Ares invited Beor to eat with him. He created a makeshift tent area for Beor to see the food being cooked. Ares revealed his powers quickly, raising a hand to drop the meat into the pot for it to be cooked. Some of it was grabbed to be fried in some fat, but most was placed into a pot to be stewed.

Beor and his folk had settled nearby. There were many of them, and they all seemed like the rather grumpy type. Ares noticed that there were a number of older beastfolk and younger beastfolk too, though no children or vulnerable people about them.

“So, are you their lead-” Ares had begun to say before a shout cut through the air.

“Beor!”

Ares turned to see Wulfen, before then Bosk appeared too. They both had weapons in hand. Their faces were flush with hatred and rage.

Beor raised a brow before recognition filled his eyes. He stood up and pulled out his great axe, but Ares stood up between the three.

“Excuse me.” Ares said as he walked towards the pair of chiefs. “What’s the problem?” He asked, extending an arm out on either side to lead them them away back into the fort.

“Beor had attacked us on the way.” Bosk said as Wulfen remained huffing and puffing, his face a tomato red.

“Well right now you’re under my care, so he won’t be attacking you any time soon unless he wants to deal with me. However… I have invited him to eat and I won’t allow either of you to start any issues with my guest.” Ares warned, staring at Wulfen who met his gaze.

Wulfen gripped his blades tighter but slipped them back into their sheaths, and Bosk had put away his axes as well.

“Very well.” Bosk said whilst Wulfen left wordless.

Ares then returned back to Beor, telling a Captain to lead a Squad in front of the fort so that there were some soldiers between them and the entrance to the fort.

“It seems as though you are familiar with the refugees.” Ares said.

“They came into our lands. They didn’t want to pay the tax, and they didn’t want to join.”

“Ruthless, but I can understand the sentiment.” Ares replied, though he didn’t particularly like the answer either way.

“This deal?” Beor snapped back to the topic at hand, obviously intrigued by the unsaid offer.

“Well I see you’re hungry for a hunt. I can see some of your warriors are seasoned, and others are less so. I’ve been hoping to expand Rivea around the legion until the entirety of it is under our control, as Rivee has tasked me.”

“Tell me plainly.” Beor growled.

“Eventually you will want to join Rivea. I want to speed up that process. What I will offer is more than just a shelter above your head, food in your stomach, and thousands of humans to wet your blades crimson. I’m offering you a chance right now to become a Rivean.”

“You want me to kneel under you so you can step one.” Beor replied.

Ares laughed. “Not quite.” Ares rubbed the back of his neck. “Right now my plan is to head West with a few people to see what it’s like, and then when I return I will expand my territory so that every nearby tribe has joined me. By word or by sword.” Ares said staring deep into Beor’s eyes.

“Are you threatening me.”

“No. I am telling you my plan. If you want to head West, I’m happy for you to go. If you want to head back to your tribe and then prepare against me, I’m happy for you to go. Though I’ll have you know, I have twice as many soldiers elsewhere that you can see here, and each of mine are worth ten humans.”

Beor growled and Ares laughed.

“Wait a second, wait a second. How about we have a friendly competition?” Ares offered as he stood up. “A friendly fight. Myself and ten of my best against yourself and ten of your best. We’ll do a gauntlet. We’ll pick the order of our fighters and then if they win, they continue to fight until they lose.”

“What’s the wager.”

“There doesn’t need to be a wager, but let’s see…” Ares thought for some time. “Depends. It would have to be of an equivalent exchange. We could bet our armies, the thousand of yours against the thousand of mine. We could bet some gear, I quite like the look of some of those bear skins. I have some black viper leather or drake skin that you might like.”

Beor stared at Ares with a keen look. “You aren’t very funny.”

“That’s because I wasn’t joking.” Ares laughed. “So how about it? I’ll send for my ten best right now and we can discuss the terms of the bet.”

Beor narrowed his eyes but nodded. Ares laughed as the cook brought some meat for them.

Ares wondered if Beor knew Rori, but once the thought came to his head, he realised it was quite racist to assume all bearfolk knew each other. He almost laughed at the thought. He called for Ark who appeared on wolfback.

“Take your Squad and send a message to Torak. Tell him that I need about ten members from any of our elite squads for a friendly fight to show off Rivea.”

Ark nodded his head. “As you wish.” He saluted as his wolf stomped and then he was off, bounding away on his giant beast.

As Ares turned back to face Beor, the bearman swung down with his axe. Ares’s brows raised as the axe met his neck, though he grabbed onto Beor’s wrist as the flames appeared around his neck and then he pulled back.

“Relax, relax, little kitten.” He said as the various people around them stood up, ready to engage with one another. “You’re a little too eager, aren’t you?” He laughed.

“I just wanted to test it out.” Beor said as he placed his axe away and his soldiers began to slowly sit down again.

“Well, the first shot is free.” Ares said as he rubbed the side of his neck. “I can take my revenge later.” Ares laughed.