Mikali : Part 3

The Northern Tribeland

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The trio walked silently into the tribal region that was the home to a good deal of their population. Their race had very little need in the way of permanent structures, preferring to use the forest as shelter and erect the likes of roofing only to keep out of the rain, when it was necessary. This meant that most of the dwelling area was visible from where they entered, and equally that the three were visible to all its residents. The silence between the three travelers was mimicked by all the badger-folk in sight, for all merely stood and watched as Mikali led the back-from-the-grave Grekath and his colorful, human-like companion among them.

Ocha, apparently none too disturbed by this silent greeting, was looking back and forth across the land, taking in the carefully-marked patches that were apparently the living area for certain families or groups as well as the folk that occupied them, mostly diverting their eyes to the other two badgers as she looked their way. She sent Grekath a little smirk, coupled with an over-dramatic tone. :: It's as if you were the harbinger of change, here to alter the very fabric of their being. :: ... and maybe they would, she thought. Who could tell?

Grekath sent a grunt in return. :: That, or the face of death, here to drag them all to the shadow. :: He was being met with blank glances and knowing stares alike, so had chosen instead to focus on where they were going, rather than those around them.

:: Okay, mister 'you-read-too-many-suspense-novels.' We'll see which way the wave breaks. ::

Oblivious to the jibes going on behind them, Mikali was none too relaxed as he walked through the silence. Grekath had 'only' been gone for a cycle or so. What was with all the statuesque behavior? He needed something to change, or he would be shaking before they got anywhere near the council's areas.

Fortunately for him, there was at least one person who didn't feel the tension much. A sharp female voice cut through the clearing. ``Grekaaaaath!`` Grekath turned in time to see someone a bit more than half his height come barreling toward him, and he hardened his stance as the young female hit him nearly full-on, wrapping her furry little arms as far around him as they would go. He had to chuckle; it was a typical child's greeting. He had to say he missed it.

``Well, I am glad to see someone is cheerful. Still studying hard, Aliane?``

The badgerling let go and backed off a pace, bobbing her little head up and down. ``Uh-huh. Mikali is a great teacher. I know lots, an' I almost finished my staff! Come see, later.`` She knew the drill: Talk with the old folks first, then come play.

``Of course. I will expect a few of the other students, though.`` He raised a paw in farewell, and she nodded a couple more times, scampering back.

``Bye, Grekath. See you soon!``

Grekath chuckled further as she ran off, happy to note that her vibrance had apparently broken the trance on the tribesmen. They were all going back to their living, still sneaking glances and musing to one another as the three went by, but nothing near as tense as before, at least on the surface. Grekath turned to Mikali. ``Great teacher, eh?``

Mikali could only smile a touch, looking back toward where Aliane had vanished. ``You know all the spirit-guides lend a hand. She shows promise, though... keeps spouting off that she will be as good as you.`` He gave Grekath a light smack on the arm, drawing a laugh from his friend.

``We could certainly use the talent...`` Grekath lowered his voice. ``... but I tell you, we have barely begun to learn of what our planet can do.``

Mikali rolled his eyes. ``Trust you to figure this out... but I am hardly surprised. You will have to tell me of your journey sometime.``

Grekath shook his head a little. ``It is long and complicated, Mikali. The very fact that I have returned peaceably, and with greater knowledge than when I left, will have to hold them for now.``

``As long as they let you speak, it should. Let us hope things are going well.``

Grekath gave a nod, and Mikali faced forward again, nearing the council's area. The upcoming conversation could go anywhere, Grekath knew, but he could only make his case and deal with their reaction. He could only hope they would accept Ocha without ... ... huh? :: What's with the grin? ::

Ocha turned a smile in Grekath's direction, then bobbed her head to the side. :: Oh, just your little admirers, over there. Guess you're still popular to some people. ::

Grekath blinked and craned his neck to look beyond Ocha, at first seeing nothing more than the same glances they had endured already. After a moment, though, he spotted them: Maybe ten younglings, several yards out and a few yards back, that had plucked up the courage to follow them for as long as they were allowed. He recognized Aliane among them and surmised that she had called in the troops, for there were several of his other students, along with a few new faces, all twittering to each other and sneaking the occasional grinning or awe-struck look in his or Ocha's direction. He had to smile, shaking his head. :: Is it me, or is it you? I can just imagine how thrilled the elders would be if the badgerlings were to learn how to throw fire around. ::

Ocha snitched a few of Grekath's hanging thoughts and choked back a laugh. :: What's wrong, are there a couple pyros among them? Don't you know that burning a forest can make it grow better? ::

:: I'll let you tell them that, thank you. :: He quieted after that, though. They were approaching a clearing.

The customary fire had already been lit in the center of the council's gathering area, and Grekath was not surprised to see a few of the members already there. Qenacor was on the opposite edge of the clearing, leaning against a tree, eyes on Grekath as he moved, a serious expression on his face. Grekath mentally named Jokath and Shinayi to Ocha, and the others filtered in, taking their positions on the outside of the clearing as word got around to all of them. Soon, they had all arrived, thirteen including Grekath and Mikali, nearly all of them elders of the tribe as well. Grekath had been picked from the younger generation some cycles ago, mainly due to his exceptional skill among the spirit-guides. He could tell Ocha was nervous, but she kept her own position, neither touching nor hiding behind Grekath.

It was Shinayi who eventually broke the silence. ``Well, young mage. I must say that your sudden reappearance is a surprise to us. You know, no doubt, that our position is not what it was when last you were here.``

Grekath nodded, noting with some irritation that the carefully worded and toned response could be a mere statement or an accusation. He didn't speak right away, though, giving the council time to push that one way or the other.

Shinayi continued, stepping into the clearing a bit more. ``The humans have increased in number steadily, as we predicted some time ago, and with this their boldness has also increased. We have had occasion to fend off several attacks from their kind since the loss of our western meeting area, with limited success. They have failed to change their tactics thus far, though, and, as I am sure you are aware, we do not make the same mistakes so easily.``

He cast a brief, yet pointed glance toward Qenacor, who showed no reaction. Though his advice was often sound, Qenacor was well known for not straying from the tried-and-true unless it was necessary, and the last thing Grekath had heard him recommend to the council was to maintain their position.

With little pause, Shinayi kept on. ``... so, for two parts of this past cycle, we have kept them at bay. They still refuse parlay of any kind, and efforts to reclaim our various territories have been met with fierce resistance. Yet here you are now, back from the spirit pool...``

``... and quite comfortable, it seems,`` Jokath all but snapped.

Shinayi was taken mildly by surprise... only mildly because of the elder who had spoken, it seemed. ``This was not the direction I intended to head, good elder.``

``Indeed, and yet he has nary a scratch on him,`` Jokath came back. ``He is quite at full strength. Was not his little trip supposed to be a test? Or is he so powerful as to fly through it with no trouble at all?``

Grekath had dealt with this particular elder several times before. He was jumpy, skeptical, and prone to panic. Knowing that, he was able to keep his head about him, but when he was ready to respond, he instead heard Qenacor adding his bit.

``Has any of you ever been through the pool?`` He pushed away from his tree, slowly looking around the clearing as he waited for a response. ``No? Anyone here know of anyone else that has been through the pool, in our generation?`` His eyes met those of the last few elders. ``I thought not... and that includes myself. I would wait to pass judgement until you have heard the story from Grekath, himself. After all... he was able to return with nary a scratch.``

Ocha sent Grekath a little mental nudge, and Grekath responded in kind. That meant they could both relax a little, if Qenacor was at least not speaking against him. Jokath, however, was far from pleased. ``This from the elder who set him on the quest in the first place, and without the explicit approval from the rest of the council. Our defenses mysteriously crumble as soon as he leaves, and we are attacked while he spends a cycle's vacation making new friends!``

:: Nice to be acknowledged, :: Ocha fired at Grekath, but the snarky comment was lost on him. He took a step toward Jokath.

``You dare to suggest that I sat on a pad of laurels while my tribe, my people and life were attacked?``

``Jokath.`` This came from across the clearing to Grekath's left, from the elder known as Qondeth. ``You are being irrational.``

``Oh, am I, now?`` Jokath had taken a step back on seeing Grekath's expression, but now he came forward again. ``By all means, then, let us hear what hardships our mageling has endured!``

``I did NOT come here to discuss my own troubles!`` Grekath quickly thrust his staff toward the fire with both paws, willing the planet to follow him as Atu had. To his surprise, the normally subtle reaction he got was replaced with an eager surge of power, and the earth around the fire suddenly sprung up, encasing it in a dome thick enough to block its light, save for a smoke vent at the top. The entire council sprang back, Mikali included; even Ocha was startled by the sudden use of power, though she remained by his side.

Grekath took a full breath and released it, letting his temper fade. He gave a quick look around the clearing. ``I returned as soon as I had contrived means to do so. I returned to see what had become of my people, and to tell them of the thousand things we can do with our power that we have not yet discovered.``

One by one, the elders recovered, a couple coming forward to inspect the earthen wall that Grekath had erected. It was not an illusion, like many of their other powers; this was real, solid earth, of the same color and type as the ground beneath their feet. After another minute, one of the elders turned to Grekath.

``How is this possible?``

Grekath took another breath as he bade the planet to lower its earthen wall, now having to trust that they would actually believe him. ``The [pool] did not leave me on our island. I was sent to what I can only describe as another world, one called Atu. Our power acts very differently there; Atu does not channel spiritual energy in the same manner as Kaiana.``

``I see.`` Jokath was indeed much calmer now, but he remained the skeptic he had always been. ``So this is the reason for bringing this ... human to the very heart of our tribeland?``

``If it please you, sir,`` Ocha said, ``I am no human.``

Jokath gave a grin. ``Aaaah, she speaks. Why, then, do you merely stand in silence while we discuss the fate of your ... companion?``

Ocha gave a slight shrug. ``I find I do not learn much by talking, sir.`` There was a twitter around the clearing, and Jokath frowned, rather disturbing to Ocha until she realized the others were trying not to laugh at him.

:: Intriguing, yet surprisingly effective, :: came Grekath along their bond.

She sent a bemused smirk back to him. :: I hadn't meant it like that... but if it lightens things up a bit, I'll take it. ::

Jokath shook his head, ready to regain some ground, but it was Shinayi who spoke. ``Perhaps you may forgive our good elder if he requests that you stop learning for a few moments. Might you show us, then, what you truly are? Is this some manner of illusion, as our power holds?``

Ocha forced back a smile. ``No... and I do not believe there is enough room in the clearing to comfortably show you, sir.`` Sure, her full-on dragon form would fit,, but as fond of fire as she was, she hadn't packed her flamewalking shoes. ``I do believe, however --``

``I do believe,`` Jokath interjected, ``that an elder of a tribe to whom you are a guest has made a reasonable request. If you wish us to even consider trusting you, you can comply with a simple request, can you not?``

Grekath was prepared to address that little interruption, but Ocha casually stepped forward. ``Very well, if seeing is believing...`` She moved her hands from her sides, a faint yellow aura that matched her eyes surrounding her being as she attempted to draw power from the area around her. Grekath handily skipped back, and all the elders around him did likewise, now half-afraid for their lives.

A transformation, though, wasn't what Ocha had in mind. After a few moments, the glow focused on her hands, and she drew them in, then thrust them skyward. The council fire, handy little demonstration object that it was, burst and roared into a pillar of flame almost tall enough to lick the treetops. A similar roar emanated from most of the council members; this manner of power was far beyond their experience, and the reaction it was getting was mixed, at best. Before they could muster a more coherent response, Ocha spoke through the sizzle of the flames.

``I am an earthen dragon, and one who just happens to be good with fire. You can still your minds that such a mythical creature really exists, for from where we hail, dragons are as common as any other race.``

Grekath gave her a light mental tap; they weren't taking this well, in his mind. She glanced back at him, wondering, but nodded and dropped the fire back to its normal crackle. :: Sorry about the sparkles, but I had to get the feel of the land, first. Like you said, veeery different from Atu. ::

:: Indeed, :: was Grekath's only response, as most of the council members regained their composure -- most, except perhaps Jokath, and the younger, more impressionable Jerucor next to him, whose eyes were wide.

``Oh, I see!`` he began. ``So we take the humans by storm, yes? We come in with an illusion blast or a rock-wall or whatever Grekath can summon now, and then the young lady whips up a typhoon from the --``

Mutterings drifted throughout the clearing. ``Typhoon?`` Ocha came back, incredulous. ``I said, 'good with fire,' not --``

``I feel, perhaps,`` came Qenacor's voice, as usual cutting through the near-chaos to draw a bit of focus again, ``we have reached the end of our useful discussion, here. I suspect we may wish to adjourn for the evening... given the amount of information we now have to consider.`` He looked around the council circle -- not much of a circle, by now -- for any manner of objection, but nobody said a thing. They had just gotten a head-full, that was for certain. ``Settled, then --``

``They stay in the secure area.`` Jokath wasn't letting go as easily as all that.

Grekath gave Jokath a fine glare in response, but Qenacor shook his head, relenting. ``Fine, fine. I trust you do not need an escort, Grekath?``

``Hardly.`` He bowed his head respectfully to the council in general. ``Thank you.`` ... and with that, the various council members began to drift away, some staying to talk quietly among themselves.

Ocha glanced to Grekath, who rolled his eyes... but he understood, even if he wasn't happy about it. :: That means we get to enjoy one of the few places with walls around here. Not exactly quarantine, but people do tend to avoid it. ::

:: Wonderful. What, do they think I'm going to sunburn? ::

That comment earned a grunt from Grekath, but he quipped back, :: I never said we had a roof. :: He quieted, though, as Mikali turned, speaking for the first time since coming to the clearing.

``Nice show of support I gave, eh? Sorry, Grekath... but I think half of this was decided beforehand, and when it did not go as planned...``

``You hardly got the chance,`` Grekath agreed. ``It is truly amazing how this manner of talk is similar between races and lands.`` He's heard enough around their neighborhood alone to last a lifetime, let alone from all of Star City.

``Hm. At least we are not the only ones subjected to it, then... but speaking of that... we need to talk, later.`` Qenacor wasn't kidding when he suggested they all had a lot to mull through, and Mikali was no exception, by far.

``Of course.`` Grekath bowed his head again, and Ocha did the same. ``Later, then, Mikali.``

(The Secured Area...)