Lost Bloodline 4 - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

“So to put it simply, you want me to travel out to the Silent Plains village to meet with other tribal representatives? And all of this as the snows are beginning to come down from the mountains?” Koda asked, leaning his elbows on his knees and raising an eyebrow while he stared at Cyrus.

The cougar beastfolk grimaced but nodded.

“The winter is a time for the tribes to sit and discuss things,” Cyrus explained. “I know Samira will have been teaching you of our traditions, but it is the time when most, if not all, of the tribe is present, so decisions can be made. Many other tribes of the plains follow the same traditions. This will be the last official gathering of those outside the tribes in large numbers.”

“And by being present, that will allow many of them to meet me and carry word back to their people. Then they have the winter to convince their people that I’m not full of shit?” Koda asked dryly.

He already knew where this was going to end up, but that didn’t lower his irritation any more. Koda had been enjoying the last two months getting settled into his home and preparing for the winter.

The village had plenty of projects that needed to be completed—everything from new buildings being constructed for the incoming residents from Amberpost, to preparing the foundations for the perimeter wall Kris wanted his help in building. And that was not even counting everything back home that he needed and wanted to get done.

“Simply put, yes. Jordan and Melia represent the only tribes willing to come to you,” Cyrus said with a sigh. “Know that Vysin sent word out to the people he trusts, but only those two tribes will entertain the idea that such a thing could be true.”

“And Vysin believes that me being present at this meeting will help convince others that both he and I are not lying. Ugh, what a time for such a thing to happen.”

Cyrus’ grimace only deepened. It was obvious the older hunter knew what he was asking of Koda, and he didn’t like it any more than the Champion did.

“I know your village is preparing for winter, and asking you to travel at this time is not right. The snows could seal the pass behind you and make it impossible to get back into the valley. If such a thing were to happen, I guarantee that the Silent Plains would be happy to host you,” Cyrus offered into the silence.

“I doubt that it’d be necessary. If I am away that long, Arthene would lose her mind and likely come looking for me,” Koda snorted, shaking his head.

Cyrus blinked in surprise, his feline ears folding back against his skull.

“The Den Mother would not be coming with you?”

“I don’t know,” Koda said with a shrug. “It’s not like I have had the chance to ask her or the others yet.” Koda made a gesture to their surroundings and Cyrus nodded.

The two men sat in the front room of Banno’s Tavern. The other seven of Cyrus’ group were out and about in town with Samira so she could show them to the different merchants that might have goods in which they would be interested.

Even though he’d only had that long walk and conversation with Samira the previous night, Koda was already finding himself growing more attached to the vivacious young beastfolk. It didn’t help that his other mates already were clearly embracing her as a friend—something that had escaped Koda’s notice during the last few months while he was working on getting his home ready.

Now, the caracal woman was happily fulfilling the nominal task that had been the reason for her actually coming to Silverstone, other than her self-professed plans to wiggle her way into Koda’s family.

“Koda, I did not mention it initially because I didn’t want it to sound like a lure…” Cyrus said after the silence had continued to drag on for several more moments.

Koda blinked away his thoughts and looked up from the quietly steaming teacup he’d been staring at. Cyrus was chewing his bottom lip while refusing to look at him. Thankfully, the other man continued before Koda had to prompt him.

“You remember how you consecrated several locations in our territory? Claiming those sites of power for… your patron?” Cyrus clearly paused, hesitating to mention Thera despite the mostly empty state of Banno’s Tavern that morning.

“Yes. I take it that your people have been successful in finding more?” Koda asked, grimacing as he now understood the other man’s hesitation. If he’d thrown that fact in with the request for Koda to travel to the Silent Plains village, it would have sounded like a bribe or a lure.

“We believe so,” Cyrus heaved another sigh before lifting his mug up and taking a sip of the herbal brew inside it. Only once the clay tea mug was back on the table did he continue. “Without a shaman or priest of our own to confirm it, we cannot be sure. But they do have the same sense of quiet majesty about them that the ritual cave and the grove by the watering hole had. I know that with each day’s passage, the Lady grows stronger—”

“—and this will help her grow even more quickly,” Koda finished with a nod. “I understand your hesitation. If it was someone else, I might have assumed them to be trying to coerce me. But I promised I would come if your people needed me.”

Cyrus’ grimace didn’t fade though, if anything it grew heavier on his aged face.

“You should be spending this time with your family, not racing about playing power games,” Cyrus said. The guilt that hung on his words was an obvious weight to the older man.

“Someone has to do it. And while I convinced Jordan and Melia that I am being truthful, they are only two people,” Koda replied.

Despite his reservations, Koda could already feel that he was going to agree to this. The only question was if he’d be making the trip by himself or with one or more of his girls.

I don’t expect them to come with me like when we had to skip town to avoid that priest, Koda thought to himself. It honestly would make the greatest sense for most of them to stay in town. Sienna to finish prepping the house for winter, Calandra to finish setting up the weapons training, and Arthene because… well, she’s comfortable here. The only one I would expect to want to go is Samira, so she can visit her people.

Thera was strangely silent within his mind and soul. The sensation of anticipation and pride from his goddess hadn’t shifted one bit during the meeting he’d had with Cyrus, and Koda couldn’t help but think that Thera was content to let him decide how to handle this.

“I’ll need to talk to the others to see what they want to do,” Koda said at last, getting a firm nod from Cyrus.

“That makes sense. Your family comes first, and it would be wrong of you not to consult your women before making such a decision,” Cyrus agreed, but Koda shook his head.

“I’ll be going with you back to your people at the very least,” Koda confirmed, his confidence startling Cyrus. “It’s just a matter of who is coming with me. We all have duties in the village, and I need to speak with the headwoman to make sure that she can spare me for a week or two to travel back to your tribe.”

“The meeting will be…” Cyrus began before cutting himself off with a snort of amusement. “One would think that I wouldn’t be so quick to forget the powers of your dwarven mate. Her magic would ensure we could return to the tribe well ahead of the schedule if she comes with us.”

“Not just that,” Koda laughed before patting his chest with one hand. “The strength from the troll-slayer blessing is enough that I could easily sprint there or back if needed. So even if Calandra doesn’t want to come with us, I’ll be able to shorten one side of my trip at the very least.”

“That is also fair,” Cyrus said with a nod and a smile. “Our people use sleighs when the snow hangs heavy on the world, but it will be some time yet before that happens—several weeks to a month or two at the latest. I know of at least two tribes from further to the north around the edge of the mountains that use trained wolves to pull sleds.”

“Dog sleds,” Koda agreed with a nod. “I have heard of them, too. They can cover a surprising amount of ground, but taking care of the sled teams is a challenge all its own.”

“We were planning to head back within the next four days. Is that going to be enough time for you to talk to who you need to?” Cyrus asked next before draining the last of the hot tea in his mug.

“Should be. I can talk to the headwoman and my girls today and get back to you either tonight or tomorrow.”

Before Cyrus could answer him though, a clatter of the front door to the tavern bursting open drew the attention of everyone present there.

A pudgy-looking man, heavily wrapped in wool and fur, pushed his way into the tavern, shivering despite his layers as a cold breeze chased him inwards. Despite the travel-stains on his garments, the man appeared well off from the make of his clothes and the elaborate embroidery at the hems. Three more men followed him in, all dressed in thick cloaks over leather and chainmail armor.

“Keeper! I have a cart and goods that need storage, as well as horses that need care,” the well-dressed man called across the room as he stamped mud off his boots before hurrying to the large hearth in the corner.

Banno, a bear beastfolk with brown hair, broad shoulders, and a hooked nose, hurried out from behind the bar.

“Master Halvor, good to see that you made it! We weren’t sure if you’d make another trip up the mountain before the winter, what with all that business regarding the Crooked and the attack on Amberpost.”

From the respect and friendly tone in the normally gruff bear man’s speech, Koda could guess that the fat man was a somewhat-familiar face in the village.

Probably a traveling merchant, based on the talk of goods, Koda thought before draining his own tea mug.

“Yes, that was quite bad for business,” the fat man agreed, allowing Banno to urge him towards a wooden chair by the fire. “But I know that your little village relies on us traders to get many of your goods! I couldn’t leave my long-time partners here without supplies.”

The self-satisfied tone that Halvor was using grated at Koda’s nerves already, but he swallowed his irritation. This wasn’t his place to interfere, and Banno looked more than happy to have the man in his establishment, after all. As soon as the bear beastfolk had settled Halvor by the fire, he’d turned to direct the three men—obviously guards for the merchant—to a nearby table before sticking his head through the door to the kitchen to shout directions to someone.

Koda could feel the eyes of the three guards on him as they studied the few occupants of the room, clearly checking for any threats to their employer while they settled in.

Halvor continued to prattle on about what ‘fine goods’ he’d brought to sell to the villagers, while not so subtly prying at Banno for information on the mines as the bear man poured several steaming mugs of mulled wine for the merchant and his guards.

“I sold most of my goods in Amberpost—the poor people there are in need of so much help after the depredations of the Crooked—but I made sure to keep plenty on hand to bring up the mountain with me. I wouldn’t want your people to freeze without enough cloth for blankets and the like,” Halvor was saying as he accepted his steaming mug from Banno.

The merchant's eyes darted about the room as he talked, his deep-set eyes always active and keen despite the heavy-handed way he was talking. Koda felt it when those eyes landed on him and Cyrus, as well as heard it because Halvor’s speech hiccuped when he spotted the tribal garb of the hunter sitting across from Koda.

Feigning a glance towards the merchant, Koda was surprised to see disgust on Halvor's thick features; he quickly smoothed away the look when he caught Koda's glance. The fat man’s demeanor was more subdued and gruff when he started talking again.

Of course, Koda thought with a sigh. He probably sees the tribal folks as ‘uncivilized barbarians’ or some such bullshit. That or he’s worried the people of Silverstone won’t need his cloth if they are trading hides with the tribes. I wonder how much he’s gouged the people of Amberpost for warm clothing?

Not wanting to dwell on something he couldn’t change, Koda pushed the thought away and got to his feet. Cyrus followed him a moment later. Before the other man could, Koda produced several copper coins and set them on the table after catching Banno’s eyes with a wave of his hand.

“Good day to you, Aegisclaw! Give your wives my regards, please? And you too, hunter,” Banno called their way with a grin and a nod, clearly either ignoring the merchant’s grumpiness or missing it.

“You too, Banno. I need to go have a word with the headwoman, but you let me know if you need anything, okay?” Koda called back, keeping his tone even and pointedly not looking at the guards or the merchant by the fire—who had fallen silent at Koda’s movement.

“Always. Give the headwoman my best as well when you see her,” Banno replied with a wink before turning his attention back to the merchant. “Now, Master Halvor, how long will you be staying with us? We’ve your normal room available, and I have a shared room large enough for your guards, too.”

Koda didn’t catch the merchant's response, as he was already moving with Cyrus in tow behind him.

The clouds that had been slowly ambling down the mountain the night before were now hanging heavy over the town, faint flurries of snow occasionally drifting through the air, only to melt as they hit the cobblestone street in front of the tavern.

“May want to try avoiding that one,” Koda murmured to Cyrus, who nodded in agreement.

“Aye, I could feel his eyes digging into my back. His kind are the reason that most of the tribes don’t trust the ‘civilized’ people enough to travel to Amberpost. Those that do often end up being taken advantage of. It’s why Vysin was so excited to hear that you and Silverstone wanted trade. You’ve already shown you can be trusted.”

“I’d like to think that. Might want to let the others know as well. I doubt the man will cause problems, as that might affect his profits if he’s chased out of town, but better to be safe,” Koda suggested and Cyrus nodded.

“That I will. Were you serious about going to the headwoman already?”

“Might as well,” Koda said while biting back a sigh. “I’ll talk to Kris now and then the girls later. I should be able to let you know by tomorrow how many of us are going back with you for this tribal meeting.”

Cyrus didn’t voice his thanks; instead, he just saluted the champion sharply and bowed his head before turning on his heel and striding away down the street to find his people

Koda watched him go, turning over the situation at hand in his mind.

Well, it wasn’t as if you expected to relax for long. At least you got a month or two to enjoy the new house, rather than a single night this time, Koda thought with a smirk before turning on his heel to head across the square to the headwoman’s house.