Walking round and round inside his tent like a caged kipesta, Bo-Qung Fao, Chief of the tribe of Masters of the Goo, growled furiously:
"What do you mean, 'impossible?'"
Fai-Cu Len, the hunter, answered with his usual calm tone, insensitive to the thundering tone of his leader:
"Yui, impossible. Our usual trapping location is filled with kitins because of the nearby mounds. So, unless you prefer to wait for the Zoraï people to strike there in order to cleanse the place, I say again, it's impossible."
In a sudden outburst Bo-Qung Fao hurled insults and objects, deftly avoided by the seasoned hunter. Finally, after a moment, that would seem interminable to others, a calm was realized. In a relatively calm voice the quick tempered chief spoke again:
"Good. So we need a Plan B. Because there is no question of waiting to set up our usual tactics. I refuse to be the laughing stock for another day! Between Pei-Ruz, who brazenly taunts us, the Black Circle who inquire if we want the help of one of its patrols, and the homin harvesters and hunters eyeing the barren pen, I see the mocking faces."
The wise hunter chose not to answer.
"Fai-Cu, we need a new kipesta quickly. We need to even the playing field! Track... Explore... Think! I want a perfect plan tomorrow!"
The Zoraï briefly bowed and left without a word. He ran to the Diplomatic Outpost at Demon's Crossroads, crossed the Haven of Purity into the Cities of Intuition and through the mazes to arrive in the northwestern part of the Grove of Umbra.
***
The next day, Fai-Cu Len returned as planned to camp with a supple swagger. He spoke a long time with Bo-Gung Fao inside his tent, where, this time, no outburst took place. Shortly after, the whole camp was in turmoil.
At nightfall, a group of seven members of the Masters of the Goo, with the hunter Fai-Cu Len leading, took the road to the Grove of Umbra with a heavily loaded cart.
"What do you mean, 'impossible?'"
Fai-Cu Len, the hunter, answered with his usual calm tone, insensitive to the thundering tone of his leader:
"Yui, impossible. Our usual trapping location is filled with kitins because of the nearby mounds. So, unless you prefer to wait for the Zoraï people to strike there in order to cleanse the place, I say again, it's impossible."
In a sudden outburst Bo-Qung Fao hurled insults and objects, deftly avoided by the seasoned hunter. Finally, after a moment, that would seem interminable to others, a calm was realized. In a relatively calm voice the quick tempered chief spoke again:
"Good. So we need a Plan B. Because there is no question of waiting to set up our usual tactics. I refuse to be the laughing stock for another day! Between Pei-Ruz, who brazenly taunts us, the Black Circle who inquire if we want the help of one of its patrols, and the homin harvesters and hunters eyeing the barren pen, I see the mocking faces."
The wise hunter chose not to answer.
"Fai-Cu, we need a new kipesta quickly. We need to even the playing field! Track... Explore... Think! I want a perfect plan tomorrow!"
The Zoraï briefly bowed and left without a word. He ran to the Diplomatic Outpost at Demon's Crossroads, crossed the Haven of Purity into the Cities of Intuition and through the mazes to arrive in the northwestern part of the Grove of Umbra.
***
The next day, Fai-Cu Len returned as planned to camp with a supple swagger. He spoke a long time with Bo-Gung Fao inside his tent, where, this time, no outburst took place. Shortly after, the whole camp was in turmoil.
At nightfall, a group of seven members of the Masters of the Goo, with the hunter Fai-Cu Len leading, took the road to the Grove of Umbra with a heavily loaded cart.