Chapter 3: Meeting The Natives

The flesh puppet sweeps its hand in mimicry of your own action.

"Whatever freedom or reward you earn, you earn for your pack as well."

Although, coming from that voice, it almost sounds like a threat as much as a promise. At the end of its sentence, the zombie collapses into the pebble beach with a crunch, the starlight in its eyes extinguished.

FRICK, MOSS, and YGNE

---

The village heads for the waterfall, ascending a stone stair in single-file. It is a grim procession of shocked and grief-stricken people.

The water sprays over you as you pass behind the falls, cleaning some of the blood and gore of the battle from you. The stairs lead into a wide-mouthed cave that is braced with strong timbers. She Who Has Been Beyond the Reef directs the lighting of torches within, filling the cold, damp space with warmth and light. The cave is more than large enough to fit the whole population, though privacy and personal space is minimal. A stone stair ascends the rear wall of the cave to a dark opening, which nobody approaches.

A few elders begin a song, and it spreads through the beleaguered community. As the song gathers strength, so do the people. It sets the tempo to which the community works.

"funga alafia, ashay ashay..."

Roughly a quarter of the more able-bodied villagers draw spears and shields from racks from one wall, another quarter collect hunting bows and hip-slung quivers. They hasten to set up barricades and barriers to slow any invading monsters while singing the song.

"Funga Alafia, Ashay Ashay."

Others collect water from the river and distribute mess kits. Even the children are put to work, taking care of younger children, stripping palm leaves into bandages, and a variety of other simple tasks that are both useful and keep their minds off of their grief. The whole village moves as one.

"Funga Alafia, Ashay Ashay!"

At last, a beacon is lit at the mouth of the cave that shines through the waterfall, a signal to any survivors to rally at the cave and a taunt to any invaders to dare try to get the better of them a second time.

She Who Has Been Beyond the Reef eventually seeks out Frick, Moss, and Ygne. Her white hair is a complete mess, still spattered with blood.

"Our shelter and our grief, we share with you. Moss the Healer; Ygne the Wicked, Killer of Lizards and Saver of Kings; Frick, Drinker of Booze and Killer of Shit that Needs Killing: you gambled your lives today when you could have run. You lost one of yours, and we grieve for Jarveena the Maimed as we do for our own. Truly, she was a great warrior. I have never seen a Lionjay downed with a single arrow."

"It is my hope that Elspa, First Hunter of the Grey Pack and Iron Wolf of the Sea Witch and her serving man are safely camped away from the violence."

"To day thank you, I would like to give you the highest honour given to Fools Who Give Copper. If you accept, you become an honorary Islander."

She offers to you copper pendant that cradles a single pearl in the center, painted black.

"Anyone who bears these will be recognized as a friend of the Island by all of our people. And after you wear it for awhile, you will be able to understand and speak our language and share in our songs."

ELSPA, JARVEENA, and RYGNAR

---

Elspa unfurls the map. Those that saw it recognize the contour of the island from the map that Frick found in the journal back on Troglodyte Island.

This map has more much more detail of the terrain and features of the island's interior. A central plateau containing a large lake is is circled in dried blood. At the center of that lake is a small island, just as Ulupoka described.