Trouble with a Tribe [Job/Solo]

Job Details:

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Lexi found herself wandering the Plains much more since Ayero had taken Nymeria with her. She missed her daughter fiercely, but there was still work to be done. With Shana and the kids all gone, Lexi had less and less to tie her to the settlement she had been traveling with and so she had taken to wandering to see if other nearby tribes needed help. It was during one of these wanderings that she had stumbled across a non-Kimeer tribe that seemed to be in desperate need for assistance. She had been hunting nearby when she had discovered one of their hunters nearby and had offered some of her kills as payment for hunting in their area. It was only polite when hunting near another tribe to offer a portion of the kills or risk upsetting them. Most tribes relied on the local wildlife to feed their families and they could become quite hostile to hunters invading their hunting zone.

The hunter she had come across had been friendly enough and had been grateful for her donating a portion of her kills. After their joint hunting trip, he had invited her back to the village to meet the Elder and his family and she had willingly accepted the offer, craving a warm place to sleep where she did not have to be constantly on guard. That night had been filled with warm stew, ale, a crackling fire and laughter, though she had been a bit subdued. She had woken the next morning with Liam’s arm draped over her waist and she carefully slipped free of the embrace and made her way outside where the tribe members were just starting to wake up and begin their tasks for the day. The sun was just barely over the horizon but it was already shaping up to be a busy day. As she slipped quietly through the group of huts, the Elder joined her on her stroll, chatting away about the local wildlife. Lexi had the impression that the Eder wished to ask her something but was taking his time coming to the point. She paused in her walking, setting a hand on the Elder’s arm with a kind smile.

“What is bothering you, Elder? I would be happy to help, if I can.”

The Elder returned her smile, appreciating that she could tell there was something he wished to ask but was nervous about asking someone from outside the tribe to handle it. With a sigh, he finally began telling her the issue.

“You see, nearby there is a large forest where we hunt and gather wood. The forest provides well enough for us that we rarely need to move. But, recently, things have been… odd. The forest itself seems to be against our occupation of the area, and many of our people have returned, telling frightening tales of creatures and things of nightmares coming after them and chasing them away. The season is not good for us to travel and so we need that forest. Would you be willing to investigate for us? You seem to be quite a strong hunter and a smart girl, at that… not easily frightened. We can compensate you for your efforts, if it means us being able to survive until the ground thaws and we can find a friendlier area to move to.”

Lexi chuckled and nodded, patting the Elder reassuringly. While she was cold in the deepest recesses of her mind, she still wished to help who she could.

“I would be happy to help you, Elder. Just point me in the direction of the forest and I will see if I can’t solve the mystery of this sudden hostility.”

[500+/500]