He looked at Satou directly, and there was something profound in that single remaining eye. "Will you and your companions stay? Help us with the rebuilding? With your strength and wisdom, we could secure this valley permanently. We could create something that would endure for generations. You could—"
"I can't," Satou interrupted, genuine regret in his voice. "My original mission—hunting the assassin who tried to kill me—is time-sensitive. Every day I delay is a day he has to recover his strength or relocate to somewhere we can't find him. I've already spent more time here than I should have."
He looked at the assembled lizard-folk warriors, seeing hope and exhaustion in equal measure on their faces. These were people who'd been to hell and back, who'd lost everything and somehow found the strength to keep fighting. "But I can give you this—advice, and a plan for moving forward."
Chief Krrax gestured for him to continue, clearly willing to take any guidance Satou offered.
