Animals

Sarr'ina leads Luca into the village while the tribesman who spot them bow their heads low, knowing instinctively by the haunted look on Luca's face that the others weren't coming back.

Luca spots Ke'du watching him be escorted by Sarr'ina and looks away, not daring to meet the young boy's eyes. He grips the bone in his hand tightly as he's led to Sarr'vuln's hut. Once inside they spot a few men speaking with Sarr'vuln.

Das'ju frowns at his leader, "We should invade their village and find them!"

Zul'meshii shakes his head at Das'ju, "No, sacrificing more of our fellow brothers would do nothing but put the tribe at risk!"

Sarr'vuln claps his hands and stands with a furious expression, "Daughter! How dare you disobey me!" he says angrily.

The others turn and are shocked to see her escorting Luca into the room, he raise his head and looks into Sarr'vuln's eyes, their gazes meet and Luca's trembling stops momentarily, before the strength in his legs give and he collapses to his knees.

"Lu!" she asks worriedly, trying to help him down gently.

Zul'meshii leans down and helps him into a comfortable sitting position where his weight is not distributed on his injured limb.

Sarr'vuln looks down at the injured boy and lowers himself back in his seat, his anger at his daughter slowly dissipating, but still simmering under the surface. "Sarr'ina? How did you find Luca?" he asks.

"I found him trying to get back to the village near the border of our hunting grounds." she says.

Das'ju scowls at him, "Fled from battle did you?" he asks with a growl.

Luca grits his teeth and looks up at them, "I-I was captured by the Karaskir." he says, feeling guilty about trying to flee the initial battle.

Das'ju shakes his head, "Then, where is Cuth'lu... Where are the others?"

Sarr'ina stands in-front of Luca and confronts Das'ju, "You will not interrogate him. He has been through much for this village, too much for your disrespect."

"This weakling probably left our brothers with the Karaskir. I would not be surprised if he is spying for them now!"

*SLAP!*

Das'ju touches his red cheek, having just been slapped by Sarr'ina, she glares at him furiously with tears shimmering in her eyes.

"Cease arguing here Das'ju, or you leave... Luca, tell us what happened." Sarr'vuln gives a brief warning before turning his attention to the injured boy.

Luca slowly nods, "The Karaskir ambushed us, taking those who didn't die to their village to-to take information from us."

"Did you speak?" Das'ju asks, more restrained than before.

Luca shakes his head, "I know nothing, what could I say?" he spits back at him.

"Did anyone else survive?" asks Sarr'vuln.

Luca thinks back to those who wouldn't dare stand up for Le'du or himself, instead, letting the Karaskir bully and torture them. "No. I watched as they killed Cuth'lu and their wolves tore apart Le'du." he says gravely.

...

The room goes silent, sadness for their lost brothers and rage at how the Karaskir had treated them is experienced by everyone.

"How did you escape?" Zul'meshi asks, breaking the silence.

Luca thinks for a moment on how to explain, his mind felt clouded so he just says the first logical thing that comes to mind. "I-I played dead after they tortured me, as they were about to feed me to their wolves I snuck away... I managed to poison the wolves food as I left." he says.

Those present look at Luca with respect, even Das'ju had to admit the bravery it would take to sabotage their food before escaping. However... There was always something to nitpick.

"You used poison? Such a disrespectful tactic!" Das'ju says, not really believing in what he was spouting.

"I think in the situation, it was normal for Luca to want revenge for his trials..." Zul'meshii says, they turn to Sarr'vuln to hear his thoughts.

He scratches the stubble on his face, "I think under the circumstances where our enemy uses despicable tactics against us, we are allowed to bite back with poison. We will not however, continue this. Do you understand?" he says absolutely.

Luca slowly nods along with everyone else, his rage and fear for the Karaskir still hot in his blood, he wished nothing more than to burn their village to the ground.

Eventually, after a few more questions are asked, some for the exact location of the Karaskir camp, important structures, and patrol routes though Luca couldn't answer most of these. Sarr'ina and Zul'meshii helped escort him to the former's hut. Once they place Luca down on a comfortable spot Zul'meshii leaves and Sarr'ina quickly begins to apply medicinal herbs to his injuries.

His calf was heavily damaged and Sarr'ina was forced to use the strange magic to assist its recovery, once she'd coated the rest of his cuts and scratches in a medicinal paste and wrapped them she sat down, exhausted.

"That should do it Lu, I am not sure how long you will take to heal..." she says anxiously.

Luca sits up, grimacing as his aching muscles and injures flare at the movement, "No... Thank you Ina, I'm feel better already." he attempts to comfort her, though each moment was getting more and more painful now that the adrenaline was wearing off and the lactic acid was kicking in.

She sits next to him and looks conflicted momentarily, "I-I do not know whether father is right about the Kariskir... Should we not fight them at their level? We cannot allow them to think of us as weak and let them continue to do despicable things against us."

Luca gives a shuddering nod, "You don't understand Ina, do you think it makes us worse people if we protect ourselves against those sick bastards!?" he exclaims.

Sarr'ina slowly nods, "No, I do not... But these rules have been taught to us for generations." she says with a frown.

Luca shakes his head and presses, "Times change. You should not treat them as equals, the Karaskir are animals and should be hunted into extinction... For what they did to me, Le'du, and everyone else they captured... They had their wolves eat Le'du alive! Do you believe that people like that deserve to live!?!" he says quickly, anger filling every word and affirming his own conviction.

"No... I don't." she slowly says, wrapping her hand around Luca's.