[h1][center][color=#FFE924]Tales of the Suneater: A Gift from the Plains[/color][/center][/h1] The demons had left just as soon as they arrived, it would take the Suneater and his cohorts some time to learn of the grand assault by the infernal monsters upon the city of Sylann. The city had survived, which was good, their workshops were essential for the Suneater’s plans, and sure enough once the demons had retreated, trade had returned. The rivers of the Four Daughters had returned to life with the great beetle boats that darted between the docks along it, bringing goods and materials throughout. With the threat gone, the Suneater returned to the most boring of tasks, logistics. After the feast of their victory, the Snouters of the Rock Tooth Clan had sworn fealty to the Suneater, the southern lands transformed into their dominion to expand the farms that would feed the growing empire. The farms of Snouters were only emboldened by more refugees from the west, and the works of Anu to enhance their crops. With the food situation resolving itself, he turned to other matters, hiring several goblin blacksmiths from Sylann and assigning them to work with the Strider Namtar so that they could produce the tools and weapons they needed. Meanwhile, Konne and the Strider Marduk would set out expanding the army, more refugees pouring in meant more people to defend and more towns to establish. While the 300 Gloinks would expand themselves, it would not be enough, so formal recruitment and training had to be established. All the while, the Suneater himself set about a grand plan, by now the village he had called home had grown tenfold, its population booming from trade and refugees that hadn’t been picked up by Sylann. The growth had been haphazard and shoddy while he was attending to other matters, but now it was time to fix that. He had gathered the best builders he could find in his domain and assigned them to design him a capital fit for a King, grand walls of stone and wood, a central marketplace, a temple for the gods, a greater dockyard, and especially a palace fitting for a King. The work would take time, but now, with some level of peace, it was time they would have. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It had been a few cycles by now, and the work was coming along nicely. The walls were the first to be built, just in case another horde suddenly appeared. And now builders and workers went about the growing town, mingling with the townsfolk as they improved the paths and reframed the buildings. Some had gripped and grumbled about the intrusion, but all of them had relented at the idea of a far more manageable home. Tyryk himself stood nearby upon one of the many hills nearby the town. It was just big enough to give him a vantage point to overlook the construction and the town as a whole. Nearby stood his most trusted advisors, Konne and Polassar, the Strider had been instrumental in organizing the work with their skills of communication, and Konne had long proven herself a capable fighter and confidant. The three of them stood, silently taking note of what was going on. [color=#FFE924]“How much longer until the stone arrives from the mines?”[/color] He suddenly asked, not looking away from the town. Polassar looked into the bag that was slung at their side, pulling out a parchment scroll that they opened up. [color=#63416e]“According to the report it should be here in a few days.”[/color] [color=#FFE924]“Good, and the shipments from the Rock Tooths?”[/color] [color=#63416e]“Should be here in the morning,”[/color] They didn’t even need to check a scroll for that one. [color=#63416e]“Chief Znorick has also reported success with meeting with the new clans that have arrived. So long as they can continue their fighting games.”[/color] The warlord nodded along. [color=#FFE924]“Of course, ask one of the architects to throw up some designs for a fighting arena for the Snouters. That will be our next big project.”[/color] [color=#63416e]“Yes Lord Suneater.”[/color] A chuckle came from Konne.[color=#FFA845] “Sounds like a perfect place for training.”[/color] [color=#63416e]“If you wish to face that lot in hand to hand combat, be my guest.”[/color] Polassar added. [color=#63416e]“Fighting for fun? Who does that?”[/color] [color=#FFA845]“Me of course.”[/color] Konne scoffed. The strider merely sighed while shaking their head, returning their focus to the construction ahead of them. The other two quickly joined back into the silence as well, allowing their thoughts to return to the tasks at hand. That was, until the sudden arrival of a familiar Gloink, clad in their familiar layers of pink and green bone armor. [color=#FFE924]“What news do you bring Berry?”[/color] Tyryk asked. “New arrivals from west!” The Gloink pointed down one of the trodden roads that lead out of the town. There Tyryk could see an arriving caravan, though he could not yet see who was in it. [color=#FFE924]“Very well, Polassar, continue your work, Konne and I will go meet the newcomers. Lead the way Berry.”[/color] The Gloink eagerly turned around, leading the warlord away from the hill, and towards the new arrivals. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The carriage rolled along the paved stone paths. The wooden wheels on the right side of the carriage rolled over a particularly large pebble, and the whole thing rocked. “Oomph!” grunted Shah as she bounced inside of the rough carriage. Her two large feline ears folded backward as she grabbed onto the nearest heavy thing she could find for dear life. A small, slender hand came to rest on top of Shah’s head right between the two fluffy triangles that were her ears, making her perk up right away. She chuckled and squirmed, eliciting a smooth laugh from the larger person next to her. “Mom, that feels weird.” “Huhm…” Shah’s mom scrunched her nose up for a sec, but ultimately ignored Shah’s complaint and actually started to scratch one of her ears. Shah’s body reacted on its own. In a split second, a paralyzing chill ran down her spine and froze her tail in place, and then she practically headbutted her mom’s side. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her mom and let herself pretty much melt into the petting. “Shah hates this…” Shah whispered. “Huhm. Really?” Her mom asked. If Shah hadn’t melted into a puddle, she might’ve noticed the smug smile on her mother’s face. “You should be more honest, Shah.” Minutes later, the carriage came to a stop and Shah managed to regain control of her body when her mom withdrew her hands from her head and patted her back instead, which prompted her to flutter open her eyes. “WOMAN!” The flaps of cloth covering the back of the carriage were pulled open by a large man. He, like both Shah and her mom, had feline ears on the top of his head and an abundance of hair. His black mass of hair was done into a massive braid which looked so heavy that it could probably be used to drag a river bug to land without a single strand breaking. “SO YOU STEAL KAH’S DAUGHTER’S ATTENTION WHILE KAH WORKS HIS ASS OFF TO GET US TO THE SUNHOUSE?!” The man, Shah’s father, huffed and jumped up onto the back of the carriage, nearly breaking the entire thing with his weight, and rushed over to tackle Shah and drag her into a bear hug. “Aaah Shah, Shah! Kah’s fluffy little thingy!” He was ecstatic, Shah knew that because she could hear his heartbeat going crazy. All she could do however was try to survive her dad’s arms as he seemingly tried to squeeze the life out of her. “She’s the goddess of cuteness, ain’t she Imara? Our little Shah is the best Shah!” He gloated, rubbing his face all over the top of Shah’s head. “Huhm… Kah,my love, Shah’s hair has to be perfect…” Imara, Shah’s mom, said in a perfectly calm tone. She was now standing next to the other two and slowly reaching for one of Shah’s ears again, only for her plan to be thwarted when Kah let go of Shah and the teenager hid behind him. “Ahh, that was great. Kah feels like he’s come back to life! But sadly, we must carry out our duties now. Kha’s sorry, little Shah.” Kah sighed and with that, Shah knew that playtime was over. Immediately, she meekly made her way to her mom and let her start to fix her hair and smooth out the wrinkles in her ornate ceremonial dress. It was a beautiful dress, mainly red but with white and green accents and plenty of tassels. Over her dress she wore an equally ornate poncho, this one made out of the multicolored fur of a beast that her father had slain just a couple months prior. It all suited her well and her tan skin, golden eyes and extremely thick and long hair only made her look better. “Duties…. So…” Shah began but trailed off. She grabbed and pulled at the edges of her furry poncho. Her mom kissed the top of her forehead. She had to stand on her tiptoes to do so. “Huhm… We will always be with you, Shah. Know this, we love you. Nothing will change this.” With a final check, her mom grabbed Shah’s shoulders and turned her around to face her dad. He was like a wall of muscle, and that massive, rough, scarred wall of muscle was sniffling and barely holding back a river of tears. He opened his mouth to try to speak, but thought twice and simply rubbed his eyes and nose dry and nodded. Shah nodded back at him and the father went to the back of the carriage and jumped off. He held the flaps of cloth open with one hand and offered Shah the other, which she took. With his help, jumping off the carriage almost felt like she was flying. She flinched a bit as her bare feet touched the scalding hot paved stone road and watched as her dad pulled out a small wooden box out of the carriage and handed it to her. With that he took a deep breath and so did Shah, and they walked out from behind the carriage to meet the people they had traveled for weeks to reach. To Shah, who had been born and raised in a secluded village, just the existence of stone roads had been amazing. But the buildings that surrounded her? The dozens of people that stood on the sidelines, watching her every move and whispering amongst themselves? It was overwhelming. Before she could tear up, her dad poked her side and smiled at her. Out of the crowd that had assembled emerged several people. Every single one looked different to the last, and every single one was either so scarred that they dwarfed her father’s battle scars, or so powerful that their mere presence silenced the whispers of the crowd. The latter were two, a bird-kin woman and a Hyena-kin man, though his long reptile tail and scattered scales showed his mixed blood. Shah’s dad knelt down as soon as he saw the man, dressed in a long cloak of green that covered the shining armor and multicolored cloth along the rest of his body, and looking at them like they were prey to be eaten. Shah didn’t need to kneel, as her height standing tall was the same as her dad’s when he knelt down. “Suneater!” Shah’s father began. “We of the Plainstalker clan bring you a gift. Our most precious treasures are yours to take, as long as you promise to share your prosperity with us of the Plains.” That was her cue, Shah thought. She took a surprisingly steady step forward and stretched her arms forward, offering the small wooden box to the Suneater. The Warlord stood where he was, his gaze changing to a more curious look. It had not been the first he had been offered tribute, but this was certainly the most extravagant. But regardless it was always nice for new subjects to come to him then the reverse. [color=#FFE924]“I welcome the Plainstalker Clan and the gifts you bring.”[/color] He extended one arm from beneath the cloak, gently taking the wooden box from Shah. [color=#FFE924]“If you would permit, I would like to hear of what you have brought me so I may fully understand these gifts from the plains.”[/color] Besides him, Konne kept a close eye on the clan, her eyes locked especially upon Shah and the box she had been carrying. Her hand placed firmly on the blade at her side, readied just in case anything were to go wrong. Shah cast a glance in her father's direction, who once more nodded reassuringly at her. This time she took a shakier step forward and knelt down on both knees in such a way that her poncho hid her entire body except for her head. Once she felt everyone's gazes on her, she wiggled her ears and lowered her head in deference. “The, first gift is inside of the Ala-Shah, the wooden box in your… Esteemed hands. It is a set of ornaments crafted from the spine wheels of The Great Vida Demon, who was vanquished by my father The Panther. They have mystical properties which may aid you and yours, Suneater the Great.” Shah explained, her eyes closed. After an awkward second, Shah felt her father poke her and she let out a sound not unlike that of a kitten’s scared meow. “They, are said to give the wearer dominion over terra-beasts and demon-beasts.” [color=#FFE924]“The Panther? A fitting title for a warrior who slew such a beast.”[/color] The warlord flashed a smile at her father as he opened up the box and inspected the items inside. Pulling out one of the four thin bone bracelets within. He could feel the power emanating from within, a fine gift for someone of his status. He placed it gently back within the box, handing it over to one of the warriors behind him for safekeeping. [color=#FFE924]“You say these are the first gifts? They alone would ensure your place amongst my domain, I am curious what else you have brought.”[/color] His gaze shifted between Shah and her Father, curious of what would come next. “The second and greatest gift, Suneater.” Kah gestured at Shah. “I, am Shahari of the Plainstalkers. I am the second gift.” Suneater’s eyes went wide with surprise as a murmur began to grow amongst the crowd. The gathered beastfolk were taken aback by the gift being the girl who stood in front of them, though many quickly turned to speak of how enchanting she looked. Someone even stated it would be rude to deny such a gift when they had traveled so far. Konne, for her part, merely stood by the Suneater’s side, her scowl of suspicion had turned into one of anger. The grip on her blade only intensified, her knuckles turning white with the force she was holding back. Her eyes had not turned to the Suneater, instead, she was entirely focused on the cat folk girl kneeling meekly in front of her. A sudden cough, mixed with a growl, silenced the murmuring. The Suneater looked around to ensure his message had been made clear to the assembled gathering. His gaze briefly stopped on Konne, who he briefly placated with a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to relax and loosen her grip on her blade. Finally, he returned his gaze towards the cat folk. [color=#FFE924]“To travel this far must have been an extraordinary feat, I would be doing you and your people a disservice if I were to refuse your gifts and send you home without the protection and prosperity you have sought. As such, I will be accepting your gifts, both the bracelets, and,”[/color] He nodded his head at Shah, [color=#FFE924]“the beautiful maiden. In exchange, the Plainstalkers will be equal subjects under my reign, their people will be protected and their needs provided for. That is my decree.”[/color] A soft cheer came up through the assembled crowd, more of their kin under the light of the Suneater was always cause for celebration. And many were equally eager to see what wealth and beauty the plains had to give to the rest of the domain. This time the Suneater did not attempt to quiet them down, knowing their eagerness would be unable to settle. Instead he turned to Konne once more. [color=#FFE924]“Konne, please escort our dear Shahari to where she will be staying for now. I wish to speak with her father, to prepare for the celebrations we will have later tonight. Such new additions must be [i]welcomed[/i] of course.”[/color] He emphasized the welcomed, softly gripping the half-blood’s shoulder when he did so. [color=#FFA845]“Yes my lord.”[/color] Was her reply, soft, yet still having an edge to her voice. She stepped forward from the crowd, extending a hand out to Shah, which the younger girl took after a moment’s hesitation. [color=#FFA845]“Come, I’ll bring you to the palace grounds.”[/color] She led the cat girl away from the crowd, down the town path towards the area where the palace was still being built. The scaffolding and sounds of construction still prevalent, giving a constant sound for the surrounding portions of the growing town. As they walked, Konne remained silent, letting go of the cat-girl’s hand and just letting her follow behind freely. The half-blood didn’t bother giving her a tour either, just letting her take in the sights and sounds of a town far larger than what she was used to. After a while of trying her best not to get lost, Shah spoke. “Konne, are you the master’s First Wife?” The catgirl asked with a wiggle of her ears and a scrunch of her nose. Konne paused suddenly, stopping her march in the middle of the path. Almost letting Shah slam right into her back with the suddenness that she did so. Her feathers raised in a mixture of surprise and anger at the question the cat girl has poised. Slowly she turned her head towards Shah behind her. [color=#FFA845]“No. I am not. I am just. Very protective of him, that is all. You would be wise not to ask that again.”[/color] She turned forward again, starting her march back towards the palace again. “Sorry, Konne.” Shah muttered and rushed to keep up. It was difficult, considering the differences in height between the two. Konne’s fast walk was Shah’s jogging pace. They passed by a particularly tall scaffolding tower, where two men were pulling a bucket full of a strange powder up by using a rope. One of them was leaning dangerously over the railing, trying to steady the rope so the payload wouldn’t swing wildly in the breeze. “... What will happen to me?” Konne paused for a moment, stopping and making sure the workers did not drop the construction material, before she started walking again. [color=#FFA845]“That is up to Suneater to decide, for now, you’ll likely just stay in the palace. The construction shouldn’t last much longer, so the noise should die down.”[/color] She trailed off for a moment, the grip on her blade tightening for a moment. [color=#FFA845]“What were you hoping will happen?”[/color] “I, don’t know… I don’t know the Master like you do, but… Whatever happens, I have to go along with it. I would like to be strong like you, I think. I'm just fast. Shah’s only fast.” Shah sighed. “My dad… Father, he never let me hunt. It was too dangerous, he said.” [color=#FFA845]“I see.”[/color] Konne’s grip loosened, finally letting herself feel something other than anger. [color=#FFA845]“Perhaps…I can convince the Suneater to let you train with us. Marduk would enjoy a new trainee, and it’d be best for you to be able to defend yourself.”[/color] Another pause, and another turn of her head towards the cat girl. [color=#FFA845]“Do you know what a Strider is?”[/color] “Huhm, can you describe one? We may have a different name for them in the Plains. Would it be fine if Shah trains with you? Won’t the Master be mad if I taint my skin with scars and bruises?” With Konne’s pause, Shah took the opportunity to finally catch up and ended up standing a mere foot away from her. To Shah this was normal, but after a bit of thought she took a step back and pretended she’d done nothing. Foreigners were weird, she thought. Wasn’t she a foreigner now, though? In her mind, she sighed. Konne gave a chuckle. [color=#FFA845]“If anything I wouldn’t be surprised if he found you more attractive with scars. Besides, like I said, it’d be best if you’re able to fight on your own.”[/color] She looked at Shah as she took a step back, seemingly not caring at the cat being close. [color=#FFA845]“As for the Strider, they’re crystal beings, walk around on a lot of legs, very strange. They’ll blind you in sunlight if you’re not careful.”[/color] “Shah- I, remember stories!” Shah perked up at the description, her tail swishing curiously behind her and ears perking up as far as they could. “My grandma told me of a time when a ‘strider’ visited the Plains and forced my great grandma to tell it all of our history. Very shiny, yes. Does the Master have striders here?” [color=#FFA845]“He does, six to be exact, they’re all…Rather interesting. I’m sure they will grill you over your culture eventually. I find it's just best to indulge them, easier to convince them to do work for you later.”[/color] Shah stared, horrified, at Konne. “Striders grill cat-kin? Shah doesn’t wanna meet them…” Konne sighed. [color=#FFA845]“Its, it's a figure of speech Shah. They’re just going to ask you a lot of questions.”[/color] “Oh.” Shah relaxed, scratching her escape plan before she’d even started to think about it. “Okay, Konne.” A few awkward seconds passed, with the cat and bird staring at each other. Suddenly, Shah’s mom’s face flashed before her eyes, and she tilted her head. “Does Konne like baths? Shah doesn’t, unless it’s a hot spring.” Konne looked at Shah with a confused look. [color=#FFA845]“I…I don’t mind a bath.”[/color] “We bathe together then! Shah wants a friend.” The bird was incredibly taken aback, sputtering a moment before properly replying.[color=#FFA845] “I…I…I suppose if it will help, Suneater will likely prefer it if you are clean for the feast later.”[/color] “Good! Let’s go, Shah will wash Konne and Konne will wash Shah, like we do in the Plains. We are very clean. But, uh, Shah doesn’t know how to wash feathers. Konne will train her on that too.” Shah nodded and rapidly tapped her feet on the paved road until Konne started to walk once more. She let out a sigh. [color=#FFA845]“Very well then.”[/color] She motioned for Shah to follow her once more. Leading her down the path and towards the palace, where they would get prepared for another feast. For it was another day, and another new victory for the Suneater. [hider=Summary] We start back up with the Suneater’s domain with another time skip, this time detailing how after the whole demon invasion, things have really turned around for the dominion. The food issue has been settled by the Snouter clans now swearing fealty, and trade and immigration have resumed, allowing Suneater to develop his land and begin a massive construction project on his capital. We cut to the Suneater, Polassar, and Konne overlooking the construction and discussing various matters, before the arrival of newcomers from the west takes Konne and Suneater away for the time being. We soon learn who these newcomers are, its Shah and her family, all of whom are from the Plainstalker Clan out west, and they’ve come to give some gifts! The Suneater meets them, and after some cool demon bone bracelets that give domain over beast both natural and demonic, it's revealed what the second gift is, or well, who. As Shah is being gifted to the Suneater in exchange for the Suneater taking the Plainstalkers in as new subjects. Konne is furious due to a not so hidden love of Suneater, but the warlord allows it, sending Konne away to get Shah ready for a feast later. The two have some, tense talking, but Konne lets up after realizing Shah is the saddest little creature, and the two open up a bit more, a bit too much though, as Shah decides they’re going to bathe together in preparation for the feast, dragging Konne along to her bafflement. [/hider]