"Long Cast is my father. And I am sorry to doubt you." Sehana throws back her unruly hair.

With that, Sehana approaches Kobal and says, "You are to hurry back and be married to my chieftain's youngest daughter, in the Bison Khan Grasslands. That is the news I bring."

He winces at Salens words, but manages to a cheeky smile, "I've decided that swimming is not for me" He absentmindedly rubs his Raven feather, causing the rock lizard teeth next to it to rattle. When he hears Sehana speaking better Earth speech than he can he asks Voras, "Did you also understand what the Earth Witch said?"

He brances himself when Kobal greets him and returns the head butt, "I see you all made it back." he turns to introduce the two Sunhawks, "This is Sehana and this is Voras." he sighs, "both Sunhawks, I don't suppose any Ravens joined you while you were away?"

Kobal blinks, then stares at the young brave, swallowing visibly.

A number of thoughts go through his mind:

Did I send word to my family before the mission that I had become betrothed?  Even if I didn't, did the Earth Witch send any word?  He'd been planning to ask the Noita to send word to his family via the Earth priestesses when they sat down to eat in any event.

From bachelor to two wives in so short a time?  He isn't sure whether he should be happy or worried.

Who is this woman?  Does she want to join the Wandering Rangers, or is she just a messenger from the Black Shields?

He regains his composure somewhat.  "I am Kobal, son of Colnar Three Steps of the Prairie Thunder clan."  Just in case she's mistaken his identity.  I really hope it's a case of mistaken identity.  "Welcome," I think, "among we Wandering Rangers.  And you are...?"

Sehana smiles. She replies to Kobal, I am Sehana, daughter of Long Cast of the Black Shield clan. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I was hoping to join the Rangers, as I have heard much of your exploits."

Henal thanks the Earth Witch then approaches Melock giving him a friendly head butt.

"New recruits and Sun Hawks too, surprised that the thought of being with a Raven didn't scare them off. Now have we told you about how we overcame the chaos harpies yet?"

As the home coming magic wanes and they are lead to the caves that are now the home of the Wandering Rangers Ohanzee's gaze passes to the pool where Melock died more than once. He echoes Kobal's feelings on the gift of the place "An honour indeed. And fitting too.".

Now away from it deeper in the network he looks about at the Sun Hawk braves muttering "I sense that Sun Hawk has touched you two. More though, he has shown you visions that brought you here as much as any message you carry or other reason for your journeys. You should share them, there may be more knowledge useful to us when combined with the visions we had."

Then he looks at Kobal "Kobal Two Brides it is then, one for each feather!" he chuckles "Two parties to see to!" Then looking to his fellow Raven brave he speaks "It is good to see you on your feet and hearty again Melock Trembles Before Serpents! Most of us are here, but not all survived."

Sehana turns to Ohanzee and says, "I have had visions about the Wastes regreening, under the watchful gaze of an Earth Knight and his copper warriors."

His work as rearguard and follower done, Tada-Kobal becoming once more Kobal, khan's son and honoured in his own right but with fading herolight, Hoskar relaxes somewhat; his grin broadening.

Waiting his turn, he ambles back towards Melock; hearing Sehana's news with surprise but too caught up in the moment of meeting his old friends again to truly register this complication.

Unrestrained by ceremony, he grasps Melock firmly by the hand with comradely clasp. Glad you made it: feared you were a goner there. Sometime later, I'll be interested to hear what happened - maybe compare notes. I've been dead too lately he grins still more broadly and am now two-feather for that reason.

Praise to the earth - it is a happy return indeed he intones more formally with arms spread wide, his face still wreathed in smiles.

Not wishing to intrude, but keen to meet a new comrade, he edges towards Sehana and Ohanzee awaiting an opportunity to offer welcome.

Hmm, so not a case of mistaken identity...



He grins at the last words, his good humour reviving.  "Yes, and we have new tales to tell, haha.  Sit with us, as we eat with the Earth Witch."



"'Each feather'?  What do you mean, Blue Arm?"  He punches the short rhino brave on his blue arm.  "It's Hoskar who has two feathers."

He turns back to Melock, his attention drawn in a multitude of directions.  "What happened to you, with Earth runes instead of Darkness ones?  It seems you have tales to tell us too."



And back to Sehana, joining that conversation.  "Yes, we Wandering Rangers have sworn to serve Emesh-Ga, the Earth Knight, though I expect you already know that.  You would have seen him entering the Temple grounds with us.  I wear his helm," he taps the helmet on his head, "while Hoskar here bears his shield."

Kobal turns once again, to the other Black Shield brave standing with Tarnessh and Gloaming.  "I am Kobal of the Prairie Thunder bison clan.  Be welcome among us..."
This message was last edited by the player at 09:13, Fri 19 Feb 2016.

He returns Henal's head butt, "They haven't got to know me yet, they only arrive yesterday." he laughs, "No, I haven't heard that story, but I'm sure it will be full of heroic deeds. A few days ago, I was enjoying the view from atop the ruins when I had a vision of Hilimaz Mushen erupting out of the earth and in to the air. I did not know what it meant then, but I'm guessing that was when you freed her."



He snorts at Ohanzee's new name for him, "I think you'll find Gor fits me better now." He looks around at the group, trying to work out who's missing, "Who did we loose?"



Almost overwhelmed by everyone's eagerness to talk to him, Melock still manages to grasp Hoskar's hand firmly,"I'm sure we'll find time later. Where did you get that other feather?"



He grins as he see's Kobal turning this way and that, "I think we've all got tales to tell, mine can wait. I want to hear more from Sehana about this marrage of yours."

Sensing his chance as the conversation develops, Hoskar adds

Don't go marrying me off as well here: I've never really felt the need.

Anyway, welcome all. As you might have spotted, I'm Hoskar; half Sky Watcher, half from within the wall, once dead, bearer of two feathers from the otherplace - the white one's from Erish-El bringing me back, Melock - and entirely pleased to meet you.

He looks around the newcomers with the friendliest of smiles.

Ohanzee looks up at the tall brave and with a grin speaks slowly "Yeeesss  and   so   do   we.   One" he holds up the Raven feather braided in to the hair on his left, then the harpy feather braided into the hair on his right side "two." The with mock surprise he takes a sharp intake of breath "Hhhhhh You haven't been so careless to have lost your gift have you?!"

"Peat." Ohanzee states solemnly to Melock's question. "Gor Why so, because the serpent gored you?"

He takes a seat as the Earth Witch previously indicated, chuckling to himself as he does so. Turning to her he speaks "There is much to tell of our adventures since leaving here." and he tells a similar tale to the one he told the previous evening to the Red Thorns. This time though he does not leave out the finding of Pallas' lair since the Earth Witch is after all of the Rhino Tribe too. He also spends more time over the details surrounding the marriage of the River to the Earth, the complex there and the door that they could not open as well as the quest and the gift from Whitewood adding "You know of the trapping of Daga. It is a powerful medicine bundle and perhaps one that is best left here for that reason? I also promised that the Rangers would not forget the ceremony and would ensure that future pilgrimages are made to the place. I thought that you should know this in case anything happens to us and indeed in case you wish to send any others there."

He turns to the latest recruits to be "You must come with us to the place of stone tents within the walls. We were meant to return one there to collect her ransom, but her calling was to remain here as a protectoress of the Earth, an axe maiden. It will be useful to have Sun Hawks there to swear to her fate."

He turns to Melock again and says "I sensed a familiar feeling on the way here. Have you dedicated a cave here to Grandmother Spider?"

Food is brought in by several temple acolytes, under the watchful gaze of Delenda Axe Sister, who once everything is in order sits down between Amara and Sehana, a smile on her face.

"Welcome back Amara...and this is Sehana, I saw you arrive yesterday. I am Delenda of the Arinstoli Sable clan, daughter of their Queen and hostage of the Wandering Rangers. Do not be deceived by my happy countenance for I plan to kill them all before the year is out"

At this she laughs loudly, slapping both women on their backs. She seems a different person since last seen, perhaps joining the temple guard of Babeester Gor had solved the fierce woman's problems in life...

Sehana greets Hoskar and Ohanzee, in kind, before the food is brought in.

Once seated, she says, "Well met, Delenda and Amara."

Sehana looks at Amara and says, "It is good to see a fellow woman among the Wandering Rangers. I hope we can be friends."

He sits down opposite Amara but speaks to Hoskar, "She returned you from the dead! Another reason to like her." He looks crestfallen when Ohanzee tells him about Peat, "That's a shame, I liked him." He shrugs, "Gor is a fitting title for one who defends the earth." Nodding slightly in answer to his other question, Melock stands and is about to speak when Delenda does and can only stare at her, until she laughs and then he joins in. He waits until the laughter has subsided and then raises a skin of kumiss, "To those we have lost along the way," looking round the table he takes in the new faces, "and to those who have just joined our quest."

Over dinner the Earth Witch listens to the tale of how the Rangers defeated the Harpies, what occurred at Hoof Crack, the discovery of the ancient river temple, a suspected resting place of a seed of Genert, the meeting with an awakened dryad in a hidden valley, battles with Jack O'Bears and the death of Peat Bog, Gloaming and Hoskar. She pays particular attention to the fact that Amara, Tarnesh and Ohanzee have sworn fealty to the Harpy Queen, concern showing on her wide face.

News that the Rhino Gourge is safe and that members of the Skywatchers had been found gladden her heart and she shows interest in Hoskar's attempt to revive the small Copper construct back in the Mostali tomb.

"For ridding our herds of the Harpy threat I offer each of you the chance to learn a charm of your choice as long as one of us can teach you. It will take a week in all, which I believe you have before Kobal's wedding....I extend this boon to your new friends from the Black Thorn clan."

Sat on the other side of Sehana and next to Voras, Tarnessh informs them both that the Earth Witch had been first met north of here in the Rhino Rocklands, a holy place of the Rhino nation, where she'd resided underground, keeping guard over a holy pool.

Henal hearing Delenda's speech replies in a joking tone "I thought it was only the male Rangers you wanted to kill along with the rest of our gender.."

"It is bad having lost Peat Bog, though we were lucky that Hoskar Whitefeathers and Gloaming could be brought back.  After how I ended up killing that twisted harpy creature I realised I'm glad I follow Waha not the Storm Bull as being possessed by the fury of the storm is scary when you realise that you can turn on your friends after the enemy are all slain".

Tarosh listens to the others talking and flashes a quick smile at Melock as he leads Kinamasi to the table, before they sit down, "Noita, I would like to introduce you to Kinamasi, she joined us at Hoof Crack."
Still wide eyed at what is going on around her, Kinamasi bows before the Earth Witch, "It is an honour to meet you."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:38, Fri 19 Feb 2016.

Ohanzee notes the concern on the Earth Witch's face at the talk of the Harpy Queen and attempts to reassure her "It's nothing to worry about. At the end we are still Wandering Rangers, are still Protectors of the Earth and so too is she." he smiles "After all she has already brought back two of our number from the other side and asked nothing in return for that."

He shakes his head "More concern to me is that the Morokanth are gathering in great numbers at Hoof Crack. Broken Claw says it is just to decide a new khan for the tribe, but I sensed there is more to it than that. I'm no Sun Hawk, but I've tried to hide truths often enough to recognise it in another... sometimes."

He glances in the direction of the pool though seated on the ground eating as they are it is beyond sight "Has anyone tried to make contact with the serpent that inhabits the water of the pool?"

Amara smiled at Delenda, laughing to see her seeming so much more content in herself "Unless I kill you first." her eyes showed warmth as Delenda chose to join them, she acknowledged Sehana with a nod. "All the wandering rangers are friends, but yes, perhaps together, we can mitigate their most suicidal ideas." she grinned at Sehana. "Are you both going to join the wandering rangers?"

"It didn't seem to want to talk last time," he coughs at the painful memory resurfaces, "maybe its like half the rangers and just doesn't like Ravens." He forces a laugh out.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:25, Fri 19 Feb 2016.

Bubbling with enthusiasm, trying to look everywhere at once at many conversations, Hoskar chips in here and there.


He looks evenly at Ohanzee, and murmurs agreed with gratitude. Think she might have some of us under her spell a bit much, though.



Briefly chewing on his lower lip while glancing at Delenda he adds sheepishly yet with a faint, hopeful smile I do hope so. I'd value a chance to show I'm better than I was.

Melock can't help but snigger when he hears Hoskar's comment, but doesn't elaborate.