Cavern Standoff

Almost a full watch later those in the mine heard some commotion down the road that the riders were guarding.

Another group joined them led by the K'ol. He was bleeding for a shallow cut to his chest. His expression was hard. Likely because after the assault on the settlement they hadn't found any weapons. Behind him a few men were being dragged. The more keen eyes among you stopped Markus, his face bruised and bloody. His armour in tatters.

Standing around fifty meters from the entrance K'ol made the captives kneel in the dirty and started shouting at those inside the mines.

A few seconds later you heard the hoarse voice of Markus translating through broken teeth and spilt lips.
"He wants to talk to Tarmen again. Says if he doesn't come out they will starts slicing throats." He said looking at the other four men kneeling with him.

Even in his current state, Tarmen could hear Markus. He only had to hear the wetness in his voice to know he hadn’t fared well.
He wasn’t sure of himself at this point, the last time he had talked to the raiders it ended very poorly.
Still, some part of him drove him to answer the call.
Keeping close to the cave wall, he made his way back towards the others. For one thing, he would need the mold in check.
“Bread… need bread..”

After tending to Voah, Gonyaul used the time to erase the changes he made that added to his alluring disguise.

Now, his nickname could be more like raccoon than rabbit, since the charcoal was more smeared, than washed off, around his eyes. His hair was braided in two tails, one running behind each hemisphere of his head.

He looked to Tarmen as the man came up the tunnel at his summons. This couldn’t be good the young man thought to himself.

Voah heard the call from Tarmen and tended to his need. He must have been suffering with another bout of the spores as well.

She didn’t like this. Markus was as good as dead, because she was certain that the raiders still wanted the same thing. Or some kind of compensation.

Forcing the bread down, he pushed his way to the mouth of the cave. He had no guarantee they wouldn’t just kill them all just for laughs, but with everything else going to shit he wanted to try.
Leaning on the wall, he called out.
“What now? You makin’ sure I get to watch them die? Or did you have your tantrum and realize I told the truth?”
His attitude earned him a short coughing fit, leaving him breathless as he glared at his adversary.

Voah followed Tarmen to the entrance. She handed him a waterskin and put her hand on his shoulder giving him the silent look that asked, ‘Hey… You okay?’

Taking the water and nearly inhaling it, he savored the moment of respite as translations were made. He then looked to Voah with a tired determination.
“If they demand you and Alexis again, head deeper. I’d rather fight Neph-kin than horsemen. I don’t see another way.”
He doubted they would let him leave alive either and there wasn’t much stopping them. He just had to make sure they didn’t get to the others and maybe save these prisoners.

Gonyaul frowned subtly at Tarmen’s diplomatic tact. It rode him the wrong way and always felt like it unnecessarily threw more fuel on the fire for circumstances to spiral out of control. He was thinking about mentioning that a gentle answer turns away wrath, but refrained thinking now would be a bad time to say it given his audience. Yet, then again, what did he know of such matters. He never had to deal with the pressures of such magnanimous and perilous decisions.

He remained silent and decided it best to put himself to good use as opposed to judging someone that was trying their best, much more experienced in the world, and didn’t ask for his advice in the first place. He went deeper in the tunnel to see if Nicolaus needed any assistance.

Wim acted as Nicolaus' nurse and tending to wounds as he could. Mostly trying to stay out way of the real work.

Voah nodded to the Kru’ll man, “Agreed. We go deeper. But if I go, you go. We stick together... Remember? Don’t give up on me yet. I know I’ve been a shit…”

She smiled sadly.

“But you have been lying to me… and I am learning to be ok with what I believe to be the truth… you at least owe me an explanation…”

There was no anger in her eyes. Just a pleading need to understand.

This earned her a side eye from Tarmen, not expecting this kind of emotional opening during such a tense moment. He had a chuckling cough at her call back to their oath, once again this crew was hitting his weak spot for loyalty.
“Stick together always, can’t shake me that easily Arbiter. We survive, you get my truth.”
He grabbed her inner forearm to solidify the agreement, at the same time feeling the cloud in his head clear finally.
“Haven’t been the best myself either, clearly.”
He let the moment sink in, unsure of his next plan, but at this point what could it hurt.
“Either Alexis or you, help me with this. Not a diplomat, already messed things up this far.”

A diplomat...

“I will stand by you, but Im afraid I can’t yet think of anything to say to dissuade them from finishing what they started.” she admitted.

Tarmen grunted as he lay his head back on the rock.
“Just need Markus. Hopin’ they see we have nothin’.”