"So what do we do?" Cutie asked, fear creeping into his voice.
Kaya's mind was racing, running through scenarios, calculating odds. "Vayu, you said your tribe is small, barely established. How many of you are there here?"
"Six," Vayu said. "Myself and five others. All scholars, not warriors."
"Can you fight if you have to?"
"We can defend ourselves, but against a full eagle assault?" Vayu's voice was grim. "We'd be slaughtered."
"Then you can't stay here either," Kaya said. "Once they find this settlement, they'll tear it apart looking for information about where I've gone."
"I'm aware," Vayu said dryly. "I was already planning to evacuate my people as soon as you leave. We have contingency plans for this sort of thing."
