<strong>Aeryn Sunlight<br/>In the Saurian Canopy Village<br/>Doubling down</strong><br/><br/>The scholar placed a lightly restraining hand on Eshalu's shuolder.<em> Not now,</em>was the unspoken plea.<br/><br/>Dealing with hyper-suspicious matriarchs?  This was far more interesting than any bigger--that-it-had-a-right-to-be-spider in a cav,. and far more important to the survival of the colony..  The Society acting as the voice of the Dominion with the first intelligent creature officially contacted on Dra Sirdu?  Information is power, that was the unofficial motto of the Societa Femina Magna Sophea.<br/><br/><br/>"We will meet with your Matriarchs.  I will argue our case forcefully of course, but we will accept their judgement, make what terms of recompense we can.   The Society I represent can pay back the worth of the beast and plants many times over, and we will."<br/><br/>That dealt with the important bit, in her mind.<br/><br/>Dead within hours?  She had heard that before, sometimes  almost-empty folktales, other times - like now, she was sure - a sincere warning.<br/><br/>"The wisest course of action, Kelcis, is to talk to us.  Those who send us, indeed, who send those who have sent us further inland to the island itself do not bear any risk to themselves.   They have no reason to stop sending others to follow us, and very good reason to keep doing so.  I will talk to your matriarchs, I want desperately to talk to your Matriarchs."<br/><br/>Oh the tension rippling in Eshalu's muscles, Aeryn could feel it, the building strain as of a woman on the point of... but a release of violence would gain them absolutely nothing.   She leaned close, whispered with mentally rehearsed elvish "I fight with words."  Which was pretty much strained the limits of her skill with the language.  And she wasn't at all sure she had gotten the grammer correct.<br/><br/>"Take me to them, Kelcis.  I am the leader of this party.  If a more personal price is required, I will pay it.  I will stand before the Matriarchs, argue my case, accept their judgement.  The others acted at my orders, my direction.  They are here because I am here."