Facing the Brutes

A: Letting out a huff, the runner tried to catch her breath as they stood above the next clan they were visiting. They were informed that this clan was akinned to warriors, and as she watched them from her post, she could see that the word used was very light compared to how they seemed. 

There were haedians with weapons, and Antlia could see further ahead a furnace and a few tools used to shape said weapons. She did notice that the clan seemed to be particularly close to each other though, as she watched the runner didn’t really notice a ton of infighting or any aggressions towards each other. 

Ready to turn back to her companion, she suddenly felt herself slipping off the edge, right into the middle of what looked to be a mock fight. Shrinking close to the wall, eyes scanned for a way out. Her heart was racing and she slowly slipped around the others, but within just a few moments she was dragged right back into the chaos. Her eyes caught something shiny in the midst of it all, and she realized they were fighting for gold. Damn it, how was she going to get out of here without fighting?

B: Noka was following after Antlia as they scoured the next clan with many vicious faces. She felt as out of place as ever as she towered past many sturdy yet slender Haedians. The caverns echoed with sounds of commotion and fighting, making Noka increasingly nervous to be there. When she heard Antlia slipping, her head perked but just out of time to not catch the runner before she fell into what seemed like a challenge pit. Rocky obstructions and places to hide, while Haedians scurried around, facing off and fighting over what looked like glimmering gold chunks. Seeing Antlia get dragged into the commotion, a sense of protecting overcame Nokare and she made her way down into the pit after her companion. 

Once down there, she arrived beside a small pair of Haedians guarding a pile of gold rocks. Both looked upon Noka in surprise. “You!” They called out and Noka jolted. “What are you doing over here, get your own rocks!” The Haedian whipped his tail at the pile he was guarding. “Don’t you even think about stealing ours.” Snarling, he shooed off Noka who scurried off to find Antlia. On her way, she noticed a glimmering rock next to a small rubble pile. Glancing around, she picked up the rock. Maybe joining the game they barged into would keep the Brutes from getting too upset.

A: Antlia watched the puller make her way down, and slowly started to make her way over to where she stood. Her eyes followed as a connection was made and she would snatch a rock or two as the runner got closer to Noka. 

Soon enough though, it felt like her bags were getting heavy. She turned to see what was going on and her eyes locked with another Haedian. His paws were in her bag and she watched as he tried to pull another rock out. Thankfully he didn't notice her staring, and she whipped her back side away from the grasping hands. “Try that again and I'll make sure you won't be able to grab anything.” Her words were an empty threat, but Antlia wasn't going to let them know that.

B: By the time the games were going in a roar of fighting and running, Noka had settled in a small corner with a pile of her own golden rocks, with the passing contribution from Antlia’s finds. It was a brutish game, too much so for Noka’s liking, but the grins of approval she noticed when she defended the pile was enough to urge her to keep at it. Many Haedians came to her corner in hopes of stealing her rocks, but the towering puller shoved them aside. One bared their teeth at her and she got a couple claw marks on her shoulder, but with a hearty shove (“hearty” being it put lightly), the Haedian scurried off to find someone else to steal from.
“Oh, how long must this game go on,” Noka muttered to herself, her gaze hopeful that Antlia had figured out this game further.

A: As the minutes turned into hours, it felt like the game was never going to stop. After her last go around, she had hoped the both of them had enough rocks to at least pass whatever game they were playing, and just as she put her last rock on Noka’s pile, a voice boomed out over them. 

“Everyone, halt! I noticed we have a few new players in our midst!” The Haedian looked over at the two Vayrons, a questionable smile on her face. “ I hope it wasn’t too much of a hassle, and I hope it didn’t scare you away from our clan. I am Zarod.” She hopped down closer to the two as the other Haedians parted ways. “We hope you’ll stay longer, as it seems you picked up our ways quite fast.” 

Something about the way she spoke made Antlia’s skin crawl. Looking to their piles, she had hoped it was enough to win.