บท 224: Chapter 221

The furry face of the apparently titled "Noonbright" screwed up in loosely controlled anger. His jaws clenched and he began to spit his words.

"Explain why you've brought some of the scaled menace into our holy place." Teikhom audibly ground his teeth and his massive hands twitched towards his hatchets. Ana sighed.

"I don't need to explain myself to you, you stiff-necked geezer of a goat. He and his swarm are fahvalo to me." Just as when she had approached the gates, Ana said what she had intended to, then continued walking onward. Differently from the guards at the gates, however, the Noonbright stepped to the side and directly into the path of Ana. His shoulders rolled forward as his bullish face curled into a snarl, the bubbling moos threatening.

"Don't think you are the only leader in Dunbach, Bloodpriestess." Teikhom's voice continued to rasp bleatingly through his lips, but instead of what could have been the humorous sounds of a prey's threatenings, his tone was that of a leader, and a dangerous one at that. "You are the only Bloodpriestess in the city, but we are two Noonbrights. You have brought the failed conqueror's ilk into our homes, and think we will simply accept it? Your hubris knows no bounds, and you will not be so lucky as to be allowed to wander so blatantly through our lands without considering the wellbeing of our children."

I blinked, hard. I wasn't expecting a vocabulary like that from a rough exterior like Teikhom's, and though I couldn't see it, I could feel him quiver in barely contained rage through my [Tremorsense]. I began to step forward and justify my swarm's presence when Ana stepped forward, her hair bristling into a mohawk down her spine as she spread her arms threateningly. She stopped her approach just outside of reach for the Noonbright, and I noticed for the first time just how long his arms were, reaching almost to his knees, just like a Moonchild's. Teikhom's arms, though, were not the same lanky, wiry arms of a Moonchild. Instead, they rippled with power and muscle with every movement, and he drew his hatchets as Ana spoke.

"Do not presume yourself capable of dictating who qualifies as my fahvalo, Teikhom. If you impinge on my honor, I will offer your heart's blood to the Bloodsoaked Mother before Huldtar reaches his zenith. There will be no glory for you or the rest of the Sunkindred, and the brightest beams of noon will look down only on your festering corpse." Ana slowly settled into her combat-ready stance, and her voice dropped to a raspy, threateningly serious tone. "Do. Not. Doubt. Me."

I looked to Teikhom, expecting to see him quail under her threat and promise of bloodshed, or flinch, or even immediately launch himself into battle, but he didn't react at all. No twitches of his weapons, no steps in any direction, no loss of eye contact. "You would threaten Huldtar's glory? In front of a Noonbright?"

"So long as you challenge the honor of Narsha'at's Bloodpriestess's words."

"You would stake the honor of a Bloodpriestess of Narsha'at on the honor of a keelish?"

"I have publicly called him fahvalo to me before my people, my city, and now you, my peer. Would you call me a deceiver?" Ana's voice lacked any of the fiery passion that the words communicated, her tone instead glacial in speed and warmth.

"No, you honor yourself at all times and would never deceive willfully." The Noonbright allowed with a throaty sigh and a nodding concession.

"Then accept my declaration of fahvalo." Ana didn't relax her stance.

With a grunt, Noonbright Teikhom began to stalk away without another word. Since I hadn't witnessed his approach, I only now saw his slightly limp and careful steps. Had he gone gray from the passage of time, and was now slowed by the frailty of advanced age? Or was the stocky man previously injured?

I let my questions fade from my mind as I watched, unsure of if I should say anything, but after just long enough for Teikhom to be out of our continued passage forward, Ana stood normally as if she hadn't been threatening lethal violence just moments before. Her ability to shift so suddenly and completely between absolutely contrasting moods and attitudes was strange, uncanny even. I almost wondered if she felt anything, or any apparent emotion was just her putting on the appearance of feeling something.

"You should have seen me three hundred moons ago. Then, I could move at a truly awe-inspiring speed. Now, I'm just quick, not so impressively as before."

"Are… we not going to talk about that?"

"He'll go off to mate with one of his women and be in a better mood before too long. Huldtar's children are quick to every passion, and once he's had his fill and release he will be closer to reasonable once again."

"That doesn't really answer my questions."

"Then ask, Ashlani."

"Who is he?"

"Noonbright Teikhom. A leader of the Sunkindred of about the same level of influence as myself, ignoring the Allmother."

"And… why does he hate the keelish?"

"Frankly speaking, your people are a scourge. Those who are not Saharliard devour anything they can reach, and Saharliard are frequently honorless and warmongering. He has good reason to distrust your people. But no reason," Ana's voice became bitter and as close to angry as I'd ever heard it, "to distrust my word. I may still have to spill his blood to clear my name."

I… could see her point. I nodded slowly. "Then, are we safe while he is around?"

Ana nodded, "He is frequently stationed to the Southern border with the warlocks, and cannot frequently come home to his herd. Teikhom felt threatened by your presence near his young and weak, but with my word he will leave you in peace. He will feel no compassion or goodwill towards you, and if you give him and his people the opportunity to do so honorably, they will spill your blood, but he will not seek out to damage you unprovoked."

Fair enough. I was about to ask another question when I was interrupted by Sybil behind me.

"I guess all my practice of the common tongue was useless?"

She had progressed immensely in her understanding of the human tongue, and had apparently been able to understand much of our conversation. I couldn't help but laugh and lovingly bunt my head into hers as Ana looked on impassively.

"Why do you laugh?"

I explained the joke and a smile briefly covered Ana's face before she answered in a slow, deliberate tone to ensure Sybil could understand, "It may serve you yet. The Allmother lives here in Dunbach, and I'm sure she would love to speak with some of you at some point. And, even if she does not, it will serve you in the rest of your journey towards the border and beyond, as you will travel with others of my people there, and communication makes for better fahvalo and simpler travels."

"Who is this Allmother?" I asked as Ana continued walking onward.

"You will see. Let me show you where you will pass the rest of this day. Come."