I brought Tar to speak in front of the rest of my council, though most didn't have a language in common with the rat. Or, the Beastkin, as he had told me. I had burning questions about his people and what they were capable of, but the Beastkin had other things to tell.
"The Misti Hawar have always worshipped the great hunter, Illan'Klli. They consider the hunt itself to be sacred, and a hunt can only be considered as such if the prey is worthy. In times long past, in the only previous record the Beastkin have of a Keel country, the Misti Hawar were oppressed. As such, they honed and refined their magic to combat Keel. When the subjugated peoples revolted against their Keel oppressors, the Misti Hawar served as assassins of the Keel leadership. Ever since then, keelish have served as the Misti Hawar's most favored prey."
"Where are they?" Took asked through Shemira's translation. "We'll hunt them and show them why they were subjugated."
"If only the answer was so simple." Tar responded. "It isn't so easily answered."
Growls bubbled in Took's throat as Shemira translated Tar's response to her. Before she said anything, though, Tar continued, "I will tell you what I can. The Principality, the country that the Misti Hawar have established, is directly south. It is my understanding that the Nyust'taa, their leader, dwells in a settlement on the western coast of their lands. However, they are a nomadic people by nature, not unlike the Indlovu. The Misti Hawar hunt whatever suits their fancy, as they need to 'keep their claws sharp'." He spoke with a scholar's dispassion, but the term "keep their claws sharp" was obviously one Tar disliked.
"Regardless of the reason," Tar continued, "they are in constant movement. The Misti Hawar, by nature, remain in small groups. A family unit of seven or more is large, most have only three or four as they train their young. Thus, to locate them as a people would be nearly impossible. They trust their lives to the bounty of the hunt, and they constantly pursue it. If you were to search for the Misti Hawar, you would need to go south, but to find all of them, or even a large number of them? I couldn't tell you how, because I do not know."
As the rest of my people listened to the scout's explanation, most went quiet, digesting what Shemira translated for the others' benefit. Sybil was the first to speak.
"Why would you tell us this? There does not seem to be any benefit to you in telling a new, weak enemy of how to overcome difficulties."
"Are you my enemies?" Tar answered the question with one of his own. "I wasn't under the impression that we were. Perhaps mildly antagonistic, but that was solely my fault. You have no quarrel with the Beastkin, nor we with you."
"Very well." Sybil answered, her tone clipped. "Why would you provide valuable information without demanding anything in recompense?"
"In the interest of being completely truthful, I will tell you that I have several reasons for having done so. I will only disclose one of them. I believe it is necessary for you to know as much as possible about the Misti Hawar before they kill more of your number. They aren't soldiers, but hunters, and their focus on the wholesale slaughter of the Keel and their descendants will have a negative impact on the world as a whole. I will not go into more detail about this at this time, but know that I and my people have the long lives of you and your people in our interest."
I took special note of how he had spoken, his exact words. As Tar had spoken, I became more and more convinced that he hadn't said anything that wasn't completely true. However, I also noticed that he didn't say that he didn't want my people to grow stronger, to establish a nation, or to be treated fairly. The only concern that Tar had for me and mine was to ensure that keelish as a whole weren't eradicated. Thus, as the Misti Hawa wanted to kill every one of us, they shouldn't be permitted to get the jump on us.
"That being the case," I said as my mind continued running through all the implications of what we'd been told thus far, "are you going to ask that we not destroy the entirety of the Misti Hawar if we're given the chance?"
"I would ask that you consider the possibility to show mercy," Tar hedged, "but that was not the reason for my willingness to share. If, for peace and your people's survival, bloodshed is necessary and you gain the advantage over the Misti Hawar… well, they knew the risks they took upon themselves after engaging in a war for eradication."
So, for whatever reason, Keel had a higher value than the Misti Hawar in Tar's or the Beastkin's view. It didn't seem to be a massive difference, but enough for Tar to state as much while he was, supposedly, engaging in wholly truthful conversations. I didn't discount the possibility that he was couching truths in lies throughout this conversation, and, in fact, I would be surprised if every word that had left his mouth was entirely honest, but I believed most of what he said. Perhaps it was my own foolishness, but I would trust that he did intend for my people to survive. I didn't believe that would mean that he would bring soldiers to defend me and mine, but a faint approximation of an alliance could be beneficial as well.
"Very well, Tar. We'll consider it." I said. "Since they are scattered and hunters, when can we anticipate their approach of Nievtra?"
"It will take some measure of time." Tar shrugged in a strangely human way. "The killers of your people will have only left this part of the Shandise recently, and they will ensure that the path they take back to their people is winding and safe. They generally do not want to reveal the whereabouts of any of their fellows, even if their relationships tend to be standoffish with those they are not family with. I would estimate that the earliest you see another Misti Hawar here would be midsummer. If they want to approach as a whole, though, it may take as long as the beginning of next winter, supposing it starts at the right time this time around."
I flashed a grin as I rolled my shoulders. That was more than enough time to put together plenty of surprises for our prey. Yes, it would be plenty.