Family Ties (Dauphin DaGlobster)

[DragonSong]

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.

[DaGlobster]

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."

[DragonSong]

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."

[DaGlobster]

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.

[DragonSong]

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

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

[DaGlobster]

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."

[DragonSong]

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?"

[DaGlobster]

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.

[DragonSong]

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.

[DaGlobster]

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.

[DragonSong]

"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.

[DaGlobster]

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."

[DragonSong]

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?

[DaGlobster]

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."

[DragonSong]

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.

[DaGlobster]

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?"

[DragonSong]

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."

[DaGlobster]

"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."

[DragonSong]

"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.

[DaGlobster]

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

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