Sojaveña Wilds Escarpa Clan Camp

[Jackie Cat]

"I'm just fine," said Brisa, quickly. No offence taken, she might even be entirely sincere, but of course she'd want to look tough in the clan camp. "Been reacquaintin' myself with my folks while I have the chance."

Alexander – she'd caught a little about him on the Wayfarer grapevine by now, but evidently not many details. Not much of a facial reaction.

"I gather we're to try and close up some dungeons he wants to stick his claws in, and he's some kinda offworld dragon bastard who'd care to be king of everythin'. And he's strong. That about the size of it?"

An uncomplicated perspective, but one that made sense for her. Brisa had plenty on her mind already, and a big scary enemy was just another chance to have a real fight, like she'd spent her whole life yearning for...

...Why did Koa know that?

 

[Tetra]

Koa nodded with a grim smile, gazing briefly at the horizon. Alex never should have gotten so strong, as far as he was concerned. "Yeah basically. Evil guy, through and through. I guess he's causing real problems for Powehi, since he was forced to ask us to try and get rid of him. So.... Dangerously strong." He couldn't keep all the edge of annoyance out of his voice. "Has a way of manipulating people and he can... somehow control people."

A flicker of excitement shone in his eyes as he continued, pushing aside his frustration as he met her eyes. "Will you help us? We could use someone like you on our side." It was hard to contain the eagerness he felt at the prospect. Someone who'd fought a Saint. He wondered who else she'd fought or if she'd battle any other Saints.

 

[Jackie Cat]

Brisa listened intently, and with hardly a moment's consideration, gave Koa a firm nod.

"'Course. I get the picture 'bout how much of a threat he is, so. Gotta put this fella in the dirt afore we turn east, I guess."

"Woah, you mean like the Prince of Bad Dreams?" breathed a wide-eyed Bosque, in awe and wonder.

Nube crouched, her hindquarters wiggling for a pounce. "We should form a war party, and go fight him together!"

"Sure, kids," sighed Brisa, shaking her head. "How 'bout you two miniature devils go ask your ma if she can tell us the one about the Prince, huh? Haven't heard most of the Saints' stories in a fair few, so I could stand to listen."

The cubs raced off to pester their parent, and so Brisa bent to pick up her fish, and swiftly led Koa away from the camp proper to get a little privacy, and to not talk about world-ending dragon gods of death in earshot of cubs.

"Mind the li'l ones," she admonished him, mildly. "Though I'm not sure anyone could get 'em to take much of anything too seriously. Anyway, you can count on some help from me, but the way I hear it, you'll be wantin' to cover as many important dungeons as possible in the event that the big fella tries seizin' 'em, ain't that right? I could take one myself. Ask the clan to cover another."

 

[Tetra]

Put him in the dirt. Koa liked the sound of that. A slight grin came to his face at the thought of her fighting alongside them. Or at least, helping them.

"Mind the li'l ones," she admonished him, mildly. "Though I'm not sure anyone could get 'em to take much of anything too seriously.

With a start, he realized he'd said more than he should in front of them. They didn't need to hear about the details. Were they the same age he was when he'd seen the near end of his world? He stared for a moment in the direction they'd run off, before turning back to Brisa.

"Right," he murmured. Mentally shaking off the train thought, he focused on the plan. "There'll be a scouting party to make a waypoint out in Malantau and find the dungeons." He made a mental note to ask her about what she'd heard of their summoner.

"If the clan is willing to help we can definitely use it. The only thing is... I-We don't know exactly how Alex's powers work here. Just that he's been able to corrupt and control people he captures. Influence their actions." But the Escarpa were stronger than he and Archie had been. Then again, so was Alex now... "If you have to fight him, then you'll have to be on guard."

He frowned deeper. "Might be helpful to bring someone with you if you're taking on a dungeon?" Bellatrix had been there to help him back then, after all... His first thought was Sierra, since Luz wouldn't want to, but he kept the thought to himself.

 

[Jackie Cat]

Absentmindedly, Brisa put a paw on her fish and began to cook it with some kind of fiery energy. It didn't look like an attack, as such – flickers and sparks around her teeth told Koa that this was just a carefully-channelled Fire Fang, rerouted through her forelimb.

"Sonora," she said, easily. "We used to— We can work t'gether well, I'm sure."

She turned to look back over her shoulder at the camp grounds, her expression hard.

"The chieftain will lead the clan's warriors to victory in some local dungeon or other that's at risk. Same goes fer the Ranger Union – Chief Ayda an' Razael know what they're doin'. Sonora an' I can handle a third dungeon on our own."

A slight, barely-there smirk of confidence crept onto Brisa's muzzle. It suited her. She really did believe that she and one partner of her choice were as strong as an entire clan, or a whole ranger organisation...

"Dunno just how this Alexander fella's corruptive influence works, exactly, but there's li'l sense frettin' over it as I can reckon. We throw everythin' we can muster at him, and either it's enough, or it ain't. Just keep yer head clear and fight like mad."

Brisa settled into a feline loaf, and began to dig into her now-cooked fish.

 

[Tetra]

The chieftan. That was what she called Sierra. Her mother. Some brief emotion flickered through him that he brushed aside. Instead he found himself wondering if her technique for cooking fish would allow him to learn Fire Punch...

"Yeah, you're right. No point worrying," he said determinedly. This wouldn't be like the last times they'd fought him. "I know the Rangers are already preparing. And Sybil might be able to help with the Relic stone... We were able to borrow a little power before, to protect ourselves from him. Maybe you and Sonora can use it."

Rangers, Escarpa and Brisa with Sonora. That would cover a lot of ground. Once again he found himself wondering, gauging, just how strong Brisa was. What it would be like to fight her. Train with her.

A twinkle formed in his eyes. "If you're really that strong we'll have to fight sometime." A challenge, but not an arrogant one. He knew already she was much stronger than him.

 

[Jackie Cat]

Brisa couldn't help but grin as she finished up her meal. Where once she might have been hesitant, cautious, sceptical, now she was keen. A little cocky, even.

"You're on," she drawled. She tipped her chin at him. "I'll throw down with you right now if'n you're game, Koa... although, I'd sure have ta' go easy on ya."

Sparks crackled across her mane like lightning rolling across a stormfront.

"Hell, we could make it a spectacle fer the kittens, if ya care to?"

 

[Tetra]

Koa met her gaze, eyes flashing. What kinds of techniques did she know? How did she fight? Maybe she'd show him something after their battle. Would she think his techniques were cool?

A ripple of excitement ran through him. Sparks danced through his paws as he rose to her challenge. "Oh yeah, I'll take you on right now," he said with a grin. "But I won't make it easy for you." He meant it too. Even if he couldn't hope to match her one on one, he was confident it would be a good battle.

He thumped his paws together for emphasis. "Let's give the kits a fight to remember."

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