Nezul's eyes shot deeply into Siha's, not wavering for even a moment as she spoke. His threat had to be made clear. Deceit would never be tolerated. For both her sake and her allies, she needed to tell him exactly what he wanted to hear. Her voice stuttered and shook with what seemed to be a typical fear that her kind was so quick to indulge the Ixali with when met face to face. It was a good start but he would not be sold on mere dramatics. Many a fool, arrogantly thinking themselves as would-be-heroes, had attempted the same trickery in the past, believing that their lies could not possibly be proven even when their direction yielded no results.
Their 'bravery' was often quickly regretted.
Her persisting fear and reluctance was a positive sign in one sense. Normally it would lend one to believe that only truth was pouring from their lips, though the skeptical Nezul was not entirely convinced. She may have been grovelling at their feet earlier, but there was more to this miqo'te than met the eye. She placed her own self in danger in exchange for the mere possibility of Simba's well-being. Her words were not to be taken lightly. Even were it the case that the two were merely bound by blood, her altruism was a trait than could not be overlooked. Her compassion and morality both had to be drowned beneath a crushing sea of fear.
Nezul snorted with uncertainty as the girl finished speaking. Not for a moment did he take his eyes away from her, even when she motioned past him to indicate the alleged direction which they had taken. He drew every so slightly closer, allowing his large and sharp fangs to reveal themselves to the young miqo'te once more. He growled menacingly. It had seemed that he had come to his own conclusion.
The girl was a liar.
"Traitor!"
The unexpected voices of the two males spoke aloud suddenly, the emotion and perhaps sincerity carried with them succeeding in distracting Nezul from the girl whom had come very close to earning his wrath. The archer's head quickly swiveled back and forth to bring both men into view as they interjected in protest against the girl's 'betrayal' as they saw it. He blinked once and then twice before returning his eyes to focus upon Siha yet again. A subtle, twisted smile formed across the creature's face as the corners of his mouth peaked upwards with delight. Perhaps her direction was indeed worth pursuing.
Nezul slowly rose to his feet with a faint sigh of intrigue that hissed out of his leathery throat.
"Good. In that case, let us...-" he began to speak as another booming clap of thunder from the encroaching storm rolled through the tainted ceiling of cloud overhead in warning to all who dwelt within the forest below - and with it, followed the low and commanding tone of their superior's authority.
"Nezul" Kuzal, their leader, spoke placidly though with a distinct voice of direction toward his Second.
Nezul turned to look in his direction, the evident appearance of joy soon fading from his expression as though he knew what was coming, before indeed being met with a dismissive shake of Kuzal's head.
"Why would you deny us further bounty? We can surely find them without trouble!" he retorted quickly while taking an unintentional step of belligerence towards Kuzal. His response was eager and almost pleading though it was not intended as a challenge of authority.
"..They could not have traveled far. Their rotten stench still corrupts the air.." he added a little more calmly while drawing in a large, nasally breath through his distorted beaked that he hiked up to better catch the breeze.
"We have wasted enough time here. The wind travels fast and with it our deeds here will surely be carried to the Gridanians" Kuzal replied wisely before, he too, gently tiled his beak upwards and sampled the air with a more discreetly drawn breath.
"...Someone is already pursuing us..." he added after a brief pause with a voice that betrayed a subtle hint of contempt. He blinked slowly, taking a moment to withdraw himself into his own thoughts.
Nezul snarled in irritation as he drove a powerful, clawed fist into the side of the caravan with a tremendous crack. The sturdy wood creaked and groaned under the weight of where his fist had landed, the force in turn startling the anxious chocobos once more and sending them into yet another chirping frenzy. The archer's features furrowed and frowned with dissatisfaction. His leader's direction was infuriating... though, ultimately, he knew that he was correct. Such rich fortune was not something they should test in exchange for but a little more.
"Dispatch a couple of scouts if you so wish, but we are returning. Come" Kuzal replied after looking on for a short moment longer, before then proceeding to descend from the hill.
Nezul drew in a deep breath with as he came to accept Kuzal's order. His eyes opened once more to stare absently through the fine grains that laced through the wood's surface before, with a quick glance over his large shoulder, he then focused his stare on two of his idle brethren.
"Go"
His blunt instruction was acknowledged with a brief nod from each of the two Ixali before they both hastened down the path in the specific direction that the girl had pointed toward earlier. Their weapons were drawn and readied for any encounter they may stumble upon. This situation was different from the one prior.
If they encountered anything they deemed too much of a threat to attempt to subdue and capture alone... then they would instead choose to slay it.
Their 'bravery' was often quickly regretted.
Her persisting fear and reluctance was a positive sign in one sense. Normally it would lend one to believe that only truth was pouring from their lips, though the skeptical Nezul was not entirely convinced. She may have been grovelling at their feet earlier, but there was more to this miqo'te than met the eye. She placed her own self in danger in exchange for the mere possibility of Simba's well-being. Her words were not to be taken lightly. Even were it the case that the two were merely bound by blood, her altruism was a trait than could not be overlooked. Her compassion and morality both had to be drowned beneath a crushing sea of fear.
Nezul snorted with uncertainty as the girl finished speaking. Not for a moment did he take his eyes away from her, even when she motioned past him to indicate the alleged direction which they had taken. He drew every so slightly closer, allowing his large and sharp fangs to reveal themselves to the young miqo'te once more. He growled menacingly. It had seemed that he had come to his own conclusion.
The girl was a liar.
"Traitor!"
"No! How could you?!"
"I won't let you take them too!"
The unexpected voices of the two males spoke aloud suddenly, the emotion and perhaps sincerity carried with them succeeding in distracting Nezul from the girl whom had come very close to earning his wrath. The archer's head quickly swiveled back and forth to bring both men into view as they interjected in protest against the girl's 'betrayal' as they saw it. He blinked once and then twice before returning his eyes to focus upon Siha yet again. A subtle, twisted smile formed across the creature's face as the corners of his mouth peaked upwards with delight. Perhaps her direction was indeed worth pursuing.
Nezul slowly rose to his feet with a faint sigh of intrigue that hissed out of his leathery throat.
"Good. In that case, let us...-" he began to speak as another booming clap of thunder from the encroaching storm rolled through the tainted ceiling of cloud overhead in warning to all who dwelt within the forest below - and with it, followed the low and commanding tone of their superior's authority.
"Nezul" Kuzal, their leader, spoke placidly though with a distinct voice of direction toward his Second.
Nezul turned to look in his direction, the evident appearance of joy soon fading from his expression as though he knew what was coming, before indeed being met with a dismissive shake of Kuzal's head.
"Why would you deny us further bounty? We can surely find them without trouble!" he retorted quickly while taking an unintentional step of belligerence towards Kuzal. His response was eager and almost pleading though it was not intended as a challenge of authority.
"..They could not have traveled far. Their rotten stench still corrupts the air.." he added a little more calmly while drawing in a large, nasally breath through his distorted beaked that he hiked up to better catch the breeze.
"We have wasted enough time here. The wind travels fast and with it our deeds here will surely be carried to the Gridanians" Kuzal replied wisely before, he too, gently tiled his beak upwards and sampled the air with a more discreetly drawn breath.
"...Someone is already pursuing us..." he added after a brief pause with a voice that betrayed a subtle hint of contempt. He blinked slowly, taking a moment to withdraw himself into his own thoughts.
Nezul snarled in irritation as he drove a powerful, clawed fist into the side of the caravan with a tremendous crack. The sturdy wood creaked and groaned under the weight of where his fist had landed, the force in turn startling the anxious chocobos once more and sending them into yet another chirping frenzy. The archer's features furrowed and frowned with dissatisfaction. His leader's direction was infuriating... though, ultimately, he knew that he was correct. Such rich fortune was not something they should test in exchange for but a little more.
"Dispatch a couple of scouts if you so wish, but we are returning. Come" Kuzal replied after looking on for a short moment longer, before then proceeding to descend from the hill.
Nezul drew in a deep breath with as he came to accept Kuzal's order. His eyes opened once more to stare absently through the fine grains that laced through the wood's surface before, with a quick glance over his large shoulder, he then focused his stare on two of his idle brethren.
"Go"
His blunt instruction was acknowledged with a brief nod from each of the two Ixali before they both hastened down the path in the specific direction that the girl had pointed toward earlier. Their weapons were drawn and readied for any encounter they may stumble upon. This situation was different from the one prior.
If they encountered anything they deemed too much of a threat to attempt to subdue and capture alone... then they would instead choose to slay it.
![[Image: ecec20e41f.png]](https://puu.sh/xvMxb/ecec20e41f.png)
Characters: Andre Winter (Hy'ur) / K'nahli Yohko (Miqo'te)
