Redhawk Caldera eighty-fourth

Soldiers!? Maia couldn’t hide her surprise, and her stomach turned a little as she listened. What sort of home did this woman think they had here? And what kind of a pack needed soldiers?? Obviously places like that existed in the stories she told, but she was old enough to know that in reality, all war and violence brought was heartbreak and loss.

She didn’t catch Senmut’s look or much of the implication in the rest of their words. She was too unsettled by that and suddenly very eager to have these two gone. She stepped closer to Eljay instinctually, and his steady presence helped her to calm down some. Kivaluk didn’t seem any more charmed by this than her, which made her even more proud of this place and her family’s future. Brecheliant really didn’t need close allies like this.

The idea of outposts rubbed something in her the wrong way. Why did they try to claim places they would need to struggle to defend? Worse, did they consider Brecheliant an outpost? With his offer of a defense if they needed it, it sounded like it. She did not like the thought of that one bit.

We can look after ourselves, and have other neighbors nearby. Thank you for the offer, but I doubt we will need it. She managed to keep her voice cheerful through the discomfort she felt with this whole conversation. She didn’t feel quite feel equipped to handle the way they spoke but knew she’d done her best.

She would watch as they left as well. Normally she would invite them to stay a moment and offer them food, but not this time. The word outpost hung too heavily on her thoughts.