Kobold Den

Within a cave in the South-East the sound of sleeping Kobolds could be heard, along with the scraping of feet as it was about that time again. Indeed it was feeding time and Kobogranny had brought food specifically rationed for the purpose of feeding the pups. Well there wasn't enough for all of them, but that was just how it was, those who woke due to the smell of the bloody mash would have to fight over it with the others of their generation. That was how things were done in the Kobold world, where survival of the fittest was key, she already knew that the weak would be culled off. As whether they'd be killed by their stronger brethren or die from starvation one thing was for sure they would perish.

Furthermore this would be the first, and last time she'd feed them for the whole day, with them not getting anymore food until tomorrow unless they either managed to obtain it on their own...or of course ate one or two of the others. Of course for those who did make it, they earned her approval and she would tell them things if they asked but she only had respect for those who earned their food she didn't value those who begged for it.

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Kobotia was awake, how could she not be unlike some of the others she was a light sleeper now whether that was an inborn trait or because of the paranoia of being killed by one of the others in her sleep she didn't know. Still she was grateful for it as it meant that she'd be one of the first to wake up which allowed her to move out of the way of where the food would be thrown. She had learned from viewing experience that being close to the food without being strong enough to protect yourself was a death sentence and thus rather than partake in the competition that was soon to follow she would observe the others. She would watch to see which among them was the most successful at not only stealing from the others but protecting whatever they claimed just to make a note of them. Likewise she would watch to see which of her fellow Kobolds would be rebuffed by the others as with their need to eat, injuries weren't uncommon. One of those would be her target she merely was waiting for the opportunity to do so while keeping her tail close to her body so that she could pull out her organic barb at a moments notice whether to defend herself or attack her target when they revealed themselves.

As Kobotia watched, she would notice that two of the young Kobold pups had claimed their places at the top of the food chain, so to speak. There was a female, white with black fur on her hands and feet, who seemed to be stronger than even the other "alpha" and a male, grey with darker grey spots, each eating their fill of what was there while the others made their way in or fought over scraps. There were one or two that were rebuffed from the feeding every now and then, but they simply got up and looked for another opening. There was one male who was particularly brave, challenging the alpha female, and he was viciously attacked for his trouble. He moved away, limping, as the female went back to her meal. There were large wounds upon his body, it being dreadfully apparent that he wouldn't make it even with medical attention. Other, hungrier, pups were eyeing him up and trying to decide whether to kill him or wait for him to die. Now was Kobotia's chance to take her own meal.

Kobotia would see her chance and would walk over to the limping male and make a face while raising her left hand so as not to alarm him, as it was obvious that he was suffering and it was the fault of those who were feasting while the others fought over scraps. Such base creatures Kobolds were, and while survival of the fittest was the best way to have only the strong survive, sometimes the strong were not the ideal ones to do so. Sometimes it was intellect which got you what you wanted rather than savagery and she would stop about three feet away from the limping male before speaking. "You, like me do not have a name yet and still before you could even get one you were denied a right to eat. Now you are dying..all because of her." Kobotia whispered to him while pointing with her left hand at the white furred female with black patches on her feet. "Tell me, do you think you can fight...one last time? I will assist you and maybe together we can do to her what she did to you and you can taste that meat you so deserve. Or do you not think you have the strength anymore, if so I will protect you and make sure none of the others attack you until you die on your own time, and after that, none of them eat you you'll not be the sustenance of any of them who didn't raise a finger to try and help you." she would wait for his response her body relaxed outwardly yet she was still keeping her tail close to her body in case she might need it. It was a risky gamble, but she felt that he would either be so desperate that he'd consider her proposal or so defeated that he'd appreciate her sentiment. Of course if he did try and attack her he was weakened and she..wasn't, which was why she had stayed her distance yet still was close enough that it could be interpreted that she truly felt saddened by what he went through.

The male was set on edge as soon as the other approached, as was to be expected. He knew how the others were looking at him. He knew he was going to die, it was all down to whether it would be from his wounds or from the hungry jaws of his kin. He listened to her words carefully, however, considering them carefully for a long moment "This hurts, truthfully. Dying. I would much rather sit here and die in order to end this pain...but I cannot forgive her. She thinks she is better than the rest, that she deserves more...She needs to pay." He moved so that he stood taller, his height placed evenly between both legs despite the pain "I can give one more fight, but what is your plan if I do? I can attack her, but I don't know if I will be able to harm her grievously. Though I suppose you could pick up where I left off and end her. Do you just want to kill her and destroy her self mad hierarchy, or do you want to take her place?" His eyes narrowed at her as he considered his own question. He didn't want to end a tyrant just to put another one in her place...

"We fight together, and perhaps the others will be inspired by us. This Kobo eat Kobo world is pointless and weakening us if only those with brute strength survive, everyone has a purpose and when we unseat her you have my word that things will change at least within our generation." Tia said in reply before stretching up with her eyes on their target. "We will need to strike hard and fast, sure you are weakened but you have the advantage, you have nothing to lose...she...has everything. No allies but herself, and the disadvantage of having to fight more than one opponent, any opening you bring about I can exploit it and end her. If she is too much, and you are dealt a mortal blow weigh her down cling and do not let her throw you off." she said nodding to him and then seeing if the female was too preoccupied with eating to notice them or whether she was still alert. She would likewise look around to see if there was anything on the ground she could use to her advantage.

If White with black patches was too preoccupied then she would proceed to crouch and move slowly taking a circular path towards her while looking towards him and holding one hand out to tell him to proceed, this particular plan was simple. He would provide a distraction while she struck while she was focused on him every moment he could buy her would be enough to shift her sneak attack potentially in her favor. Whereas if WwBp wasn't preoccupied then it would be a change of pace with her baring her teeth and then rushing off making sure to run but just slow enough that he wouldn't fall behind her, though when she got close to WwBp rather than attack she would dart to the left to throw her off and if she could perhaps swipe dirt into her eyes, anything to give him the chance to close the distance and attack her. She would then resort back to her original plan and circle around before attacking WwBp from behind. Either way in all instances she would withdraw the Organic Barb from her tail and grip it with her left hand so that when she attacked she could aim to rake it across WwBp's eye (Plan A if she is pre-occupied), or stab her under the ribs (Plan B if she isn't pre-occupied).

Spoiler:

The male nodded and moved towards the "alpha" female, a low growl in his throat. She turned and eyed him haughtily before speaking "Back for more, weakling? Didn't get enough last time?" She laughed and a few of the others followed suit, but she had her guard down because she didn't perceive the threat. He quickly pulled the organic barb from his tail and lunged, lashing out with the weapon and cleaving through the female's side. She cried out, and just in that moment as she was focused on the male she had wounded and his attack, Kobotia struck out at her eyes and blinded her. The wounded male decided to end this hear and now, lashing out once more and opening her throat from ear to ear. She fell to the ground, limp and letting out some wet gurgling sounds. The sounds stopped after a few seconds, and the male turned to look at the others who seemed to be in awe. They inched away from the female's spot to make room for the two new people, while the male turned back to Kobotia "Thank you. Now I will have a nice last meal..." He sank down and began eating lazily, leaving room for Kobotia to take her spot if she wanted to.

"It was my duty, none of us should go hungry." Tia said raising her voice so the others could hear her as well after she bent down and attempted to claim the now deceased female's organic barb for herself. "Just now, as you saw the strongest of us was beaten by myself and our injured brethren. Strength means nothing in the face of numbers and strategy, so I suggest you there stop hoarding all of that for yourself and share with the others, lest you end up like her." Tia said pointing towards the "Alpha" male before continuing. "I propose that all of us eat equally, so that none of us have to starve and die. We are all Kobolds, why must we fight among ourselves when there are those outside who are different from us and will take every opportunity to kill and eat us. Instead we should pool our strength, hunt together and we will be able to gather more food for all of us.. Survival of the Fittest favors only the strong, everyone has their purpose but in such a condition only they are allowed to shine. The cunning, the intelligent, the loyal, the loving none of them are represented even though they are worth just as much as the strong when it comes to survival." she preached to the others rather than eat her food her eyes scanning the crowd of her brethren as she attempted to sway her fellow Kobold's to her cause.

"But I am not making empty promises. Feast my brethren there is no need to fight, we've increased our meal by killing those who sought to hoard the food for themselves." Tia said stepping aside to allow the others to eat and then if the "Alpha" Male hadn't stopped eating himself she would make another comment. "Eat what you wish, whether the food our caretaker threw among us, the fresh food cooling by our feet or if you prefer you meal to be killed by your own hands there still is one who doesn't wish to share." she said though the last part would only be spoken if he refused to comply, if he did however her last words would be instead "Do not fear him, the strong are meant to protect the weak. For that is their burden to bear, just like each of us have our own burdens in turn. If you support him, then he will support you in kind, this is the key to our survival, supporting each other and working together as one pack." she said placing her organic barb back in her tail and if she had been successful in taking the "Alpha" females she would raise it high to culminate her speech.

The injured male listened to her words with a smirk while the others, especially those who were hungry and kept from the food, listened to her and were seemingly entranced. The "Alpha" male was glaring at her, and was about to speak himself, but then she said the part about eating him and he saw the looks of the others at the words. He was strong, but he didn't think he would be able to take them all at once. He stepped back and let some others eat, as he had his fill. He continued to glare at the female who was now holding the slain girl's barb aloft like a trophy. They hadn't been friends, but they had been allies. He would avenge her, one day. The other young Kobold would not always have her cult following behind her, and he would be there when she didn't. He would make sure of it. The others started eating, saying their thanks to the girl who changed their pre-established hierarchy. She was different from the norm, they could tell, and this kind of different was something that they could definitely get used to. She was someone that they would most likely follow into anything.

Kobogranny would be watching the exchange with an appreciative look, reading the situation. A lot of the young died when they were born, either due to going hungry or from fights, but this was the first time one of them advocated for the downtrodden. She would make an amazing leader, if she cultivated her ability to convince others. Kobogranny most definitely wanted to have a talk with her "Girlie!" She had forgotten that there were multiple females in the group, so she cursed under her breath when more people than what she had intended turned to her "Not any of you! The one who managed to get you all to eat as one. Come here, youngling." Kobogranny would beckon with one hand and wait for Kobotia to come over to her.

Spoiler:

"When my friend dies no one eat him. We will bury our kin, at least the ones who lose their lives for the betterment of our species, but for those who act selfishly well...waste not want not." Tia said as she hard Kobogranny calling her and thus she would leave the rest though making sure to keep her eyes on the Alpha Male as she didn't like the glare he was giving her but she wouldn't back down. In time he too will come to think the way she did, and if not well then she would have to kill him. "Elder, I greet you." Tia said with a small nod of the head waiting for the older Kobold to say what she needed to say before she would ask the questions that she had. Sure she understood to some extent why things were done the way they were, it was for the betterment of their species but she couldn't agree with the past way and thus she changed it. Still if things were to go the way she envisioned it she would have to get as much info about the outside world as she could, the only way she made it this far was using her brain and so she would keep doing just that.

Kobogranny smiled at the girl, a smile that displayed pristine fangs as sharp as blades. She took good care of her teeth, because how else was she supposed to eat? Granny was genuinely surprised by this girl in her entirety. There were few young Kobold who displayed the traits Tia did, and that was something to be admired and followed closely. The girl would make an amazing leader for her peers and future generations of their kind, her abilities just needed to grow so she had the power to back her vision "Hello young pup. Sit." She pat the ground in front of her gingerly before leaning back to become more comfortable in her own sitting position "You are an extraordinary one, child. Kobotia, that will be your name. I have never seen someone with the natural capacity to lead that you have. Not only that but you've also displayed a good eye for strategy and battle tactics as well. You have the makings of someone great, if you play your cards right. And don't get yourself killed. However the others follow you already, so I would say your chances of dying are slim if they decide to protect you." Granny looked over to the group, seeing that those who were really hungry had already began to eat at the Alpha Female. She also noticed that the male who was injured had moved off to a small space of the den, dark and secluded. He looked to be sleeping, but she knew better. He was a brave one, and would've made a great warrior. If only he had lived longer. She shook her head slightly and returned her focus to Kobotia "I assume you have questions?"

Tia would nod before sitting down in front of Kobogranny and then thinking for aa couple of seconds before coming to a decision on what she would ask her. "Thank you, I will try and live up to my potential, but I need to know certain things. Three things actually, the first is in regards to the monsters outside, I know we are young but how do we compare to those monsters who are intelligent enough to be our competition. As in, what makes us different from them in regards to our capabilities, are we stronger than them are we faster things like that. Um, secondly when we exit this den, where would we be and more importantly where do we head to deal with the weakest monsters. If I'm to get the others to grow then they would have to start hunting something as weak as they are so they can learn how to use tactics effectively and have a solid knowledge of it for when we truly have to use it. Finally, will we always be like this or does successfully killing things outside make us stronger and what is the limit of that if it is possible." Tia said asking all three of her questions as she felt that they were the most important things she could ask for now, it was better to work with what she had at the moment and when she took her fellow Kobolds outside then she'd gain even more enlightenment about their situation and would most likely have more questions.

Kobogranny smiled, as the girl's intelligence was extremely refreshing. Usually the younglings only worries about where they could get more food, before quickly rushing to their deaths "You ask the important questions, girlie. In relation to other monsters, we are considered the most dexterous and intelligent, the latter of which you are a prime example. Goblins outstrip us when it comes to growth, Orcs in strength and durability, LizardFolk in resiliency and Myconids in magical ability and ability to survive. As for where we are, we are in the Eastern part of the Great Forest. Each part of the forest has its own easy prey and fierce predators. I would advise you to take a few of the others with you and see what you come across." Kobogranny pondered answering the last question. The knowledge of what lay beyond after killing enough opponents was enough to inspire obsession. It was in her experience that the smartest of the bunch could easily turn out to be the most power hungry. This girl was intelligent, impressively so, it wouldn't be good to put anything past her. Including tricking her den mates into believing her benevolence only to slit their throats when the time proved opportune...Granny decided to play it somewhat safe "There are tales, legends more like, of what comes after you have amassed enough power. An evolution of sorts overtakes you and changes you into something new, they say. Something more powerful. I have never experienced it, not in myself or in others. I suppose you would need to find out for yourself if the legends are true or just some children's tale. Any other questions?"

Kobutia listened carefully before turning to look at the other Kobold's hopefully they had realized she hadn't eaten anything and thus had left her some but she was more so into studying them to try and get a grasp for their respective personalities. She tried to see how they interacted with one another so that she could know how to best divide them into hunting parties, but if she didn't manage to get any insight on their behaviors then she would turn back to Kobugranny. "I don't have anymore questions at this time she said with a small nod to Kobogranny and she would then walk back over to where her friend had passed on. "Thank you, for everything. I hope you will not mind me putting this to use in your stead, hopefully this way I can still have you beside me in future battles" she whispered before deciding to take his organic barb for her own thus causing her to have 2 in addition to her own which was currently tucked away in her tail.

She would walk over to the others and if they left some food for her she would eat it, as long as it wasn't a fellow Kobold's meat that is. Either way once she was done, or if they hadn't left any food for her she would speak once more. "If I can have everyone's attention. Those who have an interest in hunting please raise your paws, I know not all of us are fighters and I will not fault you for not wishing to hunt with the others however do not think by remaining home you will be free of work." she said with the latter being spoken once she determined the clear distinction between those who wished to hunt and those who didn't. Hopefully she had at least twelve which would allow her to separate them into four groups of three in order to cover more ground and it would also allow her to divide up the remaining Kobolds into three different groups as well. "Those who stay home have 3 things they can do while they wait for us to return. The first being to dig, it's something we'll need to do eventually and it is a useful thing to practice if we ever need to bury our kin, hide from those who discover us or expand our den when we get more numbers in the future. The second is to forage near the den, bring back plants, berries anything which looks edible but please, try not to eat any before we get back at least not before getting Kobogranny to help identify what they are first. They will be useful as a fall back option in case hunting doesn't go well. Finally the others go to Kobogranny and ask her things that you think will be useful to know, just don't forget I expect those who do this to give me correct information and if any of the other two groups discover something please try and remember what it is or does for when I get back. I know these tasks seem like a lot but know every little bit counts towards our collective future. she said smile at them encouragingly trying to motivate them to diligently approach the tasks she gave them.

Once that was settled she would turn to those who volunteered to hunt and if there were 12 then she would separate them into groups of 3. She would make sure to put the "Alpha" Male in her own group while trying to balance the other ones properly, and would motion for each of the groups to follow her to the mouth of their den. "Alright, I want each of you to be careful out here, if possible don't try to fight things equally but rather try to overwhelm them with numbers 3 on 1, and if you are faced with a situation where you have to fight two or three opponents concentrate your attacks on one of them and lower their numbers that way while trying to protect your fellow Kobolds. Remember only together we are strong and there is no shame from running away to fight another day as long as you are not abandoning one of us though if they choose to sacrifice themselves to buy time for you to escape make sure to learn their name and come back here so we can offer a memorial for them. Try to bring as much food as you can, but don't try to carry everything at once making multiple trips back to the den and back outside is fine. Finally the most important thing I want you to remember is, if I don't come back, but he does kill him on sight." Kobotia said pointing directly to the Alpha, while she wasn't gunning for him she also didn't trust him fully and her telling the others this would cause him to make sure to actively try and be a good member of their squad. After all if he didn't support her and the other member of her hunting pack and it resulted in either of their deaths then she would be sure that he would be punished whether by death if he tried to return to the den or by exile due to knowing that only death awaited him should he try and return.

[spoiler=lavander]"My name is Kobotia by the way, I look forward to learning all of your names when we get back. We'll be headed to the north, you head east while you head west and finally you head south, that way we cover the most ground."[/color] she said deciding to tell them where each of them should head to and if there were no interruptions she would head out.

(Kobotia Exits with "Alpha" Male & 1 other Kobold. Pending Mod Decision)

If other numbers:

Kobogranny gave a simple nod and watched as the female went and ate what the others had left for her. The girl ate and then turned to address her fellow Kobold. The older monster was very impressed at the youngling's ability to talk to others in such a way that made them listen and want to rally to her banner. It was a refreshing sight, very refreshing. Once she was finished, she had her groups though she only had nine volunteers, for three teams of three. The Kobold collectively glared at the Alpha male at her words, causing him to adopt a look of nervousness. The teams nodded at her directions, leaving out behind Kobotia and her group. The others began working on digging, some went to talk to Kobogranny, while the remainder who didn't want to put themselves in danger but also wanted to explore a bit left to go forage for berries and other things, remembering to take their findings back to Kobogranny for inspection and identification if they could not do it themselves.

Kobotia would enter the den still carrying her kill on her back and once she was inside she would throw it off of her in the middle while turning to wait for the others, who were right behind her, to enter as well. Once that was done she would check to see if the other two squads she had sent out had returned as well though whether they had or hadn't she would turn back to survey the other Kobolds. "I'm back, and I'm starving though I'm sure all of you are hungry as well. So what has everyone else brought back? Also where is Kobogranny" Tia said with a smile greeting her kin. Hopefully the others had brought some things as she didn't think two black pups would be enough to comfortably feed everyone. Then again if they did then they'd be able to maybe get a some what diverse meal, hopefully with not only meat but nuts and berries or fruits.

Kobogranny had shown the girl a smile at the girl as she brought in her kill, it would appear she was right to put her faith in Tia and her abilities to lead the pack. Though she was successful in her endeavours, the others however were not as fortuitous as the rest. The foraging group had come back with some various berries and fruits, making sure to get kobogranny's approval on whether or not they were poisonous, and if so they were kept separate from the rest of edible food. No need accidentally killing off the Kobold species due to improper storage of hazardous materials, wouldn't that just suck, right? Anyways where were we...... Old bitch greeting the younger one, the foraging... Right, the excavation team, well there is where some problems started to lie. It would seem the group was having difficulties on how to handle the task. "We were able to get some Berries and nuts nearby, but not enough to much a significant change to tonight meat, but I am certain upon further exploration we can find more. The diggers on the other hand are unable to decide on whether increasing the general size of the den would be best, or if a tunnel network would be more suitable. Meanwhile the other two hunting parties were victorious in their hunt...... Somewhat. Even though we lost a member of the pack during the hunt, they were successful in bringing back two horned rabbits and an Armoured Tanuki. Not much, but it will have to suffice for the time being" Granny would say as she looked over those who stayed behind, and the spoils of all that they've accomplished so far, still some ways to go.

Tia would nod and smile warmly at everyone as they had followed her orders perfectly and she was happy for it, as such she would add the Black Pup she was carrying to the pile and try and figure out how best to divide the food up so that everyone could eat. One of their pack had died and it was unfortunate but the pack would have to grow stronger as a group and hopefully as a leader she could try and figure out how to prevent such a death in the future. "I see, well. First we eat, then we can talk about things like that. Before we start, I want to first skin the prey that way we can use whatever we don't eat for something else in the future. Those who think they can do it successfully by all means do so, however please be careful if you ruin the pelts it'll be much less useful." she said putting one of her Organic Barbs down while she used the other to try and carefully skin the Black Wolf she had killed all by herself. Sure she was hungry but it would be worth the wait, and she would quell her hunger with the thoughts that she would be able to eat as soon as all of the prey had been skinned.

Once that was done she would speak again, essentially trying to set a precedent for how they would feed. "From now on, this is the way we will eat. First we skin whatever prey we catch and place the skin on the ground fur or hide down so it can dry, if any of you wish to try and drink the blood dripping down from the meat you are free to at your own risk. After that I will organize the food we've gathered on top of the hide gained from our skinned prey, and food distribution will go as follows. Pups first when we eventually have them as they are growing and need the nourishment the most, I'm second however I share my place with the injured or sick if we do not have anything that can heal or cure them, finally everyone else. We all eat together, those who are impatient will be punished by having to wait until everyone else finishes eating to then eat their own food." she said trying to put as much authority in her voice as possible so that all of them knew that she was serious about it. As for Kobogranny she seemed to have her own food reserves and thus she wasn't included in the list, sure if they had surplus and she asked they would give it to her, but Kobotia's first priority was her pack which contained all of the Kobolds of her own generation.

Once they understood she would then proceed to do exactly what she had said and when everyone had received their food then she would eat. Once they were all done eating she would then begin to address the various things that came up. "Okay, first things first, for our diggers whomever is currently the best at Digging please come forward." she said and when they did she would nod and then speak to them directly. "Since you two are the quickest learners, I'll leave you in charge of directing the others, please continue to excel at digging as it will be very important to our survival in the long run. However I want you do dig out in tunnels yet make rooms at the end of each tunnel try to space them out evenly, also keep an eye out for those who don't seem to be grasping Digging so that I can re-purpose them to some other job that would suit them better. You are free to go." she said dismissing them and then turning her attention to the Foraging squad. "Since you four are the best at foraging from now on all four of you are the Alpha Foraging Squad. Please continue to do your best as foraging is going to be important to the survival of our pack in day to day life. You can go as well" she said dismissing them as well and then turning her attention to the Hunting Parties. She hadn't forgotten about the three remaining members of the foraging squad but they were going to be the last to be addressed anyways.

"Okay, first off. I am glad that you all were successful, did you bury our kin after the battle? Also I want you to tell me exactly what happened your respective battle. Gamma Squad goes first then Beta, and I'll tell you what my squad encountered. This way by sharing knowledge of our hunts, we can grow from it and know what to expect the next time we go out."

Calculating Food Distribution:

After the occupants of the den had all gotten their fill of food for the time being, Kobogranny would smile seeing as Tia had started down the path of becoming a leader. Sure some of the others only listened out of fear of punishment from the others, but for the most part everything seemed to go off without much issues during the meal. After the meal had been finished the groups who had specific tasks to do in Tia's absence had all gathered in front of their Alpha, ready to report for their duties for the rest of the night and probably for the foreseeable future. The two diggers had had come forth when Tia had instructed them to go with a tunnel system, which made one of them grin while the other let out a huff of disapproval, but none the less they would go on with the orders they had received from their Alpha. The foragers were happy that Kobogranny and Tia approved of their findings and would nod at their new positions,  perhaps with enough berries and what not they would be able to start cultivating a farm of some kind in the future. The other hunters had been somewhat successful in their skinning of the beasts, only one pelt was ruined by the attempt which was okay for first timers, but perhaps those who failed would be strictly a hunters. "Well, we were looking for beasts for the meal tonight when we came upon a single horned rabbit. Three against one, so we thought we could take it out without much difficulty. That was until the second had come out of the bushes and killed one of our own, got them from behind before we knew what happened." Said the female hunter, feeling remorse over not being able to protect her partner while on the hunt, something she would be more mindful of in the future. "He was buried not too far from the den entrance, felt wrong to leave him in a hole in the woods, and not back home where he can be remembered"

Tia would listen intently making note of what happened and more importantly where he was buried, she would nod before speaking once more. "I see, it is unfortunate, I will pay my respects in the morning. How did these Horned Rabbits fight, also did you notice any weaknesses to exploit? If you can remember any information is crucial to our survival." she said before turning to the other group after the other hunting party told her more about the Horned Rabbits. "What about you three? Tell me what happened in your hunt. Likewise how did your prey fight and did you also notice any weaknesses?" she said and when they told her as well she would tell them about what she and her hunting party encountered. "We encountered Black Pups, one of them was sleeping all alone and thus I told Koboalpha & Kobosnek to surround it before they attacked it. However before I could join in the assault I was snuck up on and pounced on from behind. I managed to kill my opponent around the same time they killed theirs. I noticed that while they were very agile they aren't that tough, but they do use stealth tactics to pick off opponents one by one. I'm also assuming that like us they run in pack and thus will excel at fighting alongside their pack so it's best to be wary that where one is another might be lurking around as well." she concluded before smiling as she looked at the pelt that she had managed to carve perfectly, it would be enough to not only serve as an additional source of clothing for her but also proof of her kill.

"You three, come forward. You are given three choices, you can either join one of the hunting parties, enlist in the mining operation or work with the Elder cataloging everything we obtain while also learning as much information as you can from her. If any of you choose to do one thing, the other two can't also do that. So one of you three will be joining a Hunting Squad, one will be joining a Mining Squad and one of you will be learning from the Elder." she said looking at each of them rather seriously and then waiting to see who picked what. "Kobosnek, you will join Gamma Squad to replenish their numbers. The newbie will join my squad that well it is well rounded.
Those who killed, may I know your names?  This way in the future I can recognize you as an individual within your pack if need be.

"Well we noticed that they don't have much of in the means of peripheral as they had to turn their heads to notice us, so as our fallen comrade lay gasping I got their attention in hopes of them to chase me while Kobofang was able to get behind and get their legs. As long as you can keep your distance from the horns you really just have to get at their legs. Oh yeah, I'm Kobokana" The female would say as she looked at her hunting partner with a smile on her lips, but there was something about her eyes that.... I don't know just seemed off. Her male hunting partner would nod in agreement to the females story, showing the usual visual signs of grief upon their face as though they had lost a friend. The fully intact party stood forward as a somewhat muscular green furred Kobold leading the three. "Koborou, along with Koboling and Kobovon on my left and right. We encountered the beast after climbing some trees in order to get a better vantage point for tracking. I was able to pounce down on it from above to keep in still while the Ling pierced it's windpipe with her barb. Von however liked to spend some time examining the shells that were on the beast, perhaps he see's something to use that I don't" Rou said explaining what they had encountered, which to be honest was kind of simple as it was 3 on 1, and no one was hot dogging like the other hunting party. The three who had been called out by the new Alpha would stand forward and nod as they were given options to join other squads since they really hadn't excelled while out foraging for food, here's hoping they would do better in their new job.

Kobotia would use Observe to try and grasp exactly why Kobokana seemed off, whether she was lying or felt some other emotion other than sorrow over one of her pack's death. Tia wouldn't confront her immediately but instead would point to one of the three if they were a male and would motion for them to join her hunting party while sending one of the females to study with Kobogranny while the last one would be drafted to the Digging Squad. "One more thing and then all of you can go, except Kobovon & Kobokana. In regards to loot distribution you keep what you kill, if you assist each other you can either divide it equally, or you forfeit your claim over something in exchange for whomever you are splitting it with forfeiting their claim for the next bit of loot gained." she said dismissing them so that they were free to do whatever. With the two remaining Kobold she would address Kobovon first while using Observe on the Armored Tanuki Shell. "So what are your thoughts on the shell Kobovon?" she would ask and if possible try and see whether her observations were in line with his deductions. She herself had her own thoughts on gear but she wanted to consult Kobogranny before she made any decisions.

Spoiler:

Kana got an instantly worried look on her furry face when Tia had singled both Kobovon and herself to stay behind after everyone was dismissed, did she perhaps give herself away during the debreifing? No it couldn't have been that, maybe Tia was just curious as to how she got her coat looking so silky smooth. A good soak in the blood of her enemies, that's what got Kana looking good. However when Tia would Move towards Kobovon and question him about the Tanuki shells that would put her at ease, if at least for the next few moments. Von however would relax to a more casual posture when questioned on his thoughts, it was good that he wasn't being called odd like his fellow hunters referred to him as. "Well to be honest, the uses of it's shell could be used for anything from personal protection to making tools, or even defending the den. If we could harvest more of these armored tanuki shells I would say making armor for ourselves, or possibly even shields" Von would say listing off a basic list of applications for these creatures.

Info:

"I had the same thoughts, you are a smart one be careful out in the Great Forest. Either way you are dismissed." Tia said before turning her full attention on Kobokana and speaking to her again her visage changing as she personally thought that something wasn't adding up with her story. "So tell me what really happened during your squads hunt, Kobokana. I have this feeling that something isn't exactly adding up and I want to give you the opportunity to come clean before I have make a more drastic decision to ease my suspicion." she said quietly so that while the other Kobolds went about their way only Kobokana would be able to hear her. She would once again utilize Observe on the Kobold she was speaking to so that she could gain some inkling as to whether she was telling the truth or not at least with her bodies tells since she wasn't exactly a lie detector just yet.

Spoiler:

As Kobotia had excused him from the situation now that she was pleased with his findings, Kobovon would nod accepting what she had said as well, perhaps the would-be leader was smarter than she looked. As soon as he left the debriefing session Kobokana instantly got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach as she knew that she was going to be questioned by her rather unconvincing tale of what happened during the hunting party. "Well just before the the events that led up to the fallen's demise, he and I had a disagreement on a subject that had gotten pretty intense until we spotted our targets." Kobokana would say to Tia, hoping that she would believe what was being said this time.

"I see, and what was your disagreement about as if I am not misunderstanding you it means that while this argument was going on you three walked into a fight you were not prepared for." Kobotia said with a frown though she couldn't expect more from them after all this was everyone's first hunt and she would have to do better to instruct them on how to effectively hunt through the Great forest to minimize casualties. It was fortunate, after all if Kobokana hadn't told her the truth she would of taken her along with her to go dig up the fallen so that he could be buried properly within their den. Whether Kobokana would come back from such an excursion would depend on whether or not she decided to fess up or not. Still Tia didn't want to have to resort to such things, but lies could not be tolerated especially if they were all trying to work together to survive, sure sometimes the truth would get one punished but at least the spread of information was not tampered with. Either way she had made up her mind regarding what would happen to Kobokana, it wasn't a major punishment merely that she would be her sparring partner for the foreseeable future.