Within Earshot

The Elder spluttered.

"You-you could have been hostile! Do you expect me to just invite you in for a cup of humash and run the risk of you going around and killing the lights or my people? It was a precaution" he stood up straighter, looking down on them with an authoritative look. The two guards that had been inside the hut backed away, not wanting to get into the debate "I've seen too many 'travellers' in clothes like yours come in then kill the lights for their leaves, then leaving in their big shining huts of fire"

Theta tumbled the ideas in his head, thinking them over. Hm, so some different races had come in, killing the lights; probably for trade. He could understand the elder's frustration, though he still wasn't too thrilled to have a bunch of deadly objects pointed at him.

"But what are they called? Like Sonya said, they cannot just be called the lights"

"Their official name are the Azura, but it became a habit in the village to call them the lights. Whatever you may call them, though, I will protect them with my life" he gripped his staff tighter, which Thet now realized doubled as a spear.

Theta raised his hands up into the hair in surrender.

"Woah, we come in peace! We don't want to kill the lights any more than you do"

The Elder narrowed his eyes.

"How do I know that you are telling the truth?"

Sonya cleared her throat to get the Elder's attention, motioning over to Robin as the light clambered all over her, glowing a bright red as it hummed happily. "I think that right there might be proof enough. They saved our lives from this... Beast thing out in the forest. It died so we could come here I think." She said slowly, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the leaf to show the three standing there hesitantly. "We played with them, happened to find a bunch of the little guys playing in a clearing not far from here."

The Elder's eyes widened in surprise as she spoke, his mouth opening slightly before he shook his head. "Did they touch your forehead? They glow red, they love you. But did they honor you?" He lifted up his staff and tapped at his forehead lightly as if to show her what part of the body he was talking about. Sonya frowned slightly then blinked as she remembered vaguely that happening in the prison hut. "Yeah, one of them did just before I sent him off with a message for my friend here with the Light." She said, casting a questioning glance at Thet before lifting her shoulders in a shrug and looking back at the Elder.

Just then, several more of the lights poked their heads into the hole at the top of the hut, hearing their friend's happy hum, they clambered down and began climbing onto Thet and Sonya as if to prove to the Elder that they were friends. "See? We can't keep these guys off of us."

The Elder watched this display in complete shock, the lights reflecting off of his lined face as he stared in wonder. "They have never reacted to any of the villagers in such a fashion. Trust, peace and happiness. They love you more than they love us..." He said softly, as if unable to believe what he was saying.

Robin giggled as another Light crawled up her back and peered over her shoulder. Looking back to the Elder, she frowned a little. "Well that shouldn't happen. They're always around you, and they've just met us. Are you guys doing anything to them? Something that might make them upset?" Looking down at the Light in her arms, she patted his head and giggled when it reached up and did the same to her. She turned her head to look at Theta and Sonya being covered in Lights, then back to the Elder.

Theta smiled, looking down at the red Azura that had clambered onto him. They made a purring like noise, glowing red.

"Maybe they just like people that are not armed with pointy objects better? Ever thought of that?" The elder spluttered again, and Theta laughed, looking back up at him "relax, I know, it's just defense for your village. But that just might be it. Or the fact that you have a bunch of their leaves on a stick"

Sonya held back a light giggle as one of the Lights began tickling her ear with his vine, seemingly delighted to find the part of her body as it continued to flick her earlobe back and forth repeatedly. "They attached to us, we don't know why, but they're such sweet creatures, it's hard not to love them back." She added softly, plucking the one off of her head and holding him out at arm's length, grinning as it's color flashed red followed by a low, happy hum.

The Elder glanced at the three of them before turning back to the two beside him, talking in undertones for a moment then turning back to them. "Perhaps you are right, newcomers. They do care for you in a way they have never cared for us. It seems we have taken them for granted and we have learned such a thing from seeing your amusement and pleasure at being around the Azura." He said, a pained look on his face as if saying those words actually caused a cramp in his stomach. Leaning forward slightly, he bowed his head to them in respect. "Thank you."

Theta blinked at the tribal dude, uncomfortable at him bowing as if they had actually done something. He shuffled his feet, looking away. He was much the same way as the Doctor; no salutes, and no bows.

"Erm...thanks, I guess?" he smiled "But honestly, if you want to get to know them better, play with them instead of just holding them as 'sacred'. They're very friendly and intelligent, and I bet over some time this village could get a good bond with them"