"Do you know which tribes are being stubborn?" Sosora asked after a while, not looking away from the ceiling above Malak's bed.
"The Lowat tribe is making so much of a fuss that it's hard to tell how many they are actually speaking for. But the Jakka, Uaya, and Vedel tribes seem to be taking their side."
"Just the four of them?" Sosora asked. If it was just four tribes raising their voices, why was it such a big deal?
"Well...There are four tribes who want solitude and your head. The Aer tribe is against it. But your tribe's votes are pretty weak." Malak sighed. "There also aren't many tribes who are bothering to voice their opinions."
"It's four against one, then," Sosora said with a flat voice.
"Yeah." Malak hung his head apologetically. He didn't know what to say. It wasn't a bright situation.
Sosora's eyes shifted as she thought about it.
"But that's just regarding my incident, right? What about Nick? What about the Outsider?" Sosora asked, glancing at Malak as she grabbed his pillow and started fiddling with the corner.
"That's...No one is as vocal about the Outsider as they've been about you. It's hard to tell which way people are leaning."
"Is no one taking a stance?" Sosora asked in disbelief.
"They're being cautious. It's still unclear how he is staying in the center of the forest without the monster kings attacking him. And while he's been friendly with us and those who have come to see him, there's no guarantee he isn't a threat. There are just too many questions for anyone to vouch for him."
"I'll vouch for him."
"That might work against him."
"..."
Sosora was quiet. Malak would have mentioned it if the information about Nick and his tentacle defeating the Roaring Boar had gotten out. That meant those who had seen it were keeping quiet about it.
"Who are the ones keeping watch over Nick?"
"The Gezercher tribe has been in charge of that, but with news about Nuir visiting him, the Lowat tribe has started taking turns as well."
Sosora's eyes narrowed. She needed to talk to the Gezercher tribe.
The Lowat tribe did not know anything about the encounter with the Roaring Boar. If they did, they would have known about her involvement and framed the information to target her even harder.
They could be sitting on it, but Sosora doubted that. She didn't even know when they had started watching Nick. It could have happened after she beat up Nuir's bullies.
It felt more like something the Gezercher tribe would do.
"Have the Ursa said something?" She asked as her thoughts continued spinning.
Malak's eyes widened. He didn't know the Ursa were supposed to have said something.
"No." He shook his head. "I don't even think they know what's going on."
"Do you know if they have visited Nick?"
"While the tribes discuss him, they've ordered that no one is allowed to interact with him."
"Then the Ursa will know about what's going on."
Sosora was curious. Were the Ursa not speaking up for Nick or forcing their way to visit him because they knew their reputation would taint Nick's chances at getting a positive verdict? It wasn't impossible. They were smart, after all.
But even if the Ursa's reputation wasn't the best, Sosora didn't think staying quiet was the right play here.
She had seen what Nick was capable of. To be more specific, she had seen what the tentacle living in his house was capable of.
She did not want a fight to break out between Nick and the tribes.
Either a fight didn't break out, and they all lived happily ever after, or the situation soured. A fight could break out, or Nick, as the kind guy he was, might choose a peaceful solution and leave if the tribes tried to drive him out.
He had appeared suddenly. He could probably leave just as suddenly.
However, he had said that he would likely be staying for a while. It also seemed like he had no idea where in the world he was. He hadn't landed smack dab in the middle of Tiabe because he wanted to go there.
More than likely, he was not in control of his location. That meant he would not easily be able to leave on a whim.
If the tribes tried to drive him out, they would fail. Sosora did not think the tentacle would take kindly to such an attempt.
If it came to that, it would be too late to establish a peaceful and harmonious relationship between Nick and the tribes of Tiabe.
She had to do something before the tree fell in the wrong direction.
She sat up.
"Malak, we have to do something."
"Sure, but you may need to be a little more specific."
"You also want Nick to stay, right?"
Malak was a little stunned.
"I mean...To me, it doesn't really matter, either way. But if you want him to stay and get along with the tribes, I'll help you, I guess."
"Good. Given the current circumstances, I wouldn't be able to do this alone." Sosora smiled and stood up. Half the tribes would refuse to even listen to her, much less hear what she had to say. She would never be able to convince them to be friends with Nick.
Malak sighed with a heavy heart. This was bound to get him in trouble. But what wouldn't he do for Sosora when she asked with a smile like that?
"What do you need me to do?"
"First, I think we need Kobo on our side."
"That shouldn't be too difficult. Kobo is already leaning toward making Nick an ally."
"That's good, I guess. Why?" Sosora tilted her head, surprised. As far as she knew, Kobo was cautious. He would not want to make Nick an ally for no reason.
"He's interested in Nick's friendship with the Ursa."
Sosora nodded slowly. That made sense.
"I guess that makes talking to the Ursa a priority, then."
Sosora gave Malak a hug of gratitude before turning toward the door. She stopped when her hand was on the handle.
"I heard a rumor, by the way."
"?"
"The Phoria are moving."
Malak's pupils shrank as he sucked in a breath through is teeth.
"That's..." He wanted to say 'not good.'
"...An opportunity!" Sosora finished for him, with an opportunistic gleam in her eyes.