Kael and the others followed Ava and Amon through a very tortuous road. The path twisted through thick underbrush, around jagged cliffs, and across narrow ledges slick with moss. Sunlight filtered weakly through the trees as they climbed higher, and even Ava began to breathe more heavily but George transformed and let her ride on his back.
No one spoke much. They focused on Amon's steady pace and silent guidance. Eventually, the group arrived at a nearly invisible crevice hidden behind a thick curtain of vines and overgrown shrubs. The entrance looked like nothing more than a shadow in the rock wall, Amon then pushed away a boulder blocking the entrance.
Seeing the unusually well-hidden cave entrance in front of him, the Tribe Leader furrowed his brows, turning to Amon in disbelief.
"How did you find this place?" he asked, panting lightly. "The journey is so tiring, and the cave is so well hidden... It's good that you didn't get lost back then."
Amon glanced away, lips pressed tightly together, but Ava answered for him.
"He used to come here with a childhood friend, Aden. It was their own retreat. He never expected this place to hold something so important."
Without another word, they ventured inside. The moment they stepped into the cave, a cool breath of air greeted them. The path widened, walls shimmering faintly with minerals embedded in the stone. As they went deeper, the glow intensified—light reflecting off countless crystalline surfaces, creating a soft, ethereal brightness.
Then they reached the heart of the cave.
The vast saline pool stretched before them, its surface calm and mirror-like. Above and around them, the walls sparkled with dense clusters of pure white crystals—salt—growing like ancient, frozen stars.
"Salt," Shaman Lazur whispered, his voice trembling. He took another step forward, his expression stunned. "These are all... salt!"
His voice cracked, and in the next breath, tears welled in his eyes. The usually composed elder looked overcome.
"This..." Lazur choked slightly. "This is a challenge in the hearts of many Tribes. Salt is the lifeline, second only to females. Without it, females and even some weak cubs fall ill... and many even die."
He turned toward Ava and Amon, eyes red but shining with hope.
"We now have salt," he said softly. "Life in the tribe will definitely be better."
Ava swallowed hard. She understood all too well why the discovery meant so much. From the past Ava's memories, she knew: when salt ran scarce, some tribes had resorted to unspeakable choices. Infertile females, already treated with less worth, were bartered to stray beasts in desperate trade for salt. It had always been that vital—something between survival and despair.
She glanced at Kael, whose jaw was set, and then at Amon, who stood silently, shoulders squared as if bracing himself against the weight of his own importance.
This cave, once a secret refuge, had become something far greater. A promise of health. A symbol of change.
Ava knew then—this discovery could reshape everything.
As the group stood in the glowing silence of the salt cave, the air heavy with the weight of discovery, Ava took a deep breath and stepped forward, the light of the salt crystals flickering gently across her face.
"Tribe Leader, Shaman," she announced, meeting both men's gazes. "I have something to say."
Everyone turned toward her. The reflection of the salt crystals made her eyes glint with an inner fire as she continued.
"The discovery of salt has brought a new opportunity to the tribe," Ava continued. "Not only can we finally stop our females and cubs from dying due to lack of salt... but the most important thing we now have is a new way of trading. This cave is more than just a source of nutrition. It is a kind of power."
She paused, letting her words settle before continuing. "We can use this salt to trade for things that will benefit the tribe: food, medical herbs, rare minerals, tools, even plants that can serve as new food sources. Instead of always being the ones begging or bartering from a place of weakness, we can finally trade from a place of strength. We have something of value, We now have options—real options—that can make our tribe stronger and more stable."
The Shaman, Lazur, nodded slowly, his eyes reflecting both respect and wonder.
Interest immediately sparked across the faces of the others gathered. Kael nodded in agreement, and even George appeared thoughtful.
Ava took a step closer to the center of the group. "And there's something else. With a vast supply of salt, we no longer have to starve during winter."
This drew everyone's attention fully. The Shaman looked up sharply, and Amon tilted his head in surprise.
Amon was the first to speak. "How does salt help us not to starve in winter?"
Ava met his gaze and replied with confidence, "There's a method of preserving meat using salt. After hunting, the meat is washed and then either soaked or covered with salt. Once the meat absorbs enough salt, it is dried under the sun or smoked by fire. The salt prevents rot, keeps insects away, and stops the meat from going bad. With enough salt, we can store meat for months—even through the coldest seasons."
The group fell into stunned silence.
The implications were enormous. Winter was the time of suffering for every tribe. Food became scarce, hunting was dangerous and unreliable, and illness swept through camps like wildfire. The lack of food always led to tragedy. It wasn't uncommon for weaker males to sacrifice themselves—offering their bodies as food—so that their mated females and cubs could survive until spring. It was one of the most painful taboos spoken only in whispers.
"If this is true," the Tribe Leader murmured, almost disbelieving, "our tribe will survive this winter... and every winter after."
"Not just survive," George said quietly, "we'll grow. We won't have to bury our future year after year."
Overcome, Shaman Lazur suddenly dropped to his knees, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you, Ava. And thank the Beast God, who guided you to this blessing..."
"Shaman, please get up," Ava said gently, stepping forward. "I didn't speak of this earlier because we barely had enough salt for ourselves. We've been rationing it drop by drop. But now—now the problem has been solved."
Kael stepped beside Ava and added, his usual cool tone edged with caution, "I also think we should keep this salt cave a secret—between the few of us here and a few trusted beastmen."
The Tribe Leader's brow furrowed slightly. "You don't trust our own people?"
"It's not about trust," Kael explained. "It's about caution. If the whole tribe knows, word will eventually leak—intentionally or not. And when other tribes, or stray beasts, hear about a salt cave this large and pure… they'll come. Not to trade but to take."
Amon crossed his arms and nodded. "We've seen what salt does to desperate tribes. They'll burn whole villages for it."
George, quiet until now, added, "We've hunted alongside other groups. Even our allies wouldn't hesitate if they thought they could control something like this."
The Tribe Leader sighed, the weight of leadership settling deeper on his shoulders. "Then we guard this secret. This salt cave will be the heart of our future—but hidden from those who might steal it."
Shaman Lazur turned to Ava and placed a wrinkled hand on her shoulder. "You've not only saved lives, Ava. You've given the tribe a future."
Ava bowed her head, humbled.
With proper management, the salt would change everything. No more dying females, no more weak cubs born to sick mothers. Trade would bring diversity in the tribe, better tools, rare medicines and even new food sources. The tribe could even begin to rise above the fragile life they'd always known.
This was more than survival. This was the beginning of prosperity.
"It's nearly midday—we should head back," someone urged.
With that, they began the return journey to the village, carrying a basket full of salt crystals carefully covered for protection. Before leaving, they rolled the heavy boulder back into place to seal the cave entrance, making sure the thick vines were properly repositioned to hide all traces of the hidden site.
As Ava walked alongside Kael, George, Amon, the shaman, and the tribe leader, leaving the hidden salt cave behind, her mind began to whirl with ideas. She thought about the tribe's newfound resources and how to protect them, especially the salt mine. Kael's warning echoed in her mind - once other tribes and stray beastmen discovered they had a salt mine, they would become a target.
Ava's thoughts turned to strategy, considering ways to fortify the village and prepare for potential threats. She knew that in the beast world, peace was a luxury she couldn't afford. She would need to discuss countermeasures with the others once they were rested.
As they walked, Ava glanced at her companions, each with their own unique skills and strengths. Amon's protective nature, Kael's cunning, George's bravery, the shaman's wisdom, and the tribe leader's experience - together, the challenges lay ahead may not be impossible.
Ava was eager to share her thoughts with the others. She knew that their safety depended on their preparedness, and she was ready to do whatever it took to protect her new home and the people she cared about. The tribe's future looked brighter with the salt mine, but Ava knew that it also brought new risks - and she was determined to mitigate them.