Citrangada studied him carefully, her tail swishing with contemplation.
"You're offering me a great deal of things in exchange for financial backing. That's interesting. Most clan heads wouldn't admit to needing help, let alone offer genuine compensation rather than expecting charity."
"I don't have the luxury of pride," Jorghan replied.
"I have hundreds of clan members and six hundred refugees depending on me to build something sustainable. If that requires admitting I need help and negotiating fair terms for receiving it, that's preferable to failing through stubbornness."
Citrangada was quiet for a long moment, clearly calculating costs, benefits, and risks.
Finally, she made her decision.
