[center][h3][u][color=#B8860B] Mahal Agha[/color][/u][/h3][/center][center][color=#B8860B] "No...Why would you ask that?"[/color][/center][hr][hr][u]In the Company of Warriors [/u] [sub]Date: 19th of Velles, Victendes Time: After Dusk Location: Pelolia Village island, Moatu Suva [/sub] [hr] [center][youtube]https://youtu.be/3qRrKBmJtc4?list=PLYXwQqq6DlK-GgxOArhvDCMr0Dkq-wfKP[/youtube][/center] [hr] Wandering over to Prince Tamatoa's group, Mahal thought about their little encounter earlier. While chasing the girl, she didn't see them until a sonic blast was cast. She was too slow and it nicked her. Mahal didn't think when she whipped a fireball back at the source. No one was there, but more warriors appeared. They quickly outnumbered her. With daggers still drawn, she boosted herself with the Gift and bolted off. Despite her best efforts to lose them, they forced her back to the shore. Things settled down after that. Her eyes darted down to the wound on her leg. Despite its freshness, it looked older. She was thankful for her mana type now. Her eyes lifted up when the men's voices grew louder. Drawing to the edge of the group, she folded up her legs and sat down to listen. As Mahal sat at Tamatoa's fire, some of the others caused a bit of commotion giving the Palapar girl the distinct impression she had broken some unknown courtesy or tradition. However, the prince is quick to settle them, they had not been the ones with him by the shore and didn't know the context. He stood, walked over to her, and sat beside her. [color=e4e675]"An apology is mine to make,"[/color] he spoke semi-formally but it wasn't difficult to find guilt in his eyes. [color=e4e675]"Had I known you to be a countrywoman, I would have never attacked. But tonight isn't one that rewards hesitation, not when my little sister was on the line."[/color] As if to mark his point the sounds of cannon fire followed not too soon after. The sounds of people who presented a very real danger. Mahal's temper flared when the men became agitated. Her form tensed and her jaw clenched, venomous words formed on the tip of her tongue. Before she spoke, the prince acted and calmed them. Her eyes watched him until he settled down beside her. She relaxed upon hearing her native tongue being uttered. While she was decent at Avincian, she still struggled with it. She clicked her tongue against her teeth. [color=#B8860B] "Tch. Why apology for your actions? For all you knew, I was a threat and protecting family is not wrong."[/color] Her leg stretched out, letting the fire illuminate the wound. [color=#B8860B] "I was weak and slow so I deserved the wound. It is already healing, see?"[/color] [color=e4e675]"I don't apologise for my choices, only their outcomes"[/color] Tamatoa corrected her. [color=e4e675]"It is the duty of a warrior to fight for what is worth protecting. But it is also their obligation to correct harm caused where it wasn't intended."[/color] He spoke those words not as a man who understood them to be his own, but a boy reciting them and still trying to understand their full meaning. [color=e4e675]"My binding is... in development. But I should be able to help that, if you'll allow me to correct the mistake."[/color] He pointed to the leg wound. Reaching into her hip pouch, she retrieved something pinkish white and covered in red. A raw chicken bone dusted with spices. [color=#B8860B] "I am more concerned about your behavior toward the Eeaiko of my group. She has done nothing wrong, yet you act as if she has insulted you or done worse. Why? "[/color] He frowned when she brought up the Eeaiko. [color=e4e675]"You would hold some odd looks in higher regard than your own health? Don't be foolish."[/color] This felt awkward and wrong in a way she couldn't explain. Mahal expected this type of reaction from Lunara or even Salim. Not a stranger and especially not someone stronger. She popped the bone into her mouth, letting her teeth crunch it into smaller chunks. It gave her moment to calm her frustration. Once she swallowed, she spoke again. [color=#B8860B] "I think the same of you. I have had endured far worse than this and I heal quicker than most. "[/color] Her eyes shifted, recalling her tattoo hiding the facts she spoke of. Sonic blast was far better to heal from than thunderbolt at least. [color=#B8860B] "However, since you insist I won't stop you. "[/color] She shifted her leg closer to him while changing the topic. [color=#B8860B] "The wreck seems to have collected a lot of unwanted attention. Enough to push the school into sending us."[/color] [color=e4e675]"Thank you."[/color] Tamatoa place his hands on her leg and began healing. Perhaps in other cultures, this would have earned jokes or the odd laugh from the other warriors. That a such a simple and unnecessary act of kindness was performed by their leader. This was not the case. He gave a stern look of worry to Mahal as she ate the bone, completely pausing his healing efforts. But he laughed it off once it sunk in that the girl fully intended to do that and it was beneficial. The Prince had never seen the Glutton mana type before. [color=e4e675]"You're right about the wreck. First the pirates come, then the Virangish no far behind."[/color] Mahal might have picked up a further dip in the Princes mood, as if he held the Virangish in lower standing than the pirates. [color=e4e675]"And we are left to sit here, doing nothing while their stray cannon shots destroy our home."[/color] Mahal didn't react to the Prince's look, though it made her self aware. She had struggled with her monstrous appetite since her Gift manifested. Over the years, she found ways to deal with it that included meat and insect rich meals to season bones. Her eyes glanced over her leg, checking it more out of habit than distrust. [color=#B8860B] [i]Not bad,[/i][/color] she thought. She gritted her teeth at the mention of the Virangish ships. They had no reason to be here, but they used their connections with Palapar to farther their own politics and power. [color=#B8860B] "Well if one comes this way, it will be sent right back where it came from."[/color] Mahal's tone sounded confident in this. Her eyes glanced back to the Prince. [color=#B8860B] "Has any of your tribe been hurt or clashed with the Virangish on the island? I assume someone had to been curious about the wreckage."[/color] Tamatoa chuckled a little and waved off her question. [color=e4e675]"No, no, the Virangish prefer to hide behind their treaties. That way they can keep believing they are in the right. They wouldn't fight us for no reason."[/color] [color=e4e675]"What they have hurt is our pride."[/color] The Prince's face was stern and his voice picked up. Mahal no longer got the impression that his words were solely directed at her, but all those at the fire. The other young warriors made their agreements known. [color=e4e675]"We have had no problems fighting pirates off in the past. But it is only now that there is something valuable on our shores that the Virangish show up and insist on providing their protection. This battle [i]could[/i] have been over. But now we sit on the shore doing nothing. Nothing! While they pillage our shores under that protectorate facade. All allowed for by the treaty the mainland signed."[/color] The Prince fought back the urge to spit. Just then a warrior girl around Mahal's age came running from the shoreline with a hurry. "Prince Tamatoa! There are others coming to shore. They look to be Virangish." In reply, the Prince rose with his spear. [color=e4e675]"Then we go out to meet them."[/color] He looked back to Mahal and appeared as though he was going to ask her to join. But then he stopped himself and thought something over. [color=e4e675]"Mahal, you stay here."[/color] Then he left with the others before he could give a reason why. Mahal [i]had[/i] been asked to remain at the fire. But was she really going to? The answer that was simple: [color=#B8860B][i]No... Why would you ask that?[/i][/color] Mahal tensed at the Prince's request. She had already pulled up onto her feet when the others started to rush into the thick of the jungle. He thought she was weak. The belief sliced through her like obsidian through flesh, her pride bleeding a bit. Instead of listening, she drew in energy and silenced her footsteps. She rushed toward the shore after them.