With a quick glance at his father Colnar Three Steps, Kobal steps forward amidst the gathering.

"My khan, as Amara Brightsky has said, to us young braves, it does not seem we can push the Red Moon from Corflu.  Not with the clans we have here among us now...  There were many people at Corflu.  Perhaps more than our herd.  So many people, and they do not roam the lands as the Khan of Khans taught us.  The place stinks.  And there was a sorcerer there, who had come from oceans.

"I would also speak for Amara.  Some here may be suspicious of her because she treated with a Moon cultist.  But she had no choice.  Her hand had been cut off, and there was way to heal her except to ask the cultist.  But since her hand has healed, I have watched her.  Our band has been through much since then, fighting Chaos and more.  And never has she been false to us - always strong in battle, true to our clans and our band, as she was before.  I trust her with my life.

"I have more to add on what we saw: there are many flies near the river which will drive one to distraction.  The river folk had a fetish to ward off the flies.  Nor is the land near the river good for bison and rhinos - it is too soft and muddy."

He takes a breath.  "Lastly, someone asked about the Red Thorns and their plans.  I must speak to this too...  I think their khan Kelab Besi is open for a thaw in relationships.  He was concerned about the intentions of our clan and the Black Shields.  I told him nothing, of course.  It is their shaman who is wicked, and must be watched the most."

"Kelab Basi proposed a marriage between me and his daughter Jella.  Our band was in a difficult position.  There was no time or way to seek your approval," he says, with a brief nod to Nausyas and Colnar each.  "I agreed.  Apart from resolving our situation, the Red Thorns are based in the land around the Earth Temple.  They control both lush - lush - land and access to the Earth Temple.  Perhaps if we join with clans in these lands, even the Red Thorns, we might be strong enough to push the Lunars out of Corflu... Jella and I were wed.

"Then, as our band, including Jella left the Earth Temple to return here, we were ambushed by Angry Wasp, who drew us into a nest of scorpion men.  Jella was a kind but reckless soul.  When she heard that one of our band's bison's had been injured, she rode to help, but was possessed by a Chaos spirit and killed...  Many of the bison that we return with are the herd of Jella's dowry."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:17, Sat 08 Oct 2016.

Henal takes this as his cue to reminisce more. While we were fighting the harpies there was an ancient one of them twisted greatly by chaos that looked likely to beat us, but I was able to call on Storm Bull to aid us and he filled me with his spirit so that I could slay this abomination of chaos while Ohanzee fought the spirit and the others fought the rest of the tainted harpies.

We were able to free the harpies who had not been tainted by chaos and they travelled with us to the Giant Finger Holes where they remain.

All of what is said is taken into consideration, much of which brings gasps of astonishment from all present. There's a mixture of anger, pride and  confusion and it takes all of Nausyas strength to shut them up so that he can be heard.

"First...I give thanks to the gifts you bring. These have been duly noted as has the important information that you have brought back from your scouting trip. It was decided previously that on completion that you would be rewarded and I shall honour that now.

Each of you shall receive four Bison and shall receive training from the clans. You can negotiate with our Shamans for charms too. For this Iron Helmet I give great thanks and will give Melock my blessing for his marriage and shall provide the feast for it's celebration."

Now looking at Kobal he continues "This was presumptuous of you and not what we wished, but that said it will work to our advantage. You will all see that the Black Shields have joined us as allies and even now marriages are being organised to cement this most needed relationship between two powerful clans. I shall wed Wiley Ko's sister, and you Kobal, son of Colnar Three Step shall marry his eldest daughter. She comes with her own herd of forty Bison and with Waha and Eiritha's blessing you shall have many children.

The weddings will take place on Godsday, Fertility week, after your initiations into Waha's secrets on his High Holy Day.

For killing chaos I offer you each an extra Bison and our Clans' thanks, especially brave you all are for ones so young."

The Rangers are applauded, but both Kobal and Amara feel angry eyes on them.

In reply to Nausyas the Iron Bull (msg # 20):

He stands proudly when he hears Nausyas words of praise, but his shoulders slump when he hears Nausyas is planning to marry someone other than his sister.

At this Ohanzee coughs and in an almost Thunderbird type way corrects "Two score spirits more like, and an ancestral Chaos tainted one on top of that!"
Then after Nausyas the Iron Bull finishes he smiles broadly.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:22, Sat 08 Oct 2016.

Stroking Amara's head the Vingan priestess speaks quietly "We shall be leaving for the Pairing stones within the month. Are you ready for your initiation?"

The shamans seem pleased with what Ohanzee has said about the defeat of Daga and indicate to their followers that they are expected in their compound during the next few days.

Sitting down Nausyas asks about the Harpies, what is happening at the Earth Temple and then says that he will need the Rangers to come the following morning to discuss what they learned about the Red Thorns.

Whilst the chieftain talks Darnik Sharp Lance stands and approaches Temush Blinking Cloud

"Who are you? I have not seen you before. You are not a slave?"

Temush sidles through the aspirant Bison Rangers and ventures to introduce himself
"By your leave great Khan, Tokar Eight Sable let me ask to serve in your young braves' band. They slew the broos that wiped out my clan, and I am in their debt. I do not have gifts to match those that you have just seen, but if the brides-to-be would care to pick from among the plumes that I have brought from my tribe   I would be glad to see them find a good home. I am Temush Blinking Cloud of the Big Peckers," he scans the crowd trying to imitate the challenge that Sky Bone Blue's eyes used to hold in such greetings "...and Sun hawk has lit my way to the Wandering Rangers"

The Rune Lord of Waha looks down at the diminutive brave and smiles.

"Well little man, I am Darnik Sharp Lance and I accept your gifts with respect for your fallen clan. Your Chieftain Sky Bone Blue was a famed brave of the Wastes. I hope you find peace now that you are amongst new family. My son served and paid the ultimate sacrifice as one of Tada's chosen and though it causes me great sadness the knowledge that he fought side by side with these warriors brings me great joy."

Those who are close enough to hear the exchange look shocked for the warrior is well known for his unfriendly demeanour and gruff ways.

Temush bows to Darnik and to the shamans and elders, but says no more.

In reply to Angelika Snowspear (msg # 23):

Amara rested at peace, not caring if she looked immature, she enjoyed being back at home. "It is not to me to say. It is to Vinga. I have fought hard in her name and protected women and children even when it would have caused us problems. I may no longer be popular here, but I do right by Vinga and my brother braves." she smiled in approval as Temush was acknowledged. She'd found the bravery of the Big Peckers to be beyond compare and was glad to return Sky Bone Blue to one of them.

The questions still fly and it look like the Rangers will be here for most of the night.

At one stage Melock is informed that the chieftain wishes to speak to him in private later.

Whilst reclining against a tent pole Temush finds himself engulfed in a cloud of surprisingly sweet smelling smoke. Those around him are coughing as if it is foul though.

It's Smokey Jojo the Prairie Thunder Sun Hawk shaman come to see what's what.

"So Ostrich you are planning on becoming a Ranger. It's always good to have more of our worshippers to counter those pesky Ravens. Now....Tell me about yourself. It must be lonely being the last remaining member of your clan."

Temush takes a measured breath analysing the sweet scents before replying. "It is hard to take in. All those that I knew for so long are gone. I lived off the land for a few weeks, I found that the Wandering Rangers had dealt with the broos, and I guessed from the tracks that it would be the group that my Khan spoke with in the gorge. In the end I thought that it would do the dead no good to mope in the wild on my own with Dark and Storm on the way so I talked it over with Peevt and we came to you. I felt like a sort of ghost riding up to the first scout on edge of your range, but he was a calm soul and he let his mouth talk before his spear."

"So now, I have been fed, and shown a place to sleep and done some chores and some beast work, much as I would have with my own folk (though you have your own ways which are not quite the same as ours). It is not the wild and I do not feel so lost, though I don't know that a time will come when I will feel the same as I once did. My Ma and the two girls I have to think were lost to the broos. My dad, he'd been dead a while. This is the helm he wore. Some of us may still be slaves to the Impala band that took them in a raid - or they may have been sold on, Our clan-ghost should be in this ring, but I don't think it is, they say Sky Bone Blue is bound in it of now. I'll ask him if I see him"

"You see from this gold plume and no doubt more signs than I know of, who I met in the men's age rites. It was a bit of a shock if you don't mind some plain words, it's not like I used to lie much, but I it seems to me that there may be less ways to stay out of a fight when you stick to the truth all the time. Raven saved our eggs in the god time you know, and since there are so few of us, well the clan leant on him more than most if you know what I mean. One of the things I heard about the Rangers is that they try to work in one flock of all the Feathered Rivals. I'm set to hold up our end, but its not like I just want to get in the way of what some of the rest need to do. We'll have to move on with two wings and two legs and hope they all take the same route."

"But Sunny Side taught me to have a care for what my boss thinks, so if you want to set me straight I'm all ears"

"Thank you for your understanding, great Khan.  If there had been any other way, I would have taken it."  Kobal bows his head, with fist over chest.  "I will gladly marry the chief's daughter."  Things had gone better than he expected.



"Our thanks for your generosity, Khan."  Kobal bows his head again.



If they were in the bachelors' tent, Kobal would put on an air of arrogance, and return the angry looks with defiance.  But here, amongst the elders, he merely ignores the looks.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:52, Tue 11 Oct 2016.

Melock is answering questions when he gets the message, he quickly gulps down the last of his kumiss and nervously walks over to the Khan. He bows, "You wanted to see me, Khan."

As the evening progresses and the kumiss flows, and now that the elders have heard what they needed to hear Ohanzee beings to fill in the gaps with the details that were not necessary for the report.

First he provides more details of the encounter with the ancient Basmoli spirit and of the complex in the hill and how they worked together to defeat it. Or at least they thought so for he then describes the possession of Harratt and or the Agamori Heroquest he witnessed when summoning Ehawee.

He tells more of their time in and around Corflu, speaking of the wooing of the daughter of the Khan of that place and the way he had spoilt the trick of the foreign trader ho was trying to trick her.

He speaks of the attempted revenge of the trader's men and how his arm and life were saved by the Agamori sorceror from over the sea. At this point he pulls back the leather sleeve to reveal the blue arm holding it near the light of a fat lamp.

He then explains how they travelled on the boat with this sorcerer and guided him to the tower er they killed first the Tusk Riders, not leaving out his flying! Then how they destroyed the broo party, but doesn't mention the complex below the tower, perhaps forgetting it. He does mention the cause of the wildfire as this might be good for the elders toknow if they want to try to ally the Morokanth.

Now he speaks of the onward journey describing the encounter with Kinope, the ambush of the wedding party, and the subsequent saving of his life by Kinope. At this point he reveals the scar in his abdomen and also points out the Water Runes that appeared on the blue arm after that.

Then it is on to the encounter with the cannibal cult and the losses there, more details of the Red Thorns from the perspective of a slave, concentrating on the shaman. He speaks of the Sky Watchers they found in the Rhino Rocklands and of the cleansed harpies that now reside at the GFH. He tells of the fun and games in Rhino Gouge.

And through this telling he speaks of the spirits he has called, Quick Sand who even he will avoid, Ehawee, Tamarisk, Saxaul, Grandmother Spider, Dandy Man. And Hyarn. of whom he tells the tale of their aid in the taking of the trading station and the agreement made. He speaks too of the whirlvish he managed to beat back and of calling on Storm Bull for a hand when trying to scale the cliff above the Harpy lair and quite litterally getting one!

The Chieftain stands, grabs Melock's shoulder and guides him out the back of the vast tent and into his private quarters....

Ohanzee's tale is punctuated with Ooos and Aaaahs and gasps of horror, shock or glee depending on your affiliations when he showed his arm and showed his scars.

For now it looks like the meeting is over and many more folk come in, mainly Black Shields, amongst whom is their shaman Noosh the Whoosh, a well built man in his late 40's, his hair touching the ground and his loincloth filled with powerful fetishes and spirits. He fixes each of the Rangers with two very different coloured eyes, one Red, the other black and then goes to sit with the other shamans present.

Noticeably absent are the other Sky Watchers, but those Rhino riders present can hear the drums of their people as they hold their own party, welcoming newcomers and remembering old...

From an adjacent tent can be heard the voices of many women, entertained by the Black Shield Queen, which on hearing causes Angelika to stand, beckon at Amara to follow, and then leave to join them.

Amara nodded, accepting Angelika's suggestion. She waved to the others letting them know she might be gone for some time. She was looking forward to spending time with the other woman. She hoped Zonta might also be present. It would be good to just relax and be in the presence of others, to let her hair down, without the need to be constantly watchful over the antics of the ravens.

Amara stood, gave a glare to Ohanzee and Melock to remind them she would still be around if they misbehaved too badly and followed her adoptive mother from the tent.

Henal goes to speak to Cloud Walker nervously stroking the cat scratches on his face.

"I found myself joining a cult for a cat spirit to gain some interesting magic..."

"Ah that wouldn't be Pallas would it? Suspected that you mob might run in to him up in the Rocklands. Come on tell me all about it..."

In reply to Cloud walker (msg # 39):

"Yes, we ran into Pallas and though Tarosh tried making him into a familiar, but we had to stop that when Pallas was summoning all the manuls in the rocklands to him. I managed to make a deal where I got a powerful medicine bundle and another familiar for getting Pallas set free, that helped us when we had to get up to the harpies lair. It lets me shrink people down to a smaller size".

"Well he's a wily fellow is Pallas. Seems that he likes you as that's a mighty powerful fetish you have there. Make sure you keep up with his worship. Once you're a shaman I suggest finding him some followers."

The Rangers spend the rest of the night celebrating, sharing stories and making new acquaintances, with the knowledge that for the next season they would be incredibly busy....