The overbearing heat was truly something which did not lessen or end up hiding behind the clouds in the sky, if anything it seemed to grow even hotter once out of the sanctuary of overhanging cliffs and rocks. For someone not entirely used to such heat, Nureka could safely say she was suffering. Fur lined boots? Great for the snow, not so great for the desert heat. Thickish material which made up her trousers? Great for keeping her limbs warm, as well as protecting them from any attacks or scrapes due to the thickness, plus the machine parts which made up the armour strapped to herself. But yet again, in a desert, she felt like she was cooking alive. Which really, sounded as hugely unpleasant as it felt.

Kotallo just looked down at her, head tilted as she just stayed laying on the hot ground below her. "This cannot be helping you." He stated, a flat plateau of ground was to the side of them as they finally parted ways and decided to move on. Nureka had been interested, she had firstly knelt down, hand against the ground before half-turning, before eventually collapsing. Truthfully, Kotallo thought she had got heat stroke, and she'd keeled over. But no, she was just lying there, arms and legs stretched and her eyes shut.

"What do you think this place used to be?" Nureka managed to squint an eye open and look up at him, luckily his shadow at least covered some of her so she was somewhat protected from the sun.

Kotallo put his hand on his hip and looked from side to side, he didn't know. But he had long since discovered, she liked to know everything she could about places around her. He knelt down slowly beside her, mimicking her actions from before, he placed his hand against the ground. It was cracked, little crevasse abysses which spiderwebbed across this piece of the land. Although both could hear machines in the distance, mainly near the roaming Tallneck, none seemed to draw close. He didn't think they were afraid of this place, because that seemed hugely unlikely; it was probably more there was nothing useful to them here. It was truly barren, desolate and hot. There wasn't anything much here for people to use, let alone the machines.

Nureka popped up, flakes of ground coming off of her as she did so. She did brush her hands through her hair, and up and down her bare arms before crossing her legs and looking around. "Water source, perhaps?" She mused, the cracking in the ground looked familiar to the cracking in the ground back home if a rare spell of warm weather dared to creep up from the lands below. This was very rare to happen, but usually the water got relocated down a different route; if the water forced itself down in a new area, more like. The ground which was formally a water source would dry out, Ban-Ur might not have been known for hot weather, but it could be mild, and that mild weather could dry out these places.

It seemed like a plausible answer to her own question, Kotallo looked at her as she sat in profile just looking around, her hand shielding her eyes so she could avoid the glare of the sun. Not that that was entirely doable, considering how it shone so readily down on them. Getting her attention by simply moving to stand, Kotallo watched her stand up slowly too, she then reached down and picked up her pack to shoulder it.

"A water source does sound good, round about now." Nureka commented while the pair of them took up walking again. Rushing in this arid landscape wasn't wise, though both clearly wished to get to cover quickly, rushing would cause them to overheat; and with that would come worse effects of the sun, perhaps more for Nureka than Kotallo and though he was capable of carrying things one-armed, he wasn't wanting to carry a flaked out, overheated and fainted Nureka one-armed.

"I suppose it would make a change to be around water that you can swim in." Kotallo said thoughtfully, he presumed most bodies of water were freezing and then some. That didn't sound like a fun experience to him.

Nureka shrugged, "You can swim back home...just not for long," she explained slowly, pausing in the middle of her sentence when Kotallo just slowly turned and looked at her with an expression that looked both distant, yet thoughtful, but not for the better.

"Considering your medical knowledge, I suppose it is unlikely that you wouldn't be able to counter the effects of the freezing cold." He decided quite quickly with a nod as the small cluster of rocky hills before them were growing closer and closer. There was a path that cut through them, which luckily if they stuck to, would lead them straight to the Grove. It would mean they wouldn't need to be anywhere near the bandit camps on either side of their destination.

Nureka smiled and put her hands in her pockets, "I can only do so much, Kotallo." Though humbled he had faith in her medical abilities, or rather if he was just being polite, it still caused her to feel warmed by his words.

He frowned and shook his head, he clearly disagreed with her somewhere, and Nureka just looked up at him with a confused expression. "Don't downplay what you can do." Not that she shied away from whatever her abilities and skills may be, she also did not seem forthcoming in being proud of being able; perhaps that was just the affect being exiled had on her, being away from familiars had her double guessing everything. She was clearly more than able, or else she wouldn't still be here, that much Kotallo knew.

"Tell me about the Grove." Nureka asked softly instead, though still feeling humbled by the slight encouragement, if it could be classed as that, by Kotallo. "It used to a museum, but what is it like?" Nureka asked, yes, she was sure she could just research into what the place used to be like, what it used to look like, but what it was now was what now mattered.

"There always seems to be something going on. There is an arena which is a part of the Grove too."

Nureka looked at him with a curious sound, Kotallo returned the sound with a frown. "Like hunting grounds?"

"You have them too?" It seemed like a ridiculous question to ask, it had become rather quickly apparent how much his own people had in common with those which came from lands further afield.

Nureka scoffed, she put her hands on her hips and looked up at him pointedly. "We Banuk are the originators of them, didn't you know?"

"No." Kotallo's simple response had her deflating, Nureka's shoulders slumped and she looked a little disheartened. Deciding she was just having a slight dramatic moment, he decided to continue on from his earlier topic. "In a way the arena is like the hunting grounds. You can test your skills against machines, earn rewards for success."

"Only everyone is watching," Nureka scratched her neck in thought. She wasn't sure how she felt about everyone watching her fail or succeed in fighting...sideward glancing at Kotallo, she couldn't help but feel where he wouldn't judge if failure happened, others perhaps would. Nureka shook her head, "The machines that are taken down, you use their parts?"

"Nothing is wasted," Kotallo assured as she hummed in thought, he could see she appeared a bit relieved in hearing this. Even if she easily dealt with a rebel, even if she went silent for a little bit afterwards, and was clearly as affected by taking a human life as well as a machines; taking down a machine for no purpose, let alone for sport, still didn't sit well with her, he could see the relief and couldn't help but sigh quietly. Even if the Tenakth were perhaps painted as barbarians to other clans and tribes, they truly weren't, they had their own ways of working, of functioning and even if it had been chaos, the arena proved a good place for everyone to come together. "Are you thinking of doing a challenge?" He asked hesitantly, the path before them taking a slight curve into the rocky hills around them.

Nureka's eyes widened, she was silent as her boots simply scuffed against the pebbles and rocks below her feet. Her lips pressed into a thin line, a small frown even appearing on her face as she thought over his question. It couldn't be any worse than the hunting grounds, right? And she had done the one back home, Lauvuk the rather quiet and steadfast Keeper, had seen many Banuk come and go, Nureka included. It wasn't like she wasn't up for a challenge, her people loved a challenge, after all. If the parts of the machines she took down were latter used in armour and weaponry, even better.

Kotallo just watched and waited, his question wasn't a hard one to answer, well, he didn't think so. But watching her expressions flit and change and then return to just this far off look had him suspecting there was more going through her mind, then just the arena. Nureka looked up at him eventually, "Maybe." Kotallo just blinked slowly, she had been silent for a few minutes for that to be the answer, he expected something more in-depth. Nureka just raised an eyebrow, she looked confused as to why he was just staring at her.

Safe to say Kotallo now knew what others felt like when he just replied with a simple phrase, or Nureka earlier with his one word answer. "No need to pressure yourself."

"Now, now," Nureka waved her hand in the air. "We have challenges at home, the Shaman's Path for one is...brutal. It's like a maze, lanterns reflect the way, there may be hiding machines on the way. But once out and at the other side we can take a shard of Bluegleam as a reward."

"You did this?"

"So did Aloy."

Kotallo thought about that as his eyes looked towards the looming tree line. The sight of cover was a thankful one, not that the humidity wouldn't still be present in and amongst the trees. But at least the leaves and boughs of the trees would hide them from the sun. "So, does that make Aloy a Shaman?" Kotallo was confused, but also thinking on this, their friend seemed to have a growing list of titles.

"No, but she was a Chieftain." Nureka explained, she couldn't help but laugh when Kotallo just looked at her with this face of just pure confusion. "Failed to mention that, did she? Doesn't surprise me." Nureka sighed, she was too humble for her own good at times was Aloy.

"So, in a way that makes you, her Shaman." Kotallo's statement had Nureka looking his way with a tilted head and thoughtful look. Kotallo was putting pieces together which seemed to fit and make something, they were their own little clan, somehow it had happened, but they were.

"I'm not second in command of anything!" Nureka laughed and held her hands up, adamantly shaking her head. "Plus, Aloy isn't a Chieftain anymore, she relinquished that role."

"But she is the one we all follow," Kotallo stated again, watching as Nureka's face fell, and her expression just became very distant.

"I don't think we have roles, as such. We're a family, in a way; and families are equal, or should be." Nureka said slowly with a frown, she understood where he was coming from, but he was wrong. None of them really outranked another, yes, Aloy was the one they followed, because she truly had the right and knowledge to lead them; but the rest of them were all equal in their rights and what they bought to the group.

Kotallo left that sentence hanging in the air, not wholly knowing how to respond. Was that how Nureka perceived their unit? The moment they had earlier in that little overhanging shelter would've definitely been something one would do with a family member, however, something felt like it had shifted. Kotallo couldn't put his finger on it, but Nureka had stayed leaning her forehead against his for, he didn't even know how long. The peaceful moment seemed to span on for ages before they parted ways and didn't even discuss the matter before preparing to travel onwards.

"I might do a challenge," Nureka's voice pulled Kotallo from his thoughts. He looked her way as she removed her hand from trailing it along the foliage which grew beside the rough path they were walking along. She even lifted up a hand to stroke it against a leaf with a smile, it was such a pleasant experience to now be surrounded with rich, fertile and healthy plant life.

"I'm sure it'll be an experience for everyone." Kotallo reasoned, he wasn't lying even if Nureka looked incredulously his way. She didn't seem to believe him, or thought he was joking despite of his neutral expression and usual tone of voice. Kotallo couldn't help but frown, the arena wasn't exactly easy going, the machines weren't known for holding back as is, let alone when trapped and in that situation. He watched from the corner of his eyes as Nureka leaned down to inspect a plant before realising he'd gone on ahead and she ran to catch up, popping back up by his side and in sight; which was reassuring, machines could be heard nearby along with the sound of running water.

Nureka linked her fingers together, stretching her arms out and smiling his way, even as her joints made an audible click. "Oh, I'm sure it will be." She shrugged eventually and sighed softly, "As long as I don't show you Tenakth up, I'm sure I'll be good."

Kotallo shook his head at her joking, "That isn't the way to show you are superior, or better. Nor do you wish to have a load of Tenakth challenging you for a fight, to prove they are better."

Nureka smiled, glad actually he wasn't taking her moment to heart. She didn't mean it, of course she didn't. Reaching up, she placed a hand against his arm and patted it slowly. "I'm sure you'll protect me."

Kotallo looked at her blankly, "Where would the fun be in that?"

"But what if I still win?"

"That's a big if," Kotallo inclined his head, the pair had reached the river, across the other side amongst the trees was the Grove. He knelt down and looked at the water running past, he glanced Nureka's way when she rummaged in her pack for her flask.

"When I win, then what?"

"I feel like I can't concede to the Banuk being the better, if I have not fought one myself." Kotallo watched as she sheepishly smiled his way, he watched her tip the warmed water out of her flask and fill it up from the river below them. She did pause to have a sip before handing it his way. She hated to say it, he was looking at the water with a hard look. Cupping water in both hands to drink from was hard, let alone with only one.

"Fine, fine." Nureka took the flask back and took to filling it as to the top as she could.

"You'd need to survive the arena first." Kotallo stated as Nureka paused in drinking and looking his way with a worried look. "No one can interfere, once you are in the fight of your choosing, you have to prevail."

"I haven't just come all this way to die, have I?" Nureka looked distantly off to the side as she shuddered. Maybe participating in the arena was a dumb idea, even if it killed some time while here.

Kotallo rolled his eyes skyward, he could see the sky through the leaves, he could hear the sounds of tweeting birds and the scuffle of animals in the foliage around them. "You'll be fine." He patted his knee and stood up, earning a look to be sent his way. "Back at the base, you believed I was stubborn; from what I have learned about you, from listening to you talk, to knowing how you are with the others, I believe you are equally if not more stubborn than your perception of me. You came all this way, you managed to find a path to walk on in your exile, you wouldn't be able to do that if you weren't strong."

Nureka stood and put her flask back in her pack, pulling it to a shut and popping it back on her shoulder, she smiled his way. "Thanks."

Kotallo merely inclined his head, there was a bridge nearby they could cross to get to the other side. If they were lucky, they wouldn't encounter the Bristlebacks that were known to call this section of forestry home. "Before you can enter the arena, I do believe you'll need to meet Chief Hekarro first." Kotallo looked over his shoulder at her and felt the corner of his lips tug upwards when he saw her falter in her step and look at him awkwardly. "I'm sure he'll be interested in meeting another of Aloy's companions." Though Kotallo was sure Hekarro would find it amusing to see the Banuk Shaman behind him launch herself into the arena, it seemed like the proper thing to do first was to meet.

"What is he like? Is he like you?" Nureka asked while jogging a step or two to walk beside him again. She couldn't help but look a little sheepish when the expression on his face hardened. She shouldn't find it amusing, but a small part of her did.

"I'm not sure what to say about that." Kotallo said honestly, he did look Nureka's way and watched as she looked a bit bemused by why he chose to say what he did.

"But you have admirable qualities in a person, Kotallo. And I believe I already said your Chief must truly be something, to sway you to his side; being a Marshal or not, I'm still rather sure you'd have the ability to not follow someone you didn't believe in. Fighting for a good cause and all, perhaps you and your Chief are more similar than you think. Or that is what I am already presuming." Nureka said while gently placing a hand against his arm. She did believe in what she said, wholeheartedly and her tone reflected that entirely. "Anyway! I'm quite looking forward to a tour," Nureka decided to clear the air and change the topic, which she managed quite breezily even if Kotallo looked undecided over that. Nureka looked at him with a small pout forming, "We came here together, Kotallo; there is no way you're just letting me loose and not showing me around. I'm sure we can fit that in between you checking in with other friends, and me wowing everyone in the arena." Nureka said with a cheeky grin as she glanced his way.

"Is this a pretence for being protected by those who would wish to challenge you, if you, as you said, wow in the arena?" Kotallo replied, raising an eyebrow as Nureka swung her arms by her sides and letting out a slow whistle as she did so. Although, it wasn't like he was a poplar person within the Grove, he may have used it as his own pretence to come back here with her; but he was sure those who had become new Marshals were fine.

Nureka tilted her head, a smile slowly forming on her face as she looked his way. "You'd protect me?" She questioned, her eyes narrowing slowly, smile growing as she looked at him. She could've sworn that he stood up a little straighter and looked with a firmer expression at the path before them. Nureka inwardly chuckled to herself, Kotallo, keeper of the peace, fighter of good causes, misjudged and kind enough to perhaps bail her out if she screwed up somehow; yes, her first estimation of him being stubborn stuck, but he was indeed more complex then she could've ever imagined.

Her smile softened, and she reached out avoiding the gauntlet which covered his arm to find his hand. It was a gentle action, her fingers brushing against his before taking that little leap and hesitantly linking her fingers with his. His skin was rougher feeling, years upon years of fighting and training taking a toll on the hand that had handled she didn't even know how many weapons in his lifetime so far. There was something which was just comforting in the small gesture, much like earlier. Such a simple and soothing action was perhaps as far removed from the warrior lifestyle Kotallo led as much as possible, Nureka was going to slip her hand away, before feeling his own fingers slowly tighten around her own. Her hand was smaller and quite easily encased in his, but the moment had Nureka slowly smiling, as she stepped a little closer to him.