Lizardman after lizardman poured out of the jungle, several more javelins launching after the first. Most were caught by Stavos’ barrier, but a few slipped by or over it. Ash was forced to scramble to the side as one flew straight at her, missing by inches.

  As she recovered, she looked up to see at least twenty enemies, shields raised around a small group of six hauling a battering ram to take down their gate. Ash let out a worried breath. At the back, there stood a tall feathered lizardman, or lizard woman in this case as Ash was now more familiar with the distinction. She was clearly in charge. Moreover, this particular figure Ash recognised. She had been there at the last assault, the distinctive mohawk of feathers and the menacing obsidian axe sticking out in her memory. She had returned with backup, and now she was prepared to take the village for real.

  “Stop! Call off the assault!” A surprisingly loud voice called out from next to the barricade. It was Scholar, yelling to the attackers in Saurian. “We are here to negotiate!”

  A few of the attackers looked up, confused. The ones holding the ram slowed their charge, glancing back to their leader for confirmation.

  “What treachery is this?” The leader snarled, stepping a little closer to stare daggers at Scholar. “You choose to side with the intruders? These desecrating pigs? How low have you fallen?” She raised a hand, pausing the assault, though Ash noticed they still stood defensively with shields raised, the ram bearing ones even stepped the rest of the way up to the gate before lowering their payload.

  “We of the Sacred Earth tribe feel that there has been some misunderstanding between you and this group.” Scholar spoke, “By chance, we recently worked together to take down a dire ant nest. These people do not need to be enemies and perhaps we can even trade and benefit from them, like we and you once did.”

  “Oh? And what of the” She hissed out a word Ash did not know “Do you not trust in the words of our ancestors?”

  “They know not of these things. As I said, a misunderstanding. I’m sure you and they can come to an agreement. You see, they wish to understand us, one is even learning our language. Isn’t that right Ash?”

  It took Ash a moment to realise she was being called upon. Even then, she had to prevent herself from simply nodding. “Ah… Yes.” she said hesitantly in Saurian. “I am doing my best to better… understand you. I… Hope we can resolve this without further… killing.”

  “Killing? You people have claimed the lives of several of my kinsmen, and now you wish to stop? Was it the loss of that big one? Did that one sting?” she sneered at Ash. ”Oh, that one was quite the nice boon of experience. I think I gained an entire level!”

  Ash’s blood ran cold at the words. She isn’t seriously talking about murdering Eric like he was some packet of exp! It took everything she had to not lash out, Scholar fortunately stepping in to save the moment.

  “Regrettable losses on both sides! Why continue this. You will just weaken one another, even if you win out in the end. These people don’t have much that would be worth your losses today. Why bother fighting them and risking yourselves?”

  “Hmmm… Now, Earth-boy, you are finally starting to speak some sense. Fine. Perhaps we can get what we want without bleeding for it.” She straightened, eyes drifting over the humans before her. “You, scrawny pink one,” She said, gesturing at Ash “you can understand me. So, here are my terms. 1) bring us an example of the best you can provide us as an ally. It had better be something worth it. 2) Move your pitiful camp over 5 miles from the ruins here. 3) You will pledge to give us tribute for our bother of leaving you alive. I think… 5 casks of produce and 2 of meat per lunar cycle should be about right.” She spread her arms wide “You have 3 days to surrender to these terms, else we’ll butcher you like the pigs you are.”

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  She brought her hands together in a loud clap, emphasising the works she had spoken.

  “This is a poor fledgeling settlement,” Scholar replied “those terms seem a little much. Perhaps if you-”

  “There will be no negotiations!” The lizard-woman interrupted “These are the terms, the pig-people will just have to accept them or die.” She paused, then clapped her hands at one of her retreating subordinates. “Oh, bring out the prisoner!” She turned back to Scholar “This will be my show of good faith. We of the Obsidian Edge tribe are unforgiving of defiance, but see that we are still merciful to your children.”

  Children? Ash thought, horrified. A child prisoner? Had they somehow stolen one from the village?

  Then a lizardman pushed free of the brush, dragging a bound person behind him. The figure was indeed child-like, short and stocky, but Ash could instantly tell this was no child. The face was rugged, with stubble on the chin. He was just extremely short but perhaps the lizardmen did not understand this. Regardless, if seemed to have saved the man his life as he was unceremoniously tossed at the foot of their gate before his captor retreated back into the woods with the rest of the Obsidian Edge tribe.

  “Take down your pitiful walls and have your tribute ready in this clearing in 3 days, else we shall know you have chosen death.” The leaser hissed. With those dark final words, she vanished into the woods with the rest.

  After a moment of silence, Scholar cursed. “Damn. I don’t think that went too well.”

  “Well?” Stavos barked “Stop with all the hissing and tell us what is going on already!” He looked annoyed, likely feeling decidedly impotent without any knowledge of the Saurian language. “Did you scare them off?”

  “I think all we have done is bought ourselves three days.” Ash sighed. “They basically want us to surrender and comply with their terms.”

  Ash and Scholar spent the next few minutes filling the others in on the conversation, Stavos looking more and more grim by the moment.

  “Move the village?” He laughed “That is preposterous on its own. This is literally the only decent spot to build for miles! Everywhere else near the river is too damn overgrown. That on top of the outrageous tribute… It’s like they want us to defy them.”

  “Perhaps they do, then they can claim to my tribe that they at least tried to negotiate.” Scholar explained “They likely only offered this much because I was here. As unfair as it is, they will just use your refusal to brand you as unreasonable outsiders. Probably enough for our leadership to let it be.”

  “Bastards.” Vidar spat.

  “What can we do?” Asked Hestia.

  “I don’t know.” Scholar sighed “That woman was not the Obsidian Edge tribe’s true leader. I believe she was most likely his daughter, Blessed-Edge-Of-Night. Perhaps she does not truly speak for this tribe. It is possible I could head back to my tribe. There may be just enough time to convince my leader to speak to theirs and persuade him to offer you a fairer deal.”

  “What about the prisoner they dropped off?” Ama asked, peering at the wriggling, bound figure through the gaps in the gate. “Should we help him out?”

  “Fine. You lot deal with him. Make sue he’s not some kind of spy then tell the rest of the village they can get back to work before we lose the light.” Stavos waved them off. “Hestia, Vidar, Scholar. Come, let us discus our next steps.”

  The four left to deliberate further and Ash was pleased that Stavos was starting to put a bit of trust in their Lizardman ally, albeit under duress. She gave Scholar a thumbs up as he was led away. He looked blankly back at her, then hesitantly returned the gesture. Ash felt a little embarrassed at forgetting he would have no idea what a thumbs up would even mean. Fortunately, as with any other aspect of language and communication, he picked it up fast.

  The gate creaked behind her and Ash turned to see Ama opening it. There before them lay the small humanoid figure, still bound up in course rope.

  She wandered over for a better look, leaning over the pair as Ama checked him over for injuries and asking the pertinent question.

  “Who and what are you?”

  “Hey there! I’m a little tied up right now but I come in peace!” The young man said, joking quite cheerfully despite his situation. “I’m a halfling and a slinger, but you can just call me David.”