The advance team rendezvous with the two men holding the canoe, who report finding deer in the area. They embark back down the river and meet the other group at the fork in the river. They report their news and are able to get back home. Seems they had some provisions to spare on this journey.
"Who do you think they are?" Asks the tribesman behind Hoki as they let the canoes travel downstream- rowing to help speed themselves up along the way, here and there. "Who knows?" He responds blandly with a shrug of his shoulders, "But they aren't the ones who ran us out of our home. That much is certain." There's a grumble from the back of canoe, prompting Hoki to look over his shoulder and stare at the man, "What? You don't agree?" he asks him with a rise of his brow. "I didn't say that," the man replies, staring back, "But whether they're them or not, doesn't mean they may not try the same thing." Hoki peers downwards for a moment or two before he looks forward. "You're not wrong." he admits with a sigh, glancing back and forth along the landscape.
Eventually, after some travel they arrive home, all the canoes drifting in to a set of shoddy docks that have had some work done on them in the time that they were gone, allowing a bit more accessibility. Hoki grunts, rolling up the map and looking to the others. "Get everything unloaded, go see your families. I'm going on ahead. I'll meet you in the common house later." Some nod, and others just go about getting everything in order as Hoki wanders off and up to the Halut-dan's hall.
The servant girl holds up the polished copper mirror to the Halut-dan, who stares down into it to peer at the work that was done shaving his face. "Good. You can go now." he says with a raise and flick of his hand outwards. The girl takes no time in leaving, and the Halut-dan reaches over to grab the shaggy patterned pelt of a medium sized feline, dark gray with black and white splotches in color.
Three knocks of wood against wood arrive at the entrance of the hall, and the Halut-dan's gaze flicks upwards to stare at Hoki in the doorway- map in hand. A small smirk plays on his lips, and the Halut-dan beckons him over. "I trust you've got some good news and information for me?" he asks him, and Hoki nods- his eyes fixed to the ground with a tired expression as he unfurls the map and hands it over. The Halut-dan takes it in both of his hands, looking it over with a small nod. "You took some notes too. Very good."
Squinting for a moment or two, he rolls the map back up as his right hand comes over to rub his face. "The animals seem larger here than in our home, it seems like..." His expression sours momentarily before he shakes his head and looks back to Hoki. "Look up." Hoki does as he's commanded, peering at the Halut-dan. "Who are these people you saw?" he asks him, his brows dipping down as he gives Hoki a scrutinizing stare. "I don't know," Hoki replies honestly, "I did not risk getting close, in case they were violent. They dress and look funny... But not too different from ourselves. Some listened to a man saying words I couldn't understand. Others didn't seem to care."
The Halut-dan nods quietly, looking back and forth between the map and Hoki as he listens. "Then we won't go out of our way to make contact right now." Hoki seems confused, the wrinkling of his forehead a telltale sign. "Are you... Sure? What if they are peaceful and would trade-" The Halut-dan's hand raises, and Hoki hushes. "What if, what if... If they are a trading people, then we will find out when we do meet each other. But what if they aren't? I don't want to send men for contacts, only to end up with them entering the jaws of a beast as soon as they enter that village."
Hoki nods, though his silent disagreement is obvious. The Halut-dan stares up at him for a moment or two before he shrugs, "That's nothing to concern yourself with anyways. I'll deal with it. You did well- go back to your family. I will sort out a reward for you soon. Tell the others that we will use the river for hunting and gathering. And tell the Fau-dans I wish to speak with them.". "Yes, Halut-dan." says Hoki, who turns and begins to hurry out the hall. The Halut-dan silently watches him leave, his right brow rising before he looks back down to the map, squinting.
The Halut-dan gets the map remade in several hand drawn copies, with some new added routes for hunting and gathering up along the river ending at the beginning of the fork. Two groups of ten warriors each, some seasoned and some green, are sent up river to establish to watch camps (will dm you with the areas), as well as to assist with guarding those going up and down the river.
Some minor scouting parties are sent to head eastwards along the coast, to map it out.
