Jerome sighed, slightly relaxed as he listened to the singing below... he knew he needed to attend, at the least to hear what the Dragoons would say.  The idea of bowing under these creatures irked his warrior spirit, but he needed to do as they commanded for his people.  Turning to his clan, he addressed them once more.<br/><br/>"Time to meet the neighbors.  I will return later with more information as to our position in this valley.  But know this my people... we are not slaves.  We are not underlings or minions to anyone! We are the Bear!  We stand upon our own feet when we feel the need!.." he calmed himself, not wanting to drive them into a war frenzy. "We are equal in every way to the rest of the tribes in this place, and we will all be treated as such, newcomer or not.  I will ensure that... but if any think less of us... Then, and only then, will we show them the true might of the BEARS!" and he roared with his people, all of them joining in as their morale raised.  They were a good and proud people, living as one with the land around them, as Gaea intended them to.  She took care of them and they in turn cared for her.  They were a peaceful people, preferring to be left alone and to their own devices, but when roused, the enemies of the bear would find that some things are better left sleeping.<br/><br/>He turned from his people, still in human form and began the long trek down the valley to the celebration below.  He thought about the seeker whom had found them, the one whom had brought them here and wondered what had come of them.  He also marveled at how easy a few choice words could turn a people's hearts from despair to hope... and vice versa just as easily.  It was what he disliked most about the position his people kept him, the power, the control... the responsibility.  Where they could think just of themselves and of their own, he must constantly think of them all.  Where they chose to care for each other, he was forced to.  It was not that he didn't care for his tribe, only that he did so in his own way before.  He was there guardian, their protector, the wall against which all of their enemies would confront first.  Now he was that and so much more.  He was their wall both to protect, and to lean against.  He was their Brother and their Father.  He sighed as he worked his way down, his olive skin glistening in the cool air of the valley, the music leading him onward.  He didn't wear much, only a simple loincloth and hide breeches, barely containing the bulging muscles beneath.  Soon, he found himself at the lake side, looking out over the calm waters.  He quickly noticed plenty of fish and decided that maybe things weren't as bleak as he predicted... but he never thought well on things, it was a wonderful thing to get nicely surprised every day when things turned out better than you assumed.  And if things did turn out as bad as you thought before, well, then you were not wrong.  He smiled at his circular logic and turned to the music once more, in the distance he could see a celebration and headed toward it.