450 The Way of Desert Dwellers (1/2)
”Let's talk to them,” he grinned and looked at three very unenthusiastic faces over dinner.
”What?”
Bob was the first to break the silence. ”Do you really think that this is safe? We don't know anything about cacti-folks. They could be cannibals.”
Zero blinked. ”But they plant vegetables. Besides, we don't really have a clue about the gnomes. If the gnomes travelled west, they must have also passed by this village on their travels. It's better to ask about the gnomes and maybe these natives might know about the desert poppy.”
Truen hated to admit it but Zero was right. he gave Bob a glance and shook his head. Backing down reluctantly, Bob went back to his food.
Jermine was the only one undeterred by the idea of visiting cacti-folk. When it came to destroying plants, nobody was better at it than moles. While she doesn't kill them directly, she was able to move around very quickly underground and use the tunnels to her advantage. Cacti-folks were part plants so they formed roots in the soil to drink from underground water sources. Most of them have a limited range of movement and Jermine didn't think that it would be a big problem even if they were a little prickly to hug.
”It's settled then,” Zero said with finality. ”We will stay in the village for one night and ask around before we leave. We can do trading with them too to make their opinions of us improve. What is the thing they need the most in their primitive village?”
Truen thought back to what he saw when he ran around. There really wasn't much these cacti-folks needed. They didn't need clothes and didn't need furniture or entertainment. They planted food of their own to supplement themselves and could be satisfied with just standing in the sun to photosynthesise. The only thing Truen thought they might want was a ready water supply on the surface because honestly, that practice of beating themselves up to squeeze water was highly disturbing.
”How about a water pump?” he suggested and Zero thought that it was a marvellous idea. We can definitely install one for them.”
Jermine perked up. ”I know where the underwater source is, I can help to dig and install the pipes!”
Zero was very pleased with the idea and Bob wondered if they would be alright. Cacti-folks were relatives of tree ents. They were closer to dryads in a cacti form but their temperaments were almost as bad as their mountain cousins. Tree ents were known to be gentle and helpful at times and also violent during the war against humans. He didn't know if they would be well received as elves, beast folks and a dragon. Tree spirits and faes are very capricious creatures.
The very next morning after a hearty breakfast, Zero and his group set off towards the village, pretending to be travelling merchants on a mission to find some gnomes. Bob changed to resemble a lizard beast folk to match the story of merchants with their mercenary guides.
The village was very peaceful when the group arrived Zero was surprised that nobody took notice of them and continued doing what they were doing as if they were invisible.
”What's going on?” he whispered to truen who was equally puzzled.
Without a choice, they dismounted and walked through the village, trying to talk to someone but each time they tried to approach a villager, they would immediately root themselves to the ground and pretend to be an ordinary cacti.
Finding this behaviour strange, Zero told the group to split up and look for someone willing to answer questions. The children ran away, the ladies doing the washing froze up. The men froze up and increased their spikes when the travellers got close and Zero groaned. Eventually, he gave up trying to find a willing person to talk to. If they wouldn't entertain him, he would make them want to entertain him.