Zeke's eyes followed the sound of the voice. There, he saw a handsome man with white hair and red eyes. The newcomer had a sharp, feral look, with a straight, narrow nose and piercing eyes. He seemed to be in his mid-twenties and was quite tall. Most importantly, however, he appeared fully human.
Zeke glanced sidelong at Snow. It didn't take a genius to recognize their similar features. Their hair and eye color were almost identical, and given the fact that this man seemed to be a Pureblood as well, their relationship was likely close.
As expected, the girl's eyes widened the moment she laid eyes on this person. "What are you doing here?"
The man ignored Snow's question in favor of scanning their group. His gaze swept over Gravitas and Vulcanos but lingered for a moment on Ash. He didn't even look at Zeke before finally setting his eyes on Snow.
"I am in charge of the defenses for now," he replied belatedly. His lips curled. "As you might have realized, we are at war."
Snow furrowed her brows. "Where's father?"
The man's face twisted in distaste. "The Ancestor remains at the peak. He is recuperating from severe injuries."
Snow's eyes widened. "Impossible! How could he possibly be injured? The Frostscale tribe doesn't have the strength…"
At her words, Zeke noticed a shift in the atmosphere. Some of the surrounding warriors looked at Snow with pity, others with anger. His brows furrowed. Something was off. He was missing a piece of crucial information.
The stranger's gaze turned cold at her words. "You are right; it would have been impossible for the Frostscale tribe to match our Ancestor… under normal circumstances."
Snow might be young, but she wasn't stupid. She had also picked up on the strange atmosphere. "What do you mean by that?" she asked cautiously.
The man sneered. "After you were 'taken'…" he said, emphasizing the word strangely. "the Ancestor followed your trail, intent on bringing you back. However, instead of retrieving you, he was met with a vicious trap and barely managed to escape with his life."
At his words, Snow's already pale face turned even paler.
"Tell me, little Snow, would you know anything about that?" the man asked, the accusation clear in his tone.
"What… do you mean?"
"Don't you think it is suspicious? You vanished without a trace and even caused our Ancestor to be injured, but NOW you return…" he let the words hang in the air, not quite calling her a traitor, but the implied meaning was clear to everyone.
Snow's eyes turned red as she blankly stared ahead. Her quivering lips made it clear that she was about to burst into tears. A quite plea escaped her lips. "Brother… please… don't say that"
Zeke had seen enough. He had more or less figured out what was going on, and they couldn't allow this to go on. It was obvious that this person was trying to discredit Snow and maybe even harm her. As her guests, that would not bode well for them.
However, he wasn't in any position to speak up. He had long since noticed that none of the Chimeroi here were even looking at him. While they sent the occasional glance at Gravitas, Vulcanos, and Ash, he was completely ignored. It was likely that humans had a very low standing here or were even treated with hostility.
His mind whirled, trying to come up with a plan. He remembered the gaze Snow's brother had sent toward Ash, and an idea quickly came to mind. This might actually work. Despite the pain and weakness, a small smile emerged on his face.
He used his [Telepathy] to connect to his group, instructing them. The reaction was immediate and their faces changed. Gravitas raised an eyebrow, Ash's mouth twisted, and Vulcanos stared at him in open-mouthed shock. But Zeke had no intention of retracting his words. If they wanted to smooth things over, this was the best plan.
Ash also seemed to realize this fact as he immediately acted. With a single step, he appeared before Snow, shielding her behind his back protectively. This garnered everyone's attention, and the soldiers tightened their grip on their weapons and prepared to fight.
Ash swept his gaze around, eyeing everyone with utmost disdain. "You have quite the nerve…" he said eventually, facing Snow's brother.
The man looked Ash up and down, assessing him. "Who are you?"
Ash ignored the question and turned to the guards. "I might not be familiar with the customs of the Icefang tribe, but where I'm from, it's considered dishonest to accuse someone without a shred of proof."
Zeke observed the guards carefully and noticed that several of them were shuffling nervously, with the occasional glance being sent towards Snow's brother.
Zeke smiled inwardly. It seemed he had been right. Despite her prolonged absence, Snow's position in the tribed wasn't low. It seemed her brother was stepping out of line by accusing her so openly. This gave him more confidence in his plan.
Just as Snow's brother was getting annoyed at being ignored, Ash returned his attention to him. "You asked who I am? I am the person who saved your sister." He let the statement hang in the air for a moment before continuing. "I found her in a distant country, captured by humans and sold like property."
At that moment, Vulcanos tossed something on the floor—a black metal loop, one of their former slave collars. Zeke had brought them to study, but now they served as a useful prop. With Snow's brother accused of speaking without proof, any evidence they produced would make their case more believable.
Ash continued, "I recognized her noble heritage right away and freed her from that predicament. My friends and I have since been traveling to return her to her tribe. Imagine my surprise when we were met with accusations and hostility instead of praise and festivities..."
At those words, some of the guards averted their eyes in shame. It was obvious that they weren't comfortable with this course of action either. However, a small group remained completely unaffected. If anything, they seemed to have become more hostile after hearing Ash speak.
Zeke took notice of those people, remembering their faces. They were likely close followers of Snow's brother or part of his faction. He would have to be wary of them.
As expected, one of them stepped forward at this moment. He was a burly man with a feral look. He could almost pass for a human if not for his pronounced Incisors and rampant body hair. "This doesn't prove anything! How can we be sure that you are innocent with just your words?"
Zeke smirked at the man's clumsy attempt to discredit them. Compared to the witty merchants of Tradespire or the political minefield of the Empire, these efforts were almost cute. He quickly instructed Ash on how to act, then leaned back. Not being the center of attention for once, this felt almost like watching a play, with him as the director.
Ash faced the man with a calm gaze. "Proof our innocence? Is that how it works? Don't you have to prove our guilt instead? Otherwise, should I call you a traitor too and watch how you scramble for evidence that doesn't exist?"
After these words, he completely ignored the man and returned his attention to Snow's brother. "…Besides, there hasn't even been an accusation yet. Just a bunch of veiled threats hidden behind obscure implications. I wonder if anyone dare actually point their finger?"
Ash wasn't addressing anyone in particular, but it was clear who he was speaking to. Snow's brother clenched his fists but stayed silent. Evidently, he wasn't prepared to commit to this course of action without some evidence.
Instead, a new voice spoke up. "I would also like to know that."
All gazes turned toward the speaker, and even Snow, who had been despondent since this all started, cheered up at the sight of this man. "Uncle Fang!" she called out.
Snow's 'Uncle Fang' was an aged man with deep wrinkles etched across his face. Despite his advanced years, he stood with impeccable posture, exuding a soldier's bearing. His presence commanded obedience, and an air of danger surrounded him. His stern expression remained unchanged as he surveyed the gathering with cold, steel-blue eyes.
Only when his eyes passed over Snow did his expression flicker, a hint of warmth returning to his features. However, that warmth vanished immediately when his gaze landed on her brother. "What is the meaning of this, Frost?"
Snow's brother, who was apparently called Frost, didn't back down in the face of Uncle Fang. However, he didn't dare to be as domineering as before. "Reporting to Elder, I've temporarily detained this group. As we can't be sure as to their motives, I saw it prudent to act with caution."
Uncle Fang stared at Frost without the slightest flicker of emotion. Then, he pointed at Snow. "Don't you see your sister among them?"
"This could all be a ploy to—"
"What ploy?" Uncle Fang cut him off. "Can they even do anything with just the three of them?"
Frost didn't have a good answer, but he was evidently unwilling to back down. "Then… what about the human?"
Uncle Fang shook his head. "Can't you see that he has been affected by Frostscale Poison? He likely won't even make it through the night."
At his words, all eyes gathered on a single point: Zeke's palms.
The edges of his wounds had since turned black, and his hands and forearms were discolored as well. His body was shivering, and his lips had turned blue. Despite Akasha's continued efforts, the poison was still spreading. Looking at his weak state and pale face, the Elder's words seemed to be true.
At this point, even Frost couldn't argue further. "As you say, Elder. I have other arrangements to make, so I'll leave this matter in your hands." With a final glance at Snow, he departed with his closest followers in tow.
The moment he left, the expression on Elder Fang's face softened. "Come, child," he said to Snow. However, his words were unnecessary as Snow was already running towards him. From a few steps away, she lept at him, and he deftly caught her in his embrace. It was immediately apparent that this wasn't the first time she had done something like this, the gesture as natural as breathing.
For a long moment, nobody moved, but Zeke could see Snow's little body shaking while she tightly clung to the old man. Despite their current situation and his perilous state, Zeke smiled. He had kept his promise and returned her home.
After Snow calmed down, the old man held her by the shoulders and spoke softly to her. "Come, I'll bring you to see your father."
Snow's eyes lit up, and she nodded happily. However, just as they were about to leave. Snow remembered something. She looked back, her eyes meeting Zeke's.
"What about them?" she asked, noticing that this invitation was likely only extended to her.
Uncle Fang's demeanor remained firm as he scanned the group. "You know the rules, little one. They are not permitted to follow us unless the Ancestor commands it."
"But—"
"No buts, you can convince your father yourself. Until then, they will stay here."
Snow pouted at the old man, a little bit of her willful nature returning. "Uncle…"
The old man sighed. "There is nothing I can do about this, little one. However, I will make sure that they are given a place to stay until the Ancestor decides what to do."
Snow didn't look too happy about that but knew that she was unlikely to change the old man's mind now that he had already said as much. She wiggled free of his grasp and ran back to their group, approaching Zeke.
With soft steps, she arrived in front of him and stood on her toes to reach his ear. "Don't worry, I will convince my father. You… you just have to hold on," she whispered.
Zeke felt a warmth in his heart at her care, but he didn't think it would be smart to display any outward signs of it here. He merely nodded, completely ignoring her afterward. However, as she turned away with a somewhat disheartened expression, his voice rang out in her head.
"Don't worry about me, Snow. I'll be fine. Go see your father first; everything else can wait."
Her feet paused briefly; then she continued as if nothing had occurred. However, to anyone observant, it was clear she now walked with a renewed spring in her step.