Early morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the walls as Delvik made his way through the ruined buildings. He smiled at the strung out line of hunters ahead of him as he watched them struggle with their hangovers, it had been an enjoyable night, if not such an enjoyable morning for them, he thought.


    He readjusted the backpack, as Thomas had called it, wishing again that he had found something smaller and better fitted to his body size. Delvik picked up his pace and quickly caught up to the rear of the group, nodding to the hunters that were stuck herding the worst of their hungover party along, and moved up to walk next to a scowling Anzis.


    “You should be more cheerful Anzis, your hunters return fat, happy and a bit hungover after a victorious fight against the scaled ones.” he said.


    Anzis shook his head negatively, “Victorious my tail, you and that Human of yours were nearly done. We just chased off the stragglers that had the good sense to flee” he grumbled and looked to Delvik, “Shouldn’t you be looking more somber, you are about to face down the Matrons on a subject that borders on heresy”.


    Delvik laughed loudly, causing some of the hunters to wince in pain, “I am more nervous than I have ever been, even sneaking into a Human settlement was less stressful,” he said, “but this is something I believe in, the key to our future is within our grasp and I will make the Matrons see my vision”


    Anzis just shook his head again before speaking, “For your sake, I hope you are correct Delvik. You only returned home recently, you haven''t seen their fear of Humans like I have”.


    Delvik thought about Anzis’s words, comparing them with his own memories of interacting with the Matrons. He had always thought of them as aloof, disinterested with the world outside of the Burrow unless it directly affected it. Even the few authorized forays into the Human controlled areas he had been sent on had felt more akin to checking on a neighboring Burrow to see what they were up to. If the Matrons had, as Anzis was suggesting, started becoming actively hostile towards Humans, then his plans for the future were in danger.


    So caught up in his own thoughts, he had missed their approach to the Burrow. Suddenly before him stood the tall, weathered ruin of glass, metal and stone. The great letters from which the tribes’ name was taken, hung spaced out above the entry. Looking carefully, he could spot the watchers, their cloaks allowing them to blend in with the ruined structure.


    Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Delvik followed the hunters as they entered the building. Soft footsteps whispered through the passages, passing large spaces that had long ago been picked over for anything of value. He heard the shouts of delight as the first of the hunting party arrived at the true entrance. Two metal arches standing before an inky black pit, the ropes dangling down were nearly invisible in the low light.


    Some of the hunters were flinging themselves into the darkness to grab the ropes and slide down into the depths, laughing the whole way. Delvik smiled fondly, it was almost a right of passage for young Rakus to show their courage and bravery doing that. He winced as one hunter missed the ropes and bounced off the side until they could grab the netting that lined the sides. More sensibly, Delvik and Anzis used the netting to descend into their home. Their eyes adjusted quickly to the increasing darkness that helped protect their home.


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    At the base of the pit, Anzis pulled out a metal key and inserted it into a locked hatch that was set into the floor they stood on. With a heave, four of the hunters lifted the hatch and locked it into place so that everyone could enter, and with Anzis entering last, he tugged a rope that allowed the hatch to fall back into place to once more resume its duty of protecting the Burrow.


    Glowing moss provided the barest illumination in this area, it wouldn’t do to provide any invader with good lighting to see by. Delvik dipped his head in respectful farewell to Anzis as he gathered his hunters for a few last words before releasing them from their duty. There would be interesting tales being today, he thought as he began his trek through the Burrow to his first destination, his personal room.


    As a far scout, he was thankful for the allotted space he was given. Far better than the communal rooms that most had, and less likely for the things he found and brought back to wander off in the hands of the curious. It had been six full cycles of the moon since he had last been here, inside the Burrow. He had actually returned the night of the storm, had in fact been watching it from the upper levels and preparing his report to the Matrons, when he had heard the noises that led him to finding Thomas. The fates were tricky creatures, he thought to himself with a chuckle.


    Delvik observed the changes to the Burrow as he continued his trek to his room, more of the moss had been cultivated on the walls and ceiling, providing more than enough light for his people to see by. He nodded to those he recognized, mostly other hunters and scouts. A gray furred Rakus stepped out of a side passage, nearly bowling Delvik over. “Ah, pardon, I didn''t see you there…… Delvik”, the older Rakus said, nearly shouting his name at the end. “Ah, my boy, when do you get back?” he added, grabbing Delvik by the shoulders and pulling him into a hug.


    “I just returned, actually” Delvik said, “Its good to see you’re still as lively as ever Master Indral, I am actually on my way back to my room for a moment and then I must speak with the Matrons”


    The Older Rakus simply laughed as he patted Delvik on the shoulders with both paws, “Enough of the Master nonsense my boy, you are no longer my student” he said “but welcome home, I hope you had no difficulties on your mission? I see you also brought home some treasures”.


    Delvik placed his paws on Master Indral’s, and he would always be Master Indral to him, shoulders, “Thank you, and it has been an interesting mission, speaking with you is first on my list, right after reporting to the Matrons sir” he said with a smile.


    Master Indral stepped back, “Oh, interesting huh. I can''t wait to hear about it then,” Indral said, before making shooing motions, “well get on about it then my boy, let the old ladies know then report right to me. You remember your way to the knotted tail right, meet me there when you''re done.”


    Delvik nodded and felt a shiver go down his spine, of course Master Indral still chose to go to the shadiest brewer of Salp in the whole Burrow. He waved goodbye to his teacher and continued on, he finally arrived at his tiny, but private room.


    Setting the pack on his simple bedding of moss and grass, he immediately missed his comfortable mattress and pillows from the shelter. Opening the pack he began pulling out the items he would use to convince the Matrons to go along with his idea to work with Thomas. Rolls of bandages and some medicine, jars and bags of simple food, samples of different types of cloth and even a few bottles of beer that he thought they might like. He hoped it would be enough to convince them to at least try, if he could just get them to give his plan a shot.


    He stashed away a few choice bits that he would share with Master Indral later, he repacked the items and settled the packs straps over his shoulders once again. He really needed to get it resized for his body, he thought as he opened the door to his room, and had to hop back before he collided with a group of the Burrow guards that stood before his door, one had their paw raised as if to knock.


    The guard was startled as much as he was, but recovered quickly, “Far Scout Delvik, you stand accused of endangering the Burrow and Tribe,” he said sternly, “You will come with us for questioning, do not resist”.