covered her breasts and a leather loincloth around her waist. There was also a scar than extended from the hairline on her left forehead and all the way down to the base of her right ear, though where it went over her eyes, the woman's eyes didn't show any signs of damage. The woman looked at Embris like she was searching for something inside her, but wasn't giving any indication as to what that might be.
Around them, the drumming continued, but Embris felt like it had become background noise. She slowly lowered her bow, vaguely aware of the other mercenaries protesting her doing that. Yet, somehow she felt like it was the right thing to do.
She couldn't explain why she felt that way, not with how tense the drumming had made her feel, but it almost felt like it was the natural thing to do in that moment for some reason.
Then suddenly before she knew it, the woman had a spear in her hand with the point at Embris' throat. Embris wasn't sure what the woman intended, but she still didn't see any hostility in the woman's eyes. Not that she'd be able to do anything in that moment if the woman was hostile to Embris. Not with her bow at her side right then.
Yet, nothing happened outside of a small poke on her neck from the spear. Embris could feel time passing as she felt sweat trickled down her body. She was mostly confident that it was sweat from the heat of the day, rather than being nervous. However, she didn't plan on admitting those doubts to anyone. Ever.
Embris wasn't sure what to expect after this, but when the spear was taken away from her neck, she almost didn't think it was real. Everything around her started to take on a surreal quality that she couldn't quite explain.
Although, she didn't have to, as moments after the spear was gone, darkness descended on Embris as she passed out.
_
When Embris opened her eyes, she wasn't sure she hadn't died. While the sun had set and she didn't think that the afterlife would be so dark, she couldn't understand how she was still alive.
She heard people talking around her, some laughing, but it hardly felt any different from how she had been before. Not to mention how she didn't feel any pain whatsoever. Which for Embris was a sign that she had to have been killed.
"Embri' 'wake," a familiar voice said nearby. One she knew belonged to her sister, Nymis.
Embris closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Even if she couldn't have protected her sister and brother, she still wished she could have a chance to do that encounter over again. She wouldn't have lowered her bow, so that when the spear was at her throat, she'd have been able to strike and maybe give her siblings a chance to somehow survive.
"Sure about that, runt?" Embris heard Taesin ask. "She looks like she's still asleep."
"Embri' woke fo' minute," Nymis insisted.
Embris opened her eyes and sat up slowly. She looked at Taesin and asked quietly, "How long did it take?"
"Uh, how long did what take?" Taesin inquired, looking not only startled but unsure.
"For us to all have been killed," Embris said, doing her best to hold in her tears. If it was just her, then she'd be fine. Adding her brother and sister, she wasn't sure she'd be able to maintain her emotions and likely end up crying like a boy.
"Wow. What kind of dream did you have?" Taesin laughed. "You merely passed out from the drug these people coat their spears in. Apparently they were testing you."
Embris wasn't sure she fully followed what she'd just been told. While she thought she was being told they hadn't been killed, she couldn't understand why she didn't feel any pain. If only falling down like she probably would have if Taesin was telling her the truth should have at least a bump or bruise that should still hurt.
"If you're awake, you should get up now," Jueniaes said, startling Embris and Taesin. "You have next watch since you enjoyed sleeping so much earlier."
Embris sighed. She still didn't understand what was going on, but it was clear her life wasn't getting any easier. Assuming she had been told the truth and they all hadn't been killed, that is.
"Embri' cawwy!" Nymis begged as Embris carefully stood up, her blanket thrown to the side.
Embris merely smiled at her sister and lifted her up. She hoped that Taesin had told her the truth, although she didn't understand why they'd been spared. At least from how the others had reacted to hearing the drums that Embris could only assume had been getting played by the people that the woman she'd seen had been part of.
As Embris made her way over to the bonfire that was going, she felt a little surprised, and uneasy, to see so many women who looked almost like the one who had put her spear against Embris' throat. She felt her body go cold, as if the warmth from the blankets she'd been under evaporated like the light cast by the fire into the darkness did after so much distance.
"Come, take a seat, warrior," one of the women said. Though it took Embris a moment to realize that it was her that she had been talking to. "Tonight we feast on the stalking cat you shot."
Embris looked and felt a little surprised to see pieces of meat being passed through the fire in order to cook it. She felt like she should have seen that happening as she approached, but hadn't. She wasn't sure if she shouldn't just crawl back under the blanket she'd been under and try to go back to sleep.
"Don't worry," another of the women said, this one looking not much older than Embris herself. "The drug takes a while to go away. You still probably under its effects."
Embris didn't respond. She merely felt like she should get something to eat, but at the same time, her stomach was making it clear it wasn't going to be happy if she sent anything down to it right then.
However, she still sat at an open place around the fire and picked up a stick that had what she could only assume was a large piece of the cat she'd shot earlier after setting Nymis on the ground next to her. She merely stared at the meat, not sure she really believed that what she was seeing around her was real.
"Lighten up, Embris," Jueniaes said as she sat down nearby, slapping Embris on her back in a friendly manner. "Look at it this way. You actually saved us, probably."
"What? How?" she asked, feeling rather confused. How did her passing out like that help save them? Was there something she didn't understand that was going on there?