The morning light bathed the clearing in front of the caves with a soft golden hue. The mist was still thinly clinging to the forest edge, and the air smelled of damp earth and sap. Torya stood tall before his people, his expression calm but resolute. The wall behind them, crude yet sturdy, loomed as a testament to their recent struggle wooden logs bound and locked, a symbol of safety bought with sweat and exhaustion.
In the middle of the clearing, the entire tribe had gathered. Children sat cross-legged, curious eyes fixed on their leader, while adults hunters, mothers, elders listened in silence. Torya's deep voice carried across the gathering.
"Leron, Daren, Rahn," he said, meeting each of their gazes. "You three will head east. Scout the land, find resources, herbs, or anything useful for the tribe. If you encounter other races, observe but do not engage. We can't risk unnecessary bloodshed."
The three hunters nodded firmly. Each carried a wooden spear reinforced with sharp, blackened tips from the forge, and light packs of dried meat.
Torya turned to the others. "The rest of you our work doesn't stop here. The wall still needs strengthening. Children must learn how to fight and defend. We've no time for idleness."
His eyes found Lera, who stood among the crowd with a determined expression. "You'll lead the training. Seran will assist you. Teach the children coordination, discipline, and awareness."
Lera bowed her head slightly. "Understood. We'll make sure they're ready, even if the time comes sooner than we hope."
Torya gave a faint nod. His gaze drifted toward the forest's edge, as if he could already see the three scouts moving through its endless green maze. Inside, a faint chime echoed within his mind Nova, the silent system that had become his unseen guide.
"Mission updated," Nova's voice whispered, cold yet faintly feminine. "Scouting assignment recognized. Completion reward: ten fist-sized bronze ores."
Torya didn't react outwardly, only exhaling through his nose. Bronze ore. That would be valuable he could strengthen weapons and tools, even start forming more durable spearheads. But no one else could know. Not yet. To the others, it was his intuition, his leadership guiding them forward. To him, it was the whisper of something beyond human, beyond fate.
He dismissed the voice and raised his hand. "Move out."
Leron, Daren, and Rahn moved through the dense undergrowth, each step measured and quiet. The forest east of the cave was thicker than the north roots twisted like serpents across the ground, and towering trees blocked most of the sunlight.
Leron was in the lead, his eyes sharp and movements graceful. "Stay close. We don't know what lives here," he murmured, parting a curtain of ferns.
Daren followed behind, broader and quieter, his spear ready. "Feels different from the hunting grounds," he whispered. "Like the air itself is watching."
Rahn chuckled nervously. "If it's watching, let's hope it's friendly."
The three moved until they found a small clearing surrounded by wild growth. Leron crouched, brushing his fingers against the soil. "Footprints," he muttered. "Big ones… clawed. Whatever made these walks on two legs."
"Lizardfolk?" Daren asked.
"Too wide. And heavy," Leron replied. "Could be something larger."
They followed the tracks cautiously but soon stopped when Rahn pointed toward a slope covered in vibrant green leaves. "Herbs," he said. "Lots of them."
The slope was lined with plants glowing faintly under the filtered sunlight some with pale blue veins, others with crimson buds that pulsed like slow heartbeats.
"Good find," Leron said. "We'll mark this place. Could be useful for medicine or trade."
He took out a sharpened piece of bone and carved a small mark on a nearby trunk a flame symbol, the mark of their tribe.
They continued eastward, moving along the shallow rise of the land until the air shifted warmer, heavier, and filled with a faint hiss.
Daren froze. "Do you hear that?"
From beyond a thick patch of roots, a faint movement caught their eyes. Leron crouched low, signaling the others to follow. They peeked through the foliage what they saw made Rahn's breath catch.
A tribe of snake-like beings slithered across an open hollow. Their upper halves were humanoid, pale-scaled with golden eyes, while their lower halves coiled and twisted with powerful muscles. They wore bones and scales as armor, and several carried spears tipped with glistening black stone.
"They're gathering water," Leron whispered. "About twenty of them."
"They'll spot us if we stay here," Rahn said in a hushed tone.
"Not if we move now," Leron replied. "We backtrack quietly."
The three moved slowly, hearts pounding. At one point, one of the snake warriors turned its head sharply, nostrils flaring as if it caught a scent. The trio froze behind the roots, barely breathing.
After several tense moments, the warrior hissed and turned away. The scouts waited another minute before retreating, careful not to snap a twig.
When they were far enough, Rahn exhaled shakily. "That was close. What were those?"
"Not Ashkin," Daren said. "Not Lizardmen either. Something new."
"Snakefolk," Leron murmured. "Another race of the forest… and judging by their numbers, we'll need to avoid them."
They continued eastward for several more hours, mapping the terrain mentally. They found a narrow path that seemed recently traveled, and further ahead, signs of battle broken spears, dried blood, and the faint smell of rot.
"Another tribe's territory border," Daren guessed.
Leron nodded. "Let's not test our luck. We've seen enough."
They began their journey back as the sun dipped low, its light bleeding through the forest canopy in slivers of red and gold.
Back at the tribe, the day had been busy. The ring of wooden weapons echoed across the clearing as children practiced footwork under Lera's watchful eyes. Seran stood beside her, leaning on a cane but still sharp.
"Keep your stance low!" Lera called out. "You're too light on your feet if something charges, you'll fall before you even strike."
A young boy stumbled forward with his wooden spear. Lera approached and adjusted his arms gently. "Hold firm here. Feel the ground. You are part of it."
Seran smiled faintly. "You've grown sharper, Lera. Your tone almost reminds me of Torya when he trains the hunters."
Lera chuckled softly, sweat glistening on her forehead. "Someone has to keep them alive."
Meanwhile, near the cave entrance, Varin and a few men worked tirelessly on repairing and improving weapons. The rhythmic sound of hammering and scraping filled the air.
"These spears took quite a beating," Varin muttered. "But they've proven strong. With a bit of reshaping and fire-hardening, they'll last longer."
"Maybe we'll have metal soon," another man said hopefully.
Varin grunted. "Maybe. But for now, we work with what the forest gives."
As the day waned, smoke from cooking fires drifted through the clearing. The children's laughter echoed faintly within the wooden walls. Despite the hardship, there was life here fragile, stubborn, and determined.
Lera paused for a moment, watching the sunset glow paint the trees. Her chest tightened with a mix of pride and fear. "Come back safe," she whispered, her gaze drifting toward the east.
The guards atop the entrance towers spotted movement just before nightfall. One of them raised his voice, echoing through the clearing, "Torya! They're back!"
People gathered near the gate as the wooden doors creaked open. Leron, Daren, and Rahn emerged from the dark forest, weary but alive. Their clothes were streaked with dirt, their spears stained, and yet their eyes held that determined glow.
Torya approached quickly. "Report."
Leron nodded, catching his breath. "We reached far east of the cave. Found herbs plenty of them. Blue-leafed and red-veined, growing near the cliffs. We also saw traces of large creatures bigger than boars, heavier. And…"
He hesitated. "A tribe of snake people. About twenty. Armed. They didn't see us, but they're close enough to be a concern."
A murmur ran through the gathered tribe. Seran frowned deeply, while Varin folded his arms.
"Anything else?" Torya asked.
Rahn nodded. "There are paths that look used. Maybe other races move through them. And we found remains of a battle—spears, blood, bones."
Silence followed his words. Even the fire crackled softly, almost reluctant to break it.
Torya's expression remained unreadable. Inside, the faint whisper of Nova returned.
("Mission complete. Reward stored: ten fist-sized bronze ores.")
He ignored it, focusing on the people before him.
"You did well," Torya said finally. "Rest tonight. Tomorrow, we'll discuss how to handle what you've seen."
The scouts nodded and dispersed, greeted by their kin with pride and relief. Children surrounded them, eager to hear stories, while the elders returned to the fire to speak in low tones.
As the night deepened, Torya remained by the entrance, watching the two moons rise above the forest canopy. Their silver and blue light cast long shadows across the clearing, touching the walls they built with their hands.
He could hear faint laughter from the caves...children, mothers, old men. The fragile sound of peace. But beneath it was the low hum of the unknown.
Torya clenched his fist slightly, feeling the faint warmth of his bond pulsing under his skin.
"Step by step," he murmured to himself, eyes fixed on the horizon. "We'll endure… and we'll rise."
The forest beyond was vast and dangerous, but for the first time since awakening in this new world, Torya felt a quiet certainty. They were no longer just survivors they were becoming something greater.
The night wind blew gently, carrying the scent of smoke and pine. Behind him, the tribe slept soundly within their walls, and Torya stood watch beneath the twin moons, a lone guardian of the ember flame.