Who Can Say Where The Road Goes

Scouts had found new natural expansion several days away from the Ember Claws settlement, with many kinds of trees and plants people hadn't seen before or not since before the cataclysm, depending on which they had been born with. Nerolia had also heard about sighting of some veernas whose leather required lots of work but was among the longest-lasting option.

This held a lot of potential for the Clan, for healing, tailoring and leather-working, as well as hunting grounds. It was why the trio heading there for a closer inspection comprised Ashia and Nerolia, as well as Kavan. Truth be told, Nerolia was still adjusting to consider the male as more than useful cattle; but he had been proving himself. When Enjo had picked up a fight with him and dared express inconsiderate thoughts about the Great Sister, he had ended fighting him at once, most of all because of the blatant disrespect towards the Clan Mother's mate. It had impressed Nerolia more than she had thought possible.

Since then, she had been somewhat more benevolent towards him. He was hard-working and she was slowly adjusting to how men were allowed to carve more honorable status among the Ember Claws as they had to smooth cultural differences over. And the Great Sister's influence had been significant over Anjali, who had been raised along with Nerolia in one of the most matriarchal clans of the older days.

This journey would bring its challenges but hopefully rip fruitful rewards for the Ember Claws.

With her pack strapped to her shoulders, and her knives at the ready, she felt power crackle around her as she felt curious and eager to get to their destination. They had left the settlement a few hours and would need a few days to get to the area to explore.

Kavan was grateful for the opportunity this expedition provided. Not only was he always on the look out for ways to prove himself in the Clan - any notion of leaving even if offered a spaceship now gone from his mind; but following his recent altercation with Enjo, he wasn't sure what was going to happen next. He had become a hunter under the Great Sister's leadership for several months and he had never had good interactions with Enjo but he hadn't expected the situation to resolve itself with a fight to the death. He had been on the fence about the killing blow but Cearia Tserta had told him to, and he wasn't going to disobey her. He had heard whispers that if he hadn't done it, the Clan Mother would have likely done the same and potentially in a slower and more painful way.

On a brighter note, he was glad that the leather-worker Sister wasn't eying him as some insect anymore. That was a significant improvement especially given the situation that had been slowly coming to life regarding their respective interest in the Clan's healer. The expedition was thus timely for multiple reasons.

While Kavan had grown more assured about his position in the food chain, he was still doing his best not to end into another fight, especially with Nerolia. And truth be told, she might consider men as irrelevant for the most part, but she was nevertheless talented and more fascinating than he had first thought.

Kavan was blessed with the gods favor, defending the Great Sister's honor with victory, killing Enjo by her command. Ashia was honestly confused why Enjo's infatuation spiraled out of control so quickly. Cearia had never showed interest and as soon as the Clan Mother claimed the huntress, let alone making an example out of him early on when he spoke out of turn, he should've focused on his purpose and found comfort elsewhere.

Yet Enjo's jealously boiled over when Cearia favored Kavan, taking him under her wing to train, not as her second but because she saw he had potential. Now the idiot was dead.

At least some good came from it - Kavan's position and usefulness was elevated and Nerolia stopped picking fights with him. She didn't have to play mediator between them as often! She adored the two of them but it was getting ridiculous seeing the unspoken venom flashing in Nerolia's eyes as she fleshed verne hide imagining it was his.

Now the trio were companionably hiking through the woods - hunter, healer, and tanner - all good qualities to have and maximize their haul. Ashia was excited to go off Ember land too! She hadn't been able to do that for months due to the increase injuries from moving the clan to their new settlement and from building. As the only capable healer, Ashia's time was monopolized with that and assisting with births, illness and blessedly confirming the other members pregnancy, including the clan mother's. As their numbers grew Ashia had help! Another apprenticed healer joined them and one of the children showed talent. The had a lot to learn but the clan would be taken care of in her absence.

"Hold," she stated firmly and crouched by chaga mushrooms. Assessing they were healthy enough to take, she took her knife and sliced them at the roots before tucking them into a pouch. A dark blue Dathomir gecko poked it's head between the mushroom stalks and pounced on Ashia's wrist. It elicited a giggle.

"You don't want to go with us."

It blinked and crawled further up her arm as the healer's face lit up with the cuteness. "I was wrong."

Rising, Ashia motioned for them to continue as her new friend stuck its tongue out at Kavan - though it was really trying to clean its eye.

One of the greatest perks of the Ember Claws was the growing population besides finally having a better place to live permanently. Nerolia hadn't minded the forced nomadism before as it meant they were survivors but being able to really build something again meant a lot to her. She had been relieved when Ashia was able to take an apprentice to help her as she had watched the talented healer work herself to the bone on multiple occasions. Their lives weren't easy but finding some sort of balance was a good thing to do when possible. She herself had her eye on a couple of potential people to train but nothing had solidified so far.

She eyed Kavan, still surprised of the guts he had showed and maybe she could get over herself in regards to what some men could bring to the table outside of reproduction, which wasn't something on her mind for the foreseeable future anyway.

She hoped to find some new plants to use as dyes, for they had been growing some cattle that could be used for their wool. She also dreamed of finding back other textile worms they would be able to raise colonies for at the settlement.

She stopped in her musings as Ashia asked them to hold when she found some mushrooms. She leaned against a nearby tree and watched the other woman, surprised when a blue gecko suddenly leaped at the healer. Okay, this creature was adorable, and Nerolia rarely found things adorable.

"I think you just got a new admirer."

She couldn't help laughing when the gecko stuck its tongue out at Kavan. She slapped the hunter on the shoulder, cackling. "I already like this lizard."

The blue gecko pouncing Ashia was utterly cute. While he recognized the wisdom and kind strength of Ashia, he also found her adorable at times, and it was one of such moments. Of course the darn lizard had to be a little obnoxious shit right away, which prompted Nerolia to make fun of him.

He smirked at the other sister's playful jab.

"Hold your rancors, Sister," he responded with a smirk. Even a few weeks before he wouldn't have talked back like that but they were reaching some sort of equilibrium by now.

He reached for one of his pouches and produced a small dried fruit which he slowly dangled in front of the lizard who latched at it with its tongue before gobbling it.

It made an almost cooing nose looking at him, while still nestled on Ashia's arm.