fanning the flames(of ambition)

[tuo]

Lourens sat in his hut in Firepike in solitude, hunched over a small rickety desk holding a book filled with the names of most of the leaders of the other Naurorod clans, crossing out the ones that have been killed during a duel with Navid.

~Progress has been slow Lourens. War is upon us and still Navid and his warriors do little to change events in Naurorod.~

Lourens freezes at the mental contact from Nissar before touching his mind sign and responds. ~Imperator, I deeply apologize for my failures. However it is difficult to discern who may or may not be protected from the Notations with any accuracy at all. As a result I am forced to pit Navid against other Naurorod leaders that are neither stronger then Navid himself nor resistant to my own mental manipulations.~

Several moments go by before he receives a response from Nissar. ~Continue your work, but be sure to arrange a new puppet should Navid be killed or grow out of control. I expect Firepike to be great enough to challenge one of the great fire clans soon. Fail in this and you will wish you had drowned on Contrasta with the rest of your blood.~

Once Lourens feels Nissar withdraw from his mind, he wiped sweat off his brow that for once had nothing to do with the heat before closing the book and placing it back into it's box. Touching his mind sign and murmuring a chant, he teleports it to a hidden location before leaving the confines of his hut.

Once in the blazing sun, Lourens adjusts his head wrap to shield against the sun and makes his way to Navid's personal hut. The guards let him pass with only a wry look. Hearing somebody enter without announcement Navid looks up at Lourens and scowls. "What do you want this time Lourens? I was about to go train some of the warriors."

Lourens gives Navid a piercing stare. ~That will have to wait, I have managed to learn of another of the lesser clans who may be bent to your will. You would be advised to get ready for combat.~ Out loud he spoke in a more humble manner however so that the guards outside would not think anything was..unusual. "I apologize. Perhaps I can return at a later time when you are not as busy." He bobs his head with a smirk before wiping it away and walks out.

[Kender Bard]

A young, hotblooded warrior by the name of Peredur approached Navid's hut, blinking as Lourens went by. To the guards, he asked, "May I speak with the Elder?" He'd left his imposing great-spear behind, though he felt naked without it.

[tuo]

"He is getting ready to train some of the warriors, you know how he dislikes being interrupted." One of the guards answered.

From inside Navid nearly shouted at the guards. "Just let him in already. I've already been interrupted once."

The guards exchange glances before shrugging slightly. "Well, you heard the Elder, you can go in."

[Kender Bard]

Peredur sighed in relief and walked inside, bowing deeply to his Elder. "Elder Navid, I have come to report news from the scouts. A new minor clan has been spotted." He smirked. "Emphasis on the minor."

[tuo]

Navid seemed interested. "What have the scouts learned of this clan?" He stands up, ready to go outside.

[Kender Bard]

Peredur moved, ready to follow Navid should he decide to walk off. "They are a family clan. Four individuals - three men and a comely woman of middling age. Two of the men we gather must be their sons, for their age, and the third must be her husband or brother."

[tuo]

Navid gave a smirk before answering. "Four people can count as a clan now? Either way it may be possible to absorb without needing to defeat there Elder. Is that all Peredur?"

[Kender Bard]

Peredur gave a slight shrug at Navid's first words. "Sometimes clans are no bigger than families. We thusfar have not come across anything this small, but the truly tiny ones are like minnows in the ocean. They can slip past the sharks unseen, ignored." He nodded when asked if it was all. "Yes sir!"

[tuo]

"I suppose we could spare a short detour to our next conquest. Get the scouts ready to take me to that family." Navid grabs a spear before leaving the hut to gather a few of the clan warriors to accompany him to visit this new clan.

[Kender Bard]

Peredur grinned and went to do just that.

---

"What do you guys think of this place so far?" Andromeda asked as she curled in the relative shade of the home she'd help put up for the family. It was vaguely like the huts that the rest of the clans of Naurorod made, though not quite as professional in appearance. She'd had to spy out the design and make guesswork from there. Past failures now fed their nightly fires.

Arcan was lying flat on his stomach in the harsh sun, looking content as he spread his wings to soak up the rays. "The heat makes me drowsy," he slurred, but smiled as he did. "But the food is good. I like to hunt. There's a lot of space here, and nobody to bother me." He frowned thoughtfully. "Nobody to bother either though."

[tuo]

Thakur smiled and ruffled Arcan's hair lightly. "Well there are other clans out here, I'm sure we can find one soon you can make friends at son."

Tevran stretched out near Arcan with a small yawn. "Maybe, but for now I'd be fine with just the four of us for a few months." He smiles, having enjoyed the solitude recently. Suddenly he frowns while looking off in the distance before sitting up, peering. "Etaf's eyes..I think we have some visitors."

(Navid and his guard show up next post or something I suppose)

[Kender Bard]

Arcan had been about to quip at Thakur concerning what he thought about 'making friends' when Tevran's alert put him on full guard. He sat up, scanning the horizon with a low growl.

Andromeda shuffled inside the hut and poked her head out more fully as well. "How many?"

[tuo]

Tevran rises and continues to peer out carefully. "..At least three of them." He reaches to his belt and slips on his claws with almost casual ease in preparation.

Thakur takes a deep breath and goes into the hut as well to grab his dagger. "What do we do dear?"


Navid and his guards continued to jog towards where the scouts pinpointed the new minor clan and he grins in amusement when he spots some movement. "It appears we've been spotted. Let's hope they don't try to make this difficult for us."

[Kender Bard]

"Three?" Andromeda repeated, frowning thoughtfully.

"We can take them," Arcan growled, his voice feral and low. He began to grin slowly, dangerously, craving the song of bloodlust once more. His wings mantled and he itched to be airborne. Flickers of flame danced around his fingertips eagerly.

Andromeda narrowed her eyes. "I think we can see what three people want," she agreed. While she was no fighter and Thakur was not in his prime, her sons were young and skilled and she trusted them to protect them all. "Let them come to us though."

[tuo]

Thakur nodded. "Boys, don't attack them, they might be peaceful."

Tevran nodded slightly and laid a hand on Arcan's shoulder in hopes of calming him slightly. "Just take it easy bro, but don't take your eyes of them of course."