It was bountiful

Jollus spent the next couple days teaching the red scales how to create spears out of fish bones and nets out of the plant life that could be found in the swamp. He tried to avoid going back into his cabin as much as possible so that he wouldn't see or interact with the incubator and the Black Scales as they tend to it. Maintaining the device that had once been a woman gave him a dark feeling when he saw the black scales going about their work.

So he stayed out on the steps and small dock as much as he could, spending all his time and effort in making sure the red scales knew how to make the tools they needed to hunt and how to maintain said tools. Once that lesson had been fully drilled deeply into the red scales head, he began to teach them about how the predators and the prey of the swamp moved and how they lived. So they would better know where to go and what to look for when it came to signs of something's domain they did not want to trespass upon.

Once all that was done, he finally took them out on a fishing trip, having laid beneath his canoe as he watched for his kind to be sure none spotted them as they went about moving through the swamp. Eventually he stopped short of a good fishing spot and had the red scales ready their nets to catch the fish as they stayed underwater. This would turn out to be a great tactic, as fish learned to expect things coming from above, such as nets and spears, but not for nets to come from the sides.

This caused the red scales to get a great haul, filling his canoe so much that it actually sank in the water a bit, and Jollus had to release some of the caught fish less the weight of the haul, and overfishing became a problem at the same time. The red scales, though, were just happy their sneaky netting had worked so well, especially since it was a first try.

So they made their way home with a bountiful haul and happy hearts as Jollus less the way on his canoe, well the red scales fellowed next to the canoe just below the water with only the red about their faces sticking out, ready to dive if humans other than the lizard father were about to spot them. Though luckily Jollus had to make small talk with a few of his fellow swampsmen, it was smooth sailing until he was two-thirds of the way there.

Where he met a patrol of battle sisters who waved him to stop. So he did, as it would be strange for one of the swamp folk not to fit a battle sister. "What seems to be the problem, my dear lady?" Jollus said it in the most polite tone he could muster. Well, the red scales beneath the water began to tense, readying their fishing spears for a surprise attack on the patrol of three battle sisters should they try anything on the lizard father.

"Well, it seems the god emperor has blessed you with bounty this day," the sister in the lead of the trio said. The naming of the god emperor actually caused Jollus pain, shocking him and causing him to flinch a bit in surprise. Luckily, he replied quickly, hopefully preventing the sisters from noticing.

"Oh yes, sisters, he has indeed. Would you like some of the bounty?" Jollus asked, figuring the sisters don't stop him from asking him if the emperor had blessed him with fish but wanted to see if they could get some of it themselves. Probably to turn into rations for their continued patrols into the swamp.

"Of course, child of the emperor, we always welcome donations from the faithful," the lead battle sister said as she motioned for both of her sisters to fill their hands with fish before they began walking off. "We thank you for your generosity. Go in the emperor's light." The lead battle sister said, speaking to Jollus for a final time before walking away, following after her sisters well. Jollus sighed with relief and went back to his cabin home.

The lead sister looked at fellow sisters as they walked away. "Did you see it?" She hissed at them, and they both nodded back that they had seen what she spoke about not needing it pointed out as being hurt by the god emperor being evoked was noticable. "Then we know what must be done. We will do it when night falls and the heretic thinks he is safe," the lead sister of the patrol said as they made their way back to their camp.

"But sister?" The shortest of the three called out, "How will we find the man? We do not know where the heretic hides." The sister asked, confused at letting the man go home when they had no clear reason why to track him since they were warriors, not hunters. The leader of the trio, as an answer to the youngest and shortest question, simply held up her hand; it was a device that had a monitor in its center.

"Ahhh," the younger sister said in understanding seeing the tracker and realizing the leader of their payroll most have put a tracker in his canoe. So with her questions answered, the three battle sisters made a double pace to be where they were going, dumping the fish in their hands to the side as it was probably tainted by the heretic they would be hunting.

The sisters were not aware of a single red snout sticking out of the water that had been following them as they left the man in his canoe. Nor did they notice as the red snout listened to their conversation and did not catch it as it left. So the three battle sisters made their way quickly back to their temporary home at their base camp to fully arm themselves for a raid on heretics, not knowing that word of their attack was already being sent.