Georn and Allegra took a step forward between all the Metamorphs present.
"My daughter had told me what you requested of us for the favor you had done us this day, and it has been discussed between our chiefs, with no consensus being made as of yet," Georn began. "However, you will receive an answer by the time we leave this Domain. Until then, I hope this will suffice as gratitude for what you have done today."
As he uttered these last words, Georn and Allegra bowed deeply to the five, with some of the Metamorphs from their and other clans following closely behind.
But just as many, if not more, straightened their backs, defiance in the way they acted.
Two of them were acquaintances of the five.
"Though I appreciate the sentiment, Georn," Blanc spoke, ignoring them and turning back towards the pair of daughter and father, "I see the discrepancy between philosophies. We will await your answer in the meantime."
Celine looked towards the sky as Blanc spoke, trying to look for the eye that was watching them earlier in the day.
But perhaps because it was night, and the light from the torches blocked some of her vision, she couldn't see anything.
So, she turned her attention back, just as Blanc finished his sentence.
"Thank you, Blanc," Allegra spoke next, raising from the bow she took, "Thank you for today as well as the advice given a week ago. Your warnings may have saved more Metamorphs' lives than even they realize."
"Leave it at that, Allegra," Blanc waved her gratitude, not liking being overpraised for no reason, especially when half the people present took those praises as empty shells of a word, uttered only to please.
"So be it," she nodded.
Celine was the next to speak, seeing that no further conversations could be had for today, "Allegra, could you show us where we could set up our tents, as well as get some wood for a fire?" she asked.
To which Blanc nodded, "Once we solve that, we will be out of your way."
"Certainly," Allegra replied, looking towards an empty part of the campsite, "Come, I'll show you. Nataly, could you bring a few logs and kindling?"
A Spirit Bear woman behind Allegra nodded, walking off towards a large pile of wood in the distance.
"If you would fo-"
"WAIT!" Heru yelled, stopping Allegra from speaking.
"What do you think you are doing?" Leilani, his mother, hissed, seeing her son act like a fool again.
But Heru did not pay any attention to his mother's words, walking straight towards Blanc and his family, followed by another man and the tailed woman at his side.
Allegra opened her mouth to speak, but the three walked fast towards Blanc, who, in their situation, saw it as a threat.
He let the bag fall from his back onto the ground, unsheathing his sword.
"Careful, Heru," Blanc muttered, "It would be a pity to escape captivity only to die now."
"All of this shame," Heru spoke, stopping twenty feet away from Blanc, "All these failures are because of you, human."
It did not take long for Celine, Miyanna, and the twins to pull their swords as well, seeing the situation they were in.
But Blanc signaled them to put the swords away, to which they complied.
"Calling it my fault because I defeated you once when you were the one who attacked me first, is the most shameless thing I've ever heard," Blanc chuckled, using the sword in his hand as a walking stick, "So it seems shame is not part of your repertoire, Heru."
Whispers could be heard from the Metamorphs present.
Georn and Allegra stood silent during their conversation.
Even the chiefs watched with heavy intent what was to follow.
"Fine," Heru giggled like a child, "Since you are the one who took us out of that situation, I will grant you this opportunity to leave, and the bad blood between us will be forgotten."
"Do you speak for all Metamorphs or for yourself?" Blanc asked, tilting his head.
The contents of the question were directed at Heru, while Blanc's sight turned towards Georn and Allegra, who shook their heads in response.
"Of course, I speak for all Metamorphs," Heru replied, "Humans are, for us, a scourge that needs to be cleansed."
"And do you plan to cleanse me, Heru?" Blanc stared into his eyes, sending a shiver down Heru's spine.
"Leave us be," Heru muttered, anger deep in his voice, his breath heavy.
"This is the third time you threatened me and my family today, you ungrateful brat," Blanc sighed, "There won't be a warning next time. And so help me, Vita, I will carve those wings from your back and feed them to your mother if you dare threaten me again."
Celine intervened, looking at Leilani, "Control your son, madame."
But Leilani did not get to protest against the humans' words or against her son's actions, for Heru looked upward towards the sky.
"Forest Mother," he yelled, "Grant me the honor to challenge this human to a Pagnum Sacra."
Pagnum Sacra? Blanc thought, confused by the meaning of those words.
But he did not have time to decipher their meaning as a female voice from up in the sky spoke.
"Granted," the voice said, taking a human shape as someone began descending from the sky at high speed.
The woman crashed into the earth, sending a cloud of dust into the air, as she walked away from it, unaffected by the shock or the sudden speed at which gravity met the resistance of the ground.
The woman appeared young, but her ruby eyes told another story. One visible even to Blanc.
This Forest Mother, as Heru called her, was ancient.
Her hair was a combination of black and crimson, the colors of her hair ever-changing from black to crimson red, then black again.
Next were her spiraling horns that rose from behind her ear, and pointed backward as they rose to the sky. They were enormous, and from the way they shortened as she approached, those, too, were changing to match her appearance.
But the thing that stood out most to Blanc and Celine was the branches of two small saplings rising from the back of her hands.
The Forest Mother's eyes locked onto Blanc's, looking into them as if searching for something.
However, her search gave him information as well.
"A beast of True Vita…" he whispered, loud enough for those near him to hear his words.
"Correct," the Forest Mother replied, "And you are a human."
"Keen observation," Blanc nodded, "Now explain to me what you had granted earlier. This Pagnum Sacra, the feathered fool spoke off."
"A formal challenge," she began walking towards the two, "One fought to the death."
"I must warn you against granting such a thing," Blanc said, his body tensing with each step the woman took towards them. "I defeated him once, and I grew much stronger in the meantime. It will be a pity to have rescued him only to kill him."
"It was his request," the Forest Mother explained, "And I granted his wish. But you are right, human, it is indeed boring."
"Huh?" Blanc muttered, confused.
"In the light of today's events, and at the colossal failure of all kin of mine, I will be adding stakes to this Pagnum Sacra," she began, "If the human wins, the favor we owe them will be granted in full, and they will be recognized as allies of our kin."
This sent whispers throughout the Metamorphs.
Which the Forest Mother allowed it to spread as a forest fire in the summer heat.
A pair of crystal white eyes began glistening, before a wave of light left them, with a message carrying it.
"Silence," was all that the light that left Allegra's eyes said.
"Thank you, child," the Forest Mother said to her, before turning back towards Blanc and Heru, "But if Heru wins, all punishment for the failures that have occurred will be made null, not only his own but of all Metamorphs."
This made the Metamorphs roar in excitement towards the sky.
All were overjoyed, all but a select few.
Georn, Allegra, and her Clan, Leilani, Ulia, and her Megaloceros clan, remained silent, watching the events unfold.
"Such stakes require a change in rules," the Forest Mother said, silencing everyone before Allegra had to do it again. "Killing is optional, with the one victorious allowed to choose if they spare or kill their prey."
"Is this really necessary?" Blanc sighed, "And are weapons allowed?"
"It is sacred," Heru hissed.
"No weapons are allowed," the Forest Mother explained, "Only hand-to-hand combat."
Blanc turned towards his family, an exhausted look on his face.
"Will you kill him?" Miyanna asked, a calm smile on her face.
"Still considering it," Blanc shrugged, "Should I?"
"Don't," Celine shook her head, "It is better to show mercy, for alliance's sake, my love."
"I don't mind a few new quills," Kael said, taking a seat in the grass, "I don't have any ink though."
Lune sighed, hearing her twin, "Am I the only one a bit worried about the situation?"
"Mhm, most likely," Blanc nodded, giving his sword to Celine, "It will be over before you know it."
With those words, he turned on his heels, met Heru's gaze, and nodded toward the Forest Mother at their side.
"Let's get this over with," Blanc said, taking his stance.
"Let the Pagnum Sacra begin!" the Forest Mother yelled, which sent another wave of roars toward the Shattered Heavens.