PO...Bear 40.1 - Un-Bear-able Profits

PO...Bear 40.1 - Un-Bear-able Profits

Chief Rohsuak made her way to the Sacred Den once more. She was currently kneeling by the Shrine of Bees, her eyes fixed on the sight before her. Spread out on some basic cloths were trays of golden honeycomb, along with several shimmering flowers. She frowned, furrowing her brow as she looked up. There stood a young man with hardly any fur save for his head, and tiny ears of pure flesh attached to the side of his head rather than the top. He was trying, and failing, not to fidget as he waited for her response.

She slowly shook her head.

“I am sorry, Sacred Den Master, but we cannot trade for these.”

The young man scowled at that.

“Why not? Are you saying it’s not good enough?”

Chief Rohsuak quickly shook her head and held up her hands.

“Quite the opposite. We have nothing at present that would be equal in value. We would starve ourselves if we tried.”

The Den Master froze, blinking repeatedly.

“Huh?”

Chief Rohsuak raised an eyebrow.

“Sacred Den Master, do you not know what it is you have brought today?”

The Den Master crossed his arms.

“Um, mana flowers and mana honeycomb, right? I mean, I figured the mana part was special, right? But...it’s still just honey, right?”

Chief Rohsuak exchanged a glance with Metsaitti. Metsaitti’s fellow hunters were not so subtle, and simply balked at the Den Master’s statement. Chief Rohsuak’s mind raced.

Leaving aside the young man’s assertion that honey itself was not an exceptional luxury, any object containing this much mana was a priceless treasure. Much less if it was an edible foodstuff. Such a thing could be used as is to stimulate the growth of a person’s mana, which, if successful, would make them capable of deeds beyond the mundane. And even the most minimal of processing could turn a mana-infused food into either a powerful medicine or a deadly poison.

“Then, would you like to learn?”

The hunters gasped at that. Even Metsaitti was taken aback. One of the more...excitable of their number spoke up.

“Chief, you can’t be serious!”

She silenced him with a look before turning back to the Den Master as his face scrunched up.

“The items you have offered are incredibly useful for any number of the mystic arts. The only thing we possess of similar value right now are our own techniques in those arts. So, how about it?”

In truth, she intended not only to teach the Den Master magic, but the art of leadership as well. Of course, success in that could mean consequences for her people. It was her intention, therefore, to establish a closer relationship with the Den Master.

However, her people had embarked on their long sojourn due to such a relationship gone wrong and would not be eager to bow to any authority. Likewise, she predicted the Den Master would recoil if such a thing were offered. So, she decided to start slow, and create the opportunity for further interactions. Both sides could grow more used to one another, and if she were to help the Den Master grow she would hopefully give him a positive opinion of her people, such that he would use what she taught him on their behalf.

It would be risky, but the alternatives were to leave and give up the best opportunity for a homeland they would ever find, or else to walk on eggshells for the rest of their lives, hoping they would not provoke an unpredictable Den Master. Chief Rohsuak would not have led her people this far if she didn’t know when to take a calculated risk or two.

Besides, a close relationship with a Den Master could bring a people unimaginable boons. And she felt that this Den Master would not likely demand unacceptable terms in response.

The Den Master frowned even more, narrowing his eyes at her. She met his gaze with a smile.

“I...want to see what your magic looks like, first.”

She nodded.

“Of course.”

And so, Chief Rohsuak decided the future of her people. She could only hope that she had chosen wisely.