Maya cradles the young man in her arms and tries to calm him down. "There you go. Tell me what happened, if you can. But you are safe here."

Dana said "It is okay, it is not like I have the time to reflect on things right now. Talismonger shops always contain so many fakes that I usually needed a favor to get them, I am not experienced enough to pick my own.

There was never a single tradition. I studied in the phenomenological method. Every semester we studied the basics of a different tradition
Including different practical techniques that came from many different traditions. Our professor was so charismatic that every tradition I learned,
I was certain that it was the 'truth' and that my professor identified with it fully. Then the next semester came and the new tradition was conflicting to the old one, but it still seemed real.

Whenever we asked what tradition we are, Ben Shlomo said that it was not important. That every mage need to choose a tradition based on her own personality and qualities. That a poor choice would cripple the rest of our growth, this was when I understood that I simply cannot do hermetic traditions very well, but others in my class did them brilliantly. Ben Shlomo did not even tell us his own tradition, instead he encouraged us to explore and find the one that is most suitable to ourselves. "

[Cailin, On the way to the main Camp] #45

Cailin nods "I suppose it makes sense. I couldn't tell since... Well, I never got the choice, but even if I did, it's so... Let's just say that I don't think you can separate the Path from Tìr. And well... I'm very much from there. Even my Father follows the Path." she shakes her head "I think I agree that there are truth in all of them. And there's probably no one tradition that is better than any other." she frowns "Huh... Don't repeat I said that..."

"Anyway. You should make a choice. You don't have too. But it would make everything easier for you. You don't even have to take one and stick to it all your life. If you change, your tradition can change too. For all I know, you could even create your own tradition if you never found one you're comfortable with. No idea how it would work though..." she seems pensive, thinking about it for a while. Then, with a start, probably admonished by Brigid, she picks something on the ground a few steps away, and pays more attention to her harvest.

Day Three - First Light - 10km Down River
Personality: Blank

He wakes up as the first light of dawn starts to grope its way through the branches in the copse of trees in which he has bedded down. He is at first aware of the warmth of the rays rather than the radiance of them, and then sounds start to filter in. He takes a few long moments to take in the sounds around him, to ensure that the auditory picture he had captured the night before is intact. He expects small deviations - bird life, perhaps - but there are sounds, or the absence there of, which will identify as being out of place should someone have managed to track him the ten kilometers he had run the night before. He had been particular about the distance. It was one that is not casually travelled, and one that is infinately longer to travel for those who are taking the time to track someone. While there are some among the main camp who would have the resolve, if not the skill, to follow him, the groups they have sent to hunt are from his experience and observation largely mixed. That means plenty of components unlikely to be able to stand that long a search. Still, the possibility is there that he was tracked and is being watched. So he waits, and listens.

For ten minutes he listens, and when satisfied only then does he slowly rise from the small hide he had built himself to sleep in. The first order of business is to find a suitable place at a distance from the river to evacuate himself, and then he backtracks and goes to the river to clean the mud, the blood and the sweat of the day before off of himself. He took a calculated risk the night before going to sleep with such a scent profile about him. For today he wants to be remotely clean.

When he has cleansed his body, he fuels it for the days' activities. As he sits ont he rivers edge and eats, he plans. He had considered in the dwindling time before sleep the possibility of returning to once again observe the large camp. This he dismisses now. There is no need, and it would be counter to his goals to lock himself into an antagonistic cycle. Instead he is going to take the time to leave a few presents for anyone who might be following him, and then to move forward again.

His first task is to backtrack down his own path again. He had noted a few spots on the tail end of his run which might be suitable for the gifts he intends on leaving. He travels a kilometer back, and then starts. First he stops at the spot where he had passed under an old tree, one that had collapsed and come to rest upon the branches of another tree across the path. The way had been clear the night before. With a little assistance and a few branches snapped on the support tree, however, the old tree topples into the path and leaves quite the obstacle to traverse. It is this fallen tree that marks the edge of his new territory.

Over the course of the next kilometer he stops at various points to rig new gifts. Gifts that will be set off with fishing line tripwires. The first ones are more annoying than anything else. A a bent branch pulled to be taught until the line is disturbed that will whip across the path and strike anyone it comes across at about his chest - or most kids face - level. It is the last of the gifts that is truly dangerous. He takes some time to find a good deal of kindling, and he lines the path just out of sight with mounds of it. To the kindling he adds dry branches for fuel, and then covers the lot in leaves. Two ten foot sections of the path, one on either side, he lines in such a setup. At various points in each he sets a firestarter to really keep things going. Each of the firestarters has to it rigged a section of fishing line wound tight so that when pulled they will light. Should it work, the result will be a tunnel of fire. A final warning that following him might not be the wisest course of action.

With the gifts set he returns one last time to his overnight camp and retrieves the last of his supplies. Blank settles the frame of the pack over his shoulders and turns away from the camps once more. He sets off down the riverside, and keeps forging forward toward whatever it might hold.

Dana answers "I do not understand these boundaries, I just adopted techniques that worked for me. Like my professor used to said, every person requires a different combination of techniques to be successful. The Path works for you, at your age I could not cast a single spell, things progressed slower for me. The goal of my education was flexibility, not efficiency. You seem to understand the path in ways that I understand no tradition."
The rest of the hike Dana remained silent, the camp was already close and such an open talk about magic mambo jump would just add to their suspicion around them.

"T...t..toxic shaman... He was brough with us but woke up early...." Vincent says still shivering.

"A toxic shaman? Where did you see him and when? Is he a kid like us? Damn, such a creature must be dealt with, if possible. We might need to alert the main camp, too."

"He looks like a teen... He... I cant remember where..."

"what did he do to you, Vincent? How do you know he is a toxic mage?"

"I was... Experimented on. He made alchemy from a pit of sludge he made... But what really sold it... HIS SPIRITS. He summoned one at least once a day. One was a smog... One was crumbled earth... One was sludge... And one was this glowy thing! Plants shiviled up and wilted whether it went! When he wasn't putting sludge on me he made me hunt food for him. I was able to escape because he was doing something magical and it went wrong... I felt like this conncection that bound me to him sever..." Vincent said. His eyes darkening. "You said... Destroy him... I wanna help!" Vincent shouted.

Maya puts a hand up. "There, there. You are safe here for now. We will do what we can about this." By now the others have entered the cave and caught the gist of the conversation. Maya looks at Summer. "Hey, can you contact Aria for me, please? Let her know that we have found one of the kids that went missing the first day we were all at the big camp. He is saying that there is a toxic mage in the area that is poisoning the air and ground. It is possible that such a creature could be the root cause of some of the things going on here. Ask her to warn Rick."

Summer nods and sends out the message to her contact in the larger camp while Maya gives Vincent some food and fresh water.

Vincent ate and drank with relish. "Could someone recap what happened since I left?" He asked after eating.

Maya nods. "Not much to tell from this end, actually. There was a vote of confidence at the camp and Rick won. I decided that I would probably be challenging him at every step and that it was probably best if I left. Some people came with me. Unfortunately, one of us was taken and killed by a large cat on our first night out. We killed the cat and its mate and you are sleeping in one of the pelts now. We have been joined by another woman and now number five, or six if you decide to stay here. I can have you escorted to the larger camp if you feel safer there. We are in the process of saving as much of the cat meat as possible and some fish we caught in the lake outside the cave. We are still going to look for a way out of the area and back to civilization, hoping for some clues as to who put us here and why."

"Before making a decision, you should know that two of us are mages, and quite good ones at that. If you are as superstition as some, you might want to factor that into making your mind up. I would point out that the mages have been extremely helpful in killing the cats and with creating tools. Oh, and in summoning a spirit that helped us with the fish. Recap over, unless I have left anything out by accident."

"Im an adept who wants to go home so I feel like this is my best bet to do so. So im staying." Vincent said sighing.

Maya is surprised. "Another mage? How could I get so fortunate? Are you willing to share with us what you can do?"

"Well I would need some clothes first..." He realized he was being held by a girl while he was naked under the pelt and started to blush.

Maya considers the situation. "Yes. You will definitely need some clothes. I am not sure what we can do right now. We have a pelt we are cleaning up, but that was earmarked for another blanket. We sent Dana and Cailin to the larger camp to trade some cat meat for some clothes and tools. Perhaps they will bring something back you can use. If not, you will be wearing the first set of cat pelt clothes here. But in the meantime, there are things to do and modesty could get in the way. I will not be disturbed by you walking around naked, however, we could arrange for you to help finish scraping the second pelt while sitting with the first one astride your hips to protect your decency. I can show you what needs to be done if you have not done it before."

"Thanks! Id love lessons. Its just that its mostly girls here... I gotta... You know... Be a gentleman and all that crap. My mom raised me better and all that." Vincent said still a little embarrased.

"Yes, Vincent, I do know. But out here we have very little room for all of the niceties. There are just going to be times when someone sees all the bits and pieces of someone else. Someone needs to stand guard while others use the latrine or bathe and there just is no getting around it. And really, once you get used to it, it is a natural thing. For me, it was totally different. I practically grew up in the wilds and the only people my parents and I met were in small, out-of-the-way villages where almost no one ever wore any clothes. It took a bit of getting used to, indeed, but by now it is as natural for me to be naked around other people as not. Does that help any? Now let me go get the other pelt. That will give you time to move closer to the front of the cave so you can see better. I have some tools and will show you how to scrape the pelt clean. So, be right back"

Maya smiles at Vincent and leaves him alone to move to the front of the cave and sit down with the blanket. She goes to get the second pelt that she has been working on and brings it and some of the bone tools to where he is sitting. Maya takes a seat herself next to him and shows him what to do. She tries to set him at ease as they work and talk. Summer comes up twice with information on how the meat and fish preparation is going and Maya shows her pleasure in what the other girl has accomplished. Three times she will excuse herself to go see how Raferty is coming with the bows and arrows. If allowed, she will take a few practice pulls and announce that she is impressed. "Now all we need are some feathers, but these will do until we find some. Very well done, Raferty. Very well done indeed."

Back at the cave, she notices when Vincent starts squirming a bit and stands up. She turns from him as she shucks her bottoms off then hands them to him before sitting and slipping under the blanket. There..........now you can go to the latrine. Summer, will you please show him where it is and stand watch for him.

Vincent blushed madly. He felt "puberty" kick in and had to use his Focused Concentraition power to calm himself before dressing under the tarp and getting up. The Dragonslayer was dying of laughter. He went to Summer. "Hey... Name is Vincent. Nice to meet you."

Summer takes Vincent's hand and smiles. "Summer. The latrine is this way." As they walk over to the slit trench in the ground, she adds, "You kind of have to get used to that sort of thing. One of the other girls, Dana, was walking around naked for some time yesterday. She had been in your position and changed, leaving her clothes behind. Did not seem to bother her at all. And Maya? Well, Maya is probably more wild thing than civilized person. I heard her talking to Raferty earlier about how she has lived for years in villages where everyone was naked all the time. Go figure, huh? OK, you go over there and I will turn my back......................maybe. I mean, we are supposed to be watching for predators, right?" Summer laughs as she turns her back so that Vincent can use the latrine.

Morning, Day 4, War Council

Rick lets the talk go backwards and forwards without saying much, observing the small group. Simon is wildly advocating rounding up Maya’s little cabal and forcing them to admit their role in the attack, Sim on the other hand is more cautious, clearly taking Rick’s lead…finally Rick speaks his own mind…

“I’m not sure we are all going to agree on this one. I also don’t believe Maya was behind the attack, why anyone would choose to be a lone wolf is beyond me but this doesn’t seem to fit her merry band at all. That’s not to say that her mages don’t pose a potential threat and that is a confrontation we will have to prepare for but hopefully never face.

So, what do we do next? Maya wants to trade, the attacker is also still out there somewhere as a threat to our hunters…we can’t afford to sit still but we are potentially vulnerable on the move…I’m not sure that staying all together is a long term solution either, we need to hunt and that can’t be done on mass…

So there’s something manmade along the river? Well that will do as a starting point, hopefully it will give us some answers. In the meantime, I’m not interested in Maya’s food, we’ve proven we can bring in our own now…but maybe she can be persuaded that it is in her interests to help protect the main group? With two mages they would serve as a good point group, flushing any nasties in our path perhaps. What do you think…?”

Just then, despite a vicious glare from Simon, Aria came bounding up to the council…

“What the frag do you think you’re doing?” Simon demanded…if Aria was bothered by the bigger boy she didn’t show it…

“Maya’s group think there is a toxic shaman around near here…”

“Well that is just fragging wonderful…!”

"So... Wait... Do you all get naked in shifts?" Vincent asked. "Holy crap. I hit the jackpot..." Vincent thought.

Summer laughs. "No. Well, sort of, I guess. We bathe and someone has to watch, so I guess we do. Until you came here, Raferty was the only boy so I guess he got an eyeful if he was interested. Maya brought the subject of sex up early on and it seems that none of us are really into shacking up just for sex. Yet. Who knows if that will change as we go longer here. I mean, we have all pretty much seen all of us naked or nearly naked, but it is not a big deal yet. I sort of agree with Maya on this one........if you are interested in looking, get it over and done with."

Lindsey is deep in thought about Rick's proposal to use Maya's group as a point team when Aria charges in with her news. "Another mage?" she exclaims in surprise. "This is crazy, I'd never seen one before and yet there seem to be so many out here..." she thinks to herself. "Did they say if it's one of us? The kids I mean? Or was it already here when 'they' put us here?" Turning to Rick, "All the more reason we should get moving, Maya's group or no. Rather than have them go with us, you should try to convince them to hunt down the toxic. Shouldn't be too hard to get her group to do it 'for the good of everyone'."

Addie nods along with what Lindsey is saying up until the last part. She bites her lip for a moment, then carefully responds: "I agree with Lindsey, mostly at least -- it matters to know more about this supposed toxic shaman. Getting moving is also a good idea, even if the lean-to was just getting good. Actually, maybe it is good to leave it here, with maybe a bit of wood under it, it could be a camp for any groups heading off to hunt or gather or whatever."

"And I totally agree that since Maya seems to have a lot of fighting ability and magic, it would be better for their group to fight this guy than our group -- we have too many people who can't fight well." She pauses and gives a half-smile to Lindsey to try to communicate 'sorry for disagreeing with this part.'

"But I think we should help. If they try, and fail, then we are really in trouble. And not everyone in their group is a fighter. I think it would make more sense to to put together a joint expedition, have their magic and fighters backed up with some of the best fighters from here. I don't know much about magic and nothing about toxic magic, but on the trids isn't the line "Geek the Mage first!" I'm thinking enough strong arms chucking rocks, if we can't get really close, or a tree branch across the skull, if we can, should do the job. I'm sure it is dangerous, but this is where people get to prove their ability to be protectors."

Addie works very hard to shove away the thrill she feels at the prospect of such violence. "Just normal human adrenaline rush at the thought of danger" she tells herself, and does her best to accept that lie as the truth.

"The toxic, assuming it even exists, we just have their word for it at this point, isn't the only danger out here. Ask the three guys from this morning if they think we should send all our best fighters out of the camp at once." Lindsey stops for a moment and appears to be considering, then shrugs, "If you think they really need more help, how about let Sim go with them while the rest of the strong people here keep our camp safe? That's what, three mages vs one? Surely that's enough?"

"...Ill just do that then." Vincent wished he had some evidence to bring that this occured. "If I do end up shacking dont tell my,folks though.

"Why," Addie wonders, "does it always seem to be easier to get along with boys than girls? First Maya and now Lindsey, or further back Angelou, Mary M, or even the Hutton twins." She looks at Rick for his reaction, and frustratingly he is looking back and forth, clearly willing to let the girls argue out the relative merits. "OK, usually boys are easier to deal with, but they still have their frustrating moments!"

Then a way to argue her case at least a little indirectly comes to her. "Do you trust our only mage to go into a dangerous situation with only the other camp to protect him? What if oh-so-sadly something happens to Sim, then what protection do we have against their magics? I don't think Sim should be going anywhere without a strong guard."

[Cailin, On the edge of the main Camp] #46

Reaching the edge of the main camp, Cailin stops. Some of the kids who noticed them don't seem welcoming...at all. While some degree of mistrust is understandable, she feels an hostile undercurrent she didn't expect. One that is not directed only at Dana. She frowns, unsure of what to do. She takes the initiative to summon a spirit of earth, to which she will ask to protect her, but will look at Dana, asking for directions. "There's... Something is wrong..."

Klarissa grunts, but doesn't stop. She doesn't feel anything weird is going on, just some people not liking seeing mages in the vicinity. And it's not any of her business anyway, she belongs here after all.

"What's a 'strong guard' going to do in the face of something that three mages plus whatever other resources Maya has can't handle?" Lindsey turns to Rick for support, "If Addie thinks Sim can't handle it, let her pick out some of the boys and she can go with them to escort him. She can't take all of them though, or we'll be defenseless if that other guy comes back, or who knows what other threats are out here! We can get moving and they can catch back up once the toxic is dealt with." She smiles at Addie with just a hit of smugness, "You can communicate with Aria here, right? So you'll have no problem meeting back up with us."

Dana said to Caillin "We are not in Kensas anymore... people do not like our kind here. When things go wrong it is always the others... The mages, now you feel how trogs feel at the Tir. I got your back do not worry they fear you more than you fear them." She progressed into the camp carrying the gaint floating caracass with her mind.

[Cailin, Main Camp] #47

Cailin seems a bit lost "Kansas? Where's that? Oh yes, the Wizard of Oz or something like that, right? Maybe, but..." she frowns, looking around "The fact that they fear me, or us, worries me. Scared people make mistakes. And often, violent ones... But there's more than fear here, it looks like hostility. Something has changed since yesterday. And not for the best..."

Slowing down, she walks a few steps behind Dana "I don't think it's a good idea..."

Addie is quick to jump at the opportunity to get exactly what she'd wanted in the first place, without having to nominate herself for the leadership roll "That's a good idea, Lindsey! I can communicate back to the camp, if we don't go too far. I can't say I see eye-to-eye with Maya or Dana, but I have talked to both of them some and think I have a feel for them. And it would give someone from this group there, which hopefully would keep too much rivalry breaking out within the group that goes from here."

After saying that it occurs to her that this could take her out of the camp for quite some time, which could further weaken her position within some of the groups in the camp -- but the chance to go out and do something and the chance to see the combat are too good to resist.

"Okay!" Vincent said loudly. He ran into the middle of camp. "Now that Im clothed let show you what I can do... If I had a pistol or knife I could show you my quick draw. But alas...but... The Dragonslayer taught me something really cool. I need a volunteer."

Dana smiles Yes the wizard of Oz, he controlled an entire city just with the perception of power. You see, fear is nothing but a raw primal emotion even animals are afraid. Speakes can cultivate fear and form a civilization, make good things out of it. Order and Respect - you have a way with words channel their emotions to something productive. But do understand them, we are carrying the carcass of a huge tiger with obvious magic and these people were attacked yesterday, they do not know by whom or what. Do you have any idea how dangerous they think we are?"

Dana eyes the crowd that arrives to 'greet' them looking for a friendly face. Suddenly Dave approaches them with excitement "Dana! what did you bring? Did you kill that tiger yourself ? How is it floating Magic?!"

Dana smiled at Dave and told him "Your music was amazing did you know Nora and Ron before?"
Dave answers "We formed a band, we call our self Streets of Babylon but common do explain about the tiger..."
She said "That tiger killed Grok, so I killed it back. Nothing more to tell, we brought food we thought to exchange it with some clothes as the other kids need protective gear, it is dangerous out there. "

Dave said "aahm food is good, there was not exactly enough meat yesterday, but did you really kill this huge beast? How did you do it?"

Dana answered "With my bare hands... Life time of training, where is Rick?"

Dave said "He is at that hill, near camp. They have some sort of meeting or something... Did you to take the clothes yesterday? People got pretty terrified... but I guess if you have magic and everything why not use it all the time..."

Dana said "We took no clothes yesterday..."

Dave answered "Well somebody did... Nora got really horrified she cried all night, she woke up with a black eye, one of the girls couldn't take her whines anymore, Nora is really suffering in here, I am worried about her. "
"If only I did not like Nora... that useless but adorable brat" She looks at Dave having nothing to say and then at Caillin and say:
"Where are my manners, Caillin, this handsome but too gentle fellow is Dave."

[Cailin, Main Camp] #48

Cailin waves at Dave, with a small smile "Hi." she looks at Dana, surprised "You like Nora? Uh..." With a shake of her head, she asks Dave "You said someone took the clothes? Well, that's wonderful. And you don't even know who did it given your question."

She sighs, scowling. After a second, she smiles lightly at Dave "Sorry, not your fault. But it's not good news... And I suppose Rick or his minions will tell us that it's not their fault and that they don't intend to do anything about it." She squints "If they don't accuse us of stealing them that is, and if what you thought is any indication, I suppose it wouldn't be a surprise if they did."

Shoulders dropping, she seems depressed "Marvelous." With her right hand, she plays with the golden torc symbol on her heart, as if she found some measure of comfort there.

Dave nods at Caillin, a bit embarrassed "I do not know about these things... I am a musician I try not to think about politics"

Dana thanks Dave and the two leave toward the hill. Seeing the younger girl nervous Dana tries to comfort Caillin and say "Do not be upset because of the limitations of others... Most people are idiots, you do not see me walking around with a grim face. " When the two are alone she said "Yes I like her... She has a generous heart, why else would I spend my time teaching unarmed combat, where I could spend that time working on my own skills. I do not gain much from teaching a bunch of newbies how to kick and punch. I need someone skilled to train with." Nobody seems to disturb the two girls and the gaint Carcass in their way to the management tent, though many people seem to follow them and point and stare.

Raf looked up from his work on the bowstring.

He smiled, and kept his voice light. "Or...you could just tell us what your trick is. Because I'm certainly not going to volunteer to have 'something really cool' demonstrated on me."

[Cailin, Main Camp] #49

Cailin nods "You know, when the people let others do the thinking for themselves, that's how you get huge problems. Weirdly, most of the time, the ones doing the thinking tend to let it go to their head, and more often than not, it turns ugly. Some might be fair but in these circumstances, will they stay fair? When will they start making decisions that favour them before anyone else? Are you sure it didn't start already? The less overwatch there is, the fastest it'll be." She smiles reassuringly "I don't wish you any trouble but the best way to avoid them is to stay on top, not hoping everything goes smoothly. Something you should keep in mind anyway. And since you're a musician... Maybe something you should help others remember. I don't say you should make problems. And I genuinely believe Rick is trying what he thinks best. Still... Paying attention doesn't cost anything. Not paying attention though..."

After a while, she turns to Dana, frowning "A generous heart?" Cailin doesn't seem to believe this for one second "Yeah sure. As long as you're not an Awakened I bet. Did she even try to listen when she learned that you're one?" she shakes her head "By the way she ran in the camp, you'd have thought that you tried to murder her in the worst possible way one could imagine. And her family to boot. You should have seen her when I revealed I was one."

She groans lowly "You might be used to people having bad reactions around you, for whatever reasons, but surely you realise there are grades there? Disgust, caution, jealousy, fear, terror..." she shakes her head "It's certainly not things I'm used to, but she seems to be both terrified and disgusted. She doesn't seem to even want to try and understand, to see beyond the Awakened label." She sighs and shrugs "I can be mistaken of course, but... Well, maybe you could change her mind. But would the efforts be worth it?"

She sniffs disdainfully. After a pause, she asks "If you're looking for a sparring partner, can't Raf', Vincent or Maya help you? Given how Raf' went after that big...er boy... I'd bet he knows a thing or two." She smiles a bit "Well, either that or he's crazy. Let's suppose he knows what he's doing for now though."

Looking around, she adds "And given the looks, I don't think you'll be welcome here for long, not without someone making a mistake, you reacting, and huge problems ensuing. You wouldn't even need to kill anyone, just hurting someone would crystallise feelings. Or maybe even not getting hurt yourself. Nora would have to come with us, and it will freeze in hell before she'd let herself be alone with one Awakened, much less more than one."

"Well ok. I can bend the laws of probability to force a negative outcome on a person by touching them." He says sighing. "My own parents did not believe this one. It does not always work. But when it does... I used it the very last I was bullied and the guy punched himself in the face. Knocked himself out. It has drain but I can work around that. Public schools are depressing. There is even a background count at mine! So the Dragonslayer taught me to focus my concentration to work around it. Oh and my steps make no noise. At all." Vincent said proudly. "Other then that... My fingers are nimble... And I have the killing hands thing. My relfexes are honed... Dont have much else.

Dana said "She offered me a place to sleep. I just met her it was the first day here and I spent the entire day training. I did not have time to talk to anyone until evening. She allowed me to sleep in her shelter even though there was no place for the two of us. She was cold that night and spooned me to get warm, she would have been more comfortable without me. I do not know why she behaves the way she does but I am sure there is a reason for that, she is a good person. Perhaps there is some emotional trauma in her past, I honestly do not know. "

She laughs at the notion of being unwelcome - " Ha! I doubt we would be unwelcome here for long, they need me more than I need them. We are in the middle of the wilderness and we posses a rare set of skills. Maya may have taken few people with her, but she took very resourceful and powerful people. I would say that the big camp feels intimidated by us, this means that they respect our strength and we can build upon that. You will see... Just enjoy the attention, nobody can be indifferent to our kind."

[Cailin, Main Camp] #50

For a few seconds, it looks like Cailin wants to retort something about Nora. Eventually, she changes her mind with a shrug.

She shakes her head after that though "You're making a huge assumption however: that they will decide rationally. And I'm pretty sure the girls, as a group, already don't. As for needing us... They'll resent you for needing you, it happens all the time. And you know, they have at least two Awakened themselves. And even if they did need you, or us, they'd have to realise it, overcome their fear, and ask. Not sure they will reach that step... Not as a group anyway. Rick seems quite able to work with any of us, but that doesn't amount to much. I'd bet that if they ask, they'll present it as necessary for the common good, and since we're Awakened, surely we can do that. Of course, refusing would be betraying the group so of course, we wouldn't do that, would we? And we wouldn't even want to argue since it would give a bad impression now, would we?"

She shakes her head "Yeah, you could say I'm pretty pessimist. But seeing those reactions is depressing." Sighing depressingly she finishes "But we'll see as you say. I hope I'm wrong, but..."

"Aaaaaand...precisely why I did not volunteer. You're not going to make many friends 'forcing negative outcomes' on people! But sounds like you know your way around a tussle. Here's hoping you don't need it." Raf blew some dust off his bow and fitted one end of the string.

"Hey... Could you teach me that?" Vincent asked sitting across from Raf. "How to shoot a bow?"

"Of course. Got to finish it first, but almost there. Tomorrow I hope, along with some arrows. Hadn't thought as far as a quiver. Hmmm. This one's going to be for my pull...so not awfully powerful, I'm afraid. But, assuming we are here for some time, I'll keep making more for others that are interested. Mainly for hunting. I hope."

"Id really like a knife..." Vincent sighed. "Renraku gave me a bit of training in basic combat."

Dana shrugged "This is how it is, people are hostile now because they got stuff going on, their hunters attacked, their supply raided by magic and so forth. Then we come to their camp with obvious magic and a symbol of strength, not one but two witches. They are terrified, but it is a difficult morning for them, it is not the day to judge them. They are confused and afraid - looking up to the hill for the guidence of their leaders.

Try to be positive, we are going to talk to their management and not all of them are hostile, these people have responsibility. They would act differently, you are a gifted speaker and you deserve nothing but kindness. You charmed me with "Hello" and would do the same to their management. The mass would do whatever their leaders tells them to do. They may be biased against you but they do not call off the shots.

Addie and Sim will be there - Addie clicked with Maya and I talked to Sim yesterday. He was not hostile toward me. I think he will be relatively fair toward you. You have already successfully negotiated with Rick. Have some faith in yourself, you are a beautiful Tir Princess and you can capture their hearts. The people on the hill are the ones calling the shots. Earn their trust and we will be at peace and all the wonderful things I told you about would happen."

Noticing a change in patterns in the camp down-hill from them, Addie points out to the others "Something is going on -- look two people not wearing the new suits or flats, juding from the colour. From the other camp maybe? I'm not sure at this distance but one might be Dana, based on the way she moves. I'm not so sure about the other one, shorter, but hair is wrong for Raf."

She sighs a bit, then suggests "Whoever, maybe we should bring them up here to talk to? I'll run down and fetch them." Not seeing any objections she starts jogging downhill to the camp.

Raf wasn't quite sure how pointed Eagle Boy's comment was, seeing that he was sitting there using a big knife to fashion his bow. "Well, if we run into trouble, I might pass you this. For now though it's more useful as a tool then a weapon, since I can use it to make more weapons. Basic economics - less consumption now means more consumption later."