The Leader of the Shifters

The clan leader was young. Gaoric was the only name he gave the group, Fred thought he may be trying to hide his full name. After introductions were made, he dismissed his daughter, and asked right away, "What business brings such fine people so far south?"

Fred replied, "We are here because before the dragon of the southern caves, you would know them better as the northern caves-"

"How far north?" interrupted Gaoric, much to everyone's annoyance.

"Shreken mountains," said Astra.

Gaoric thought for a minute, then said, "Ah, yes, that dragon. Continue."

Fred looked annoyed for a second longer, then continued, "Before that dragon appeared, there were many raids on Allaria by shifters. Lots of unneeded slaughter. Princess Astra tells me that your clan used to disappear from these jungles then reappear near our borders. Do you know anything of these raids?"

"If it was twenty years ago, my dear departed father would have known something. I was still young back then," was all Gaoric said.

"We all were still young back then," said Darren, "Can you explain your disappearances, and your reappearing near our country?"

"No, my father always brought some of us in that direction. I was left behind, with my mother. He never told me what errands brought him up there." Gaoric sounded evasive.

Toby asked another question. Fred retreated to the back of the group, next to Ken, as Gaoric answered.

Fred whispered to Ken, "Is there anything you could cast without him noticing that could loosen his tongue?"

"I think I may be able to cast a milder form of what I used on you when you trespassed on my fields," Ken whispered back. "But I'll have to ask the questions for that to work."

"Great," replied Fred, "You should do that."

Ken chanted something under his breath. The end of his staff faintly glowed blue. He tested it with a question, "In your opinion, assuming it could have been any of the surviving clans, including you, who do you think would be most likely to be responsible for the raids?"

"Any one of them, we are always short on supplies, so we would have reason. The other Aqualarian clan, they are tricky, and one can never tell what they're thinking. I don't like them. It could be the Allarian clan, they-"

"No they don't. I'm from that clan, and I can tell you, we would not slay innocents like that!" Fred then gave Ken a look, saying We want information, not his opinion on the matter.

"How true, Fred. Belboz must have spontaneously combusted," Toby said sarcastically.

Those words stung Fred. He had been telling himself, A D'Honaire would never kill without reason, when he had done so himself. He knew that subconciously, but he denied it. "You people continue, I'll meet with you later," he said, before leaving the room.

1. Fred thinks to himself elsewhere in the "village"
2. The meeting continues, with Fred absent

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