Audriul turned to Laliera, "Please, honored Laliera, accept our apologies for the baseless slander our former colleague has leveled at you. I assure you, the majority of our people do not hold such views of you, or your people."

Laliera's voice piped up, from surprisingly far behind me, making me turn. "I understand, honored speaker. Were I to be honest, many of my sisters on the plains share similar distaste to you who live in this great forest."

Laliera, Diamiutar, Tavorwen, and Amura were backed up against the wall of the floor of the amphitheater. They were looking at me like I was a live grenade and they were hoping...