Spirits of the Earth

@Dauphin DaGlobster

"You sure I shouldn't come with you?"

Bree rolled her eyes at her brother as she pulled her hair back into a messy bun and made sure her bow string was taut. "Yes, Tani, I'm sure." The young man crinkled his nose at the hated nickname and she smirked. "Look, you took watch all last night- you're exhausted. Get some rest, I'll be back in an hour."

She glanced around as she spoke, once again making sure that their chosen place of camp was safe enough that she wouldn't have to worry about Katahn while she was hunting. The tall grasses sheltered a thin band of water that could barely be called a stream, and one of the rare trees that dotted the plain shaded the area. She nodded to herself, satisfied; as long as he didn't make a spectacle of himself, he'd be fine.

Katahn huffed as she ushered him into a bedroll, back hooves shifting when she raised her head to look around again. "Alright. Back soon," she told him with a quick nod, and he waved her off.

Rolling her eyes at him again, Bree set off at a steady trot, getting enough distance from their makeshift camp that the local wildlife hopefully wouldn't be suspicious. She kept her bow at the ready, an arrow nocked to the string.

They'd been traveling through the plains for nearly seven days now, and she'd learned that the leaping, deer-like creatures that commonly seemed to call this place home were quick little devils. If Ka wanted anything to eat, she had to shoot fast and pray her aim was true, or she'd spook off an entire herd.

Her hoofbeats slowed to silence and she awkwardly crouched, dipping her human half into the grass as she spotted something moving. She was just too big to be truly stealthy, but luckily her speed tended to make up for it.

Her eyes lit on a mousy brown hide and she slowly raised her bow, taking aim. Just a few...more...steps...

A sudden shout ripped through the air and her prey balked, shooting off into the grass along with the rest of its herd. Bree reared back, startled, eyes wide.

Ka. That was Ka. Something had startled him, or- oh gods forbid. She whirled and took off back toward their camp, kicking up clods of earth in her haste to get back to her brother.

Dehak had tracked his prey for nearly a day, and was returning to camp disappointed. Not angry, just disappointed that he'd lost a toy. He glanced down at the semi-fresh wound on his side, the bleeding having stopped around half a day ago.

She'd gotten the drop on him, and with one of his own damn trophies, too. Not only that, but disappearing seemed to be one of her talents as well. Following her trail had led him to nothing but a bloody patch of grass and an abrupt end to the path she'd carved through the brush. 

He was just about ready to start galloping back to camp when he spotted a small fire, barely visible with the waning afternoon light.

He was upon the position without a moment's hesitation, galloping up, thinking he'd found his toy yet again, leveling the point of his hammer at the human sitting at the fire, who shouted in surprise. The fact that it was a man's voice didn't bother him. Instead of his toy, he'd found something else to keep him occupied. Some kind of weedy pretty boy.

"You lost, human?" Dehak growled, although the grin on his face offset the hostility with a sort of sick anticipation. Like he was waiting for him to run.

Damnit.

Bree was right. He shouldn't have lit the fire.

It was surprise more than anything else that caused Katahn to shout, because once he got a good look at the stranger his eyes widened and his voice cut off. He'd never seen another centaur before, particularly not one so...large.

Was this what Bree's people were like? Massive and armed and...oh boy, something about that smile was just unsettling.

Desperately he tried to smile, raising his hands to show he was unarmed. "Um, yeah, I am actually. Look, If I'm...trespassing, I'm really sorry, I just-"

Before he could really attempt to smooth things over, the grass behind him parted and a blur of fiery chestnut soared over his head. He squeaked and dove for the ground, rolling to get out from underneath Brianna as she came crashing to a landing in front of him.

The mare tossed her head and leveled her bow at the stranger, chest heaving with pants. "Back off," she snarled, too spooked and hyper-protective to truly process what was in front of her.

Then her brain caught up with her adrenaline-fueled body and she froze, staring. Slowly, her bow lowered, just a bit. "You- you're a-"

"Ahem." Ka sat up and dusted himself off. "Sis, maybe be nice to the large scary man," he hissed out of the corner of his mouth.

"Oh, you're trespassing alright," Dehak said, and he looked just about ready to advance when Bree came bounding in. Dehak reared up with the surprise, hammer up and ready, but when he saw it was another centaur confronting him, he hesitated.

Just as Bree started to realize that Dehak was a centaur, Dehak noticed that she had absolutely none of the markings common to a Bray. No Hoof mark, nothing.

Just like that, he was back on the defensive, pointing the tip of his hammer at Ka when he stood up and  took his place next to Bree.

He looked at Bree through the slits of his visor, and he growled out a challenge.

"What Herd are you from, stranger?" he said, keeping the point of his hammer trained on Ka.

Instantly Bree was on the defensive again, arrow pointed at Dehak's chest as his hammer pointed at Ka.

She frowned in confusion, shifting her back hooves nervously. "Herd? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Look, we're just passing through," Ka tried desperately. "We didn't know this was your land, we'll go, alright?"

"Ka, be quiet," Bree hissed from the corner of her mouth. "And get behind me." She shifted to stand more protectively in front of him, still staring down the larger male. She was hardly a small creature, but this centaur made her feel suddenly outclassed.

Dehak gave her bow a cursory glance, paying no mind to the arrow pointed at his armored chest, and he lowered his hammer slightly. It was still ready, but the point wasn't pointing at anyone anymore.

"If you're going to loose that arrow, you better pray that it kills me," Dehak said, and he took a daring step forwards. She wouldn't be able to see it, save for the slight tilt of his helmet, but he was scanning her over.

"Why are you protecting this human?"

She resisted the urge to back away from him, though she did allow her bow to drop slightly, less threatening.

She kept herself planted firmly in front of Ka, waving him quiet when he tried to speak with a broad gesture of her hand. "He's my brother," she said bluntly. "Why are you threatening us?"

Her back hooves stamped nervously and she winced, wishing she was better at hiding her nerves.

"Your brother?"

Dehak scoffed.

"Your brother?" he repeated, and he let his hammer down, planting the tip on the ground and resting his hand on the pommel.

"I threatened your "brother" because he's trespassing, and you're trespassing as well, if you're not one of us," he said.

"Where are you from, then, if not one of the Herds?"

Bree glared at him. "Yes. My brother," she repeated firmly. "We didn't know we were trespassing, we're just trying to get north-"

"Essyrn," Ka interrupted her. "We're from Essyrn. Please, we don't want any trouble, we're just passing through. We mean no harm."

Now that the hammer was down Bree had allowed her bow to drop to her side, though she kept the arrow in her hand. She glared over her shoulder at Ka, silently telling him to shut up.

"Essyrn, hm?" Dehak said, and if Bree could see past his helmet, she'd see him leering at her.

"Last Essyrnis passed through here didn't quite look like you," He noted, and he paced a bit to the left, although he didn't get any closer.

"Slaves, then?"

Bree mirrored him, making sure to keep herself between Katahn and the other centaur. The word "slave" raised her hackles and a snarl curled her lips.

"Not anymore," Ka said softly from behind her.

Dehak nodded, and went still. He looked off to the distance, and then back at the two of them.

"You hold that bow well. If you're willing to use it, I'm sure my people could use a hunter."

They both blinked at him in silence for a moment, stunned. Then Ka practically jumped forward. "She's a great hunter!" he exclaimed. "I mean- I could pull my weight too. And- and she's a healer, she's really good with herbs-"

"Ka, shut up!" Bree exclaimed, grabbing the collar of his shirt and jerking him back. She eyed Dehak warily. "What's the catch?"

It seemed good that she pulled him back, because Dehak did not seem to enjoy Ka's presence in the least.

"You become a member of our Herd," he said.

"The mightiest Herd of centaurs on the continent."

Bree stared at him for a long moment. "I won't leave my brother," she said eventually. "And- and we wouldn't be prisoners, right? If we wanted to leave, you'd let us?"

"I don't care what you do with your human," Dehak said, waving Ka away dismissively.

"As long as he watches his footing and watches his tone."

"Sir,  yes, sir!" Ka snapped a sarcastic little salute- to be honest he was just thrilled at the prospect of not having to wander about in the wilds.

Bree gave him a very dry look, then switched her attention back to Dehak and nodded slowly. "I suppose we're following you then?"

"I do not appreciate your tone, worm," Dehak growled, Ka's sarcasm being very badly timed.

"Let's go, before I regret my decision," he said, and wheeled about, starting a medium-paced canter.

Bree glared. "Don't talk to him like that-"

"Bree, it's fine." Ka laid a hand on her withers, where they blended into her waist. As Dehak took off, his sister offered an arm to pull him up onto her back and set off after him. Ka's hands fell to her shoulders as he settled into the familiar rhythm of her canter.

Dehak ignored Bree's objection, and didn't bother looking back at them as his canter sped up into a run.

"Hold on," the centaur muttered as she sprang into a gallop behind their guide. Ka's arms wrapped tight around her middle and he ducked his head against her back to avoid the sudden wind.

Dehak was certainly fast, but Bree was built for speed. She caught up to him easily, but decided to hang back a few paces so she was still running behind him, not beside.

They would maintain that comfortable run for about ten minutes before they arrived at the main camp of the Bloody Brays. As they crested a gently sloping hill, the entirety of the camp and the thousands of centaurs that made their home there were visible.

"There's nothing else like it," Dehak said, sparing Bree a glance.

Bree came to a halt beside him, breathing a little harder than normal but pleasantly flushed from the run. She rarely got the chance to just move like that, even since they'd left Essyrn.

Her eyes widened and she heard Ka draw in a sharp breath as he leaned on her back to peer around her. "Holy..."

"They're all centaurs?" she asked, disbelieving.

"They are," Dehak said, and he resumed movement, albeit at a relaxed walk.

"We're the last Herd of centaurs on the plains. Before you, I'd thought we were the last in the world, as well," he mused.

"Where are you from, anyways? Apart from Essyrn?"

Bree shook her head. "I don't know," she replied quietly. "I was...very young when I was brought to Essyrn. I don't remember anything before that."

Ka's hands had moved back to her shoulders and he gave them a reassuring little squeeze.

Dehak hummed thoughtfully, and looked back to the camp.

"Perhaps the elders would know," he said, and as they approached the entrance to the camp, Dehak took his helmet off, letting his hair go free.

He looked back to Bree, eyes shooting over to Ka for a few moments before they returned to her.

"Can I offer you a drink?"

The mare stopped for a moment, eyes widening as she got a look at his face for the first time.

Whoa...

No, bad Bree! He was arrogant and domineering, even her brief interactions with him had taught her that- no being attracted to that! She shook her head quickly, then realized that may be interpreted as an answer to his question.

"Um, no- I mean, yes, that would be...nice." She cleared her throat and pawed the ground awkwardly.

"Smooth, sis," Ka whispered in her ear. She threw an elbow back into his gut, making him huff out a sharp breath.

Dehak smirked when Bree hit Ka, and he motioned for her to follow. He tied his helmet to his waist and started walking again.

It was clear that even among these centaurs, she was an outsider. That being said, most of the stares she got were curious, some (especially from some male centaurs) more on the "check-out" side. The fact stood, however, that while she might look like all the others, she lacked none of the Herd or Hoof markings that made her stand out as a member.

"The elders will want to speak with you first," he said.

Bree had never experienced anything like this before.

Sure, she'd gotten plenty of stares in her life, but from people who'd seen her as an oddity, an exotic trinket. Never...looks like she was getting now. Even Ka seemed to feel the stares on her, shrinking down to hide behind her back a bit.

"Um, okay..." she mumbled as she trailed along behind Dehak. A centaur nearby shifted, cracking a twig under his hoof, and she spooked like a green yearling, hopping awkwardly to the side with wide eyes.

"Hey Dehak, where'd you find this one?!" Someone called out, and Dehak dismissed the words with a wave. He looked to Bree, slowing down so he walked beside her.

"Don't mind everyone. The whole Herd's convinced we're the last ones left, they're just surprised is all."

Another thing that Bree might notice was that a startling majority of the centaurs there were both armed and armored.

"R-right." Her eyes still flickered around nervously. "Are you- is there a lot of fighting?" she asked softly- redundantly, perhaps.

"We fight the plainsmen, mostly in defense," Dehak said. While caravan raiding was a significant portion of their income in terms of new weapons, equipment, and actual money, almost all of the Herd's needs were met either by hunting or from looting plainsmen and eating their horses.

"Everybody here is ready to fight within a moment's notice. There's nowhere safer for a centaur than this Herd."

"Well. Guess it's a good thing we bumped into you then," Ka murmured from his sister's back. He peered around her at Dehak. "Ah- just how safe is it for us of a more...two-legged persuasion?'

Bree tilted her head slightly to murmured, "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, Tani." his hands squeezed her shoulders in silent acknowledgement.

"I'm going to be honest, many centaurs here will not like your "brother," and even fewer will actually be vocal about it if they do like him. the Herd and humans have a very... spotty relationship." Dehak said.

"As long as he watches his words, commits no crime, and keeps from being a nuisance, he should be alright."

"Hey." Ka raised his hands peaceably and flashed a charming grin. "You'll get no trouble from me. And I'm dangerously likable, you'll see!"

Bree groaned and dropped her head into her hands. "He's really not so bad," she offered weakly.

"We'll see," Dehak said, not shooting Ka a dirty look but looking like he was making some effort to ignore him. He looked to Bree.

"What other skills do you have?"

Ka opened his mouth and Bree elbowed him again. "I'm a good shot," she said with a shrug. "And I've got some skill with herbs. Gods know I've patched up this idiot enough times that I'm fairly handy when it comes to healing." She jerked her head to indicate her brother as she spoke.

"A healer?" Dehak repeated, and he looked at her. He smiled faintly.

"Well, your odds of being accepted just drastically improved."

Bree tried for a smile of her own. "Yeah- I find most people won't argue with having a good healer around."

"We need all the healers we can get. The more warriors we have ready, the better we can defend ourselves," Dehak said. They were headed towards a large tent near the center of the camp. It was a plain brown, but it had depictions of centaurs painted across the surface.

"This is where the elders live."

"Alright." Bree pranced a little nervously and felt Ka rub at her shoulders in an effort to calm her. "Do you just...go in?"

"Yes, we'll go inside," Dehak said, and he motioned to Ka.

"He stays out here."

She felt her brother tense and frowned. "You can't be serious." Her eyes flickered around at the armed and armored people that surrounded them. "I'm not just going to leave him here! What if someone tries to hurt him?"

"Bree." Ka gave her a quick hug around the middle and slipped off her back. He smiled, patting her withers. "I'll be fine, go on."

"Nobody'll hurt him," Dehak said, and he motioned to one of the guards at the tent's entrance, which were particularly large and well-armored centaurs, encased almost head to toe in crude plate armor.

"Watch him," he said, pointing to Ka.

He stepped past the guards, and motioned for Bree to follow him.

She hesitated a moment longer, prancing nervously in place. Then Ka gave her an encouraging slap on the side and she jumped forward a step. She glowered over her shoulder at him, was met with a bright smile, and cautiously followed Dehak.

Dehak led silently, eyes on the path ahead. There was a secondary entrance parst the first one, also lined with guards. When dehak approached, one of them held a hand out.

"Council's in the middle of an audience."

Dehak crossed his arms, but nodded.

"With who?" He said.

"Hoof Leader Kohak. It's about the Vindari tribe."

Dehak smirked.

"I hope it goes well for him, then," he said. He backed up to Bree, and rested his hands on the shoulders of his horse body.

"It'll be a few minutes."

Bree eyed the guards warily. Her eyes flicked to Dehak and she gave a short, sharp nod, her tension obvious in every line of her body.

She folded her arms over her chest. "So, ah...what's about to happen, exactly? What am I supposed to do?"

"Relax," Dehak said, and he gave her a slight smile.

"I'll make your case for you. The elders probably even know where you came from," he said. He scanned her up and down, before finally leveling those handsome eyes of his at her own.

"It'd help if you didn't look tenser than a colt about to go into his first battle."

She made a face at him, but put forth an effort to try to appear more relaxed. "So I'm tense- can you blame me?" She arched an eyebrow at him. "This place is hardly the friendliest atmosphere for a stranger."

"It'll be fine. Centaurs look after our own," Dehak said.

"They're sure to let you join. I can show you the ropes when they do."

"What about Ka?" Her arms folded almost defensively and she shifted her back hooves. "I...appreciate you offering us help, but I want to know he'll be safe."

Her eyes kept dropping to the ground, a behavior ingrained from years of slavery. Her head bowed slightly, subservient, but the set of her shoulders and her constant shifting of her hooves betrayed a strong fight or flight instinct.

"I'm going to be honest," Dehak said, and he crossed his arms.

"It will be harder for him to fit in in the beginning. He's the only human in the camp, and, well..."

Dehak sighed.

"Our people aren't exactly on the friendliest terms with humans. There used to be more centaur Herds, but now... It's just the Brays."

She shifted again nervously. "You're saying...humans killed them off?"

She'd never held any particular animosity toward humans in general- just the man who had enslaved her. But...well, if your race had been hunted into an endangered species, she supposed she could understand that anger.

"Not directly," Dehak said, and he frowned.

"That's the worst part. When our Herds came from beyond the plains, the Adelans kept us from entering their more fertile lands. Our people were nomadic, never used to settling down. The plains couldn't support all of us indefinitely, so we did what we had to do to survive."

He looked away from her.

"Eventually, the Herds wanted to move on. There was war."

Bree frowned. "How long ago?" She glanced toward the entrance of the tent. It couldn't have been so long, if this Herd still existed.

Maybe she was a product of war? Orphaned children were often snatched up by slave traders and sold all across the continent.

At her question, Dehak let his head hang.

"Almost a hundred years ago, there were five great Herds. Now, there's only this one, The Bloody Brays. a shadow of what it used to be," Dehak said.

"Shortly before I was born, I know that a herd fell. I don't remember the name, but you look to be about my age. Perhaps you were taken as a foal, or your mother was taken while she still carried you."

"Maybe." Bree bit her lip and shuffled her back hooves a bit. "I'm, um, sorry. About the other Herds."

"You don't have to apologize," Dehak said, and he looked to her, seeking to meet her eyes.

"It was the humans who did it."

Her brow furrowed slightly as she met his gaze. "Some humans did it," she repeated softly, a subtle correction. "Not all of them are like that. You've met Ka- do you honestly think he'd have it in him to commit genocide?"

Perhaps she was being overly defensive, but she was worried for her brother, how he would be treated here.

"I don't know," Dehak retorted. He looked back towards the tent's entrance.

"Do I? Do you?" he said.

"You never know what anyone is capable of."

An image flashed through her mind: Ka charging their master with a blade raised, Ka's magic exploding out of him in a torrent of destruction-

She shook her head and hopped nervously on her front hooves. "No. No, I know my brother. He'd never hurt an innocent, never." She tried to meet Dehak's eyes, almost pleading as she murmured, "He's a sweet kid. We just...we just need a place to belong. He'll do anything you ask of him if we could have that."

"And I'll take your word on that," Dehak said, studying her nervous reaction and filing that away under things he'd ask her about later.

"And I really hope that for your, mine, and his sake that I'm right to trust you on this."

She met his gaze steadily. "You are."

She glanced back at the tent entrance and had to resist the urge to go out and check on Ka. An irritated sound rose up in her throat and she tugged absently at the shoulder strap of her thin breast band.

"Do you think they're almost ready?" she muttered with a nod toward the tent's interior.

"The elders will be ready when they're ready," Dehak said, and he looked over to the tent interior.

"You think I like waiting either?" he said with a scoff.

She hadn't been aware that was how this worked. Her tail flicked nervously and she shifted her weight on her back hooves.

"Okay. Right. Do I just...go in then?"

"Yeah, you'll go in with me," Dehak said. He looked about to say something else, when the flaps parted and a tall, leanly-built centaur stepped out of the audience chamber. He had a snakeish face, with long hair and a quiber of javelins strapped to his back. His eye area was shadowed with black paint, and for armor he only wore pauldrons and a mail shirt.

"Kohak," Dehak started, and Kohak returned with a salute before he started talking.

"The elders are in agreement. We can start amassing for the Vindari on the next moon."

Dehak smiled.

"It'll be good to get some payback," he said.

Kohak's eyes turned to Bree.

"Do... Do I know you? Where are your markings, warrior?"

The mare made a conscious effort not to spook as the new centaur appeared, quickly dropping her eyes and letting her hair hang slightly in front of her face in an automatic, subservient gesture.

She didn't expect to be addressed- no one ever directly addressed a slave, and it was hard to break out of those habits- and glanced up cautiously. "I, um..." She didn't know how to respond. "I'm...new?" she offered quietly.

Unable to help herself, she glanced back over her shoulder, worry for Ka suddenly resurging. He would have been able to handle this so much better than her.

Kohak's eyebrows rose, and he looked to Dehak, who was quick to answer.

"I found her out in the plains, travelling with a human. She belongs to no herd," he said, and Kohak looked back to Bree.

"Welcome, then," he said, although there was something else behind his smile. Kohak stepped aside and motioned to the interior of the tent.

"You two shouldn't keep the elders waiting."

Dehak nodded in agreement to that, and motioned for Bree to come with him as he started to walk.

Bree hesitated, trying to decipher Kohak's expression, but she was too nervous to give it any proper attention and quickly enough ducked after Dehak, arms wrapped tight around her middle as she picked her way along behind him and looked up through her lashes an hair at this centaur council.

The council was large. At least twenty-five older centaurs sat on this council. They all looked like seasoned warriors, even those among them who looked to be in their 80s. It seemed Centaurs stayed strong until death. Not to mention that plenty of the elders had impressive armor or weaponry, adding to the council's intimidating nature.

One of the elders stepped forwards, a centaur who looked to be venerable. He wore a breastplate, and had a massive two-handed sword.

"Who have you brought, Dehak?"

Dehak stepped forwards, and motioned an arm to Bree.

"High Elder, this female is called Bree. I ran into her during a patrol, travelling with a human."

At the mention of her travelling partner, the council burst into murmured discussion, a little bit of light arguing started up before they quieted down.

"Continue," spoke the High Elder.

"She can tell you the rest," Dehak said, and he motioned to Bree.

 

Bree swallowed nervously and had to focus a decent amount of attention on it shuffling her hooves as she felt the eyes of the council rake over her. She winced when the Kettering broke out, then froze as Dehak gestured to her again.

What was she supposed to say?

"I- I-" Her mouth was dry. She swallowed, eyes fixed on the ground. "M-my brother and I come from Essyrn," she forced out. "Ka- Katahn and I were...slaves. We escaped. We, um..." Shw glanced at Dehak, scrambling. "W-we just need a place to st-stay," she stammered out finally, wincing at the stutter.

Remembering Dehak's earlier words, she added quickly, "I'm a good hunter, and I know field medicine. I- I can pull my weight. And Tani- my brother is...useful..." She fell silent, arms wrapped tight around her middlenas she fought the urge to just sink into the ground.

The council spoke amongst themselves after she'd spoken. While most of it was just a jumble of harsh voices, she might be able to pick up some bits of conversation. They thought she was weak, that she definitely wasn't a lost Bray. One particularly hardline elder suggested that her time with the humans had dulled what she truly was.

Finally, the High Elder spoke.

"The council is undecided. Dehak, what have you to say about this one?"

Dehak crossed his arms, and shot Bree a quick look before he spoke up.

"She stood up to me when I came across her. Maybe she's not as shaken as she looks," he said, and took a few steps forwards.

"Our retribution against the Vindari would leave more wounded. It would be good to have another set of hands in the healer's tent."

He looked to Bree again.

"What can Ka do, anyways?"

Essyrni instinct almost stilled her tongue. Ka had kept his secret for so long- would he be angry with her for revealing it?

But she didn't see that she had a choice. She tried to focus on her brother, on the fact that she was doing this to protect him; it was that boldness that had seemed to impress Dehak, maybe she just needed more of it.

"Ka's a water mage," she answered carefully. "He's...untrained. Water magic is illegal in Essyrn, he couldn't tell anyone. But he's powerful." She took a breath. "His magic helped us escape. I wouldn't have made it this far without him, and I th-think he would say the same of me." Her back hooves shifted, but at least she didn't since quite so badly at her stammer this time.

If everyone on the council wasn't giving her their full attention before, she was receiving it now. Even the High Elder and Dehak whipped their heads around at the mention of his power.

"A water mage?" the High Elder said, and he looked to Dehak.

"Dehak, bring him here. I have questions."

And with that, Dehak gave Bree another bewildered look before he canted out of the tent, intent on fetching Ka.

"Wha- hold on a second-" Before she could really protest, Dehak gone and Brianna was left alone before the council, eyes wide.

Ka had barely moved an inch since his sister had been brought into the tent, shuffling his feet every so often and glancing around curiously but otherwise minding himself as best he could.

And nobody had really bothered Ka in that time. The council guard next to him would glance over every once in a while to make sure he was still there, but apart from that, all he got was a stare as a centaur would pass by.

The tent flap opened, and Dehak stepped out.

"Council wants to speak with you," he said, leveling his eyes at the human.

Ka snapped his head up, eyebrows raised. "Ah- alright." He moved forward, then hesitated.

"Where's Bree? Is she okay?"

Dehak sighed.

"She's just fine," he added, and his eyes narrowed. He turned to walk back into the tent.

"C'mon."

Ka nodded and fell into step behind him quickly, looking around curiously as they entered the tent.

Bree was waiting anxiously, shifting her weight on her back hooves with her arms wrapped loosely around her middle, biting at her lip.

Ka was ushered into the council chambers, and as soon as he came in, the various elders shared looks that varied between suppressed anger, suspicion, or vilification. It was clear he wasn't welcome in this chamber, and that humans were rarely, if ever, allowed in here.

Immediately, the High Elder addressed him.

"Human, your companion here has told us you can weave the element of water. Is this true? Can you conjure it? Or even purify it?"

Instinctively, Ka found himself at his sister's side. His hand moved to rest against her withers, feeling the small vibrations that trembled through her body as she tried not to fidget. Her own hand came down to touch his shoulder lightly, eyes wary and nervous.

"That's true," he said with a small nod. "I can't...conjure it, exactly. But I can draw it out. If there's water in the ground or something. And yes, I can purify it." It was exhausting, but it was possible.

The Council looked among themselves. There was a short period where they were silent, until one of the members suddenly reared up.

"You're all mad! The Stallion will take wrath upon this village."

The rest of the council watched as the outraged member made for the exit. He was spry and wiry, with a beard that ended in twin braids and a bald head. He had no discernible weapons or armor, save for two thick gauntlets and razor-sharp sheathes for his hooves. He gave Bree a snarl and Ka a nasty look as he passed them.

"They might be soft and ignorant, but I'll be watching you. The both of you," he growled, then continued to walk.

In an instant all of Brianna's anxious figeting and shrinking in on herself vanished. As soon as the older centaur moved toward them she grabbed Ka's shoulder and shoved him behind her, shoulders straight and chin lifted defiantly as she stared the stallion down.

She didn't say anything, but every line of her body was tense, ready to spring into action to either defend her brother or flee with him. Only when there was some distance between them and the perceived danger did she relax, just slightly.

Ka swallowed and glanced over at the other members of the Council. "Well. Um. Should we...go?" Would they even let them just leave? He had a very bad feeling about that.

The High Elder shook his head.

"You shouldn't let Fehdrik bother you too much. He's a bit too religious for his age."

Dehak snorted at that.

"We've decided that you may stay with us. We have an empty tent, anyways. Dehak should know the one."

The High elder motioned to the entrance, and Dehak nodded. He looked to Bree and motioned towards himself.

"Well, there's your answer. Let's go and get you two situated."

Ka and Bree exchanged a look.

"Alright," the mare sighed eventually. Her hand rested on Ka's shoulder as she nodded to Dehak. "Lead the way, I guess."

"I'm not a child," her brother muttered as she kept her grip on him. She just clenched her fingers in response, keeping a firm hold on his shoulder.

And so, Dehak led them out of the Elder's tent and into the daylight, where the sun had started to dim into late afternoon

Dehak glanced up at the sky, as if caught by it for a moment, then back to Bree and Ka. He started to speak.

"You're very lucky, you know. A human has never lived among us, and even a month ago, the concept would've never been considered."

He paused in his talking to wave at a group of drunken centaurs coming out of a common tent. The tallest among them grinned and waved back, and they went on their way.

"But I suppose a harsh enough drought is enough to change even the elders, so here you are."

They arrived at a tent that looked like it could comfortable house a few centaurs. Inside was a straw bed, a crude stand for weapons, a small personal chest, and a few cushions, little more than animal hides filled with straw.

Bree and Ka followed at a careful distance, the centauress keeping her arm around her brother's shoulders. The drunken centaurs had her shying sideways, drawing aka closer to her side protectively.

Ka serm d much more at ease than his sister. "Draught?" He asked curiously as they were led into the tent. "For how long?"

"For a few months now. It came with the winter."

He crossed his arms.

"Winter's been gone now, but it must've frozen the river farther north. Water's barely trickling in, and the other watering holes are too far away. We might have to move the tribe soon," Dehak said, and he motioned to her tent.

"You should rest, get settled in. I'll let you know when it's time to eat."

Ka frowned. The very concept of a whole frozen river was so foreign to his Essyrn-raised self that he had to take a moment to wrap his head around it.

"Thank you," Bree said, curt but polite, which snapped him out of his thoughts. His sister was still tense, her tail flicking as though swatting a swarm of nonexistent flies, back hooves shifting. She sort of ushered Ka into the tent and gave Dehak a quick nod before following him.

Once inside, she sort of caved in on herself, shoulders slumping and a little shiver running down her spine from head to tail. "Gods."

Dehak left Bree and Ka to their own devices. As of now, he didn't care much for whatever they got up to. He'd honestly expected them to be kicked back out onto the plains, but apparently, the Elders were willing to take a gamble on this.

Dehak didn't trust the human, although he seemed harmless enough. Let alone the Centaur he came with.

Shakier than a leaf in a gale, she seemed. Dehak wondered how long she'd last pulling her own weight. He supposed he would see tomorrow.

Dehak shrugged, and he went to his tent to get a few hours of sleep before it was eating time.

"Easy, Sis." Ka smiled and patted Bree's whithers. She frowned at him and swiped for the back of his head, and he ducked the mock blow with the ease of long practice. "Oi, what was that for?" he demanded mildly.

"Your fool mouth is going to get us killed here," she snapped back. Her eyes flickered warily toward the door. She did not like this place, or its people. Something about them set her on edge, the...the hardness to them.

"Bree." Ka frowned at her as he settled onto the straw bed. "Aren't you- I don't know, curious? Even a little? Hells, we've never even seen another centaur before today, and there are hundreds out there!"

Her mouth drew into a tight line and she cautiously folded her legs under her body, the weight of her bow a comforting presence against her back. "That's what I'm worried about." When Ka looked at her questioningly, she sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Is this...are they what I'm supposed to be? What I would have been, if I hadn't..."

She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. "They scare me, Ka," she whispered, eyes lowered. She reached out a hand to him, knowing he would take it without having to look. "Promise me you'll stay safe."

He squeezed her hand. "I promise, an-wit," he murmured, using the slang term for "sister" that had been common where they'd grown up in Essyrn.  Bree sighed, gave his fingers a squeeze in response, then drew her hand back.

"Get some sleep, while you can."

Dehak's nap was short, more or less a couple hours. exactly how he wanted it. He made his way to Bree and Ka's quarters, observing the camp life around him as he did so. The common tents were starting to get crowded at around this time, so he picked up his pace a little.

He stepped up the door, which was simply constructed of dried thatch and grasses lashed together with sinews, and wrapped on it a few times with his knuckles.

"Grub's out, you two. Hurry up before it's gone!"

Bree hadn't slept, but Ka jerked awake beside her and scrambled to his feet. She sighed and rose to join him, hovering protectively at his shoulder as he scurried out of the tent.

"Thanks." He shot Dehak a quick smile. "Coming, Bree?"

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Where else would I be going?"

Dehak awaited them semi-patiently. He wasn't barking for them to go faster, but it was obvious that he wanted to. He shifted a bit to the left, arms crossed and face locked into that perpetual frown of his.

When they came out, he gave Bree a slight nod of ackowledgement before he turned and started to walk.

"The tribe all eat together," Dehak said, pointing to one of the common tents as they walked past it. He was searching for one that wasn't too crowded.

"Warriors, mothers, children, high elders. All of them."

As they walked, he looked back to Bree.

"I won't conceal anything from you, Bree. You will need to prove yourself to all of them."

His eyes travelled from Bree to Ka.

"You too, human."

Brother and sister exchanged a quick look that spoke volumes. Then Ka grinned impishly and said confidently, "We can do that."

Bree resisted the urge to smack him. Instead, she paused and twisted her upper body to grab him under the arms, then lifted him onto her back with a grunt, despite his sudden, loud protest.

"I swear you get used to him," she muttered to Dehak as she came warily up beside him. At least with Ka on her back he couldn't run off and set her worrying. The human teen was obviously pouting, though she ignored him.

"How can I prove myself then?" she asked brusquely. "You said your people were in need of healers?"

"Another healer would help, but not for the camp," Dehak said simply.

"My Hoof's healer lost her hands during a plainsman raid. I need someone I can depend on to keep my warriors alive."

They were coming up onto one of the common tents. Almost twenty feet high, it had two large fur flaps as an entrance. Warm firelight and the smell of meats cooking with grains and squashes issued from within, and Dehak beckoned for them to follow as he led them inside.

The inside had no seats, naturally, and everything was set up around the center, which was kept clear as "standing" space. The place wasn't packed, but there were a few old or even crippled centaurs attending to the cooking equipment set up on the edges of the tent. All in all, no less than a couple dozen centaurs occupied the place. The only centaurs who didn't look like warriors were either elderly, pregnant, or children. Those who were warriors wore distinguishing marks on their weapons, armor, or even bodies, so that others may know to which Hoof they belonged to.

Ka was immediately singled out as the subject for everyone's gaze. Some looks were of bewilderment, And others still were of confusion. But, among the confused and surprised faces, the one that held hatred were the most visible.

It was clear he wasn't welcome.

From across the tent, a group of centaurs waved at Dehak and he started to move. He looked back

"Go get yourselves some food. You can meet some of your fellow warriors after."

Bree wilted under so many stares, even though she knew most were directed at the boy on her back, and not at her specifically. She swallowed thickly and tried to keep her chin tilted up as they followed Dehak into the tent.

Warily, Ka still clinging to her back, the centauress made her way toward the food, shooting Dehak an almost questioning look as she did.

"Well. This is comfortable," Ka muttered in her ear. Even his confident front seemed to be cracking.

Bree's questioning look was met with a curt nod from Dehak, who'd gone to mingle with his warriors.

Dehak's Hoof was, in a sense, a reflection of himself. Most wore at least one or two pieces of armor made out of crudely hammered metal, and all the members present in this particular tent were armed with large weapons, very much like their leader. Color-wise, their helmets all had vertical red stripes that ran the length of the helmet, and darker, seemingly bloodstained cloths around their hands and wrists.

Over by Bree, she didn't have to do much to get food. She'd barely approached when the bowl of coyote stew was filled and presented to her.

"And one for the human, too," Dehak called out across the tent, and the elderly Centaur gave Ka a suspicious glare before serving him a bowl as well.

Ka beamed as he was handed a bowl. "Thanks!" he exclaimed, tucking in eagerly.

Bree rolled her eyes as she took her own bowl with a murmured, "Thank you." She picked at it cautiously, eyes still flicking around the tent nervously.

And as her eyes flicked about, she'd see that life in the tent had more or less gone to normal. Dehak's vocal acceptance of Ka had seemed to help, and apart from the odd stare or so, they were no longer the focus of ire.

Dehak waved Bree over to him and his group. He never quite smiled, but his expression was almost welcoming as he beckoned her.

The mare hesitated, then nodded and picked her way cautiously across the tent toward Dehak and his companions.

"Hey!" Ka leaned around her, one arm hanging onto her shoulders as he perched on her back and waved. She glanced back at him with a sharp frown, shaking her head.

They weren't impressed. Dehak just kind of rolled his eyes a little bit, while most of Dehak's companions just kind of looked at him like schoolchildren who'd just been told they have a surprise test. One of the centaurs, a mare close to Bree's age, chuckled as she looked at Ka and Bree. Her hair was knotted into a tight ponytail that ran out from beneath her helmet and to the side. Her wrist-cloths were bloodier than most of the other fighters present.

"We would fight beside her? She lets a human ride on her back," she said to Dehak, and Dehak nodded curtly, eliciting a shocked look from her.

"She is a healer. We need a healer. And tell me, when is the last time you saw a centaur from outside the Brays?"

The mare seemed to quiet at that, and she gave Bree and Ka a suspicious, appraising look before finally, she muttered "Well, at least she's pretty," and extended her hand to Bree.

"I'm Galtha."

Brother and sister both stiffened at that. Bree probably should've known that was going to be an issue— but she felt more secure with aka so close to her in unfamiliar situations. At least this way he wasn't running off and getting himself into trouble.

She flushed abruptly when the other mare called her pretty, and reached out cautiously to take her hand. "My name is Brianna. Bree. This is Ka."

Rather than taking her by the hand, Galtha gripped her forearm rather gruffly and shook that.

Dehak motioned to the other two centaurs in this little grouping and introduced them, and they each would gruffly shake Bree's forearm. There was a youngish, scrappy looking colt named Hirch (who had the least bloody hand-cloths) armored in pauldrons, a leather chest piece, and a helmet that looked like it was made of bison fur. He had intricate tattoos all over his face and wore two axes at his hip.

The other was Calgrik, who seemed the sheer opposit of Hirch. Big, barely armored save for his hand-cloths, and with an axe-spear strapped across his back.

After introductions, Hirch spoke up.

"Are we going to initiate her? She's joining the Hoof, right?"

Dehak gave Bree a judging look, and put a fist on the bottom of his chin.

"Not until she's been blooded in battle," he said, with chilling nonchalance.

Bree's eyes widened and she looked from Dehak to the others. Ka stiffened slightly on her back.

"Um...what does that mean, exactly?"

Dehak chuckled at that, and before he could speak, Calgrik explained.

"Prove yourself as a warrior. Come back to camp with some else's blood on you, and wearing their entrails as a scarf."

The other centaurs chuckled, and then Galtha spoke.

"He's exaggerating. You do have to kill someone, though."

The centauress blanched and backed up a step, shifting her weight nervously. "I don't do that," she said bluntly. "I-- I only fight in self defense. I'm a healer, that's what I do. I'm no warrior."

Ka smacked her back lightly and hissed, "Maybe just play along for now, huh?"

Dehak nodded. He figured that would be her answer.

"For us, this is self-defense. The tribal humans here are ruthless. Just yesterday a hunter was killed for her skin," he said, growling the last couple of words out.

"We need to keep our people safe, and if you want to live here, if you want to support the last of the great plains herds, then they are your people too. And it is your duty as a Bray to defend the herd."

The other centaurs nodded conclusively. Then, he pointed behind Bree.

"The same goes for you, Ka."

It was the first time he'd used his name.

Her brother straightened up abruptly at being addressed by name. He blinked, wide eyed, then nodded slowly. “Understood, ser.”

Bree lowered her eyes, but she nodded as well— though she didn’t speak up. She should have been expecting this, really, but it was difficult to wrap her head around.

Dehak gauged her silently, eyes going from Ka's widened eyes to Galtha, who returned his gaze with an unimpressed look. He looked to his warriors.

"Go get some food. I'll catch up."

His warriors did so, but not before saluting him before leaving, drawing their forearms across their "waists" and giving a slight dip of the head. They walked off, leaving Dehak alone with the siblings. He looked back to Bree.

He certainly had a different demeanor altogether than the rest of the centaurs. He looked bored most of the time, although paired with a calm and studious look in his eyes that showed that he was attentive, even when he didn't seem it. The other warriors were crass and sarcastic with one another, while he had a disciplined, almost stoic demeanor.

"Are you tired? I could show you your tent now," he said.

"I'd very much appreciate that," Bree replied almost immediately, thiough she tried not to seem too eager.

Ka nodded, for once a little subdued. He was sticking awfully close to his sister's back, one hand resting lightly at her waist in a seemingly innocuous gesture— though it was a position that offered him some stability if Bree suddenly spooked or ran.

Dehak nodded, and turned about on his rear legs and started to leave. He crossed his arms over his chest as he walked, eyes studying the ground for a few moments before he looked back to Bree.

"I know it's a lot," he started, slowing down to match her pace.

"But everyone here knows what is at stake, and everyone here is ready to give their last breath to defend our people."

He sighed.

"We are the last herd, Bree. If the Brays fall, the only thing left of our people is scattered groups of nomads and lone wanderers."

The mare stared at him in silence for several long moments while they walked, the only sound that of hooves on grass.

Then she huffed out a soft breath and reached down almost unconsciously to cover Ka’s hand on her waist with her own. “And how would they stop that?” she whispered. “How does...raiding and ransacking and fighting to the last man prevent our extinction?”

There was no anger in her voice, no condemnation, just weariness. And perhaps a spark of genuine, pleading curiosity. She’d been so alone all her life. She just wanted an answer, something to hope for.

...Was this it? Was this what she had left?

Dehak was silent at that. He didn't have all the answers, and he wasn't about to pretend like he did, but he knew one truth.

"It wasn'r always like this. Our homelands have nothing left for us, and the Adelans oppose us moving through their land, so we're forced to survive on these plains. If we didn't, there wouldn't have been anything for you to run into. The herd would've fallen apart generations ago."

He clenched a fist.

"And I'll be cold in the grave before I let the humans take any more from us. They've taken so much from us already."

He let a breath out of his nose, and met Bree's eyes.

"Maybe one day we'll escape these plains. The herd will move through the forests without Adelan knights chasing us away and we won't have to kill to eat a meal. But not today. Today we survive and do what we can so that future can come true."

Bree stared at him for a long moment.

She was just...tired.

She shook her head but said nothing. What right did she have to speak? She hadn't lived his life, she didn't know what it was like.

"As long as Ka is safe here, I won't argue with you," she murmured. Her brother, conspicuously silent, let his head rest against her shoulder and hugged her around the waist gently.

Dehak nodded, and looked to Ka.

"The elders will no doubt need him and his ability to raise water for the well being dug near camp. Beyond that, I'm sure as long as he pulls his weight, he'll start to get less dirty looks," he said, and seemed to lighten up at that. He grinned slightly, although he seemed to sober up.

There were a few moments of silence, and then he turned to look at Bree.

"What was it like? Beyond the plains?"

The mare started slightly, taken aback by the question. "Where, you mean Essyrn?"

Her eyes flickered down, back hooves shifting uncomfortably. "It's...hotter. Dryer, of course, it's a desert. And there's— there's color everywhere, and the smell of incense and cooking food and people are talking and haggling and shouting..."

She trailed off, looking away. "It covers up the less pleasant aspects of the city, I suppose."

"Hrm," was Dehak's response, and he crossed his arms as they walked.

"I've never seen this desert. Scouts only tell of endless, scathing sands in Essyrn's direction. To think that even there, the humans have managed to survive..."

He was quiet for a few moments.

"At any rate, I know I look dour but I'm glad you came across this place. I do not know if there were others inside of Essyrn, but there's a family and a herd for you here."

They arrived at Bree's tent.

"I'll leave you to your business. If you want to meet the healers, their tent is down that path there, past the blacksmiths," Dehak said, motioning to the south end of a nearby intersection of walking paths.

"I'll be back in a few hours to see if you need anything."

"It's not just sand," Bree replied quietly. "The oases...they're actually beautiful. And there's the glass desert-- at least, I've heard stories about it."

She nodded as Dehak announced he was taking his leave, pausing so Ka could swing down off her back. "Right. Um...thanks." She nodded to him, back hooves shuffling.

She wasn't quite sure what to do. She wanted to stay with Ka and make sure he was safe, but she also knew the best way of securing any sort of place here would be to prove she was actually useful-- as a healer or whatever else she could offer.

Dehak walked on with purpose, evidently needing to be somewhere.

It seemed that for the moment, he'd left her to her own devices.

Bree watched him go, then sighed and shook her head, glancing down at Ka again.

"Oh, go on." Her brother smiled, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I promise not to get into trouble. I'll just...putter around for a while."

The centaur gave him a long, considering look, then finally nodded with a sigh. "Alright, fine. But call for me if you need something."

"Yeah, yeah." He waved a hand at her. "Go on. Go find the healers or whatever."

With a huff, she set off to do just that.

Bree would find that while the herd's camp was not all that large, the layout was dense and functions tended to be clustered together. She'd be able to see that just about everybody of age in the herd looked ready for a fight, with non-combat tasks given to the young, elderly, or crippled. Even the injured pitched in while they recovered.

The blacksmith's area was rather expansive, with crude forges and smelters spread out among the living tents. Here, the young tended to the smelting of any and all pieces of spare metal that could be recycled, while he old hammered the metal into shape.

Without Ka on her back or near her person, she was barely given any mind at all, and once she made it to the healer's quarter, it was more of the same, if not smaller. The young performed the menial tasks while their elders performed the brunt of the healing.

In the center of this section, a particularly large tent stood out from the others, the white cloth shining and the haze of charcoal incense that issued from the flap denominating it as a surgeon's tent.

Carefully, the young mare picked her way through the camp until she reached the healers' quarter. She glanced around warily, trying to figure out just where exactly she should be going or who she should speak to.

After a moment of deliberation, she stopped one of the younger centaurs and asked softly, "Excuse me, is there someone I could speak to about...finding a position?"

The young centaur, looking no older than thirteen and hauling a large bundle of herbs and bandages on his back, gave Bree a quizzical look, mostly surprised by the total lack of any hoof markings on someone who was in peak fighting age.

"Not cut out for the fighting?"

He shrugged his load over to one side and pointed towards the larger tent. He was rather dismissive of her, and barely paid her enough mind to speak to her.

"Shaman doctor's in there, tending to the injured from yesterday. If she doesn't need any hands, then the long, low tents beside are the herbalists, they're always looking to get new foragers."

Then, just as quickly, he shouldered his burden again.

"If you aren't good enough for the Hoofs, then it's the least you can do."

Alright. They were out of here as soon as she saw an opportunity. Bree couldn't live like this, in a world where combat was your only worth.

But there would be some time before that opportunity appeared, she had a feeling.

Shaking her head, she picked her way into the shaman's tent, clearing her throat to announce her presence as she poked her head inside. "Excuse me? May I come in?"

Inside the shaman's tent, there were a collection of injured centaurs waiting to be treated. It seems there wounds had already been tended to with mundane means, but a little magical healing went a long way to ensure a total recovery.

Past the chamber dotted with warriors waiting to be healed, there was an open area where the floor was matted down with straw. There was a female shaman about Bree's age tending to a female warrior who had her arm in a splint.

The shaman raised her head curiously to peer at Bree, and then prompty looked back down t ohe patient.

"Come in, come in," she said, all without looking up at her.

"Please, excuse the mess. It's been a busy day."

"You don't have to excuse it, ma'am," Bree said, instinctively subservient as she approached and lowered her head slightly. "I don't mean to be a bother, but I'm...new. I was told if I have some knowledge of healing I should look for work here."

"New?"

The shaman and the warrior she was tending looked at each other. Nobody they'd ever met was "new." Everyone they knew had been born and raised within the Herd. The shaman returned to the warrior's arm, and she passed a rod made of tightly bundled grasses over the warrior's injured arm. The grasses glowed with warm healing energy as she did so.

She exchanged a few words with the warrior and he nodded.

"No matter. If you say you can heal, then we'll see," she said. The warrior got up and walked out, leaving the two alone. The shaman approached her, wearing naught but some body paint and plemty of trinkets, but just the bare minimum of clothing.

"My name is Gallia. I oversee the healers of the Herd. How skilled are you?"

"I'm skilled enough," she answered with a small shrug. "I have no magical skill to speak of, but I'm pretty decent with field medicine and herb lore, that sort of thing."

"You sound like you'd be a good match for a Hoof. One of them lost a healer recently," Gallia said, crossing her arms as she padded a little back and forth.

"Lots of warriors come from the battlefield wounded in one way or another. The humans like to strike at our lower halves a lot."

She set her hands on her table.

"Do you know how to pull arrows from wounds? Stitch cuts and set bones?"

"Sure, I can do all that." Bree nodded quickly, shuffling her back hooves, obviously anxious to please.

Gallia raised an eyebrow at Bree's statement, but shrugged. She snapped her fingers and from other chambers adjacent to the shaman's shrine two other younger shamans in training appeared.

"Take care of the recovering while I'm gone."

She motioned for Bree to follow her as she walked out of her tent. She looked back to Bree as she slowly walked along.

"So, you're new? As in... you're not from The Brays? I thought we were the last Herd left..."

Bree shrugged as she followed after her. "You very well may be. I'm not...from a herd."

"All centaurs are from a herd," came Gallia's immediate answer.

They were walking through the surgeon's area now. The place smelled faintly of blood and heavily of herbs. It was a collection of four tents placed in a loose, squarish shape. A large cloth was spread out and tied to the tops of these tents, creating a shaded, semi-enclosed area.

"It is likely that yours doesn't exist anymore, or has been scattered. This camp here is the remnants of all the other herds that have come together. And we've chosen to fight, instead of accept our fate."

It was a grim scene inside. At least a dozen warriors, some lightly injured with bandages strung over them, others could be heard grunting and even screaming as the surgeons worked in their closed tents.

"As you can see, we get many wounded. Those that are not healed on the field come here. Or if there's raids," she said. There was a noticeable pause after she'd mentioned the raids.

"The plainsmen raid us at least twice a month, usually three. Different tribes from different directions. Most want our supplies and weapons. A few just see us as sport, or... food."

She shuddered.

Bree tried not to let her thoughts show on her face; honestly she wasn't even sure herself what those thoughts were.

She didn't react much to Gallia's words, only nodding as she trailed along behind her.

"Dehak mentioned something about me being assigned as a field medic," she noted after a few moments. "What would that entail?"

"It's an important position, I'm surprised he offered that to you," Gallia said, eyes a little wide. She stopped, glancing about to see if she could spot a surgeon that wasn't busy, but came up empty handed for the immediate moment.

"The field healer gathers herbs when the hoof is not in combat. Not only for your own purposes, but to bring back herbs for the rest of us to use," she said.

"When the Hoof is fighting, you watch over the fighters and protect them. Cover the ones that get outnumbered, help wounded warriors retreat from the front lines, that kind of stuff."

She shrugged.

"You can heal, but can you fight?"

Bree bit at her lower lip, almost debating how to answer. "I can use a bow," she replied eventually. "Very well."

She shrugged, brushing her front hoof against the earth. "Other than that... I'm fast. It's how I've survived."

"For you, speed and skill is what you'll need," Gallia said, nodding.

"I can still get you an audience with one of the surgeons, but if you can fight and heal, a Hoof is where we need you," she said.

"Just being frank."

She nodded, folding her arms over her chest. "I understand."

She could do this. They weren't prisoners, they were just...guests. And it was only right that she made herself useful in the time they had here, before they left again.

Gallia sensed her tension, and offered her a smile.

"I understand your feeling. Growing up, I was never destined to be a warrior. Killing is not the best option, but you need to understand that we are surrounded on all sides by warlords, and every centaur out there helps, even if they're not in the fighting."

She waved for her to follow her.

"And Dehak's Hoof, too? You should know he's very influential. One of the best warriors and war leaders the Herd has," she said, and she shot her a grin, voice lowering.

"And he's a total stud, too. Trust me, I'm his personal doctor."

Bree felt her face heat and she stared at the healer with wide yes. "Oh! Well...that's nice?"

Oh gods what was she supposed to say to that?!

Dropping her eyes, she shuffled her hooves as she followed after Gallia, praying silently that Gallia wouldn't have anything else to say about-- well, that.

Gallia laughed.

"You're definitely not from around here. Too shy," she said, and her smile leveled out. She joined her hands in front of her as she walked.

"But I hope you'll grow like it here. I couldn't imagine being out there by myself..."

"Oh, I wasn't by myself," she replied quickly. "My brother has been travelling with me."

If she was being honest, she was probing a little. Testing. How would this centaur react to her relationship to Katahn.

"Your... brother?"

Gallia gave her a puzzled look.

"Another centaur?"

It seems she was completely unaware of the connection. She'd heard that there was a row in the elder's tent because a human was being allowed to stay. She hadn't seen this human, or heard of who or how the human arrived.

Oh boy.

Bree ducked her head slightly and mumbled, "Um, no. Not...exactly. We were raised together though, he's my best friend in the world, and his mother called me a daughter." Her voice had gone almost defensive, shoulders creeping up toward her ears as tension thrummed through her.

"Oh..." she said, tapping at her chin.

"You must be the one who arrived with the human, then..." Gallia started, and she shrugged.

"I personally don't care as much. If a human doesn't want to kill me then I don't see a reason to be hostile."

Then, she gave Bree a concerned look.

"But others will be much harder to convince..."

Bree snorted quietly. "Yeah, I'd actually figured that out for myself," she muttered-- and almost immediately winced at the venom in her tone. With a sigh, she hunched her shoulders and mumbled an automatic, "Forgive me, ma'am."

"No, don't apologize," she said, giving her a straight look.

"It's the truth. There is no love lost between our people and humans. But even a human can earn their place here, I think. Proving himself is what's important.

She didn't really react to that, besides a soft, noncommittal hum. Gallia seemed kind enough, but Bree could not say that she even really wanted for her and Katahn to find a place here.

She simply followed the other mare as directed, waiting to receive orders.

There was a bit of awkward silence between them, and then Gallia spoke back up, looking to her.

"So, should I tell Dehak that I'm training up his new field healer?"

Bree considered that for a moment. On the one hand, she wasn't sure she wanted to be out in the field with these people, fighting and killing and— Hakeshna knew why else.

On the other hand, earning Dehak's trust could only be a good thing in this place, for her and her brother. And she would be able to scout escape routes, should such action be necessary.

Not to mention the fact that she wasn't entirely sure she really had a choice.

So there was only one answer to give. "Yes."

"That's great," Gallia said, completely oblivious to Bree's ruminations. As far as she knew, Bree was a stray centaur who'd been welcomed into the Herd with nowhere else to go. The fact that she might've been plotting to escape the Herd was the last thing she'd ever expect.

"For now, why don't you help me tend to the warriors in my tent? I'll send a colt over to Dehak with the word."

"Yes, ma'am."

A part of her hated how easily she slipped into a role of subservience, but she couldn't seem to stop it. She'd never been the fighter in their old life, that was always Ka. And though she wasn't a slave here, she couldn't help feeling that offering her services without complaint would be a good trait among these people. At least for now.

Her subservient act actually didn't sit all that well with Gallia, who simply said "I have a name, you know," with a teasing grin before re-entering her tent.

"We have sutures, bandages, herbs for the wounds," she said, motioning to the wounded warriors waiting for the shaman's healing touch.

"Make them comfortable. The surgeons have already treated their major wounds, but the minor ones are our responsibility."

"Right. Sorry." Bree ducked her head and nodded as she was given her task, then clopped cautiously toward the nearest patient.

Clearing her throat, she tried a quiet, slightly nervous, "Um, hello? My name is Brianna, I-- I'm here to help."

The first warrior she approached, a lithe looking female centaur with a bandage across her head and covering one of her eyes, gave her a labored look.

"Heldra," she said simply.

Apart from her bandaged head and stitched side, she had several cleaned but otherwise untended smaller cuts along her human sides, along with a long, shallow gash going straight down her body.

She looked away, finding it difficult to meet Bree's eyes. The shame of a defeated warrior.

"Just do what you're gonna do..."

With a sharp nod, Bree set to work.

She had not been exaggerating her abilities. Most of her skills had been theoretical before she and Ka left Essyrn, but in the time since she had become quite a skilled field medic. Her hands were deft and gentle, and when the time came to stitch the longer gash down the mare's side she offered a quick, "Bite on this," and pressed a scrap of cloth into the other centaur's hand before getting to work.

The injured mare kept shooting her glances, noting how she stood out as distinctly not from the herd. Bree's work was solid though, so she just kept quiet, wincing and flinching periodically.

She took the cloth and leveled an uncertain look at Bree, but nodded. She bundled up the cloth and stuffed it into her mouth. She crossed her arms and looked away.

The poultice she had spread over the mare's side should be enough to dull the pain, but Bree knew from experience that there really wasn't much to distract one completely from having their skin sewn back together.

So she just got to work, hands moving quickly and efficiently, though she tried to be as gentle as possible.

The mare let out rough noises and grunts as Bree worked, but she soldiered through it. When she was finished, the mare took the cloth out of her mouth and handed it back to Bree, giving her a labored but grateful look.

And yet, there were many more warriors to treat...

[Time skip to later in the day?]

[works for me!]

---

Bree gave her a smile and a nod, then packed up her supplies and moved on to her next patient.

---

By the time she returned to the tent she and Ka had been given it was nearing dusk, and she was exhausted. She was so tired she didn't even bother announcing her presence before she ducked into the tent, stretching a long kink out of her back and wincing as she did.

"Gods, I'm starving."

Dehak was on his way to Bree's tent. It had been a long day of war planning, debate over which tribe of plainsmen as the most dangerous that week, and just a little bit of excitement over some scouts reporting that there was a heavily guarded caravan moving through the surrounding territories.

He didn't care about any of that. He was starving, thirsty, and bored. He saw Bree enter her tent from up ahead, and he took his time to walk over, stopping outside the tent.

"Brianna!" he called out.

"You in there?"

Oh gods above, what does he want now?! Had she somehow screwed up her healing throughout the day badly enough to call Dehak's attention to her.

Glancing at Ka, who was lounging innocently on a bedroll near the back of the tent and shrugging at her, Bree gritted her teeth and called out, "Yes...come in?"

Dehak poked his head into her tent. He greeted her with a slight smile, and acknowledge Ka with a nod of his head.

"I was coming out of the council tent and an apprentice shaman told me Gallia was very pleased with your healing work," Dehak said, letting himself smile more even though he had his arms crossed. His resting expression was always dour, so he made sure to let Bree know that he wasn't, well... dour.

"She also told me Gallia's going to assign you to my Hoof?"

"Um...yes." Bree glanced to her brother, then back to the stallion, arms wrapped loosely around her middle. "Yes, she said she would. Is that...alright?"

He rest his hands on his "hips", trying to look friendly.

"If you're as good as she says you are then I'd be honored to have you," he said. He stepped a bit closer and ran a hand through his hair, sighing.

"I'm starved. Are you hungry?"

"I'm, uh, I'm fine, actually--"

Her stomach cut her off with a loud gurgle and she blushed. Ka laughed, though when she shot him a glare he tried to cover it with a cough.

"I am a little hungry, I guess," Bree admitted with a sigh.

That cracked Dehak a bit and he had a bit of a chuckle along with Ka, and motioned to himself as he started to backpedal.

"The stew is fresh and the drinks are cool. No reason to not want them," he said in a lighter tone.

"And even if you're not a warrior, you need to keep your strength up."

"Right. Thanks."

Bree huffed out a breath and gave her brother a nod. "C'mon then, let's go."

Ka immediately popped to his feet, then hesitated, looking to Dehak a little nervously.

He was right to be nervous, Dehak hadn't quite accepted him yet, even if he was playing nice for Bree's sake.

"Yeah, you too," he said, and he smirked a bit.

"Not going to starve you, if that's what you're worried about."

He turned about, heading back out into the evening air as he waited for her.

"Uh...alright then." Exchange a quick glance with his sister, Ka nodded and followed the two centaurs out of the tent. He and Bree walked side by side, his arm resting companionably on her whithers.

Neither of them needed to mention it, but it was also an optimal position should he need to jump onto her back for a quick getaway.

"I'm glad you spent your day well. One of my own was in the tents that day and Gallia said you helped many," Dehak said.

As they approached the common tent closest to Bree's tent (the same one as last time), the smell of food and sounds of revelry started to come into the forefront.

"Me, personally... I could use a drink and something hot in my stomach," he said.

"I'm starving," Ka agreed with enthusiasm, though Bree kept silent. She shot her brother a quick look, who returned it with innocently upturned eyebrows and a little shrug.

"Speaking of you, Ka," Dehak said as he looked back.

"I know today was uneventful for you, but the elders are eager to see your talent. Tomorrow, you'll go to the river with some scouts," he said as they approached the tent. He stopped outside of the entrance to keep speaking.

"It runs very thin now, it's frozen further up north as winter's going to be setting in soon. If anybody can get some good water from it, it's you."

"Oh." Ka blinked, and his hand resting on Bree's whithers curled into a tight fist. She leaned against his side slightly, a quiet reassurance, and he nodded. "Right. Yeah, no problem."

He hoped. The only time he'd really used his magic had been...explosive, to say the least. Not to mention fueled by a grief and rage so powerful and terrifying that he fervently hoped he'd never experience it again.

Dehak saw the tightening of his hand and filed that away.

"But that's tomorrow's work. Tonight, we drink!" he said, letting himself lighten up as he lifted the tent's large flap and went inside, turning about to hold it open for them.

Once again, the common tent was busy with centaurs. Not as much as last time, but there was still a decent number. They were serving cuts of meat wrapped in cooked field grasses, alongside wide wooden cups filled with a dark, foamy liquid. Dehak was too hungry to even wait politely for Bree or Ka so he just went straight for it.

With no other real option, Bree and Ka followed after him. When he brother tried to swipe one of the frothy mugs Bree smacked his hand away, but aside from that they managed to get their food and shuffle away from the main throng of serving with little incident.

If they passed up on the drink, they'd find that it was quite literally the only one available. Dehak didn't have the same trepidation as he got himself a full meal. He found a nice, unoccupied spot and posted up there, setting his drink and meat down on one of the small, high tables scattered about the tent.

It was obvious he'd been looking forwards to dinner.

Still not entirely sure what else they could do, Bree led Ka after him and placed her own food down on the edge of the table, her eyes darting around the crowded space warily every few moments.

Ka seemed more relaxed, clambering up onto her back as she turned and twisted slightly so he could use her as a seat to reach the table while they both ate.

"You should have a drink, it'll soothe those nerves," Dehak said, ever blunt and curt with his words. However, he seemed to consider them even as he'd said it. His face softened, and he searched for Bree's eyes to hold her attention. He had a persistently analytical look to his eyes, hinting to a sharpness buried beneath all the muscle and bravado.

He followed her gaze to where she was looking, and then looked back to her. All around them were centaurs relaxing after a day. There was a centaur fresh from the surgeon's drinking off the pain next to a group of eager young colts making merry together. Warriors and mothers with their children. Everybody ate in the common tents it seemed.

"If it's too crowded, we can eat outside." he said, smiling just the slightest.

"Besides, I wanted to ask you more about the desert, and it's loud in here."

"I don't drink," Bree responded to him bluntly, though her voice was still soft. When Dehak suggested that they leave the tent however, she couldn't help herself from heaving a quick, sharp sigh before she nodded.

"Not sure there's much to tell about the desert," Ka noted with a lopsided grin. "Mostly it's just sand and sun."

"Well, it's something I've never seen," Dehak continued, picking up his food and his drink and turning about. He motioned ahead of himself, indicating for Bree to go on ahead of him.

"I'm sure it's all good and mundane for you, but I've only ever seen plains grasses and the occasional tree."

A little warily, the mare paced ahead of him. She wasn't entirely sure she liked having him at her back. But Ka was relaxed, twisting to address the other centaur.

"I mean, the oasis is nice enough, but the desert is pretty much...this. Just with sand instead of grass. And even less water."

"I see," Dehak said. He was trying to actually have a conversation, but he found himself a little deflated. The desert sounded miserable.

"What kind of beasts does it hold?" he asked, catching up to walk next to Bree once they were outside.

"I mean I guess the Glass Desert is supposed to be pretty, in a cut-you-to-ribbons-if-you-fuck-up kind of way-- oh! Beasts." Ka titled his head, cut off in his ramblings by Dehak's question.

"Sand worms," Bree said bluntly, a small shudder running through her body. "Lots of nomadic tribes, though it's rare to run into them."

"Oh, and lions," Ka added, almost beaming. "Man, when we escaped the estate we got halfway through the oasis that first night, and this whole pride was just hanging out at the watering hole when we woke up--"

"Tani." Bree twisted her neck to give him a stern look. "I'm sure he doesn't care about the lions."

Dehak knew a story when he heard one, so he pressed the issue, despite Bree's objection. Oh, he was definitely going to ask what a sand worm was as well, but before that...

"And how did you escape the lions?" Dehak asked, taking another swig from his drink.

Ka stifled a chuckle and Bree flushed, her freckles standing out sharply against blotchy red cheeks. "We hauled ass is how," the young human replied. "Gods I've never seen Bree run so fast, she was terrified-- and the lions didn't even care! They were just sunning themselves, watched us go like it was the last thing on their minds."

"I reckoned you could go pretty fast on those light legs of yours," Dehak said, almost like an observation, then he looked to Bree's face, smirking a little when he saw how flushed she was.

"What is a lion, anyways?"

Light legs? Was— was that an insult or a compliment? Neither?

Bree knew absolutely nothing of centaur culture, and she had no idea how to contextualize Dehak's words. All she managed to do was mumble, "I—I'm pretty fast..."

Ka was more concerned with his question. "You don't know what a look is?" The teenager blinked, looking gobsmacked. "They uh...well, they're these bigs cats, sort of...like what wolves are to a hunting dog?"

It had been a compliment, in this case. Dehak always did prefer mares with lighter frames.

"We don't get any cats out here, big or small. Just tribesmen, wolves, and dragons," Dehak said, alternating between looking at Bree and Ka.

Then, he stepped a little closer, curiosity bringing forth another question.

"In Essyrn, were you the only centaur?"

"Oh, um, yes." Bree rubbed at her arms and glanced down toward the ground as she shifted her hooves. "At least, I never saw any others. And our— our master... I was exotic enough to give him prestige. Bragging rights for his centaur slave."

Though her voice was even, almost mechanical, Ka's face suddenly clouded and he looked down, clenching his hands into fists at his sides.

It wasn't hard to miss the tension that went through them, and Dehak frowned a bit.

"He learned that centaurs are, and always will be a free people. We cannot be held or contained," he said, nodding a little.

"And you are here now, with your people," he offered, trying his best at a warm smile.

"Ah...yes." Bree cleared her throat as she looked around, for some reason finding herself unable to meet his eyes. "Yes, I-- I suppose I am..."

Ka was quiet, but his hand came to settle on her whithers, just where her human waist blended into her horse half, in an automatic gesture of comfort.

Dehak nodded, noting how Ka comforted her.

"If you feel otherwise, there is nothing keeping you here," Dehak said, again trying to find her eyes.

"You talked to the healers and you're joining my hoof, but I don't want you to feel like you're being forced to be here, to do things you don't want to," he continued.

"I--" She paused, glancing from the stallion to her brother, then dipped her head slowly in acknowledgement. "I appreciate that. Really."

But where else could they go? True, this place wasn't exactly comfortable, but it was the best chance of safety they'd had in a long time.

"I know it's not what you chose, but I've got hope that you'll learn to call this place your home. And its people your friends," he said.

He finished off his food and stretched his arms.

"I think you'll find we're very relaxed and liberated here. Nobody hides much from anyone else," he continued.

Bree just nodded, not really sure what she could say. She wouldn't pretend to be comfortable here, but she didn't want to make trouble either.

And maybe he was right. Maybe she would...get used to it.

"What, no one has secrets?" Ka cut in, arching an eyebrow. "That seems a little hard to believe, I'm gonna be honest."

"I'm not saying nobody's got any secrets or privacy, we're just very open around here," Dehak said to Ka, even as a group of centaurs passed them. One of the mares in the group was just straight up topless as she walked, and nobody paid her any extra mind as if it was completely normal.

Coming from Essyrn, neither Ka nor Bree seemed all that perturbed by the topless mare, and Ka just quirked an eyebrow at Dehak.

"If you say so," he replied with a shrug. "Long as there's no secret society we're accidentally joining or something.

"Tani," Bree warned, shooting a quick glare at him over her shoulder.

Dehak's only experience with human culture was with Serenians and Adelans, and thus that was his frame of reference.

"Easy, Bree. He's just joking, I hope," Dehak said, and he looked at Ka, then back to her.

"So, I think I'll turn in for the night, but I'll see you both in the morning. You both remember what you're doing?"

"Yessir." Bree dipped her head to him in an automatic gesture. Behind her, Ka winced, just slightly.

"We should probably get some sleep," her brother murmured, passing one hand comfortingly over her shoulder, and she nodded in agreement.

"Don't give me that formal talk, you sound like an Adelan," Dehak said, grinning a little wider as he gave her a playful nudge on the elbow with his knuckles.

Then, he addressed the both of them.

"Scouts are leaving early. real early, Ka. They'll probably be along to take you to the river before I arrive to take Bree to the target range. Just a heads up," he said, and he walked past, crossing his arms as he made to go back into the common tent.

"Blessed sleep, the both of you. I'll see you in the morning," he said.

"Uh, right. Blessed...sleep." Ka raised a hand in farewell and Bree nodded to the other centaur as he passed, taking a few sidesteps to the right to make room.

Brother and sister glanced at each other in silence, then both sighed.

"Well. Sounds like you'd better get some sleep," Bree muttered, and turned to pick her way back to their tent.

Dehak acknowledged the returned phrase with a nod before disappearing back into the common tent. The sounds of revelry had build while they were outside and they'd be able to hear a bit of the commotion as he lifted the flap to enter.

Bree and Ka wavered outside for a few moments before they made their way back to their own tent. Both seemed rather drained, and they settled in to sleep with barely more than a few words to each other, mostly just bidding each other goodnight.

Dehak awoke before the sun was even shining in the sky, rising in his tent and stretching his neck about, groaning as he found a few spots to crick.

Still groggy, he rose and idly passed a hand along the new scar that ran on his side. He still couldn't believe he let her get the drop on him like that...

Last time he'd ever take one alive. Not enough benefit to outweigh the trouble...

He was quick to freshen up and get his things together. Halfway through his preparations for the day, he heard a decent grouping of hooves going past his tent.

Those were the scouts, most likely. In all likelihood they'd probably see Bree and Ka before he did.

Brianna lay with her legs tucked up under her body, raising a hand to stifle a yawn as Ka stretched out over her back to pull her hair back in a series of quick braids, his face drawn in concentration as he focused on his task.

The approaching hoofbeats drew her attention and she snapped her head toward the sound. Her brother cursed under his breath in Essyrni and cuffed her shoulder. "Hold still!"

The hoofbeats stopped, all except for one, who approached and patted the flap on the tent as if to knock on it.

"Brianna? And Ka?" Called out an unfamiliar voice.

"We're told to take the human to the river."

Bree tried to surge to her feet, but Ka was still perched on her back, and the siblings wound up rather awkwardly flailing in an attempt to keep their balance. They managed to keep themselves upright, but the mare's face was incredibly red in the face when she looked toward the voice.

"Um, yes. I'm Bree, this is my brother..."

The flap of their tent opened halfway, and a youngish colt with a stubby goatee poked his head in. Smiling warmly, he beckoned them out and let the flap fall down again.

"Well ya certainly ain't gonna get much done cooped up in there. Come on out!" he said from outside.

The mare and her brother exchanged a glance, but Ka just shrugged and nodded, allowing his hands to slip down to rest on Bree's waist as she clopped out to join the group of waiting centaurs.

"Ah...good morning?" she offered cautiously, glancing around and shuffling her front hooves a little nervously.

It was three scouts, two mares and a stallion. They all had leather and hide armor, all patched in places in some way or another. One of the mares had her hood up but the other let her long, straight hair free. The male gave Bree a smile as she came out.

"We've got orders to escort your brother to the river's bottleneck. It's frozen clogged, but maybe he can get it flowing again," the male said, giving his goatee a stroke.

"And I'm to send you over to Dehak's as well."

He gave her the directions, telling her he lived on the border of the medical area and the camp's center. That his tent had three red stripes on the left side.

"He's a heavy sleeper so don't be afraid to just go in there and let him know."

Bree took a nervous step backward, and she felt Ka tense slightly on her back.

Then her brother sighed, swung to the ground, and patted himself off. He glanced up at the scouts, wary but smiling. "Alright. Guess I'm following you."

Brianna hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with separating herself from the young man. She tossed her head and shifted her weight nervously, then sighed and turned to make her way through the lines of tents to where the scout had directed her.

When she reached Dehak's tent, she paused again. Sighing, she reached out and slapped the flat of her palm lightly against the canvas, testing to see if he was awake.

After Brianna had left, the scouts all shared an awkward set of glances at each other before the hooded female let out a groan of frustration and pulled her hood down to let her blonde curls free. She sized Ka up with a pair of striking blue eyes and frowned lightly. Despite their cordial nature, prejudices ran high and nobody wanted to be the one to let some human ride on their back.

All but one.

"I didn't wake up early just to pussy-foot before we leave. Come on," she said, turning her dappled almond-colored body to present her side to him. She had a crossbow and quiver slung to her back, and carried a spear in her hands.

"Just don't make this too embarrassing."

The male scout chuckled, and the blonde one shot him a look, her cheeks reddening.

"She might sound prickly, but Messia's a real sweethea-OW!"

Messia advanced and struck the male scout in the head with the butt of her spear like it was a broom.

"You be quiet, Yord!"

---

Bree's slapping was answered at first by silence, but within the minute she'd hear hoofsteps. The flap was shoved aside and Dehak was there. He wasn't wearing much of anything save for a fur belt around where his human half melded with the horse, and he gave Bree one of his rare smiles.

"Right on time. I like that."

Ka actually took a step back, his expression twisting into something almost...guilty. A far cry from the usual careless smile, at any rate.

"Look, uh, I appreciate it, but...can't I just walk?" he tried, looking around at the patrol warily.

---

Bree had to resist the urge to prance backwards. Gods this place made her skittish as a newborn.

She ducked her head to Dehak and murmured, "I've had a lot of practice, ser." There was no trace of bitterness in her voice, but perhaps a hint of it in the tension around her shoulders.

Slaves learned to be on time or they dealt with the consequences.

The other female scout chimed in.

"It'd take all morning to walk but it's a couple hour's run," she said, and the others nodded, even Yord, who rubbed the red mark on his head.

"And I'm the leader of this scout party, so I guess it's up to me to uh... help you out, Messia added. Yord, still pacified, nodded once again. Then, he spoke up.

"Let's get going, before the plainsmen start waking up."

The others returned their gaze to Ka and Messia held her hand down.

"Come on. Ka, was it?"

“Um. O...kay.” Frowning, Ka shuffled forward toward the mare. “This feels...really weird.”

He only rode Bree because they’d grown up together, and it had been a bit of a laugh, the first few times. Recently it had mostly been survival. With a stranger, it just felt...

Weird.

He nodded in confirmation of his name though and tried for a small smile. “Yeah. Katahn, actually, but it doesn’t really matter I guess.”

[Ach! I forgot to write Bree's half! This is why you shouldn't write late night 8o]

Messia found it in herself to smirk:

"Trust me, it's mutual. But it's just for convenie-oh!"

She swayed a bit on her legs, unused to the weight,  but stabilized quickly.

"This... could be worse," she shrugged.

---

Damn, she really was a skittish one.

"Well, you're going to need it," he said, stepping back to slip on a wolf's fur vest (and nothing else) and get his javelins. "But not for today. Today, we're going to hit some targets and blow off some steam."

[Hahaha it's all good; the amount of typos I have at this hour is unreal 0.0]

"Err, sorry," Ka muttered awkwardly. His hands fluttered, then finally settled in his lap, not sure what else to do.

---

"...Ser?" Bree just sort of stared at him, confused. "If you...need proof of my skill with a bow I understand, but, ah..."

How was training supposed to blow off steam?

"Yeah yeah just hang on," Messia said as they turned to leave, certainly drawing looks as they went on but nothing except the usual reaction to Ka's presence, although to see him with their own softened it s little bit.

Soon they were clear, and the centaur sped up.

"Hold onto my armor," Messia added, and without much more warning they'd sped up to a gallop.

---

Dehak chuckled at that.

"We'll get out there, hit some targets. Get some practice. Sounds like a good time to me, at least," he said, and he motioned for her to follow.

"I've just got to get my javelins. Have you eaten yet?"

Ka just did as he was told, curling his fingers around the shoulders of her armor and hanging on with his legs as they sped up.

---

"I, um... No, I haven't" Bree replied as she set off after Dehak, maintaining just a slight, careful distance.

Javelins?

"Gotta say, never thought I'd be getting used to having a human around," The other female scout said, and Messia spared her a glance.

"Well, the elders think he can help us get water, Yani. You know how much we need that."

---

"Well, there's fruits in the bowl and water in the pitcher," he said as he stepped over to where he kept his gear and fished out his javelin bag. Within the room there was a rack that held his weapons and armor (and all five of his javelins), a small table that held a clay bowl and jug, and his bed. There was also a collection of three elegant looking swords, all laid out and set onto crude stands. Conspicuously enough, one of the stands was empty.

"I, um...should be able to do that," Ka mumbled, keeping his head lowered. All of the bluster he held around his foster sisters seemed to fade away in her absence.

---

"Ah...thank you." Bree picked her way forward cautiously and plucked up an apple, munching on it quietly. She racked her brain desperately for something to say as she looked around and finally managed, "That's a, um, lot of weapons."

She winced. Really? That's what she came up with?

"That's reassuring," said Yord, who looked over to Ka.

"And how did you learn to do this? Can you teach it?" He ventured, curious.

---

Dehak smiled a little at that, and approached the fruit bowl to take a pear out for himself.

"Win many battles, take many prizes," he said, reciting an old saying.

"I like having different ones to practice with. Never hurts to expand ones ability."

"No." Ka shut that question down. Hard. Normally he was a cheerful and friendly enough person, but it seemed that talking about his magic forced him to clam up quickly.

With a sharp exhale, he added, a little softer, "I never actually...learned anything. I can just sort of do it, if I have to."

---

"Er...right. Of course." Bree took another bite of her apple so she had an excuse not to talk. Goddess, she had no idea what to say to him. It seemed that every time he opened his mouth he just highlighted further how different they were, how the lives they'd lived had apparently given them very fractured views of the world, at least in comparison to one another.

"Okay, okay!" Yord said, throwing his hands up defensively.

"Don't mind him, he's always been a nosy cack," Messia said, looking back at Ka when she could hear the tension in his voice.

"I was just curious, is all," continued the young stallion. "I know the shaman does magic but I haven't seen it personally," Yord said.

---

Dehak caught that flash of awkwardness that went through her. He held a javelin in both hands, turning it over in his hands.

"How long have you and your brother been free for?"

"It's... It can be dangerous," Ka muttered in response to that. He felt awkward. Trapped. And considering he was currently riding one of his companions, he didn't exactly have any escape options present. "My magic, anyway. I dunno, maybe human magic is different from the centaur kind."

---

"Oh." Bree blinked at him, then answered quietly, "Um...a few months. Maybe three? It was sort of hard to keep track of the time while we were in the desert..."

"Our shaman mostly heals people," Messia started, and tapped her chin. Halla, the other female scout, still wearing her hood and cloth mask over her mouth, caught up to speak easier.

"I saw the human shaman once. Back before I wasn't in a hoof so they only let me have a bow. I've never seen our shaman shoot spikes of ice like he did," she said, and Yord shook his head.

"Is there a difference, though?" he said, and all the centaurs were quiet.

Was there?...

---

Dehak tried his best to be casual around her, but she seemed unnerved by nearly everything. Anyways, he motioned for her to come along and stepped outside. The chill of the approaching winter was already here and Dehak motioned to his saddlebags.

"I got extra furs, if you're cold. I don't know if it ever snowed in the desert," he said, a little honestly but but mostly as a joke. It really could've snowed there, for all he knew.

The rest of the Bloody Brays camp around them was clearly feeling the winter. It was clear that supplies were harsh and the climate even more so, and despite that it had been nearly a month since the last meaningful raids. The last of their captives had been set free and run off by now, so it was a quiet atmosphere where everyone worked towards what they had to do.

Young to old, everyone contributed to keeping the tribe fed and defended, and it gave the entire a place a desperate atmosphere, like the injured throes of a people burning as brightly as the can to try and avoid their looming decline.

"Come on, the targets are set up a little ways from camp, about a minute's run," he said, and got moving at a trot.

"I'm confident your brother can help us with the river. Getting that water flowing is going to do a lot of good round here," he said, and there was some genuine hope in his voice.

"I mean...there are human mages that heal too," Ka mumbled, "but I'm not really--I don't really know. I was never exactly trained to use mine, it just sort of...happens."

He shifted awkwardly on Messia's back. Maybe he shouldn't have said that? The only reason these people seemed to be tolerating him was because they thought his magic could be of use to them, he was pretty sure.

---

Bree shivered slightly as a sharp wind cut across the plains, blowing her hair into her face while she followed a few paces behind and just beside Dehak. "He'll certainly do his best," she replied quickly to his comment about Ka helping with the river.

She and her brother both new that his magic was volatile. But nothing too bad had happened in the months they'd been trekking through the desert. He'd even managed to find water to keep them alive on more than one occasion with his magic.

So everything would be fine. Right?

Another breeze swirled around her and Bree wrapped her arms tight around herself, shivering again. Though her build suggested that she was perhaps more suited to this sort of climate than that of Essyrn, it didn't change the fact that she'd grown up in the heat, and the plains' dip toward winter was clearly a foreign sensation to her.

"Hmm," Messia said, thoughtful.

"Well, the water's all there, just frozen. I don't think you'll have too hard of a time," she finally said, glancing back at him with an optimistic look on her face.

Because Stallion Father above, they needed that water. They weren't a terribly advanced people but everything from healing to blacksmithing to just pure survival depended on it.

---

Dehak would glance backwards every once in a while to check on Bree, and while he knew for a fact she could handle this kind of cold (what kind of centaur couldn't?) he couldn't quite stand seeing her shiver like that forever. He paused and took the heavy furs off of himself, leaving him bare-chested.

He held the furs back to her wordlessly, but he offered it up with an understanding smile.

"Not quite what you're used to, hm?"

"Er...Frozen. Right. I'm sure I can...work with that."

Goddess above, ice? Katahn had literally never seen ice in his life. He dearly hoped the centaur was right.

Though there was a part of him that was honestly just curious, too.

---

"Oh." Bree blinked at the offered furs, then took them slowly. "Um...thank you. No, I'm really not very used to this," she admitted with a tiny attempt at a chuckle. She wrapped herself tightly, settling a bit when the shivers stopped wracking her frame.

Then she frowned. "Won't, um...won't you be cold though?"

"Well, the water's under there somewhere," Yord offered, and Cassia nodded.

Dahli, the other scout cut in with a scoff.

"If only we could spare the horsepower. Can barely get out of the camp these days, with all the raids..."

---

"Cold never bothered me much," Dehak said, although he was still wearing a fur vest beneath the cloak that he'd given her.

They came up on an area near the forest's edge where the sides of trees had been stripped and made into makeshift targets. There was even targets at varying distances.

He took a javelin from his bag and made sure it was straight.

"You know, the herd seems pretty welcoming of you. You've got a kickass vouch from me, of course. We've never met a centaur from another tribe before, so human or not, folks are curious."

Ka swallowed nervously at that. Raids. Right.

A reminder to stay on everyone's good side, he supposed.

"Like I said, I'll do what I can," he repeated, a little louder, hoping he sounded confident. "I sort of...accidentally...flooded our old master's estate. So. I know I can do things, it's just...controlling it."

---

Bree snorted, then immediately flushed and flicked her eyes away. She drew her bow as he started examining his javelin, mock-drawing a few times to make sure the cold wouldn't tighten the string.

"I'm used to folks being curious," she murmured. "Folks being curious is why I was in Essyrn to being with, I think." In a single, smooth motion she straightened up, nocked, drew, and fired.

Her arrow hit dead center.

She smiled.

At the mention of flooding, the scouts looked about at each other. Yord even managed an impressed rise of his eyebrow. He trotted up to Cassia and gave Ka a pat on the shoulder.

"There's no love for masters here. You did well, Ka," Yord said, and Cassia just nodded, shifting her weight around on her hooves to settle Ka's weight a little more comfortably.

Then, Yord stood so his shoulder was in line with Ka's and pointed towards the river.

"Don't worry about control. We just need a crack, or a hole. Just enough to get to the water."

---

"Perhaps," Dehak answered, pausing in his assessment of his javelin to watch her take her shot. Barely even a blink later and she hit the target at the center of the stripped tree. Dehak didn't quite show it, but he was impressed. And yet, her words visibly softened him somewhat.

"I can't pretend to understand... I've never left the herd. I thought the Brays were the beginning and the end, but...."

He raised his javelin, lined up the shot with his arms, and took aim at a cut log with a beat-up breastplate strapped to it. With a snap of his arm, the javelin sailed true and punched straight through the breastplate and into the log behind it.

Dehak smirked, and gave his shoulder a roll.

"Thunderhooves, Plains Runners, Stonemane, it doesn't matter what herd your ancestors may have came from, or what happened to you in the past..." he said. He slid another javelin out of the bag on his side and turned his gaze to meet Bree's. He matched her smile.

"There's just open plains in front of you now, nothing but your own trail behind you."

Ka swallowed thickly, still clearly nervous, but he nodded. "Right. Okay. Right..."

Closing his eyes, he reached in, reached deep, hoping to call up just a spark of power. Just a crack, just a little break. That was all. That was all...

Before them, the water seemed to churn, then went unnaturally still.

Then Ka gasped, eyes flying open, glowing, and the river exploded.

---

"Mmm..." She didn't disagree. She didn't say much of anything, really, just watched him. "As far as I'm concerned, the trail can stay behind me," she murmured eventually, drawing back another arrow.

Thwip. Thud.

"I'm just trying to get my brother somewhere safe." Notch. Draw. Loose. "To be safe."

Her last arrow slanted a little, caught on a sudden burst of wind. She frowned and lifted her head toward the change in the air, instinctively trying to track it.