Ereni takes up position as the "rear scout" at the back of the "diamond formation" once more.

She has her longbow up and arrow nocked, ready for any attacks from the direction of the tunnel with the kruthiks making the ruckus or from any side tunnels.  Leaving Malenia as the forward scout and the spell-casters in the middle.  Still staying in the dark as she can, far from the dancing lights.

Cinder keeps herself towards the center of the formation. She keeps both hands empty ready to sling spells at whatever may come the party's way. She wasn't thrilled with the idea of more scouting, but she wasn't going to argue with the party especially when it may end up getting them swarmed by more kruthik. 

The northwest tunnel hooks back around after awhile, back toward the south.  Abandoned mine carts sit in various positions along the tunnels length and the whole thing smells of dust and dank recess.  There are pock-mark tracks everywhere, showing that the Kruthik's have been up and down the tunnel many, many times.  

Small Kruthiks skitter in the small, dark tunnels that branch off in all directions, but none of them are stupid enough to attack again after their first attempt.  

Ereni scratches her ear and absently swipes some dirty blond hair away from her eyes.

"Seems the Kruthiks had a talk and the little ones aren't allowed to poke at us any more.  Saving the good meat for the grown-ups, most like.  I wonder if all that rhythmic tapping from the middle cave is how they talk to each other.  Felt sure there was some kind of pattern to it.  Language.  Could be they were trying to tell us something.  But then I'm a ranger - I hear patterns with the wind in the trees or a stream over pebbles.  Maybe those are trying to tell me something too.  Like 'stay away from Kruthik caves, Ereni.'  Any of you have that magic that lets you understand languages?"

Malenia does stay a few feet ahead of the party, taking the position of the forward scout but keeps away from the light produced by Stasoyla as best as she can. Keeping in regular contact with her fellow scout to ensure that there is no surprise from either direction via periodic Messages.

"It looks clear, most of these smaller tunnels appear to end a short distance in. Should we encounter issues, this should suffice for a hasty retreat." 

The ceiling breaks away in front of the group and behind it.  

Two Kruthiks, much bigger than those in the previous fight, land behind the band, while four land in front.  The Kruthiks hiss and tap and chatter, making various noises, but none of them attack; it's obvious the two in the back could have if they wanted to.  Their bodies shudder, and all six of the Kruthiks bristle with spikes that point at the band, ready to be fired...

They are not attacking... why are they not attacking?  Maybe they like to flirt a little before a nice dinner?

Ereni, Longbow, +1 in hand, uses her bonus action to transfer her Hunter's Mark to one of the Kruthiks after her in the initiative order.  It takes every ounce of will power she has not to loose the arrow.  They will kill every one of us, down to the last woman.  Probably me.

Instead, she reaches for the spirits of her childhood home in the forests of Fantasia.  The ones that taught her instinctively that all life is, if not sacred, at least connected.  She uses her action to cast Speak with Animals and suddenly comprehends the Kruthiks' tapping and chattering.  Her eyes widen.

She keeps at least 10' distance.  In Kruthik, she says, simply (tapping and chittering),

In Common:  "I may be having a waking hallucination here, but I can speak with them.  They are trying NOT to fight, but will if we don't go with them."

Back in Kruthik, more tapping and chittering: 

The Kruthiks lower the spikes on their backs and continue to click and chitter to Ereni.  

Ereni blinks.  She breathes.  Once, twice.  My cousin always said I was dropped on my head as a baby.  This may prove it once and for all.

In case she is able to get a read on the Kruthiks' sincerity in this strange language, Insight:  11 (rolled in DDB character sheet, available in campaign log.)

Again in Kruthik, more tapping and chittering:

Ereni turns to her new companions and takes a deep breath.  Back in Common:  "You should watch my face and body language carefully right now and decide if I'm either lying or insane.  I would not blame you for thinking so.  But the Kruthiks seem sincere in their desire to parley.  I can't believe I am saying this, but I think we should go with them.  Perhaps this has some greater import than just a mine and some monsters."

She looks at Stasolya, then, unable to help thinking about Princess Andromeda, and the Childlike Empress.  And the AURYN medallion.

"Yes, of course we should go with them," Stasolya says, a look of relief on her face. The small lit figure in the likeness of the Childlike Empress, still standing ahead of them near the four kruthiks in front of the band, smiles. "They wish to parlay, and the Childlike Empress loves them too."

"Should we?" Cinder asks the group an eyebrow raised. "Everyone does remember the reason we were sent here right?" She taps the side of her neck, making a throat slitting motion with a smirk. "I mean if you all want to go into a room with a bunch of these things, or bigger ones, I wont argue with you. Just makes it harder to miss."

Malenia is noticably fidgeting with her weapon, turning the hilt over in her hand as she watches the creatures. "Keep your guard up, I dont believe these creatures are smart enough to lie but I do believe they could be attempting to lure us into a trap of some kind." She rejoins the group at this point, there is no longer a need for a forward scout. "Be ready at a moments notice, I dont believe these things mean us no harm." She whispers to Cinder.

Ereni nods.  "Aye.  Guards up.  I'll ask them to lead the way so we're not surrounded."

She turns to Cinder:  "I know you'll have your fire magic ready.  If they attack, they can die toasty along with us."

And back to the Kruthiks, more tapping and other strange noises:

Ereni waits for the Kruthiks to respond, then for them to all get one one side of the party before following.  Longbow, +1 in hand.

The Kruthiks look at one another and seem to understand what Ereni has said.  They chirp and chitter and clack their claws together.  The four blocking their paths slowly move forward, trying to remain unthreatening as they shamble through the band to the back...or rather...what is now the front.  Red eyes turn toward the ladies assembled there, and then, the Kruthiks begin to move, leading the band back the way they'd come.  

They return to the previous junction and hang a right, back toward the original sounds they'd heard, before they are led into a large chamber.  There are dozens of small holes leading off this chamber, and many tiny Kruthiks can be seen looking out through the holes.  In the center of the chamber is one big Kruthik, bigger than all the others.  At least a half dozen more adults surround this one, much like the ones that have led the band to this point.  They're working as a royal guard.  

Ereni keeps her left hand on her bow and resists shaking her head at the turn this has all taken.  Well this ought to go well.

I never was much good with most nobles.  Most of them always so ready to sacrifice people they consider below them for their own gain.  Well, not the Princess, probably.  Or the Empress.  They are are more just mysterious.  So far above me.  Not as mysterious as bloody Kruthik royalty, though.

Sensing a bow would just be ridiculous and misunderstood, she tries to hold her body as the other Kruthiks are, signifying respect to the leader.  She thinks about some kind of formal introduction, but that would be even more ridiculous and misunderstood.  She decides to just be herself.

Ereni's tapping and strange noises come to a stop and she looks at the Kruthik leader, expressionless.  Waiting.

The Kruthiks hold their position and begin exchanging a series of clicks, taps, and hisses with Ereni.  

Ereni subconsciously sticks her bottom lip out and breathes outward and up in frustration, her dirty blond hair waving in the slight air current, barely visible from the dancing lights.  She turns to her companions, face pale and drawn, illuminated by the form of the Childlike Empress.

"Tale as old as time.  These poor innocent Kruthiks, as I understand it, had their home infested.  By miners from Jappiter who stole their 'sparkly rocks.'  The Kruthiks killed the nasty buggers.  Now the Jappiterians' mine is infested by Kruthiks.  Starting to forget which buggers are worse."

"But I sense that 'home' for these Kruthiks is someplace far deeper.  'The Great Cavern,' they call it - not this one.  Maybe down in the Dark-under or Dunder-ark, whatever it's called.  Could be there's a compromise here where the miners keep their digging to this level and no deeper.  And the Kruthiks leave them alone and stick to their homes far below.  Either that or I get a Kruthik spike through the skull for my trouble like my lucky friend Emmett.  Be ready.  Looks like I was wrong about there being some larger meaning.  Maybe.  Just a territorial dispute, seems like."

She turns back to the Kruthik leader and begins tapping, clicking and chittering again, conscious that time is passing for her Speak with Animals magic.

As she finishes, breathless, waiting for the Kruthik leader's response, Ereni is going to try to sense what the Kruthiks are likely to do.

Insight:  18 (rolled in DDB character sheet, visible in campaign log.)

The Kruthik sentinels remain stalwart, keeping up their positions around their leader.  They don't even seem to respond to Ereni's tapping, though the big one does.  It beings to rhythmically tap the floor, wait's a moment...and continues its tapping to Ereni.  

A note of exasperation enters Ereni's clicking and chittering as a drop of sweat beads on her forehead, dripping down to hang from her chin.

To the party, she simply says.  "Do not start the fight.  But be ready.  The Kruthik queen wonders whether I act as 'queen' for the Jappiterians and asks whether I 'control the hive'.  Thinking we act as insects do.  This could go well or very badly.  But then, that's been true all along, hasn't it?"

The Kruthik clicks back to Ereni, and then, when it is done this time, it hisses.  Many of the Kruthiks with their heads poking from holes in the walls or skulking in dark shadows begin to withdraw, disappearing into tunnels and other recesses.  Even the stalwart guards begin to disappear as the big Kruthik withdraws...