"Yes, boss. But I made sure I came down in time."
"Don't go showing yourself again before we make contact."
"I won't. Could you tell who it was?"
"Looked like the jaksin beast."
"Oh. We don't fight them, do we?" Alyar was a little disappointed; he'd never been in a fight.
Paboss grinned. "No, but we don't trade with them, either. Pabossjaksin doesn't like me."
Alyar remembered something he'd heard. "Was that where you stole Maboss?"
The grizzled leader filled his thick chest and chuckled. "That's right. Stole her right out from under his nose!" He extended his arms, showing some scars. "Here's where he got me, before I knocked him out. Here's where Ma bit me."
"She bit you?"
"Sure. Any girl worth stealing'll put up a fight. I had to haul her along, kicking and screaming, and fight off half the jaksin clan at the same time. It was some party."