[Trade : Gift] team TALENT

Geshem's thick grasp seemed to fade as the humid fungal forests gave way to an arid expanse. Though the L'Hatzif residents were no strangers to Issiq, the lack of humidity provided little relief from the heat, worsened only by the stark lack of shade. Sharing some mild complaints about the regions, Hivoo and Toxic Woodland pressed on.

Shifting through sand and passed arching stones, the duo finally coming to the shadow of a giant... structure. Pyramid wouldn't quite be the right word for something so lopsided. It looked like it might fall over in a disastrous landslide at any moment, a threat only seemingly worsened by the pink spaceship treacherously balanced atop it.

A scrawny tsabhua emerged from a nearby tent, distracting the two from their architectural concerns. "Hivoo! Woodland! Welcome!" Frog chirped, posture held oddly low as he beckoned the two inside. Drink, shade, and a noisy fan brought a welcomed respite from the elements.

"So, you wanted to train together. Did you have something in mind?" Hivoo lilted curiously, taking a small sip of Farrowday Fruit juice.

"I can already feel myself becoming more well traveled." Woodland joked, brushing some sand from her forelegs.

"Hah! Let's not rush back out." Frog turned, swishing his tail. "There's a few things I'd like to show you around Issiq, hopefully accompany you back too. As for today..." He gestured vaguely over his shoulder. "We've spotted tracks passing near our territory that we know didn't come from us. We're going to have a good old fashioned stake-out, figure out who's coming through and what they are up to."

Hivoo and Woodland seemed to deflate slightly. A stakeout sounded not only boring, but only more miserable in the hot Issiq sun.

"It's going to be an epic stealth mission, trust me." Frog insisted with a grin.

A few hours later, Frog pulled a couple bags over his shoulders and said it was time to go. Whether they trusted him or not, the two ended up following the blue tsabhua back into the sands.

Following a local, they came to realize, brought a little more ease. Frog new good routes through the territory, sticking mostly to shade and walkable terrain, and avoiding the attention of wildlife. They came to the site, and Frog immediately took of the bags. Inside were several bottles of sweet wine, a variety of fruits, and some dried meats.

"A battle well fueled is a battle well fought." Frog said stoically, and it seemed almost believable until he laughed at himself. "We'll find out who's around here. Might as well treat ourselves!"

Accepting whatever goods they cared to, Hivoo, Woodland, and Frog settled into a vantage point, watching for the passing strangers as the sun crept across the sky. They may have grown... a little distracted, with quiet conversation and bellies up.

Shf... shf... shf...

Approaching footsteps caused them to jolt, first Frog, then Hivoo, then Woodland noticing their expressions mid-thought. The trio flipped over, creeping carefully forward to the edge of the rock they had chosen. Not sure if they would find friend or foe on the other side, three pairs of eyes peaked over.

Passing by, a white tsabhua with a bright orange ears and...

"Snap?" Woodland stared in disbelief at the whelp. What was a member of her colony doing all the way out here with... was that Rufous from Wayward Station?!

Cover blown, the spying three awkwardly rose, climbing down to meet the travelers. After breaking the ice, Rufous and Snap enjoyed some food, a welcome refreshment in their journey.

The three walked back in near silence, enjoying the afternoon breeze. Mission... success?