Grateful that a rank up in Fade gave me Darkvision which could be used independently of the original Skill, and enhanced it besides, I’m not nearly as badly off as I would have been otherwise. The light inside is dim – of course, they don’t have Hunter’s light sources here so it’s only the little light from the entrance and the leaf-covered skylight which enters the half-underground space.

  It’s bigger than I was expecting, much bigger. I have to wonder if all the huts have spaces underground like this one. The mound above the ground offers a vaulted ceiling over the space. The underground area is dug at a slope leading away from the entrance. It means that though the wide hole through which I entered only comes up to waist height on me, by the time the space reaches the edge of the dome of earth above it, there’s just enough height between the floor and the surface to allow a Pathwalker to stand upright without brushing her head.

  The local Pathwalkers are already arrayed in the space beyond the dome, facing us. Were I not using my Darkvision, all I would probably see of them would be the faint gleam of scales when they shifted, out of the moonlight as they are. We, on the other hand, sit in the area with the best of light in this dim place. We must be pretty clear to local Pathwalkers’ eyes which are accustomed to this dimness, while we can see little of them.

  It’s not an auspicious beginning.

  Fortunately for me, and something the Pathwalkers haven't been able to take into account, is the fact that I have Darkvision which nullifies the advantage the Pathwalkers have. Though I wouldn’t say I could see them as well as I would in daylight, I can see them well enough to read their emotions in their spikes and small shifts of body language. And I can share all of those with my companions who could otherwise see more than my natural vision, but less than my Darkvision.

  As my other Pathwalkers come in to join me, I spend my time casting a quiet Inspect. There are only four local Pathwalkers which seems indeed to be a meagre number. No wonder that this was considered to be a small village. Even my own village at its lowest had had more than that. After River had killed the shaman it had still had five Pathwalkers. If the ratio between Pathwalkers and Warriors holds true in this Village there must only be around twenty Warriors in total. I can understand why they would hesitate to take on a Tier three with such low numbers, but at the same time I still refuse to put my own people at risk without any help from the people who the Tier three affects.

  My Inspect tells me that they have fairly typical samuran abilities. The furthest to the left is a telekinetic object-mover with an interesting stealth skill which appears to make her fade mostly from view – probably a useful combination with her ability to move objects without touching them. The Pathwalker next to her is capable of shaping the Earth – she could easily be the reason for the interesting construction of this cavern. The third Pathwalker is the one that interests me most: she's the beast tamer. Finally, there's another who seems to be similar to Tarra – a type of herbalist, though her skills are slightly different; more healing-related than Tara's alchemical type skills

  “Welcome Honoured Pathwalkers, I am Pathwalker Earth-former. To my left is Pathwalker Ghost, and to my right are Pathwalkers Beast-tamer and Healer. We thank the ancestors for this meeting.”

  Thank the ancestors? What about thanking us? I think a little uncharitably since she’s just following tradition. She could have followed up with something more appreciative of our presence, though. Giving us two Unevolved clearly signals that they want us here; their hints of rudeness since our arrival are at odds with that.

  I dismiss my thoughts – I need to remember that my village has changed a lot since I arrived. And nothing says that every village has to be the same, either – I certainly met with a whole range of reactions at the Festival a few months ago even if most were tentatively accepting, especially once I proved myself.

  The samurans’ characteristic method of introduction indicates exactly who the leader is of the village and the rank of the other Pathwalkers according to the most recent ranking battle which is quite helpful. I have to admit to a little surprise that the beast tamer isn't higher in the rankings than she is but I suppose that the usual restrictions of only having a single other beast with her would have disadvantaged her. And perhaps the beast tamer isn't as strong in physical combat as I am. In fact, knowing samurans and the way Pathwalkers often disdain physical violence, I have to admit this is a strong possibility.

  “We indeed thank the ancestors for this meeting and for our safe arrival at our sister village,” I reply politely. “I am Pathwalker Tamer. To my right I wish to introduce Enlightened Pathwalker Wind-whisperer, and beyond her Pathwalker Water-shaper. To my left are Pathwalkers Reducer and Reflector. We have heard your tale of woe and we have come to offer what assistance we may. I trust that your messenger has communicated to you the conditions of our aid?”

  “Warrior Lays-on-leaves has indeed spoken of your discussion, however I fear he must have misunderstood it: he seemed to think that you had refused to combat the Beast unless we fight with you,” the Pathwalker says with an air of disbelief.

  “What I said to your messenger was that I'm willing to pursue a course of non-violence as far as possible to see if we can solve your issues through words alone. However if it does come to violence, yes, I do expect at least some of you and your Warriors to join us in the fight,” I tell them bluntly. They look uneasy at the thought.

  “But Pathwalker Tamer,” objected the leader of the village with an ugly flash of yellow in her spikes, “we are such a small village that the loss of even one of us would have a severe impact on our village and its ability to regain its numbers in the future.”

  “And does that mean that we should put our own village's future at risk just to protect yours?” I demand. “I believe you didn't even attend the Festival this year. While I can understand that being difficult for you in your present condition, I don't think I need to tell you that no new hatchlings means that your numbers will not increase. Your choice has put your village’s future more at risk than my condition ever would.”

  Stolen story; please report.

  “We judged it to be too dangerous to take on the journey to the Festival,” bemoaned the samuran. “And now this new crisis comes to threaten us, as if the ancestors have taken offence at our not attending it. But no handful of hatchlings would ever outweigh a single Pathwalker on the scale of the village’s prosperity. Can you not see that we can't afford to lose even a single one of our Evolved to this beast? You have strong Pathwalkers at your side; even the Honoured Enlightened Pathwalker Wind-whisperer! You cannot say that your village will be put at the same risk as ours if we go to face the beast alone.”

  “ I'm not asking you to go alone,” I argue with exasperation. “You came to ask for our help? Well we're here. But we refuse to take on the full risk without at least some of you working towards your own benefit. Your village is under threat; you need to be part of the solution to saving it. if we cannot agree to that now, we will leave by the morning's light and you can find a different way of saving your village.”

  I'm unwilling to compromise on this point: if they’re too cowardly to face the possibility of dying then there’s no hope for the village. I do feel for the people they’re supposed to be protecting, but I'd rather spread the message that any Unevolved who wish to come and join our own village will be welcome and then leave it at that.

  The Pathwalker looks plaintively at Windy.

  “Do you agree with these harsh words sister?” she asks soulfully. “Merely because we don't want to put our village's future at risk by fighting ourselves?” She's looking in the wrong direction if she wants any sympathy.

  Wind-whisperer snaps back at her, “If you’re too weak to look after yourselves and your village then you shouldn't be the leaders. You should take your village to another of your tribe’s and seek their protection. Strength is the way of the forest – you should know that.”

  Earth-former flinches back at her words and then her gaze scans across the rest of the Pathwalkers by my side, clearly hoping for a hint of sympathy. She finds none. We might have softened a bit as a village and become more cooperative but cooperation is different from becoming someone else's tool, and taking all the risk on their behalf.

  “You are cruel,” condemns the lead Pathwalker, “but it seems like we have little choice. If it comes to violence I will send Pathwalker Ghost with you along with four or five of our Warriors.”

  “Earth-former!” exclaims the Pathwalker in question. “You can’t send me!”

  “Apart from myself, you are the strongest in combat,” Earth-former says. “You can't suggest sending Healer, surely?” They both turn to look at the samuran on the far right who looks petrified at the idea.

  “I suppose not,” admits Ghost. “But what about Beast-tamer?”

  “You know she's too involved in the defence of the village to go anywhere,” dismisses the lead Pathwalker.

  “ I wouldn't mind going,” pipes up Beast-tamer, unexpectedly. “ it would be interesting to see another Tamer in action,” she explains. The three Pathwalkers exchange glances and then the leader looks at me.

  “It seems as though we have come to an agreement that if it comes to combat, that one of our Pathwalkers will join you with a group of Warriors. Does that suffice?”

  “Just,” I answer grimly. “Now, tell me about this Beast, what you know of it. What are its powers? What does it look like? Is it alone or in company with others?”

  “We have few accounts,” the samuran tells me. “Unfortunately, most who saw it have fallen prey to it. We have forbidden everyone from going to the area where it can be found, in hopes of reducing our losses. What we know of it has caused it to earn the name the Great Leader as it has brought its pack with it. The beasts terrorise the forest, but only the Great Leader strikes terror into the hearts of all who see it.”

  Which seems to be poetic language to describe a Tier three with a pack of lower tier beasts. At least, I hope it’s only Tier three. I'm reminded of the pack of raptorcats which we encountered on the way to the hunt: they were similar to what this sounds like it is.

  “Beast-tamer will tell you what she can,” Earth-former continues. “Her scouts have seen more of the beast and its followers than most.” The named samuran looks at me with oddly gleaming, greedy eyes. I feel discomfort at being the object of their gaze.

  “Alright,” I agree reluctantly – it’s logical that the Beast-tamer would have sent some beasts to scout out this new threat, and that the beasts might be able to escape more easily than the samurans, especially if they were small and stealthy.

  “Let us go outside,” Beast-tamer suggests. “Inside it is so small and stuffy, do you not agree?”

  “If you prefer,” I say with nonchalance, though honestly I would prefer to be out of this room. Just not in the company of Beast-tamer.

  “Excellent,” Earth-former breaks in. “Some of the Unevolved should be preparing a hut for your use this night. I presume you’ll set off in the morning?”

  “At first light,” I confirm, then push myself to my feet. My fellow Pathwalkers copy me, and our hosts do the same on the other side of the room. “Ancestors smile on you,” I tell them perfunctorily. Earth-former replies in kind and then we climb back out, looking forward to being in the fresh air again.

  here!

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