"Report?" The lion didn't look up from the small painted rocks upon the rather details dust map lain out on the boulder. The Bahari'mtoto's leader had departed a month or so ago under a small escort and since then he hadn't heard anything further back. Only recently had the guards returned from the regions and as such, the lion could only assume that on this occasion everything had gone smoothly.
"Safe and accounted for, he has been returned to the Bahari'mtoto along with his son," the guard returned with a small bow. The lion wasn't familiar to him, but he did hail from the red territory where the bulk of the military resided. Truth be told, Destati would have expected nothing less from the district that prided itself on ensuring the security of the region... After all, returning an individual lion and his son to their native home wasn't the most challenging of tasks, particularly when both individuals weren't considered to be targets of any nefarious activities.
Suffice to say, Ram's return home had proved to be advantageous given that something was brewing within the Warrens. Destati had yet to receive any intel in regards to what it might be, in fact even his own contacts hadn't had the ability to get back in to the Warrens safely. If the Scourge were about to do something then it was beneficial for those of a higher standing to return home. War was inevitable within these lands, particularly between the Scourge and those of the surface, but collateral damage from external visitors could be avoided if there was enough warning.
Admittedly the lion wasn't entirely sure as to whether or not he considered this ample warning but he had seen the signs and if the Scourge were to do anything now then it was sensible to shut the gates. Consequently the Justicar had sent communication to the relevant districts and provided the relevant instructions. For the time being the mighty gates of the Al'Siq would swing shut and long awaited events would be held behind closed doors - the crowning of a new Emperor coincided too closely with the peculiar activity below and risks simply couldn't be taken.
"And nothing unusual was reported in the Bahari'mtoto?" he pressed as he looked up.
Ram had been capable of handling himself, but based on the stories his son had told there were clear indications that something wasn't quite right there either.
"There has been unusual activity but it has been handled," came the reply, one that caused the feline to lift his brow rather high. If it hadn't been handled by their kind then who had it been handled by?
"Oh?"
"Mercenaries of some description, though it would appear those they have recruited into their pride have, in general, brought significantly more expertise than they were formerly used to."
"How unusual," Destati murmured as he returned his gaze to the map before him. If the outside had found their own ways of addressing the Scourge problem that they may not necessarily have thought of here then perhaps it would be of use to send others to explore these 'solutions'. Granted, the Justicar had no idea what the methods employed were, or even how they were employed, but it was certainly worth a look. Food for thought, but for the time being he would need to return to his work, he would explore these other options after he had completed the bulk of the duties that lay ahead of him.
Life had been too quiet and he had begun to suspect he had become complacent, this would need to be corrected, and quickly...
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