The north side of the house had a group of trees. The group of trees normally had a group of squirrels, which the house seemed to like, but currently the group of trees had a single sleeping Au Ra woman, which was the most easily-identified problem Aoife’d had all week.

She climbed, making sure to pick a perch out of reach of the spear strapped to the other woman’s back, and began tossing twigs. Or rather, twigs-plural had been her intention, but as the very first one hit the Au Ra’s face she was awake and on Aoife’s own branch with a spear to her throat before Aoife could raise her hand to throw the second twig.

The leaves rustled cheerfully in the tense silence, and after a moment Aoife lifted her hand in greeting. The other woman simply frowned and brought the spear closer to the skin. Aoife swallowed.

“Howdy,” she offered weakly. “I’m unarmed and I didn’t get dinner, so I’m not much sport. I don’t think this is necessary.”

“You’re telling me I shouldn’t be wary of an unarmed woman alone in my tree in the middle of the East Shroud.”

“Well, wait a moment there - first, what’s your name?”

There was a beat of silence. “Hyana.” Saying this, Hyana brought the spear as close as it could be without breaking skin, as though the mere question were purchased with part of Aoife’s lifespan. She’d have to explain this succinctly.

“Right. Hyana, technically speaking, this isn’t your tree--”

“It’s my tree. I’m in it.”

“Just, listen! The elementals don’t care if you’re tied to it, it’s their tree.”

The spear came back a fraction of an inch. The other woman didn’t look away, but it was plain that her senses were now tensed on more than just Aoife, who took this as encouragement to continue.

“So, elementals, right. Thing is, when they get riled, my house gets riled. I’m not saying you can’t sleep in a tree, you’re a free woman who can rile whatever elementals you want, I just need you to pick a tree at least three stone throws away from my hous--”

“What house?!”

That froze everything, for a moment. For the first time in the encounter Aoife dared to turn her gaze a bit left. She wheezed.

“Bloody fucking hell.”

The house had hidden itself, and she was left bowless in a tree to explain natural Gridanian ownership to a woman who now--

--was walking away on the forest floor?

“S’too much work. I’m getting an inn room, and if you follow me, I’ll put the spear through the rest of the way,” Hyana called over her shoulder.