TheAmazingGoob says:
Hold on, this Gnomanyan you just met might not be an enemy yet. Explain your situation to him and that Zeb isn’t a catch, but an ally. This new Gnomanyan might find sympathy towards your predicament, and he could potentially be a valuable asset to you.
Yeah, no. There’s no way you stumbled into another Gnomanyan besides Iron on the other side of the world. Besides, your folk don’t have orange eyes and round ears.
Also, there’s still very little you know about this country and its people. Sure, it beats home in terms of… everything. But it might be worth noting, you haven’t been here a full day and you’ve almost died twice.
It might be wise to observe a little bit more before you start taking sides.
Squeak Squadling says:
Given that this person came out of nowhere and their first response was nice catch, don’t waste any time and cut Zeb loose before giving the stranger a chance to take action.
Cutting Zeb loose won’t exactly be quick, but it’s worth a shot.
You raise the knife to the vines and begin cutting.
“Sister, a moment!”
You barely get through one before you hear him approach closer.
“Forgive my… haste, but I would hate to see your hard work undone. Might I advise against toying with it? A swift strike is always preferable to… wasteful savagery.“
Xander says:
Stay calm, and ask the weird mammal of his intentions.
Colonel says:
Place yourself physically between Zeb and this stranger. He’s unable to defend himself while tied up, you don’t know how long it will take to get him out, and if it takes too long to get him out, the stranger may attack. Zeb may need you to defend him. As civilly as possible, ask the stranger who he is and what exactly he meant by “excellent catch.”
You notice a sword under his cloak. Risking life and limb for someone you’ve just met doesn’t really vibe with you. In fact, you’ve already done a lot for Zeb by dropping everything to find him. So instead, you listen to your Gnomanyan instincts and place yourself behind your new meat-shield in case the stranger attacks.
You then ask the stranger what he meant by “excellent catch”.
“Well, what else is there to say? You’ve caught yourself quite the prize. May I take a look?”
The stranger approaches slowly, undeterred by your posturing. You tell him that’s far enough.
” Of course, my friend. No need for alarm. I only intend to offer my services to a sister of The Circle.”
You’ve not a clue what this “Circle” is, and though you’ve met your fair share of shady people, this one seems different.
Something about the way he talks about Zeb that makes your fur stand on end…
“Sister, it’s apparent what you are doing here. I understand why one might take precautions to safeguard their… nature. But rest assured, we are quite a ways from prying eyes.”
“…You might have me confused with someone else.”
His tone grows less patient, “We both know exactly what you are, girl– and must I warn you: Keeping up this reticent act will only end poorly for you. Some may even lend credence to what you say.”
“And in this domain, that may be a problem.”
For Continental being your second language, you wish you had a dictionary for Zeb to read to you. It’s clear enough that he sees you as one of these “Circle” people though. And surprisingly, despite the interest in Zeb, he hasn’t made a move on the boy… yet.
You don’t like where this is going, but his veiled threats haven’t shaken you.
The advent of Yen. Praise be.