Khaze sighed, but in the next moment she was smiling again. She led Merish out of the guest-tent in their subclan, part of the great Plain’s Eye Tribe that was camped at the Meeting of Tribes.
Two Gnolls rolled out of the tent behind him. Merish and Khaze turned. His younger sister’s children literally rolled out, doing somersaults forward until they got dizzy and lay on the ground. Merish just stared at them. Khaze snorted with laughter.
Two Gnolls rolled out of the tent behind him. Merish and Khaze turned. His younger sister’s children literally rolled out, doing somersaults forward until they got dizzy and lay on the ground. Merish just stared at them. Khaze snorted with laughter.
An odd class, to non-Gnolls especially. What it meant was—well, that Khaze was an expert in using knives in a variety of cutting tasks. Not combat, but butchering, cutting up ingredients for both food and alchemy, cutting fabric…anything you could want in a vast tribe like this. It was the sort of class you didn’t really get in cities unless you worked all kinds of jobs.
She had another basket and her children had two. Merish stared at the gathering basket, which he hadn’t used for over a decade, since earning his warrior markings. He didn’t mind the task, but he had to point out something he thought Khaze had forgotten. He gestured around at the tents. They stretched as far as the eye could see and hundreds of cook-fires were already beginning to glow.
The Gnoll blinked. He looked around and saw it was true. Unlike yesterday, the grass and dirt from so much activity had changed. A little plant had shot up overnight right next to his tent. He walked over as Khaze brought out a little bulls-eye lantern and shone it down. Merish squatted down and stared.
The tomato plant sat there, three full-grown tomatoes hanging from the plant, which was already sagging under the weight. Khaze happily grabbed all three and yanked them off the plant.
Merish glanced up at her as Ikl and Sveha begged for a bite, complaining they hadn’t had food yet! Khaze assured them they would get breakfast—after gathering the unexpected plant bounty.
Sveha padded back over and sat there. Ikl yawned, blinking up at Merish. He looked around helplessly, almost amused, exasperated at Khaze. She hadn’t changed. She left him with her children, as if she was a cub still and foisting dishwashing duty onto him. Merish sighed, but inwardly, he smiled.
A survivor of 5th Wall. That was what Merish couldn’t explain to Khaze. Oh, she knew enough. He had spared her all the details, but his tribe knew…and didn’t know.
And Khaze can deal with existential questions about magic. Merish was a [Shamanic Warrior], but he didn’t have time for an hour-long lecture about harnessing magical power. Sveha nodded. She cast around, sniffing, and then pointed.
