The furry face of “Noonbright Teikhom” screwed up in loosely controlled anger. His jaws clenched and he began to spit his words.

“Explain why you’ve brought some of the scaled menace into our holy place.” Teikhom audibly ground his teeth and his hands twitched towards his hatchets. Ana sighed.

“I don’t need to explain myself to you, you stiff-necked geezer of a goat. He and his swarm are fahvalo to me.” Just as when she had approached the gates, Ana said what she had intended to, then continued walking onward. Differently from the guards at the gates, however, the Noonbright sidled to the side and directly into the path of Ana.

“Don’t think you are the only leader in Dunbach, Bloodpriestess.” Teikhom’s voice began to take on an almost bleating tone, but in a threatening way instead of what could have been humorous. “You are the only Bloodpriestess here, but we are two Noonbrights. You have brought the failed conqueror’s ilk into our homes, and think we will simply accept it? Your hubris knows no bounds.” I blinked, hard. I wasn’t expecting a vocabulary like that from a rough exterior like Teikhom’s. I began to step forward and speak when Ana stepped forward, her hair bristling into a mohawk down her spine as she spread her arms threateningly. She stopped her approach just outside of reach for the Noonbright, and I noticed for the first time just how long his arms were, reaching almost to his knees.

“Do not presume yourself capable of dictating who qualifies as my fahvalo, Teikhom. If you impinge on my honor, I will offer your heart’s blood to the Bloodsoaked Mother before Huldtar reaches his zenith. There will be no glory for you or the rest of the Sunkindred, and the brightest beams of noon will look only on your festering corpse.” Ana slowly settled into her combat-ready stance, and her voice dropped to a raspy, threateningly serious tone. “Do. Not. Doubt. Me.”

I looked to Teikhom, expecting to see him quail under her threat and promise of bloodshed, or at least flinch, but he didn’t react at all. No twitches towards his weapons, no steps in any direction, no loss of eye contact. “You would threaten Huldtar’s glory? In front of a Noonbright?”

“So long as you challenge my honor.”

“You would stake the honor of a Bloodpriestess of Narsha’at on the honor of a keelish?”

“I have publicly called him fahvalo to me before my people, my city, and now you, my peer. Would you call me a deceiver?” Ana’s voice lacked the passion that the words communicated, her tone glacial in speed and warmth.

A throaty sigh and a nodding concession. “No, you honor yourself at all times and would never deceive willfully.”

“Then accept my declaration of fahvalo.”

A grunt, then Noonbright Teikhom began to stalk away without another word.

I watched, unsure of if I should say anything, but after just long enough for Teikhom to be out of our continued passage forward, Ana stood normally as if she hadn’t been threatening lethal violence just moments before. Her ability to shift so suddenly and completely between absolutely contrasting moods and attitudes was strange, uncanny even. I almost wondered if she felt anything, or was just putting on the appearance of emotion.

“You should have seen me three hundred moons ago. Then, I could move at a truly awe-inspiring speed. Now, I’m just quick, not so awesomely as before.”

“Are… we not going to talk about that?”

“He’ll go off to rut with one of his females and be in a better mood before too long. Huldtar’s children are quick to every passion, and once he’s had his fill and release he will be closer to reasonable once again.”

“That doesn’t really answer my questions.”

“Then ask, Ashlani.”

“Who is he?”

“Noonbright Teikhom. A leader of the Sunkindred of about the same level as myself, ignoring the Allmother.”

“And… why does he hate the keelish?”

“Frankly speaking, your people are a scourge. Those who are not Saharliard devour anything they can reach, and Saharliard are frequently honorless and warmongering. He has good reason to distrust your people. But no reason,” Ana’s voice became bitter and as close to angry as I’d ever heard it, “to distrust my word. I may still have to spill his blood to clear my name.”

I… could see her point. I nodded slowly. “Then, are we safe while he is around?”

Ana nodded, “He is frequently stationed to the Southern border with the warlocks, and cannot frequently come home to his herd. Teikhom felt threatened by your presence near his young and weak, but with my word he will leave you in peace. He will feel no compassion or goodwill towards you, but he will not seek out to damage you unprovoked.”

Fair enough. I was about to ask another question when I was interrupted by Sybil behind me.

“I guess all my practice of the common tongue was useless?”

I couldn’t help but laugh and lovingly bunt my head into hers.

“Why do you laugh?”

I explained the joke and a smile briefly covered Ana’s face before she answered, “It may serve you yet. The Allmother is here, and I’m sure she would love to speak with you at some point. And, even if she does not, it will serve you in the rest of your journey towards the border, as you will travel with others of my people there, and communication makes for better fahvalo.”

“Who is this Allmother?”

“You will see. Let me show you where you will pass the rest of this day. Come.”