No_Creative_Name
patreon
AR Chapter 380
🕑 Added 2025-05-03 04:00:05 +0000 UTCTar didn’t show up. It’d been a long shot to even hope for any response from the rat that’d taken information from me and then disappeared throughout the winter, but I’d hoped for it anyways. He’d been generally friendly, and though I couldn’t trust his real intentions, I figured I could get something out of him through questioning. Instead of getting questions answered, though, I got to carry the lifeless corpses of over a dozen of my people’s dead bodies. Brutus and I both held several as we stalked through the forests towards home. While we walked, I drew deeply from my sonilphon to shout for Tar in a way that carried for miles in every direction, even through the surrounding trees.
When we arrived at New Nievtra, I’d resigned myself to not hearing from the rat any time soon. As Kha and Khatif gathered and asked what had happened, I explained, “We are the chosen of Nievtala. As those that cast a shadow, we have many enemies who think themselves capable of slaying us. There are many of such foolish individuals who will find themselves serving as the blood that we quench ourselves in. My Kha and Khatif and Keel are not so weak as to be defeated by an enemy that ambushes in the night and attacks only the unprepared. We are prepared, and we will remain prepared! Do not fear. We will find the scaleless bastards who did this, and strike them down. We will feed our hatchlings on their flesh and remind the world of the power of the Keel!”
My speech was greeted with screeches and roars of excitement, my people happy to be given another goal to strive towards beyond “build a city”. There was no questioning my rule, and every keelish that had joined with us followed me without question. Even so, most desired combat, to prove superiority over others on the battlefield. I realized that I too, wanted to conquer those who dared to stand in our way, and having an enemy besides winter itself and the need to prepare more materials to build with excited me. I rolled my shoulders, though the movement was unnecessary. We still had no idea what creatures had killed the hunting pack.
“Is there anything that we can do to accelerate the search?” Sybil asked as I walked past the clamoring Kha. Something in the back of my mind bothered me, and I tried to understand what it was as Sybil continued to speak. “There are many of our people that will begin searching the surroundings to find any trace of our attackers.”
“Not that I know of.” I grumbled. With a couple quick signals, I motioned for a nearby Kha’Tal to gather the rest of the Keel leaders to make a plan. He rushed off as I continued speaking. “Continuing to keep an eye out will be necessary, and ensuring that each pack that is sent doesn’t fall into patterns seems beneficial. These creatures, our enemies… they were hunters. This wasn’t a fight. They saw us not as pests, like the humans, but prey. Not to eat or to exterminate, but for sport. They seemed to understand the way keelish minds work, too, since they ambushed the hunters. There must have been some way that they hid themselves, because there wasn’t a sign of struggle.”
“Very well, Zaaktif.” Sybil answered smoothly. “Do you believe that we should do anything regarding continued patrols, the way we graze the herds, or how we will collect water from here on?”
“Good questions. We’ll have answers for you during the council. Will you be joining us, Tar?” I spoke the last part in the human tongue, looking at the rat that went still as I addressed him. He’d kept to the shadows, lurking behind grass and rubble, never even remotely visible, but my [Tremorsense] had found him as he’d stayed close. After a second’s hesitation, Tar hopped out until he was visible to me, where he stood on his back feet and began cleaning his whiskers with his forelegs. As I looked at him, I realized that I had no idea of if this was actually the same rat I’d spoken with before.
“I must apologize, Lord Ashlani. I am a curious fellow, and I’d heard you calling my name earlier. I had the opportunity to speak up, but you were in your conversation, and I considered it impolite to interrupt. Please forgive my discourtesy.” He bowed his little head as he spoke, and I sighed as I fought to keep myself from simply lunging down and snapping him up in one bite.
“I’ll accept your apology, Tar,” I answered, “but I think that, more than anything, I’ll need the truth from you this time. After all, you are the one who is writing the book… People and animals–”
“A Personal View of the Highs and Lows of the Shandise and Their Inhabitants, Volume the First, yes.”
“Yes.” I agreed with gritted teeth. The rat went silent as he saw the anger in my posture. “I allowed for some of the answers I disbelieved at the time to pass, as I didn’t mind being kept partially in the dark to ensure I gained more information than I’d had before. Now, though, my people are dead, and I’ll need to learn less duplicitous things. And, frankly, due to your deceit in our initial conversation, I won’t be providing answers in turn.”
Tar stopped cleaning himself for a second and locked eyes with me, his beady black eyes meeting mine. I held his gaze, unblinking. It was the space of at least a minute as we continued to look at each other and he seemed to fight to come to a decision. Then, he spoke. “Yes, Lord Ashlani.”
“Then what are you really?” I asked. “I know you’re not just a rat that somehow gained the ability to talk.”
“I am one of the Rodentia Beastkin, Lord.” Tar bowed, his forelegs flowing to either side as he spoke.
“How many of the Rodentia Beastkin are there in the Shandise?”
“I will not say.” Tar answered, his tone uncompromising.
“A much better answer.” I nodded. “What is your goal in the Shandise?”
“I am a scout for the Council regarding any changes that take place in the Shandise.”
“And is your Council the origin of the killers of my people?”
“No, Lord.”
“You can understand why I don’t exactly trust you on this, can’t you?” I asked with a tight smile.
“Of course, Lord.” Tar nodded. “Even so, it is the truth.”
“Very well. Where is the Council located?”
“In the seas to the south. The Beastkin’s home is found on an island that is somewhat migratory. At this time, I believe it would be nearly directly south of the Sheer Pass, though nowhere near any land. I may be off on that, as I have been landbound for so long that I haven’t paid attention to the typical pattern the island follows.”
“And are there bear or nanuk beastkin? Able to rip one of my people apart with their claws?” I asked, most focused on this answer than those that came before.
“Ursine Beastkin, yes. The Lupine may be able to as well, though that is uncommon for them. A Mustelid might do so, but they tend not to be particularly inclined to pick fights they will almost certainly lose.”
“And do you have an idea of who or what ambushed my people?”
“It should be obvious to any civilization that retains records of the ages past.”
I nodded slowly, the positive part of this situation settling over me.
[Ellik’Kwi POV]
The hunters were correct. There had been no mistake! There was no need to rush to the far north to collect the prey, to extend themselves to find something new to do. The Keel had returned, and he had slain one with his own claws! The hunt… the Great Hunt could begin in earnest once Nyust’taa Kusi’wi gave her permission.
