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Ferad woke far earlier than he wanted to. The sky wasn't even fully light yet, as only a ribbon of lighter blue decorated the eastern edge of his view through the forest. The elves may be able to run on little to no sleep, but that was the elves. Humans, Ferad observed while he stifled a yawn, required rest daily or else their bodies complained as his was doing now. He stretched a few times, trying to force his limbs into some sort of useful state, which caused his joints to pop and protest at the movements. Once the stiffness was more or less worked loose, the commander smoothed out his undershirt, slipped on his pants and tabard, then after one more stretch, proceeded with his boots. Maybe a small bit of breakfast and a quick walk around would settle whatever had caused him to wake in the first place.

Ferad pushed past the curtain divider to find the common room was just as they left it, apart from the completely restocked table. Tennal, or maybe one of the other guards, had brought in new provisions and cleaned away the used items while they slept. There was more of the bread, along with a jar of what he assumed was honey. Another stylized pitcher of water was placed in the center of the table with an assortment of nuts and preserved meats in small wooden dishes surrounding it. The ale and wines were absent; Fead took this as confirmation that the council's internal deliberations were over and his group would be seeing them later in the morning.

With a small sigh, he poked his head through the main curtain of their temporary quarters and into the outside world. Tennal was present just outside of the archway, as expected, and gave a rather short bow. "You're up early, Commander."

"A bit," he answered before stepping through fully. Even in the dim light of predawn, the city of Summar stretched out in an impressive display of natural beauty. Small points of light shone among the massive trees still mostly veiled by shadows, as if a piece of the night sky had been pulled down from the heavens and set among the boughs. These, of course, were just the smaller lights inside homes or those used to illuminate pathways, but the effect was impressive regardless. "I suppose we have at least a little time before the council calls?"

The elf nodded as he looked out upon the city, taking in the same view Ferad was admiring, "That is my understanding. Stunning view, isn't it?"

"I wouldn't expect anything less after seven centuries of work on the place." The response was a dry attempt at humor.

Tennal glanced at Ferad then shook his head slightly, "That is one way to think of it, I suppose. But then again, while we've been working here, what else has happened in the world?" The guard pulled a small smile of his own, "While it may seem hard to believe, Commander, we tend to be..." Tennal tapped his foot lightly while putting on a look of concentration, "Oh, how does your kind word it... Ah, homebodies. That's right, isn't it?"

Ferad arched his eyebrow at the rather introspective comment, "That's not exactly something I'd expect an elf to say, but yes."

The guard glanced back out over the trees, "It is apt though. In all seriousness, while Summar is something of a masterpiece in many ways, it is still only a single work. It would be like painting just the very corner of a canvas and leaving the rest untouched; such is the vastness of the world compared to Summar, even if we combined it with the other strongholds of our people."

Now this was something Ferad never thought he'd hear from one of the Folk, except maybe Farisia, and then only if she were speaking without another of her people present. "True, but there's not many elves."

"But, Commander, there are human hands, and where those are few, there are still yet others such as your Officer Skeks." Tennal gave a small sigh, noting Ferad's rather surprised reaction, "I'm not suggesting we conscript the other races or anything of the sort." The elf motioned back towards the city as he continued, "When I see what has been done here, I just can't help but imagine what more we could have accomplished over the centuries if we had worked together with you rather than isolated ourselves."

Ferad held his gaze on the guard for a few moments, "Honestly, I wish more of you thought like that. Even if the Northern Wars failed, it did keep the world divided."

"Indeed it did. Which may have been part of the goal anyway, Commander. Enemies of the Light come in many forms, and some of them play the long game, as they say." Tennal took a deep breath, forcing himself to lighten the conversation, "But that is another topic altogether. It seems we've been a bit too loud and managed to wake your companions."

"No, been awake." Skeks emerged with a rather wide, toothy yawn of her own followed by Shield, "Just sense enough to stay quiet so early and let you finish talking." Both were already garbed in their tabards.

Tennal gave a slight nod, "Then perhaps I managed to wake you all when I tended to the table, my apologies."

"No need for that." Ferad stretched once more, popping his shoulders with a slight grunt, "Not sure about anyone else, but I could use a stop at the head and a nice walk before we're grilled with hours of questions." With a slight sigh, he turned his gaze back to the elf, "This way, we're all taken care of in one trip."

Tennal managed to look only slightly embarrassed at the topic of conversation, "Well then, if you all will follow me."

* * *

"Yes, from what I could tell, they just... appeared. One of our patrols was taken completely by surprise, as I've already said. Due to the distance, I couldn't give you exact numbers, but there were some areas where only one, maybe two appeared while higher concentrations arrived to the north east of Commander Ferad's site." Shield had answered this line of questions three times now, just with slight variations in the asking of it. Whatever details might be uncovered by going over this yet again, Ferad couldn't guess. What was surprising was that Percival was included in any of this. Perhaps his role as the head of the city's guard afforded him a place, given that the gnolls had crossed into the Summar forest. Whatever the case, his questions were wearing at Ferad's patience as this was all explained in their initial recounting of the events hours ago, and close to three times beyond that.

Lady Farisia sat at the center of the curved table in the council's chambers with the rest of the elders split evenly to either side. All of them wore what he thought to be their finest robes for the occasion: flowing rivers of white cloth that moved with an elegance beyond reach of normal textiles. Each were embroidered with thread of a single color, perhaps a mark of their family or maybe their position.

The dome was built similarly to their own quarters but much grander in scale. The main table was crafted of the living wood; its surface flawless and perfectly tailored to the space since it literally grew up from the floor at the guidance of the elves. His own group sat at a much smaller table which could be moved around as needed, or removed completely if only the council occupied the space. He was seated in the middle, opposite of Farisia, with Skeks to his left and Shield to his right. They retained their weapons, but due to its size, his own spear sat against the wall behind them. A small selection of refreshments was on the table as well; a fact Ferad was glad of given the length of the briefing so far. If the room wasn't always in use for official business, he would have liked to study its features a bit more.

Farisia held whatever she felt behind a mask of absolute calmness; as the head of the council her role demanded such tact. "There are two things that concern me. The first, of course, is their ability to move undetected by the Sub-commander's gift. The second is the existence of the Fang, as you call them, within their ranks. Both of these would be enough on their own, but when taken together, they point to something much larger happening just outside of our view."

Ferad nodded, "We reached the same conclusion, the possibility of a bigger actor here." Finally the discussion was leading somewhere.

"But the point remains that they managed such a precise arrival," Percival glanced across the room, his eyes lingering on Skeks just a bit longer than anyone else, "And they didn't cross Summar lands this second time. I shouldn't have to say this except for the benefit of our human guests, but that kind of working requires an anchor, usually willing." Ferad didn't like where this was going, and the accusatory tone wasn't lost as the elf turned his icy blue gaze back to Skeks, "Come to think of it, the Sub-commander noted that the group arrived as something of a large ring, conveniently centered around the Commander's tent."

"Tread lightly, guardsman." Sitting at the end of the council's grand table didn't magically make the man any more authoritative than before, and Ferad's tolerance was already razor thin from their less than hospitable welcome.

Perhaps it was the first time someone actually bothered speaking up in one of these things, for the head of the Summar guards looked like he swallowed a particularly sour lemon as he responded, "No, Commander, perhaps you shouldn't be so quick to embrace the very things that..."

"Quick?" Ferad stood from his seat eliciting gasps from a few of the council members at the breach in decorum. "Oh, so let me get this straight. Someone puts up one hell of a fight saving a toddler from the packs, then proceeds to try to fit in with a bunch of people from another species completely, one of them being my abrasive ass mind you, and most of all fights next to me while we save each others' lives. And that's somehow too quick..."

The silver haired elf was all but quivering in anger, "Now you listen to me, you..."

"No, dammit, you listen to me." The elf succeeded where enemies had failed countless times, he got under the commander's skin like no other living being possibly could. Hours of prodding and poking at the decision to spare Skeks, and then at having her join his ranks, had stalled any sort of progress toward the central issue of what to do now. "I don't give two shits about what you think, and frankly I don't think anyone else here does either. The fact of the matter is we bled together putting those beasts down, so I damned well know where her loyalties are. Question that again Percival and I'll personally show you how we..."

"Commander, enough." Farisia spoke in her most authoritative voice, ending the confrontation before it could really begin. At the smug look from the head guardsman she turned to Percival, "That goes the same for you. Both of you." After taking a deep breath and a moment to let the rather tense atmosphere diffuse, she continued, "Commander, while your own experiences give weight to your assessments, Percival is technically correct."

For the first time since he'd met the woman, Ferad glared at the head of the Summar council.

"However," Farisia paused for a moment glancing around the room, "there is another way the groups could appear in such a controlled manner; one which costs a bit more in terms of energy as well as skilled workings. One can act as a guide for the working if they have sight of the destination point." The founder of Summar tapped the wooden surface of the table with her finger. "I do believe the tent was rather out in the open. An easy thing to find for anyone acting in such a role. A human under the veil of Wind would not be detected by Officer Skeks through scent, nor would Sub-commander Shield sense them. Evil or no, they'd still be human."

There were a few nods from the other council members, though the majority of them seemed unconvinced. Ferad's own expression changed as the explanation continued. He'd been blindsided by her first statement, though he should have known better from the start; Farisia hadn't remained the head of Summar by being a fool.

"But as I said, Percival is correct in that Officer Skeks may have been used as an anchor without her knowledge." The woman had a slightly mischievous look in her eye for just a moment, one which Ferad was sure no one on the council noticed. "But that would require her to be marked in some way, and for that, I see no evidence. Which leaves the possibility, however slim, that she is working against us."

Ferad folded his arms over his chest, trying for all he could muster to not lose his temper once again. This sort of slight was getting beyond tiresome. Skeks just laid her ears back with her lip upturned in a silent snarl; it was the second time someone entertained the idea she was an oath-breaker in the span of just a few minutes, let alone all of the previous questioning.

"And that leaves us with only one choice: a simple test." Farisia motioned towards the gnoll in question, "Officer Skeks, if you would be so kind as to take the Commander's spear and set it directly in front of Percival on the table. In turn, Percival, you will take it to me." The elf ended the terms of the test in a broad smile.

Just what was Farisia playing at? There had to be something, but for the life of him Ferad couldn't figure it out. He wasn't sure Skeks would be willing to go along with it, no matter how simple it seemed at this point. Hell, he wasn't sure he was willing to go along with it for that matter, based on spite alone. But one thing was clear: more than one of the council were very surprised by the terms of her test and each one quickly pushed it aside in an effort to conceal their reaction. Percival had been glaring between Ferad and Skeks, and in doing so missed the very subtle nod the head of the council gave.

Ferad took a deep breath and forced himself to relax, "Skeks, I'll have an explanation from them after all this is done. For now though, I'm placing my trust in someone I consider a friend." He glanced back to where his spear was placed against the wall behind him. He only hoped that Skeks trusted him enough to do as he asked.

The snarl was gone, but in its place was a cold acceptance as Skeks turned her gaze to meet his. Her personal honor was tread on several times, and he was asking her to humor a seemingly asinine test related to the very same transgressions. Skeks stood from her seat, took the spear in hand, and stiffly walked over to where Percival sat. She growled her displeasure with the whole thing before setting the spear across the table, none too gently, and returned to her seat.

The shocked expressions of the council were at odds with the simplicity of the task. Skeks seemed to notice this as well; her hackles were still raised, but her ears swiveled forward in curiosity as she observed those seated at the main table. While the other elders seemed in various states of disbelief, Farisia gave Skeks a nod of acknowledgment with her part of the test completed.

Percival rose from his own seat, similarly perplexed by the council's reaction, but he continued on with his own portion of the test. He rounded the end of the table, taking the spear in his hand, and made all of two steps towards his destination when he let out a startled cry that choked itself off into a sobbing fit. He crumpled unceremoniously to the floor in an unconscious heap, his face still twisted in agony by whatever had assaulted his senses. The robes pillowed around him before deflating much as the man had while Ferad's spear clattered against the wood as it rolled freely from the elf's hand.

"Tennal," Farisia eyed the fallen guardsman with something approaching pity, though there was a rather hard edge to her voice as she spoke. At her summons, Tennal instantly appeared through the heavy curtain and gave the council, as well as Ferad's group, a short bow. "It seems as though Percival is no longer up to attending these discussions. Please have him taken to his room, though you are now required to stay in his stead."

With a brief nod Tennal answered, "As you wish," then turned on his heels and departed through the curtain. Within moments, he returned with two other guards who, after getting over the initial unease of seeing their captain collapsed, lifted the limp form of Percival to their shoulders and carried him quickly back through the curtain.

Well, that certainly wasn't what Ferad expected, not that he had any idea of what was supposed to happen to begin with. Shield had remained quiet throughout the whole thing, glancing at her commander with a questioning look after it was all over. He could only shrug in response; she had just as much knowledge of the situation as he did.

Farisia stood, only after Tennal had seated himself, and walked slowly around the table until she was next to the spear. Both Skeks and Shield kept a careful eye on the elf. While Ferad could see the telltale signs of a working being performed, his sub-commander and warrant officer seemed to have felt it happening. As the woman retrieved the spear from the ground, a look of discomfort ran across her features, only for a moment, before she took the spear back to its original spot behind Ferad.

With a silent grace matching the stillness in the room, Farisia moved to the center of the chamber and gave another short nod towards the gnoll, "Officer Skeks, on behalf of the Council of Summar, please accept our apology. Trying though it was, I do thank you for your part in a rather valuable lesson." She turned to the other elders her voice taking on a commanding tone once again. "I know many of you harbored doubts about my judgment in this situation. Now you know beyond such doubts that Commander Ferad is the master of Daybreak. Officer Skeks is his ally and without the taint of Darkness, and neither the spear nor its owner view us as the enemy. This is my word, and as such is the truth recognized by all of Summar."

With one more glance across the chamber, the head of the council practically dared any to say otherwise. What she saw were nods of agreement, and a slight smile running across Tennal's face at her proclamation. "Now then," she turned her eye's focus back to Ferad, "I did hear what you told your officer, Commander, and as my word is my bond, you will have your explanations. For now, though, let us get back to the matter at hand: how we shall prepare for the trials that seem to be mounting beyond our borders."

* * *

It had taken another three hours to distill everything that could be gleaned from the two attacks. The elves had their own reasons for not acting earlier. In the first instance, the gnolls weren't invading Summar, but were passing through its borders and fighting among themselves. When it was discovered humans were involved, word had been sent by way of their speaker. In the second instance, the Summar borders weren't breached. Whether or not one of their scouts saw the ordeal was never discussed, but with these talks the elven city of Summar was roused from its long slumber as an isolated nation. A contingent of elders would be making their way towards the Katalnu, capital of Alkat, but Ferad was tasked with taking advance word. Farisia would be drafting the correspondence herself and she was to meet with them at their guest quarters once finished. Both the human village of Husinbiu and the Western Outpost would retain the contingents already dispatched. Whatever wards could be placed around each to prevent an enemy incursion would be done, though these would be temporary in nature and have to be refreshed to keep the workings active.

"Honestly, it's more than I expected, but I'm glad for it." Ferad took a small handful of nuts from the finely carved bowl. It had been close to two hours since the closure of their business with the council. After a walk to stretch their legs, guided by Tennal of course, they returned to their quarters to await Farisia's letters. Another chair had been set at the table along with a padded stool, more than likely added with Skeks in mind.

Shield swirled a half full cup of deep red wine, undoubtedly thankful for the drink after the length and contentious nature of the talks. With the official business conducted, and with a surprisingly favorable outcome, they could unwind after the strenuous past few days. "The same for me. I hate to think what a band of Scourge could do unchecked in Husinbiu. Between the elves doing their workings and our own detachment, the defenses won't be easily breached. Not by a few raiding bands anyway."

The safety of the townspeople lifted some of Ferad's immediate concerns. With a glance over towards Skeks, his focus shifted to another issue; namely how the gnoll was fairing with everything. She'd been quiet ever since the incident with Percival and the spear, and had only spoken when directly asked to clarify a few things about the Scourge and the Fang in particular. Even after they returned back to their quarters, she carried on in relative silence.

At the moment, she was polishing off the platter of dried meats. They were pleasantly spiced and went well enough with the ale. In Ferad's view, they weren't quite as good as the freshly roasted rabbits had been, but far better than any trail rations and they seemed suited to a goll's tastes. She noticed his attention had shifted and swiped her tongue over her muzzle with her head tilted slightly sideways as she returned his stare for a moment, "You have that look again. What concerns you?"

For someone so devilishly hard to read at times, Skeks could read human expressions extremely well. "Nothing too much, but it's been a hell of a week and you've had the worst of it."

The gnoll's features tensed for a moment, but she eventually blinked and gave a short exhale before setting the platter down. Her ears were only slightly turned back when she did speak, "You worry when you shouldn't." Skeks crossed her arms over her chest, bunching the tabard's blue fabric slightly. She was agitated, perhaps, though not overly so. "But that seems to be your way: worry about small things when not needed, and not worry when greater challenges appear."

Shield gave a small chuckle at the observation, only half hiding it behind her cup. "She's right, you know."

Ferad glanced at his second, "And you know damned well I'm beyond worrying about most things anymore."

"Then let it be so with me." Ferad turned his attention back to Skeks as she continued, "An alpha has an entire pack to handle." Her black eyes met his gaze calmly with only a slight twitch of her rounded ears. Whatever was going on emotionally, she'd keep it well behind a stoic mask while they were in the elven lands so he could deal with his people's needs.

Perhaps his concern was both unneeded and unwelcome. For a gnoll, checking on how a subordinate was doing may be similar to questioning their ability. He could talk it over with her later; once they were out of Summar and on the way to the capital. There'd be plenty of time for discussions while on the road. He nodded, half to himself, in coming to his decision. "Fair enough. But just as with Shield, feel free to speak your mind."

A quick knocking against the outside wall of their room interrupted the conversation. Skeks glanced towards the heavy curtain with her ears pricked forward while Shield set her cup down. Ferad turned himself just in time to see Tennal poke his head in, "It seems Lady Farisia has finished drafting her correspondence. She'll be here in a few moments." The guest quarters had a decent vantage point, the guard no doubt spotted her making her way there.

Ferad finished off the contents of his own wine cup, the liquid washing down the last bit of salt from the roasted nuts. Salting wasn't something the elves normally did, but the refreshments had been prepared with consideration to the tastes of their human guests.

It wasn't long before Tennal knocked again, this time holding the curtain aside for Farisia to enter. Gone was the overly ornate attire she had worn in the council chambers, replaced by a far more comfortable set of simple robes. The usual earthen tones of the elves were on full display, though these had silver threading accents which matched the iris of Farisia's remaining eye. "Tennal, here we are among friends only. Join us." She motioned with her free hand; the other held a satchel bearing the insignia of Summar.

There was a brief look of confusion on the guard's eyes, but he recovered himself quickly, "Ah, as you wish."

"Good." The head of Summar waited until the other elf had entered the room before she turned back to her guests, choosing to sit at one of the free chairs and waited for Tennal to do the same. "Now then, as I'm sure we'll be talking long into the night, Ferad, these are to be delivered to the capital." Two scrolls were pulled from within the satchel. One had both her official seal and that of the city of Summar, while the other was far more plain looking, bearing only her family crest imprinted on the wax. "The first is for your king. It goes without saying, but that is delivered to him and none other. The second goes to the elf that bestowed your spear to you. Again, to him and no other" Farisia put both scrolls back within the satchel and held it out to Ferad.

"Fair enough. I'll see to these as we discussed, but it'll be a day or so longer than usual." Traveling with Skeks required the use of a cart. She had insisted horses were unsettled by her and he'd seen as much with their own mounts.

Farisia poured herself a glass of the water as Ferad stowed the satchel, "With that taken care of, I owe an explanation of what happened at the council, particularly to Skeks, though Ferad and Ellen will no doubt find this informative as well." She inclined her head toward the two humans, though she kept her gaze focused on the aforementioned gnoll, "But before I continue, let me again apologize for what you endured while within our council. Percival is the head of the Summar guards, and with his duties comes a seat when Summar itself may fall under threat. I wouldn't have had him there otherwise."

Skeks merely shrugged, "Humans do the same. They can be ruled by their own rules, even when it makes no sense. For packs, the alpha's judgment alone is law, and Ferad was clear in his intent."

Farisia glanced at Ferad for a moment before turning her eye back to the gnoll, "Be that at is may, it doesn't excuse what happened. But it did lead to an important lesson, and it cleared any doubts others may have had in spite of my own words only hours before." It was brief, but the look of concern was evident on the Lady's face before she brushed it aside, "As you may know, I am not from Summar, though it is named after my family. I am its founder, if you must choose a single elf to give credit to, but many more than just myself fought and bled for this land. The city of my birth no longer exists, the name of Alnugah is lost to the human histories. Every tree in its forest, every fern, every vine and blade of grass; fully raised and burnt by the Scourge."

Farisia took a small sip from her glass. Though centuries old, the loss of her homeland still clearly weighed on the head of Summar. "Two human cities fell before ours, but in those times, while not exactly foes, we weren't allies either. We had no warning, just as when your Meshra fell. They came armed not merely with weapons of war, but with oil, pitch, and tar; plundered from the human cities and put to use against our trees, our home."

Tennal nodded, "Commander, though I wasn't born yet, there are many alive today that were. I've heard the stories, read the accounts of what was done by both sides. Lady Farisia, along with her brother and the guards under his command, pushed through the southern lines set by the Scourge and those associated with them. Humans, not native to these lands, and I don't know the exact lands they hailed from, fought with them. As to why, I can only guess their assistance was deemed useful by those who created the Scourge."

"Tennal is giving me too much credit, Ferad. Yes, with enough of us skilled in the arts related to water, we were able to hold and eventually break through the fire lines set by the Scourge and their allies. What awaited us were archers, pikemen, and the gnolls which made the majority of the infantry. This was the first we had ever seen of them: a half-demon army let loose upon the world that came in what seemed like unending waves." Farisia nodded back to where Ferad's spear was set neatly against the wall. "Which leads us to your spear Ferad, the weapon known as Daybreak. It is both blessed and cursed; a blade whose creation violates everything within our laws. And yet, one which had to be forged."

At Farisia's pause, Tennal picked up the tale, "The humans needed someone capable of standing against the Scourge on equal footing. There are few that know of Daybreak, and fewer still that know how it was crafted. It's a secret even I'm not aware of. But the spear's name comes from its purpose: to see its owner through to the next dawn. I can say Farisia's brother was involved in its design and forging; that is why he is now in exile."

Farsisa gave a small smile at the mention of her sibling, "Not that he's the worse for it, but it does make things difficult for us staying in contact." After a small sigh, Farisia returned her gaze to Skeks. "What you sense is the curse of the spear's blade; a higher demon's curse. With each life taken in service of its master, Daybreak howls for even more. Its thirst drives it to seek out any and all that its master calls foe or that deem its master as such. If Ferad had truly wished harm to befall Percival, or if Percival truly saw Ferad as an enemy, the head of my city's guardsman would probably have been lost in the act of lifting the spear alone. It's howl is an ever present challenge to those that it thirsts for. For others that can hear it's call, it urges them to action. So long as its master or his allies fight, there is a chance for it to drink."

Farisia stood with a small stretch, then walked to where the spear sat against the wall, "The handle is an alloy crafted by both dragon and dwarf, one which links the two sides together in an unnatural bond and enchanted by human workings. The weighted end is the part which my brother crafted. It is blessed, and carries within it the weight of the lives taken by those which Daybreak has slain. This, as with the blade's thirst, is directed only at those that its master sees as foe."

Ferad shook his head, "But that doesn't explain what happened to Percival. The man's an ass, but I don't want to see him dead."

Farisia chuckled at the observation, "And you get ahead of me, but perhaps this particular tale has gone long enough. When I touch or take hold of Daybreak, I work to shield myself from what it contains. Percival doesn't know anything about it, and in ignorance, he took hold of it without any sort of preparations. In the seven centuries since it's forging, how many have been felled by it? And now think of how many each of those had killed. That loss is what Percival felt in the moment he lifted the spear. It is also the reason why only very specific humans are capable of being its master. Ferad is completely deaf to such things; his mind is one which is closed to the influences of the magics. If an elf tried to wield Daybreak, he'd be torn between losing himself to the blade's nearly infinite blood lust and drowning in the wake of the spear's weight."

Shield gave a knowing glance to her commander, "That part at least does make sense. Rem's never been influenced by anything that goes against his beliefs. I always guessed it was just sheer will or stubbornness."

Ferad could only grin, "Well, turns out that's not the case. If anything, I'm just usefully defective."

Farisia failed to hold in her own small laugh, "That, Commander, is one way of putting it."

* * *

Ferad looked out across the night sky, the stars twinkling overhead as they made their slow journey across the heavens. Skeks had excused herself nearly an hour prior, with Shield and Tennal following suit shortly after that. Farisia stood next to him, the silver of her eye matching the stars above. "Tell me, Ferad, what do you make of these events. There are none which can hear us, both of your companions are fast asleep."

He glanced at the elf before returning his gaze to the shining points above, "Honestly, I'm not sure. There's so many sides to this, I can't put everything together just yet. We don't know why the Kestra were attacked. If it was because of who they were guarding, that's one thing. But there's also a chance the Kestra were being hunted, and by more than one pack under the control of someone, or something, named Karvashen. It stands to reason the other Light Touched packs are being actively hunted too, and we've no real understanding as to why."

"That is my fear as well, or one of them at least." Farisia gave a soft sigh as she continued, "It's not much to go on, but there is a name and we have that information thanks to your foresight in sparing the life of a gnoll. Skeks is a unique individual; much like you, the threads of change are woven around her. Probably more so now that she's actually within your ranks. But enough about that, it is getting late and I have ever more things to prepare for." The elf turned to leave, stopping only after a few steps, "Ferad, I do have one more word of advice, and I do bring this up as a friend, rather than the head of Summar."

"Oh?"

Farisia turned to fully face him, the intensity in her gaze catching him off guard, "Your Officer Skeks is working through something you've already gone though, and while she does have... something of a pack at least, it isn't a true pack. The same can be said of you; only you've convinced yourself the realm's forces have filled the role of a family in your own life as of late."

Ferad stared at the woman for a moment. This was more than true, he knew it without it even being brought up. Meshra was his family's home for generations. When it fell, all but the most remote of his relatives were also lost. The lands of Meshra were reclaimed at the end of the conflict, by his own hand even; but without Naji, it was a hollow victory at best. The only thing he could do to keep his sanity at the time was to throw himself completely into his duties and he'd never really stopped doing so. If it meant even one house was spared the fate his had been dealt, it was worth it.

"Ferad," the commander was brought out from his contemplation by Farisia's voice, "what you choose to do will impact this world far beyond even what I can see. And that is far beyond what any other elf is capable of." She tapped the patch over her left eye with a wry smile, "But how things change, how they are shaped, is something my gifts don't reveal, only the magnitude of the change itself. Take care Commander, now more than ever, of those around you as well as yourself." It was sound advice, even if it stemmed from a topic he'd rather not bring up.

* * *

By mid morning, the cart had arrived from Husinbiu by way of the same road they'd been dropped off at. Tennal had remained in their company, and while not perfectly at ease, his demeanor had shifted from that of a polite guard to more of a host. If Farisia was intent on building stronger ties, then Tennal was a good fit for the task.

Exiting the forest proved a far more direct thing than entering it. In little more than a few minutes, the group found themselves standing within feet of the treeline. Another use of the defensive workings of Summar was the ability to reach certain pathways from the city within moments. Ferad never felt anything, neither did his companions, but in turning back all he saw was forest. The vast reaches of the city were probably miles away.

Tennal grinned at the surprised look Skeks gave while she glanced back, "It is somewhat remarkable I suppose, but the effects of the working are extremely subtle to the ones experiencing it. I do think that you would be able to detect it though," he nodded towards Shield, "given proper training that is. That, however, will have to wait for another day."

Ferad saw the covered wagon just where the road ended at the tree line. The horses were happily munching, each kept content by means of a feedbag. The driver was absorbed in some paperwork and had a few pieces of parchment on the seat next to him while he shuffled several more around in his hands.

"Then until next time, Tennal." Ferad held his hand out to the elf.

"Until next time, Commander Ferad. The same for you both as well," the guard answered while he took each of their hands in turn, ending with Skeks. "And may our paths cross again soon."

* * *

Traveling by cart wasn't as fast as by horseback, but it was more comfortable and far faster than by foot. The cart was well stocked with provisions for their journey; even without hunting, there was sufficient food for them along enough feed to last the horses for a few days longer than the trip should take.

The driver was one of his own solders, a veteran of some years by the name of Wells. The sergeant had an even personality and primarily kept the stables in running order with an array of youth under his direct supervision. When the orders came through to provision a cart and driver, he volunteered for the simple reason that the usual stable hands wouldn't be of much use in a fight should the need arise.

Thalbi had given them both a quick examination before they left, the stitches were holding well enough, and for once they didn't return in worse shape than when he'd last seen them. A near miraculous thing indeed, remembering the healer's parting comment made the commander chuckle while he leaned against the railing.

Skeks sat opposite of him in the back of the cart, watching in relative silence as the scenery rolled by. Every so often, maybe twice within each hour, she'd raise her head and scent the air. Not that there was much else to do, but after how much she'd been through, and to a lesser extent himself, it was a welcome change of pace. Shield would handle the defenses of Husinbiu, Ferad had no doubt of that, just as he held confidence in Braxton's management of the Western Outpost.

Little remained of Skeks's original attire, her belt and supply pouches were about it. The armor was shredded well past repair, and her waist cloth was also damaged beyond salvage. The tabard of the kingdom's colors fit well enough, with the additions of his own green and silver as bands across the arms of the undershirt, Skeks would easily be known to be of the kingdom and in Ferad's command; if anyone bothered looking beyond the fact she was a gnoll.

"Smell anything?" She had just finished scenting the air again, but thankfully her hackles and posture remained mostly neutral.

Skeks focused her dark gaze on him, with her rounded ears forward and alert. "Just horse and other faint scents left on the trail. No packs."

Ferad nodded, then stretched a bit to loosen the tightness that came with sitting in a cart for several hours. "Figured as much. The further in Alkat we are, the less of a chance that's going to be. We'll pass though a few smaller towns on the way to Katalnu, but unless you want to stop at an inn, we'll camp out and make more distance per day." He already knew her preference for staying outside when possible, so he'd give her the opportunity to do so while they still had the chance. Once they made it to the walls of the capital, they'd have no choice in the matter.

If she caught the reasoning behind his decision, she didn't acknowledge it. "No inns. The messages will get delivered faster."

"Wells," he turned his attention to the man driving the cart, "we can pick up anything needed for the horses as we pass through, but we'll be making all due haste."

The sergeant glanced back with a slight nod, "Aye, there's places along the way we can pull off. Been traveling these ways long before you took over the fort, Commander. We'll get there fast as anyone else but a single rider." Wells looked forward again, giving the reigns a bit of a tug, "Course the food won't be as good, but we've got plenty on hand."

"That we do, Sergeant." There wasn't much they could really do about it; traveling fast meant keeping on the road as long as the horses could comfortably do so and breaking camp as early as possible. It didn't leave much time for hunting or food preparations, so the basic trail rations would have to suffice.

Ferad turned his attention back to the surroundings, choosing to keep his concerns to himself for the time being. The peaceful countryside provided little to keep his mind focused elsewhere, so it was free to spin off on whatever idle worry crossed his thoughts. Skeks was still using only to her abbreviated answers at most, and that kept working its way to the forefront. During the vigil for her fallen pack she'd been far more talkative; even during their fight against the Fang she offered more expansive conversation. There were a few times where she seemed a bit more lively, but these were few and far between.

Worried or not, there wasn't much he could do to force the issue, save maybe outright ordering her to talk. With a quick glance up, he decided it'd be about as productive as doing so to a brick wall. Ferad adjusted his position, leaning his head back against the folded bed roll. Might as well rest while he could; Wells had the cart, and there wasn't anything else to do as the wheels turned with an occasional squeak.

* * *

Well into sunset, they'd reached one of the points Wells mentioned earlier. The road widened out a bit, with a few places packed hard enough for the cart to be pulled off to the side. The clearing was regularly used by travelers that, for one reason or another, weren't making use of the inn several miles back. What looked to be a merchant's cart was pulled off a few hundred yards ahead, with a small tent and fire set for the evening.

A small stream ran close to the road, and Wells was able to guide both of the horses there for some fresh water while Skeks and Ferad went to work setting up their own tent and getting the camp ready. The mares still weren't too keen on the presence of a gnoll, but they complied with a few encouraging pats to return to the camp. Both were tied off to a solid tree and presented with a bag of oats as a reward for the long day's work. Maybe with enough exposure the horses wouldn't be quite as spooked around Skeks.

"Sir, if it's all the same, I'll stay with the cart tonight." Wells nodded back toward where the cart had been pulled off the main roadway. They made a slightly larger camp than usual, just to keep a bit of distance between Skeks and the horses. "It'll keep anyone from making a try for our supplies, and I can see to the mares without having to go as far."

"We'll keep an eye out too, but if you're happier with the cart rather than a tent, that's fine." Perhaps the sergeant liked the open skies better than the confines of the smaller scout tents.

"That'd be best, by my way of lookin' at it." Wells nodded back to the tent, "Once your officer's done with setting up the fire, I'll have the pot ready. Nice bit of stew to be had in 'bout an hour or so." Heated water would take about that long to soften up the dried meat and root vegetables. With the plans settled, the sergeant went back to the cart to check on the wheels and give the horses one more look over.

Turning back, Ferad saw Skeks putting the final touches on the fire ring. A few of the stones had to be replaced, and Skeks had added some fresh kindling with some logs they'd pulled from the cart's supplies. She had her own flint and tools for setting the fire. Most of these were in her pouch when they found her, though a few were added back in Husinbiu. With only a few strikes of the flint, the gnoll had enough sparks to catch the kindling and she carefully brought the flame to life.

Ferad squatted down beside his newest officer, "Thanks for getting that started. Wells will have some stew ready to once the logs are up to temperature."

Skeks carefully blew on the flame to coax it higher, but she did glance up and give him a brief nod. While she got the fire going, Ferad turned his attention to finishing out the camp. The bedrolls still needed to be laid out, and he could get the tripod set up over the fire for the stew.

The light from the dancing flames gave the site a soft glow that pushed back the growing darkness of the evening. After hanging the pot on the tripod, Wells made his way over to the other camp to chat with the travelers. If there were any disturbances, it'd help if they knew men of the realm were camped just a short ways away; and in introducing himself as such, anyone within earshot would know too. Sometimes, just the knowledge that an armed and well trained group was near by was enough to ward off trouble.

* * *

It wasn't exactly the best fare, but the stew was a filling meal and settled well after the long day's travels. Skeks had finished off three bowls of it herself. With how far her reserves had been pushed, it'd take both plenty of food and time to fully recover. Ferad managed two bowls, while Wells had one along with some hearty bread. Shortly after the meal was finished, the sergeant had bid them both a good night and excused himself back to the cart.

One thing that did bother Ferad was the complete lack of conversation. Wells may not be the most talkative of people, but the man would usually speak every once in a while if only to fill the silence. The same could normally be said of Skeks; although with the exception of the customary good night, neither one offered much in the way of words.

The tent flaps were both tied open, giving a full view to the world outside. Low winds, little to no clouds, and a relative dryness in the air held the promise of good weather throughout the night. The stars and moon offered some light to see by, though the fire added its own to the immediate area tinting everything a flickering orange hue.

Skeks had taken the tabard and undershirt off, carefully folding them both in the tent's back corner and putting the belt and pouches on top. She'd claimed the bedroll on the right side without much more than soft huff to herself. Ferad took the other roll after shedding his own tunic and pants, though the undershirt and trousers were kept on. He placed the satchel directly under his head with his left arm through the strap; it was a final safeguard in case someone tried to make off with it or otherwise tamper with its contents.

Ferad yawned widely feeling the pull of sleep. His body had finally come to terms with the fact that there'd be nights spent outside of a proper bed while they were on the road. After a good night's rest he'd feel refreshed. Maybe a clear mind could come up with some way to at address his growing concerns. With that thought, he pulled the roll's cover over himself and got settled in.

It took only a few minutes for him to push the cover back down and glance at the other bedroll. Skeks was awake, her eyes reflecting against the firelight. That was probably the cause for Ferad's waking in the first place: he always did have a sense for when someone was watching him. "Can't sleep?"

The gnoll blinked and turned her head away, "Yes, but it will pass." Her back was all that remained in his view.

Why was it always like pulling teeth? "Fine, but I'm not letting it go this time. What's wrong?" She may be stubborn, hell all gnolls might be for all he knew, but that didn't make her any more so than himself.

Skeks glanced back over her shoulder, "You always assume something is wrong."

Ferad took the time to sit up so he could speak with her properly, "Not always. But right now, yes."

With an exasperated huff she sat up and turned to fully face him, ignoring her own state of undress. For a moment she studied his face, her black eyes locked with his own as if looking for something hidden there. With a slow exhale she looked away towards the fire of their camp. "What do you see when you look at me?" Her ears swiveled back with the question.

"Well, first you." Sensing that she wanted something more he continued, "An ally; someone with more backbone than most... Skeks, I'm not sure where you're going with this."

She returned his statement with a sidelong glance, "And the elves, or most of your own soldiers? Tell me what they see."

What would they see? A gnoll, perhaps, first and foremost. Ferad came upon the aftermath of her pack fighting the Scourge; that cemented her status as something more than just another gnoll, once he understood what the situation was. Shield had seen the same, and so would've come to the same conclusions about her. Braxton knew enough to trust their judgment and his opinions would start there.

That was his own inner circle, but what about everyone else? The elves acted pretty much as he thought they would, though Farisia and Tennal had shown themselves willing to be her allies. Many probably still felt as Percival did, but he doubted they'd ever say as much out loud. His own troops may well harbor the similar feelings, but given his orders, they'd be unwilling to lend voice to their concerns. Was that it?

"At first, I would've said a Warrant Officer. That's how it's supposed to be anyway. Shield, Braxton, even Thalbi would see you in that light; but that's because they've bothered to get to know you. Everyone else, probably even Wells out there, they'd see a gnoll."

"Then you understand in part," Skeks held her gaze outside. "But if it were just gnoll, then no matter. They have no reason to trust or distrust." Her ears flattened back as she tried to hold the edge from her voice, "They see Scourge, Ferad. One staying close to their Commander, one wearing the colors of their kingdom, but still Scourge."

"For some, well probably many, yes. That's what they'll see at first anyway." Ferad took a deep breath, if only to collect his thoughts for a moment. "Has anyone said anything?"

"It would be better if they did, as then it would be brought out and dealt with. But no. They speak in whispers, if at all. Mostly it's what I smell from them: fear and hostility." Skeks pushed her ears forward, giving a slight hint of her high pitched laughter, "And this is what I am supposed to be pack with."

"No." The bluntness of his reply pulled her focus back towards him with a questioning look. "Not like it was with the Kestra, anyway." Ferad knew full well how this went; his own life had taken a similar path and it led to nowhere; nothing beyond his desk along with headaches and putting up with more shit than any one man should.

"Skeks, take this from someone that's put, well this," he motioned around the tent, "in the place of family. Don't go down that road. The command works like a pack in certain ways: there's a chain of command, you know who to listen to, where you're supposed to be because it's all laid out. But it's not a pack."

His Warrant Officer blinked a few times, her rounded ears swiveling in thought.

"But that's not to say you can't have one, Skeks. Shield does. It's a small family, and George, her husband, has kin in Husinbiu. That's what our duties allow."

Skeks nearly growled her response, "Impossible. What sort of pack can there be when all around there is nothing but distrust? The Kestra were all I could ever have, Ferad. How many gnolls are here? Humans, elves, both are here. No gnolls, and surely none that can accept what I am."

"Damn it, Skeks, that's part of this, alright. Time." Ferad fought to keep his own voice from rising, "Give it time. Listen, people will come around. Look fucking Samin, that little squat guy that hadn't seen a gnoll before in his life, welcomed you with open arms; too open actually, based on what you, and your pack, did."

The commander knew he was in over his head, but this needed some sort of closure or it'd eat at her far longer than it should. "There's others that see it that way too. Yes, they may not be in the majority, but they're there. Braxton, Shield, Thalbi, and me. And if it's gnolls specifically, given everything going on, we may well run into more light touched: packs in the exactly the same boat as the Kestra were."

"Again, you only understand in part, Ferad. The Kestra were all that would accept me as we're bound by blood. Any other pack... would find me difficult." Skeks took a deep breath, forcing her voice even, though her hackles betrayed her tension. "Months before joining the hunt, I was taken by a Scourge pack. Five days, Ferad. They held me. If you ever wonder why I hate the breakers out of all, that is why. I remain whole, not for lack of their efforts; no, they lacked nothing in their attempts. My pack managed to save me, before any lasting damage. But not before..." her voice trailed off and her ears splayed back behind her hackles.

Ferad felt the pit of his stomach drop. Instantly he was back in his old homestead, bearing witness to the Scourge's actions against his own family, his own wife and unborn son. Gods, finding Naji's body in that state, with them, had all but destroyed him. Skeks wasn't killed in those five days, but shit, what would have been done to her...

"That, Ferad, is why I am without child even more so than from the lack of potential mates. There is no gnoll I can stand; none of my own kind that I can stomach." Even saying this much was tearing her apart, "As accomplished in the hunt as I am, as much as I may defend my pack against any that threaten it; those will never be enough. I can live alone, or I can make my way with this... command, as you call it... not quite a pack. Whatever."

How much did the Scourge take? How far could they screw things up for so many? Humans, other gnolls, even the elves had losses... But no, they couldn't take everything, not yet anyway; and the bastards, the Fang themselves, may just have given him a way to solve one thing. "Skeks, put everything aside. Just answer this." Gods let this be the right choice.

Skeks looked at him with a mix of emotions beyond his ability to read, "One question. Only one."

"Under what conditions can someone be part of the pack?" Skeks righted her ears and raised her head back slightly. From nearly done with everything to confused; perhaps Ferad did have a sort of twisted luck in being the better bastard. "We'll keep it simple. For the Kestra, specifically. How would someone join."

After a moment's pause, she drew a short breath, "That is for the alpha to decide. At the least, show that they will defend the pack; even at their own peril. And perhaps pay honor to the pack in other ways. This would usually be enough, but why..." A look of dawning crossed her features then suddenly mixed with a horrified refusal of the very concept, "No."

"No?" Ferad drew the word out indignantly. Oh, and why the hell not?

Commander Ferad folded his arms across his chest, all the while keeping his questioning gaze pinned right against those black orbs. Skeks slipped into the gnoll's language muttering a variety of... curses maybe? All the while shaking her head.

"So then back when we faced off against the Fang," Ferad lifted one hand, pointing directly at Skeks, "I distinctly heard..."

"Don't you..." Only the tent kept her from raising to her full height in defiance.

"No, I damned well will; and more than that, I didn't deny it back then." Now that was a lucky stroke, and Skeks was putting two people's word on the line. "And I won't now. To hell with how other packs are run. What, is it because I'm human?"

"Yes!" She nearly screamed the answer, though she forced herself to calm down before continuing, "Yes. Humans are only found in Scourge packs, and only when broken. That would make you..."

Ferad matched her initial intensity, "To hell with what anyone else thinks! Do I give one damned care what the Scourge think; what the Fang think? No!" He slowed his own breathing, all the while facing her, "Listen, It's not just them either. The Summar council, the advisers of my own kingdom, none of them matter; whatever they say. There's no law preventing it and there's no rule that says I can't join another family, or take someone into my own. You'll stay part of my command Skeks, that much won't change. But like it or not, I've been pushing back against the Scourge for eight years, Skeks. Four actively fighting against Mahozarm, and another four training people to fight them. When the Fang fell, it left the remains to fall on us, ones which overran us by sheer numbers alone. That night we damned well were a pack to them, and to us."

Skeks was staring at him in disbelief, "I will not have a packmate be seen as broken,"

"And I won't be. Hell, I talk better shit than those Fang ever did. Sure there's parts of me that are well beyond messed up, but I'm damned sure not broken. Skeks, how many did we, you and me, put down?" Ferad did a quick mental count, "Eight? At least that. If I had to guess, that's how the best of the packs fight; and we were winging it. There's what, a second in command, right?"

Skeks glared at him, "One question was allowed, but yes, a beta. Someone close to the alpha. Sometimes, but not always mates."

"Alright then. I stood vigil, Naji's name shares the same space as the Kestra. We both came in for the save that night. What else is there? There's two here, Skeks. And in the face of the Fang, staring those bastards down, we both held to packmates. Prior to that, yeah, you were the surviving Kestra, and by default the pack's alpha." Ferad let his voice drop to a tone of finality. "It's small, Skeks, yes, but it's there: a pack. The same one you've been a part of all along, but now you have my sorry ass to deal with."

Skeks started her high pitched laughter in earnest as she closed the distance between them, "No, Ferad. Now you have it backwards. I am no oath-breaker; you've seen to that this night and held me to my words. So it remains true." She growled out the rest through gritted teeth, mere inches from his face, "Just as I named you pack to the Fang, to Farisia I named you Alpha. And there, you," his newly appointed packmate shoved her knuckle into his chest to avoid spearing him outright, "didn't deny it then. My oath, now given, is to serve as the Kestra's beta. I will aid you in any way, I will fight any foe, I will follow you to any end, Alpha Ferad Rem." With a forced breath huffed through her nose at him, Skeks turned and stalked from the tent and out into the night; leaving an outmaneuvered and rather surprised commander nearly speechless.

"Well, shit," he finally managed to say to himself. For all his planning and quick thinking, the damned gnoll still managed to get the last word in. Ferad glanced around the tent, noting the two sets of clothes neatly piled in the corners. He grudgingly dawned his own gear then set off with her attire in hand.