9 Days

Tari weaved through the crowd in front of him that had gathered in the large tent at the center of the settlement. It was like this nearly every day, since people gathered here for communal dinners most of the time, but it was still a bit too early for that.

"Calm down, everyone," the chieftain sat cross-legged at the other side of the room, her eyes closed as she tried to think about everything she was being told.

"But Madr, that is an army out there!" one of the nervous members of this community yelled out, but Madr kept her cool, "Do not worry, if they planned on attacking, then we would know by now. Are they not simply settling and setting up their own camp?"

One of the elves close to the front of the crowd cried out, "Right next to us? They can't have good intentions!"

Madr slowly opened one of her eyes, trying to gauge the faces of the people in front of her, when she spotted Tari, "Nephew! I can see you come with news of this group."