Having little to say with things progressing so well for now, Hoskar raises a hand in greeting. And I wonder what a Prax morokanth of the Paps would find of interest here he murmurs such as to only be heard by the Rangers closest-by.

He inclines his head to his fellow rhino riders, and smiles towards the Thunder Girls. His only words are a brief Well met, as he too is interested in their introductions.

As no one objected to him taking the armbands, Tarosh waits till the others have left and then walks over to Kinamasi, "A gift for you."
She smiles and lets him put them on her arms, "They're beautiful, thank you." She gives him a quick kiss and then pulls away, "Don't spend all night on watch." She winks at him and then gets on with sorting out the camp and cooking food for everyone.
Tarosh blushes as he glances nervously around to see if anyone overheard her. He decides that taking first watch with Akala is probably the best thing to do, so he scrambles up the cliff face opposite the one Akala did.

Amara waved a greeting happy to be amongst kin once more. She smiled, her happiness at seeing others who have survived evident in her eyes. Her curiosity however, was more than piqued at the idea of seeing the Thunder Girls. She'd only met Vingans who were part of their clan before. She wondered how she might be accepted by Vingans who were outside it.

The seven Impala braves have spread out, each woman checking out the Rangers, some with smiles, others with scowls or neutral expressions.

As mentioned each is semi naked with loincloths their only clothing. All of them carry bows and there are neat stacks of javelins close to hand. Most have some hair, red in colour and the Movement rune is in evidence everywhere.

"So you lot be the Wandering Rangers eh? Kinda thought you'd all be taller or summat" says one of them. Stepping forward she greets Amara

"Name's Coppa, I'm the main of this group....Looks like you're on the path. Someone cause you grief in the past eh?"

An arm covered in Verdigris tattoos of snakes is held out in greeting

"Who's the Bison boy? He hitched or what?"

This brings forth a burst of rude laughter and much ribald joking from the other girls, who swarm over to admire Kobal.

"It's easier to remain hidden when you're small....though I don't think we're representative of the rangers as a whole. You should see my cousin, Akala. He's as tall as a rhino and as wide as one too." Amara grinned holding out a bag of khumiss for the women "I do walk the path of Vinga, but in my case, it wasn't for grief caused to me, it was to protect those around me. There were few warriors left in our clan after Moonbroth, at a time when no-one else was available, I stepped up and rescued my brother. It felt good to do that, so I continue to walk this path."

Amara grinned, deciding to allow Kobal to speak for his marital status "I am Amara Brightsky of the Skywatchers."

Tarosh finds Gloaming already there, the Sun Hawk brave humming to himself as he watches Bright Treasure begin it's departure from the land of the Living.

"Hmmmm, Hmmmm, Hm, Hm."

"You are not initiated yet"

This comes from a fierce looking woman with a tattooed nose, who stand looking up at Amara, hands on her wide hips.

"Ohanzee...Hoskar come sit with us..."

Urrak is smiling, happy to see young members of their clan.

"You must tell me where you have been and if there are others of our septs still alive."

The rest of his family make space, indicating that everyone should make themselves comfortable.

Amara shook her head indicating she'd not been initiated "I'm afraid our responsibilities as wandering rangers have gotten in the way of this. I know some day I shall be initiated and I feel I have done much to make Vinga proud, but I've never travelled anywhere close to a Vingan temple in order to be initiated." Amara said, feeling slightly embarrassed, hoping the fact she was still young to be a full brave might provide some form of excuse.

Hega slaps Amara's arm "Don't worry about it, We bin hearing all sorts of stuff about you lot. Sit and meet the other girls. We're on our way to the Pairing stones. Been walking the walk....Following Vinga and her Storm sisters whomp the monsters path."

This elicits a loud cheer from the other braves "And we whomped some and all...."



"You lot got anything to smoke?"

Amara smiled as she joined the Vingans. "Uh, I know we have something to smoke in our band, but I'm not a condor and they tend to hog it and keep it for themselves" Amara sat down, greeting the others with a smile as she took her shawl from her head so she'd have something clean to sit on. "I think Angelika's plan is to take me to the pairing stones next season to have me initiate. We've had some successes against broo and a whole host of other creatures too, but I'm interested in all the stories you might want to share with me."

Ohanzee takes the offered seat around the fire and upon hearing the request for anything to smoke from the Vingan warrior he smiles "Pass me the skin when you have had your fill and I'll pass you my pipe when I have had a drag."

He fishes his pipe out from his pack and stokes the bowl before taking a stick from the edge of the fire and lighting the weed with the burning end.

Whilst doing this he speaks to Urrak of the Skywatchers he knows of, the ones who are back with the Prairie Thunder clan.

Swapping for the kumis skin for his pipe he continues, "I'll tell of the travels of the sept made new from the broken parts, what is now my sept I suppose until we met the other Rangers at Rhino Gouge."

He takes another swig from the skin and passes it on "And of course Hoskar and I can tell you of the travels since then, but there are many adventures to speak of that we have had over a short time."

"Now though, now there are more urgent things to speak of, of the adventures that we have had since last we met you."

He calls out to the Impala braves "Don't hog that pipe now!" and then turns back to Urrak and the other Skywatchers "After we left you we picked up some supplies at Hoofcrack including one Morokanth who was forced along by their shaman."

"Dark Claw was his name and he was taken out by a Jack-o-bears which we eventually killed." he sighs "Mostly. One made it away."

"Anyway, we made it in to the hills proper and were faced with the having to get to the Harpy nest at the top without being seen and attacked on the hillside."

"We were following a serpent who I, we that is, summoned Nathair Sliabh, son of Seolinthur the first. We asked him if there were any secret ways up the hill and told him of our reason for coming. And he told us to seek further along his length."

Ohanzee laughs "We found th way, but it was not what I at least was thinking of. We walked an ancient walk and talked an ancient talk Amara was the Earth and I was Seolinthur and the Rangers were our guests."

"We passed to the Green age and we were wed as we always used to be in the old days. And Daga sought to ruin our union but was overcome and trapped."

He looks over at their own red headed Vingan smiling as she speaks to the other women warriors and he continues "So I was married, for the duration of the ceremony at least. That whole experience changed me."

"We rose up through the hill as Earth and Water once did and we brought life anew to at least some of the hilltop above, to a hidden valley above."

"We awoke an ancient spirit of the trees, Whitewood Dryad a friend of Emesh-Ga from the Green Age and for this and for destroying the Chaos harpies she blessed us with ancient knowledge to honour the plants and tasked us to take a seed to the remaining Aldryami Lords."

He takes another puff on the pipe as it comes around again "And of course there was the fight against the harpies itself."

He looks at the shadows getting very long "Someone with a familiar better let the others know we'll not be returning till tomorrow!"

"Now where was I? Ah yes, the Harpies. I played little part in their deaths I'm afraid. Winged one or two on the way in, but that was about it. I had a helping hand up though when we split, half to come in from above and the rest through the caves. Storm Bull threw me to the top of the cliffs when I asked him not to blow me off them. It was his day, but still I didn't expect that."

"Well once we found the main part of their nest their shaman called an ancient Chaos warped ancestral spirit" he pulls out the spirit bullroarer from around his neck "But with this I drew it to me and away from the others."

"Didn't know it would do that, nor that it would draw the dozen or so disease spirits that the shaman had" he laughs "That really wound her up!"

"It also helped protect me, but with those and then the extra dozen or so disease spirits that their mother released I had my hands full dispatching them all. Too busy to help in the fight proper, but at least I kept the spirits from the others."

"Thank Waha for this" he tucks the bullroarer away again "And thank Raven for the spirit arrowhead I found, that was destroyed in that fight, but it served its purpose that day!"

Urrak and the Thunder Girls

Kobal smiles at all the attention, but first holds Urrak's gaze.  "Urrak, well met.  The Khan of Khans wishes that we meet again, I think."  Kobal had introduced himself last time they crossed paths.  "There was no opportunity at our last meeting, but we ride with the spirit of Emesh-Ga, Earth Captain of the Green Age, whose helm this is."  He motions respectfully with an open palm to the helmet he wears.

Then there is time to turn his attentions to the Girls, looking from one to another with a gap toothed smile.  "I am Kobal of the Prairie Thunder, son of Colnar Three Steps.  We came across your tracks, and are glad to meet as friends.  Our thanks too for the message you left near the lake.  Your tracks suggested that you had a captive, or perhaps one of you was unwell...?"

Turning to Coppa, he says, "I am betrothed, but it is a bargain struck with the Red Thorn clan," he spits the name, "to break an impasse at the Earth Temple, for my father is an elder of our clan, and his father was once khan of the Prairie Thunder."  He looks around again, and straightens back to stand at his full height.  "Another wife, one who won't stick a knife between my ribs would be good, haha."

He looks about to see if any were listening still after his long tale and remembers something "Tarnessh's bird saw seven Thunder Girl, one slumped across the beast. Is there anything we can do to help or has the last gone to Vinga alreaady?"

Urrak and the Thunder Girls

All listen to Ohanzee's tale, though the remaining Vingans introduce themselves when they can

There is Lys All-Thumbs a compact brave, with large hands, what looks like a pair of Iron shears in her belt and a large amount of severed thumbs hanging from necklaces and fetishes.

Golden-Eye, a brave with striking golden irises and a bow that hums with barely suppressed magic.

Keep Low-Rider, a woman short even for a pygmy who gives a cheery wave, pats Kobal on the arse and exhales a huge amount of smoke in his face.





The last Vingan grunts, the brave hasn't cracked a smile since the arrival of the Rangers

"I'm Bubbles....My sister Blossom is over there, she has come down with a fever after our last run in with some Broo. Looking for a shaman so we can get her fixed."

"A fine tale and I am impressed that braves so young and untested have achieved so much. Though it does not surprise me for you are Skywatchers and come from good stock. I knew each of your parents well.

So I believe there might be more to tell as you insinuated as much..."

"You are in luck then, we travel with our Seza, I'm sure she can fix up your companion."

His look turns serious "But before you meet her there is another friend and her people that we met who you should know of."

"But first. there is more as you say Urrak. Do any of you know the tale of the original creation of the Harpies?" and he looks about to see if any present do before continuing for those who don't "They were created by the Earth to as protectors, avengers against those defilers. But they fell from this grace to the depravities and corruptions that we all know them for these day."

Again he looks about ensuring that he has everyone's attention "Most of them that is. The Chaos Harpies we destroyed were readying the sacrifice of the pure-blood queen of the few untainted Harpies, Queen Hilimaz Mushen. We rescued her from this fate and now accompany her and her flock back to the Earth Temple."

He looks at Bubbles "She too is a spirit from the Green Age returned in living form and she is so powerful in Life that she can heal Blossom I'm sure, though I am sure too that Whispers, I mean our Seza can manage it."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 08:57, Thu 10 Dec 2015.

Urrak and the Thunder Girls

Kobal tries not to cough as Keep Low-Rider blows smoke in his face such a lower altitude.  Instead, towering over her, he keeps an unaffected smile on his face.



Kobal reflexively makes a sign to ward against Chaos.  "Curse the foul broo.  We have a Skywatcher Wise One with us, camped with the rest of us near the lake.  Maybe she will be able to help."  He doesn't mention the Harpy Queen since Ohanzee seems to have left her out of his story.  Let one of the Skywatchers mention her.

Haaro, he sends to his manul cat as requested by the short rhino brave, we've met Urrak and the Thunder Girls and look to camp with them for the night.  One of the Thunder Girls has a fever after fighting broo so hopefully Whispers will be able to help.

"You got any Morokanths travelling with you now?"

"Ah...This is good to know" replies Bubbles, the smallest of smiles appearing. She seems suspicious though. It could just be how she is normally.

"Right you are, she's on her way with Greeshar."

"You have a Seza with you? Who is that?"

Kobal cocks his head slightly a moment, as if listening for something.  Then "Whispers from the Sky is coming, with Greeshar.  Whispers recently became a shaman, Urrak."

To All-Thumbs, he replies, "No morokanth traveling with us, although there may be a horde behind us, haha."

In reply to Ohanzee Shappa (msg # 45):

The grinning Hoskar is about to sort out more smokables when Ohanzee begins his tale; at which he stops and listens awhile.

He's being modest here for some reason. Ohanzee, you went and missed the bits where you saved your sept after Moonbroth. You know, without him I'd be missing two cousins and a grandmother, and the Sky Watchers would be a much smaller set of people.

Anyway, I'd best get them some smokables. Can't have myself accused of parsimony. Place your orders, folks.

He ambles over to Ram, and fiddles around in pouches. Okay, Thunder Girls he calls: tobakeh, or something strong enough to send your mind off with the spirits? Or maybe a combination: think I can get you a pleasant buzz out of a mixture.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:20, Thu 10 Dec 2015.

"Something stronger!" comes the loud reply from the pygmies..

The camp fire had become a noisy place, with everyone talking at once and parts of Ohanzee's tale gets drowned out. It's Urrak's daughter in law who makes the connection and begins shushing folk

"Wait, you say you have Harpies with you?..:And they are cleansed...How is this possible?"