The Forgotten clan pt3

The four reos walked quietly, guiding their haedian companions to their destination. They had setup a meeting with the Brutes' clan after having stolen from them and having been attacked for the trouble, and were now attempting to mediate between the two clans. 

 

“We’re almost there,” Cailu said, his voice resonating softly through the cave. “Remember, this meeting is a delicate one. We will try to mediate between the two so we can help you.”

 

“Tell that to the Brutes,” a haedian muttered, their yellow eyes narrowing. “They’re not exactly known for their diplomacy.”

 

Jeon-e looked back with a scowl. “They have every reason to be angry at you, you have been stealing from them for ages. Our job is not to defend you against their wrath, it's to ensure this doesn’t turn into a bloodbath.”

 

“The Brutes should consider this an opportunity,” another haedian interjected “Perhaps they’ll learn cooperation is more valuable than hoarding.”

 

“That,” Valentine said dryly, “is very entitled for you to say.”

 

"Please don't say that to their faces, i know you're struggling but i don't want to get hurt." Mer said, his voice tinged with need.

 

The chamber they entered was quite big and as the Forgotten clan representatives entered it, the tension in it became palpable. On one side stood the Forgotten, their lean forms marked by their lack of resources and their eyes weary. On the right, the Brutes, larger and more imposing, their powerful bodies and angry gazes exuding barely restrained aggression.

 

The four reos positioned themselves kind of in the middle, their presence a reminder of the neutral role they played, and their position strategic to offer cover or prepare to retaliate should anything be attempted. 

 

There was a flurry of talk as Troall, the leader of the forgotten, approached the middle. “We’ve come to apologize for taking from you. We acknowledge the wrong we committed in taking the gems, and even if we had no choice, it was a selfish action and we apologize for it. We did not think it would harm your clan in any significant way so we did what we did.”

 

The scarred representative from the Brutes' clan growled. “Desperation does not excuse theft, Troall. Those gems are fruit of our labor, and are used to feed our clan. Do you think you're the only ones who need them? You say you’ve come to make amends. What could you possibly offer that would undo this?”

 

Jeon-e stepped forward before Troall could reply, her voice calm and clear. “We have been discussing while traveling here with the Forgotten clan, and would like to propose a solution that benefits both clans. The Forgotten clan will help the Brutes clan extract more gems from these caves. Together, you can recover what was taken, and can share any surplus that you will excavate.”

 

The chamber erupted in murmurs and growls, voices rising from both sides.

 

“Work with them?” a Brute scoffed. “They’ll only be dead weight! Why do you think they've been rejected by their origin clans?”

 

“How can we trust the Brutes not to turn on us and steal all the gems?” a haedian from the Forgottens' clan snapped.

 

Cailu’s voice cut through the noise, commanding and firm. “Enough! We have thought of this solution to help make amends, and if it is proven that your two clans can work together, the Forgotten clan won't need to steal anymore, as you all could coexist and live in peace.”

 

The scarred haedians' gaze bore into Troall, his distrust clear. “And what assurance do we have that your haedians won’t just steal from us again?”

 

Troall met his stare evenly. “If our collaboration goes well, it won't be necessary anymore as we will continue to help each other, building trust and respect between us and building a strong community to rely on instead of two enemy clans.”

 

After a tense silence, interrupted by Mer and Valentine trying to push them a little bit apart, the scarred haedian nodded grudgingly. “Fine, we’ll work together. But know this: if your haedians are caught stealing from us, we will bring hell on your clan.”

 

The next day, a mediums sized group assembled in a narrower passage where the walls glittered with embedded gems. The four reos looked at how the haedians from both clans started talking, at first curtly but then with more collaborations, splitting areas and planning the work for the day. Tools were shared from the Brutes' clan to the Forgottens' clan, and the painstaking work of extracting the crystals began. They too helped, with Jeon-e and Valentine taking part of the excavation while Mer and Cailu gathered the various gems and collected them in a couple piles outside of the workzone.

 

Hours stretched into a day, and the piles of gems grew. Both clans worked harder as the promise of their shared reward became evident. A Brutes' haedian struggled to dislodge a massive gem, but two earnest Forgottens' haedian rushed to help, their young age and deep concentration making them forget who they had approached.

 

Troall, too, seemed thankful for how the day was going. As she and a Brute haedian extracted a cluster of smaller gems, she paused to catch her breath. “Didn’t think I’d see the day where we’d work like this, together.”

 

The Brute’s ears flicked. “Neither did I. But it’s… not so bad. You are pulling your weight, we didn't think you would do it.”

 

Nearby, Jeon-e exchanged a glance with Cailu, both of them silently acknowledging the shift from enemies to collaborators that was spreading amongst all the haedians. 

They were glad.