Getting Kai to leave after the combing was next to impossible, but it was getting dark, and Nick didn't want Kai roaming around the forest in the dark. The monster kings didn't have any problems moving around during the day, but the night was always more dangerous. Nick wanted him home before it was too late.
Kai wanted to eat and sleep. Walking all the way home was the last thing he wanted. But he brought it on himself, and since Nick was gracious enough to give him some snacks for the road, he slid down the porch stairs and eeled away.
Nick sat down on the porch with a heavy sigh and watched the sun slowly set behind the tall trees around him.
Being in this other world was strange.
He had almost died several times. It was stressful. It was dangerous.
But he couldn't remember the last time he he just sat down and watched the sunset with a calm mind and still heart.
There were still a lot of questions and uncertainty about his situation. He didn't know what he was going to do about food in the long run. He still wanted to return to Earth or, at the very least, know why he had been teleported to another world.
However, all of those thoughts took a ride in the trunk.
For the first time in a long while, Nick felt peace. He felt like things were going to work out.
***
"Malak, tell the council what you told me," Elder Kobo requested.
Malak was nervous to suddenly have most of the elders all stare at him. But he swallowed that nervousness and fulfilled Elder Kobo's request.
"The Outsider has befriended the Ursa tribe. I don't know the full extent, but I know he has earned the trust of at least one family to the point where they are willing to leave their cub in his hands without oversight."
Malak's words caused a light stir among the elders. Some were disinterested, but most looked at their neighbors and exchanged a few words.
Kobo stood up, pulling everyone's attention onto him.
"Elders, in light of this discovery, I propose we take a firmer stance on our desired relation to the Outsider." Elder Kobo's words didn't spark another stir. He was a fellow Elder. The others weren't going to disrespect him by chatting instead of seriously considering his words.
"I agree." Elder Atarak voiced his assent. He didn't like the wishy-washy idea of just keeping a non-aggressive attitude. It was almost worse than being all buddy-buddy with the Outsider.
"We should start thinking about how to drive him out," Atarak continued, expressing his stance.
The other elders exchanged looks and glanced between Kobo and Atarak.
"I think we should do the opposite. If he's friends with the Ursa, they could become our allies if we befriend the Outsider. On the other hand, if we antagonize the Outsider, we risk antagonizing the Ursa as well," Kobo explained his stance. It was what made the most sense to him.
"Do we want the Ursa tribe as our allies, though?" Another elder, Elder Kotak, asked, raising an important question.
"That's right. They may be strong, but their temperament…" Elder Amto added, leaving what everyone knew unsaid. Every member of the Ursa tribe was innately big and strong, their warriors even more so. But it wasn't like they were unrivaled. If anything, their strength made it difficult to get along with them.
Accidents had happened in the past when children of different tribes played together.
In the vast Tiabe, there were many tribes, each tribe being like one or several villages. Tribes close to others would naturally interact with each other. The members of each tribe would hang out, work, gather or hunt food, and do whatever else together. It was only natural that the kids of different tribes would end up playing together.
There was trouble every now and then since children often struggled with understanding people different than them. The different physiques and properties of kids from different tribes were often cause for mishap.
But for most kids, those accidents only happened once or twice and could be solved with dialogue or by changing something in their games.
It was different with the Ursa tribe's kids.
Some Ursa tribe kids were born as humans while others were born as bear cubs. But both kinds were stronger than most other kids their age, and they had yet to learn to control their strength. They played rough. They were destructive. It was rarely intentional, but they destroyed toys and broke bones.
All the elders had seen it happen on multiple occasions. Fortunately, it hadn't happened much as of late since the Ursa tribe were basically secluding themselves from the rest of Tiabe.
"The Outsider has managed to over the…behavioral barriers for interaction with the Ursa tribe. He, as a human, can do it. Are you perhaps suggesting that we can't, Elder Amto?" Elder Kobo asked with a gentle voice as if he meant nothing with that question.
"That's not what I meant."
"What did you mean, then?"
"The Ursa are…unpredictable. Their destructive kids are one thing, sure, but you never know what's going to set off an adult one. Don't get me wrong, it would be great if we didn't have to worry about them attacking us. But you don't get along with a wild dog by inviting it inside. You get along with it by not interacting with it. It's what works best. It's what has worked so far. I don't see why we need to change anything."
"What if we don't have a choice? What if we have to change something?"
"Or else? What's going to happen if we don't change anything?" Elder Atarak countered.
"As soon as we get the Outsider out of here, everything will return to normal."
"I don't think it's going to be that easy."
"Why not…?"
"The Gezercher tribe haven't mentioned anything about the Outsider's acquaintance with the Ursa, right? They said were going to keep watch and keep us informed," Elder Kobo reminded.
"Are you saying Malak is lying?"
"No." Kobo chuckled as if just the thought of Malak trying to lie was funny.
"Either we are still underestimating the Ursa and they managed to evade the Gezerchers' eyes, or the Gezercher tribe is keeping things from us.
"You tell me what you think is the most likely." Kobo's words made the elder's sink into thought. He could guess what they were thinking.
The Gezercher tribe was hiding things.
Kobo didn't doubt that for a moment.
But he was also inclined to believe in the first option he laid forth this time.
Everyone had a lot to think about and had to do so before they could make a decision, so they shelved the topic for now.