"Hello, Tar." I replied as I looked down at the rat. He stood on his back legs and was fastidiously grooming his whiskers in that unmistakably rodentlike way. "I'm sure there's a reason that you're approaching us today. Would you accompany me to my meeting room while my counsel assembles?"
"If you would prefer that, of course." Tar responded.
WIth how the Tars (however many there'd been) I'd spoken with reacted, I figured it would be for the best to take the initiative, instead of allowing them to seize control of conversations and keep us on the back foot. I couldn't allow this older, stronger nation to consider us to be pushovers or weak when the New Empire was still in its infancy.
"Bruuk, get the rest of my elites and bring them to the war room."
"Yes, Zaaktif." With her head bowed and frills flared, she acknowledged my command before wheeling to do what I'd told her. Now that those nearby would quickly return, I looked down at Tar.
"Should I continue calling you Tar, or do you want to supply your real name?"
"Why do you ask that?" The damned face was unreadable, and his body language was wholly inhuman and inscrutable.
"I know at least two different rats have spoken to me. The first wasn't you, though I'm relatively sure it's been only you since then. So, do you want to give me your name, or should I continue to call you Tar?"
The rat leveled a gaze at me and I held it. After half a minute, he spoke again. "I am Cupun."
I nodded. "Thank you, Cupun. Would you accompany me? There's a couple things that I think need to be discussed."
"Of course, Ashlani."
***
We exchanged pleasantries as we sat in the war room, speaking about nothing in particular while my people gathered and prepared themselves for whatever news this unexpected guest would bring. A dozen Kha'Tal rushed around, seeing what it was that needed to be brought, what could possibly be necessary in our conversation. In the end, a tuber was brought for Tar's—Cupun's refreshment, and he nibbled at it politely. Once Sybil, Joral, Farahlia, Shemira, Percral, Brutus, Shraal, and Ytte were all assembled and the subordinates of the rest had reported, I pulled our attention away from the idle conversations that'd filled the space.
"Thank you for being here, Cupun." I said. "As we already know, you're a representative of another nation, the Union of Beastkin. As such, for what reason has the Union approached Nievtra and Nievtala's New Empire of the Saharliard?"
"I want to share another of the reasons why I came here in the first place. I mentioned that I had several reasons for approaching initially, and the one I spoke of was the general wellbeing of the continent."
"Yes." I gestured for him to continue, the movement unnatural instead of using my frills. Interspecies diplomacy was strange. Who would have expected it.
"This second one is the general nature of the Misti Hawar. They are, by nature, killers, much like yourselves. Instead of your people's need for expansion and consumption, they need to test themselves in the hunt. That is not an inherent problem, but they wish to hunt everything that they come across. Now, they have disregarded the treaty we long have preserved and they've decided to turn their claws on our people as well. That is unacceptable, and we will band with you to ensure that the Misti Hawar's aspirations are thwarted."
"Those are many words of explanation without offering anything more than a possibility of an alliance in which we serve as the sword, shield and field for a battle you fight vicariously." Sybil retorted. "You offer a fight in which you benefit much while offering no sacrifice, information, or strength. Why would we treat you as anything more or less than an overstepping nation who wishes to use us as tools before tossing us away?"
"It is true that we will not provide soldiers for this fight nor will the battles be fought on our lands. To the Union, this is a desolate land seized by insatiable hordes of ants and vicious packs of umbral ophidians. These lands are altogether worthless to us, as seizing and maintaining control over them is far more costly than beneficial. However, we can provide supplies and information to you without price, promise, or provision. Is that enough to consider it to be a good faith alliance?"
"It would be sufficient for now." I flared my frills to the rest of my people to confirm my stance. "As a measure of good faith, what information will you provide?"
"The magic of the Misti Hawar." He said simply. "Have you seen the umbral ophidians?"
"We call them the shadow wyrms, yes." I replied.
"A better translation in this tongue." Cupun nodded. "The Misti Hawar draw their magic from their god, as all non heretics do. Their god can be considered the original shadow wyrm, the night's bane, the Great Hunter Illan'Klli. Their magic is much the same as the shadow wyrms', but built for small families to work together. A Misti Hawar Chakuq, or lead hunter, leads the hunt, and as their greatest hunter, draws the rest of their family into their shadow. Different from the shadow wyrms, the Misti Hawar are not limited by that darkness which is already occurring. Instead, they can create it. Their magic is significantly weaker and their bodies cannot remain incorporeal in the magically created shadow in light, but they can create pockets of shadow in light.
"Those blessed by the Chakuq's shadow are quicker, stronger, and their claws can cut through most materials with ease. If the Chakuq falls, another can fill that role, though the Chakuq tends to be the only one in the family proficient in the shadow expansion. In order to overcome their strengths, bright lights and prolonged exposure are the greatest counters. Unlike the shadow wyrms, the Misti Hawar cannot stay as shadow for indefinite periods of time."
My assembled people nodded appreciatively as Cupun provided the information freely. Much of it was what we expected already, but the specifics were probably going to be invaluable. That the light patrols would be helpful but unable to counter everything, but they would be solid steps in the right direction. I nodded in thanks, but a question that he'd given us stuck in the back of my mind. Even so, I couldn't lean into that right now, and instead asked, "What was that you said about providing supplies?"