"Ready whenever you are, Father," Allegra said, her body prepared for hand-to-hand combat as was the tradition of the Pagnum Sacra.
Georn, with a wide grin still on his lips, opened his arms wide, "You have invoked the Pagnum Sacra, daughter, but I do not wish to kill my only child for such a dumb reason."
"There is no other way le-" Allegra wanted to argue, her voice just as cold as her father's, but got interrupted mid-sentence.
"There always is another way," Georn said out loud, "You can request us to follow you back to your camp and prove to us that your statements are the truth. That the City of Silver, Kanat, truly is as dangerous as you say it is."
"Will you listen to such a request when none of you have listened to a word I've sent in the past?" Allegra asked, her words targeting all the chiefs present.
"They will listen this time," Georn said, following her sight.
"Oh?" Allegra's eyelids widened slightly. "What changed in such a short time?"
"The person who made the request," he replied, eyes steady.
"It was still me who did it, albeit it was in writing, but it was signed in my name," Allegra complained.
"There you go," Georn sighed, "You and your lack of patience, I told your mother countless times not to let the dreams take you, yet here you are, quick in wanting to finish your business just to go back to sleep and wherever that brain of yours takes you."
Leilani, Heru's mother, began laughing, "One ready to fight with their father to the death, and the other ready to act like a father in the most poorly of times. Allegra, rejoice, you are truly your father's daughter."
Allegra remained silent, her mind still trying to comprehend why she was just scolded, then complimented right after.
"I don't understand," she muttered, confused.
Georn couldn't help but straighten his back as he walked towards his daughter.
"What changed from the last time you wrote to us and who you are now is that from this moment forward, you are Allegra, daughter of Georn, Chiefess of the Spirit Bear Clan."
Allegra froze as his father spoke, stopping as he towered over her.
But Georn continued, placing a hand on her shoulder, "I've always been the Forest Mother's right hand, and that will remain even if I give you this title. With this, as Chiefess, you are allowed to ask your equals to follow you back towards Kanat, and witness what their choice brought to our young."
Though some of the chiefs muttered or spat on the ground, Allegra, who was still confused, managed to say it first, "That includes you as well, father. And since I am Chiefess of the whole clan, I can just order you to follow my lead."
"Ahahahaha," Aleto burst out laughing like a madman, "This woman is unbelievable."
Georn's face turned somehow even paler than it was used to as he stared into his daughter's eyes.
She was serious. As serious and as cold as her mother was.
"But of course, Chiefess," he bowed lightly after taking a step back, "I planned on joining you either way."
"Good," Allegra replied, nodding, before she turned towards the eleven chiefs and chiefesses who stared at their new equal, "Come, chi-"
"Although," Georn muttered over his daughter's speech, making her fall silent.
"You dare interrupt your Chiefess from speaking, Bear?" Aleto laughed.
"No, young Aleto, I am interrupting my daughter," Georn replied coldly, before turning back to face Allegra. "Although for the position of Chiefess to remain in your hands, you will have to marry soon."
"I understand," Allegra replied, "I will look for a candidate as soon as all this is over."
With that out of the way, she turned to face the chiefs once more.
As soon as she opened her mouth to speak, Georn interrupted her again.
"Oh, and uh, one more thing," he muttered.
All present sighed at the interruption; even the humans looked unhappy about it.
Perhaps because they thought they would be left alone if the Metamorphs finally left their village.
"What is it?" Allegra asked, her earlier confusion turning into anger.
"Once you find a husband or two, don't make the same mistake me and your mother did of not making enough children. Make at least two or three, make me a happy grandfather."
Allegra stood there, staring into his white eyes, shocked by the words her father spoke.
"At this point, I think it might have been wiser if we had fought," Allegra muttered, as the rest of the chiefs nodded along. "Also, you cannot really feel happiness, can you? How would me having kids make you happy?"
"What do you mean, I cannot feel happiness? I am happy at this moment," said Georn in his monotone voice, wearing a straight, flat face, "I am happy to be able to see the achievements of my daughter."
"You look constipated, Georn dear," Leilani replied, "Or is it Elder Georn now?"
"Elder Georn sounds fitting, though the Elders might be unhappy about it," said one of the chiefs who until now stood silent.
"Ah, right," Leilani muttered, "Where are the Elders anyway?"
"Somewhere in this Domain, I assume," Aleto shrugged, "Why would it matter what they think anyway?"
"I am neither constipated nor an Elder," Georn said, "That is for the Forest Mother to decide."
Allegra wanted to ask about the elders' location, but that could wait for a little while longer.
What was important was for the Chiefs of the Metamorph Clans to see and change their mind.
And for her father to stop interrupting.
"I will have as many kids as I want when I see fit, Father," Allegra replied flatly, "But now there are other issues to attend to, so if you stop interrupting, we can talk after."
"Very well," Georn said, satisfied with the outcome.
Now, with free rein over her speech, Allegra turned to face the chiefs, who straightened their backs as a sign of respect while they waited for her words.
"Come, Chiefs of the Metamorph Clans. Come towards Kanat, and see what your ignorance and greed have done to your young," said Allegra, her eyes stopping to stare into each pair of eyes that looked her way, human or Metamorph alike.