"Are all Wakandans so open and friendly?" MJ asked Shuri, much later as they were walking back to the central hut, once more, only now with the sun beginning to set and all of them adorned in a myriad of vests and other items of decorative dress that had been offered to the guests as they'd walked through the village and been introduced to everyone from the oldest to the youngest – who hadn't been able to do more than babble at them around the fat hand that the baby had been chewing on at the time. "I was under the impression that your people don't care for strangers…"

Shuri wasn't the only one who smiled at that, but as the question had been directed at the princess, she was the one who answered.

"You are not a stranger," she pointed out. "You are a guest – and a Wakandan by way of your membership in the Avenger tribe."

"That's really a thing?"

"It absolutely is," Shuri told her. "If you had true need, no one here would deny you anything you requested of them."

"That goes both ways, though, right?" Ned asked, walking on the other side of MJ, between her and Bartel, who was now conversing with Peter about his formal training in fighting but had spent some of their visit with the villagers asking MJ several questions about herself while trying to be subtle and seem to just be making small talk. "If they needed something, we'd be expected to help them."

"They would first seek assistance from their own family," the princess told them. "If they are unable to assist – or if it something more serious – then it would be taken to the elders of the village. Then to the elders of the tribe. If it is still not addressed as necessary, then it would go to T'Challa."

"What if someone wanted my new vest?" Peter asked, proving that he'd been listening despite his conversation with Bartel. "Would I be obligated to give it to them?"

"They would not ask," she replied with a smile. "No more than you would have asked Loran for his new bow."

Peter smiled, too.

"It's a pretty nice bow."

"He would help you make one of your own."

"And then Peter would end up shotting himself with an arrow, somehow," Ned said, grinning.

He rolled his eyes, but didn't have a chance to defend himself since they were coming up to the main tent and were being greeted by Jad's wife, who must have been alerted that they were coming, because she had just reached the entrance to the tent.

"We've prepared an evening tea," she told them all – but mainly Shuri since she was a princess, after all, and despite the girl being friendly and down to earth, she was still royalty, and it wasn't every day that you entertained royalty after all. "Something to stave off the night chill."

It was definitely getting colder now that the sun was vanishing under the horizon, and the large tent was warm and inviting as they went inside. They all went to their beds to set their newly acquired gifts out of the way and then joined the others at the main fire.

Peter greeted Azoru, who was now sitting at the fire with Jad and a few others. Peter noticed that none of the Dora Milage were around the fire or at the beds and wondered if they were spending time elsewhere to avoid spending any more time with their young charges than they had to.

"They are enjoying the trip," Alec assured him. "But they are also very aware of the responsibility entrusted to them to keep your little group safe. Now that you guys are in the relative security of the village, they're relaxing a little – but are still keeping an eye on things. Just from a distance."

Peter acknowledged the comment but he didn't say anything since he was greeting Azoru – and the young woman who had stood up to greet the newcomers, as well. Peter already knew who Anise was; she was ranked enough to have been to the tribal meeting and he'd met her there, but MJ and Ned were both presented to her since she hadn't been presented when they'd been around the fire after their arrival, earlier. She vanished with Azoru and Peter hadn't asked what they'd been up to, for obvious reasons.

A soft snicker in the back of his mind made him glad he hadn't, but he forced down a knowing smile when he greened Anise and then sat down next to Azoru with Ned on the other side and made some small talk with the others as they relaxed before bed.

"We're going to be here all day, tomorrow, right?" Ned asked as they were finishing the tea and a light snack of rolls baked with berries in them.

"Correct," Jad replied, looking pleased at the prospect of having such entertaining guests. "We do not have any particular activities planned for the day," he added. "It is an opportunity for you to spend time with my people and relax after your safari."

"And a chance to find some good souvenirs to take home with us," Ned added, pleased.

Jad smiled.

"Of course."

He was always glad to have the skills and crafts of his people shown far and wide in order to gain wealth and recognition for his crafts folk. A working relationship with the new Avenger tribe already gained the tribe (and Jad's village) honor and it never hurt when one would seek them out on the rare occurrences that they were in Wakanda.

"Sweet."

They chatted a little more, but everyone was pretty tired from their day, so they left the fire in ones and twos and headed for bed. Peter was one of the last to leave, since he was talking to Jad and had one of the kids sleeping in his lap. He was going to make a quick call to Tony before bed and was pleased that Shuri hadn't been in any hurry to go to bed (probably because she had a little kid sleeping in her lap, too). Maybe they could take a walk, or something, before bed, and spend some time together.

Alone.

There was another snort in the back of his mind, and he was glad that he was sitting in front of the fire so no one could tell that the tips of his ears had turned red.

OOOOOOOOO

Tony was sitting at his desk when the call from T'Challa came in. He was actually getting ready for a meeting that was a pretty important one – and one that required him and Pepper both to be there. Otherwise he'd have been hanging out in his workshop building something.

Rather than pick up his phone, a display came up and T'Challa was suddenly on the screen.

"Your Majesty," the billionaire said, cheerfully. "I understand the elders of the Avenger tribe have been summoned to the capitol…"

The young king smiled.

"How did you hear that?"

"A little bird told a little bird."

"Peter?"

"Nope. Although he did mention to me that Azoru is the one who met up with them to take them to Jad's village since M'Baku was on his way to your palace."

"My mother…"

Tony smirked.

"She called Pepper, yesterday, and asked if it would be possible for us to come."

"And you are?"

"We are," Tony confirmed. He allowed an eyebrow to raise. "Are you calling the tribal elders in to announce a rise in taxes? Because I know some guys in Boston who have plenty of tea to offer up."

It was clear T'Challa didn't understand the reference, but that wasn't that much of a surprise.

"It is for an announcement, yes. But not regarding taxes."

"Is it a secret?"

"No. But something that should be announced to all tribes at the same time, so I will wait to tell you, and your curiosity will have to wait to be assuaged."

"Ugh."

Another smile at the anguished sound Stark made.

"I actually called to make sure you were aware that Peter, his friends, and my sister will be in the Jabari village tomorrow and will be heading back to the capitol, the day after."

"We are aware," Tony confirmed. "Everything is on schedule, then?"

"Of course. Shuri advised me that Ned and MJ are seeking assistance from jewelers to take care of processing the stones they found in the mine, so they will be busy for at least a few hours."

"How many goats is that going to cost?"

"It will depend on the quality of the stones found. Shuri advised that they want to pay for it, themselves, so that will need to be discussed."

Tony shrugged.

"We can figure it out."