Tiruin looked at the raider, aghast upon hearing his thoughts but knew that if he were in the same position, he would think the same. He turned to Terkiey with a look of trepidation after musing about on the answers.
"Set him free."
>Tell him (through Terkiey) that my intention was only for questioning, nothing to gain for selfish reasons.
>Set him free, tell him to return to his people. We are not enemies, give him a day's worth of supplies or let him be the mediator when we turn east and face the Blues.
>Actually, propose that we both work together, TO FIGHT back the Forgotten Sons, if he does state that they are heading en masse, west, then something must be driving them to. We need to work together to survive, just like the olden days of yore.
>Turn to Terkiey, nonchalantly state that we've completed our mission but we've a greater problem ahead.
Let this rag-tag bunch of misfits and Blues merge together. Perhaps this is where our roads lead?
Tiruin steps behind Swift and unties his hands before doing the same with his legs.
"Tell him we should work together. We can fight back the Forgotten sons together."
Terkiey stares at Tiruin with some amount of trepidation before turning to Swift and speaking. After a few minutes he turns back and sighs.
"You don't know much about these people do you? Their custom is to never admit weakness; they'll never accept an offer of aid, unless you word it in the right way. You have to ask them to help you, or to join in an easy fight for fun."
Terkiey pauses and looks at Swift for a moment before leaning in and speaking in a whisper.
"It doesn't matter though, the Blues aren't fighting the Forgotten sons, they're running. The Blues aren't a military force, they're just a collection of refugees loosely tied together by a shared banner. They're no match for the Forgotten Sons and they know it."
Swift says something and terkiey nods without looking.
"He says we should take the bandandas from the bodies and wear them. That should identify us as friends. Oh and if they still shoot at us we should yell..uh.." He turns back to Swift "Beishon?"
Swift nods.
"We should yell Beishon. It means 'friend'."
"And he won't come with us?"
"He wants to go back to his family. They'll be moving on soon, heading west."
"And he can't get them to help us?"
Terkiey smiles a bit and runs a hand across his shaved head. "Would you endanger the lives of your family to help a handful outsiders who are charging back into the warzone you just escaped from? Outsiders who already killed two of your friends, I might add."
Terkiey bites his lip in thought for a moment before continuing.
"To the Blues and people like them the Forgotten Sons aren't a military group, they're a force of nature, a boogieman. Chances are, if we're going east, we're going it alone."
Swift stands from the bed uncertainly and looks to terkiey. They trade a few words and Swift walks into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a small plastic jug filled with water. Tiruin hands Terkiey a can of food and terkiey hands it to Swift with a slight nod.
"Anything else you want to ask before he leaves?"