“So---. Is it done?”
The day was half gone, the sun was on its simple, yet almost never-changing path in the sky above, as it was approaching ever so closely, the horizon line to the west.
“Yes, the Chief Hunter is currently leading the men, women, and children alongside the two Forest County Guards, and with the current pace, the time to reach the camp set by them will be cut in half.”
However, in this moment of the day, the wind was harsh and barren, as the yet-to-be-fallen, and the already fallen yellow and green leaves of the trees came to be blown and ruffled in waves-like stirs, the source of a continuous indistinct rustling sound, which was constantly resounding throughout the forest, the valley and of the tall hills.
“Good."
"---."
Nevertheless, at this moment, on the hill where the Down River village was located, the only sound that could be heard was that of the closing of a door, a very large and heavy door, of the most prominent house in the village.
A village which appeared to have fewer than thirty abodes or habitats to live in, if one could call them so, once taken a glimpse at the crude materials of which the houses were built.
And in the center of the village, stood the largest of all the structures, when compared to the other houses of the small hamlet hidden by the forest in one of the hills.
The village hall, which the villagers were calling it, usually used to host celebrations or house guests. Whereas now, the hall was full of grey-white-haired old people, with only two black-haired men in their middle-age years.
The overall population of the hall was made of no more than thirteen people, the vast majority was composed of eleven seniors, all appearing as though standing already with a foot in their graves, with the addition of the two middle-aged men.
However, a certain aspect was dividing them even more, and that was the ever-changing emotions on the faces of the two middle-aged men. Because from their expressions, one could see the sadness and anger that they were contesting against at this moment.
And yet, on the opposite side, the eleven seniors' content expressions made for a very confusing ambience in the hall, as while at the same time, an oddly serious and grave uneasiness stood above all of their heads.
"Now---, it will take you all about two days of march to reach the encampment set by the County.”
Yet at present, to speak was one of the white-haired seniors, an old man with a long grey beard, who was seated at the back end of the hall, and was presently looking at one of the two middle-aged men attending, the one who was standing most forward, ahead of his companion, for he gave the highest authority between the two of them.
Although, upon closer inspection, the middle-aged man in question had an ample resemblance with the seated old senior.
“However---, we have yet to find the Ato bo---!”
“Bam!!!”
“Damn brat! Where the hell did he go that I can not find him till now!?”
Nonetheless, before the middle-aged man could finish his sentence directed at the senior before him, the sound of a door being opened and crashed against the wall, burst abruptly into everyone's ear, and immediately after, followed the raspy and angry voice, of an old man that was currently making his way inside the structure.
"You damn old coot! Stop creating problems, and look where you are before shouting for the whole world to hear. The boy is crafty and strong, not dumb and dense like you, so stop worrying so much."
"You damn old hag, the time for foolery is over. The day is halfway done, and this place is no longer safe for the brat to play around."
However, the voice of the old man was not alone, as the voice of an old woman pursued him shortly after, with several waves of abuse in tow.
"Eh---! You father and brat duo, how long do you still need to say your damned farewells?"
"Old brother Ato, no need to shout so clamorously, we can all hear you well enough. And I---, we were about to send them off."
Still, after the old man told his piece to the old woman beside him, he followed and turned his gaze at the center of the hall, where he could clearly see the seated old man with the long beard, the former Village Chief, facing the current Chief, his son.
The newly arrived old man had a stocky-like body, albeit with a piece of the belly that was protruding forward, even so, if he were to be fifty years younger, he would most likely be akin to a small bear full of muscles. But alas, the man was old, bald, with a face full of wrinkles and a posture that had been crafted by a lifetime of adversities and trials that had befallen on his shoulders which were slanted downwards.
"Tsk---! Suit yourself. And how would the brat know that I am searching for him if I do not shout to the moon? Much less that he needs to come back here immediately! That little bastard always disappears as he wants, and now, we do not even know how much time we have, do we?"
As old Ato looked at the old Village Chief who had the face of a defeated man, he clicked his tongue, almost spitting in irritation at the state in which his old friend was. Yet he could not care for more than a moment, as he began to vent and cuss at the fellow which he wanted to find and could not.
"Sigh---! We indeed do not, but worrying in this way---?!"
"How can I not worry!?"
But at the words of the old man Ato, the seated bearded old man, the old Village Chief, could do nothing else but to let out a long exhale, a sigh to vent the heavy weight which was pushing on him, for even he himself was worried about the same matter as old Ato himself, and that was time, time that they did not had.
"---."
"---."
"---the havens have been very harsh on our Down River village---------. Son, it is time for you to go and reunite with the rest of the village. The time for you to prove your worth as the Village Chief has arrived. Protect them, and lead our village to safety. As for little Levis, if you or the others meet him, take the boy, and do not let him come back. If he returns here, we will make him run up to you all."
"Yes---, Village Chief."
Even though he was old, the former Chief could only push his son away as there was no other course, for the young of the village to live from this day onwards.
"Father, I---."
"Harsh!!!"
But in response to the old Village Chief's words, the middle-aged man, his son, who was about to say something in return, came to be cut short by old Ato's high exclamation, as he turned everyone's head towards him.
"Have you not mistaken the word with "absolute absurdity"! Bone-chilling cold snow and tempestuously foul wind in the middle of the hot season. Most of the crops were ruined, most of the game in the forests retreated, and there were insane floods to add."
And old Ato's interruption was not short, for he began a torrent of curses and swears, at the old Village Chief's lamentation of his heaven.
"I can most definitely say, that your haven wants us to die! Now, even the fucking band---!!!"
"Slap!!!"
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"Damn brick of a head, you do not have the least of patience or timing of things."
Nevertheless, before the old man could finish his rant of curses, the old and small woman who stood beside him hit the back of his bald head, causing the sound of the slap to resound loudly in the somewhat large hall they were all in.
"---."
"Ha---, aha--, aha-, aha! Brother Ato, and sister Hel. You two---, even at times like these, you are still as you have been since our youth---. Aha---, aha--, aha-, ha!"
But as he saw his two old friends bickering and still interrupting him, after knowing each other for dozens of years, even up till now, while in danger of imminent death, the old Village Chief burst into sudden laughter, stunning the ones present, at his sudden and almost crazed outburst.
"Any more words will be useless---. So, my son, you can proceed! Reunite with the village, as we old folk can not drag you, the young one down. So run and fulfil your duties as the current Village Chief. For this, is but the matter of life, nothing more, nothing less."
Yet, with an abrupt shift, while bearing a stern countenance on himself, the old Village Chief confronted the current Village Chief and proceeded to express with all his caring, although in the form of hard truth, what could be his last words that he might utter to his son or in this life of his.
"Yes---. Village Chief."
"---."
"---."
And so, the two middle-aged men bowed to the old Village Chief, the other grey-haired old seniors and the one bald man inside the hall, after which the two of them vacated the building and immediately mounted on their own respective horses, while taking the horses to a galloping speed on the road which led out of the their village, down the hill that they were on, to the stream of the river that stood in the valley between the hill of the village and the one to the east, two hills and one river in between, although said hills might be mistaken for mountains due to their size and grandeur.
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"Thank you, old brother Ato"
"Hmph---! You father and son bastards, were getting all emotional for no good reason."
With the two men having left, the seated old man, the old Village Chief, relaxed and let his shoulders drop, whilst also thanking old Ato, for helping him to push his son away, when he could not.
"Aha-, ha-, aha-, aha! Old Ato never changes. "
"Well, if he were to change, then that would be the real end of this world."
"What did you say you old farts?!"
But despite his abrasive language with regards to the father and son duo, the other seniors were happy for his interjection, of their old neighbour, the never changing rude and crude man.
"---."
"---."
"Ahem---! Leaving all that aside, have you not found little Levis."
But with his son and his companion having finely left, the old Village Chief could finally concentrate on the second grave importance of which he was worried, the same matter of which his old friend had been worried and stressed all day long.
"No---, the damn brat woke up even earlier than me, he probably is in the hills as always. Anyway, I have already prepared his packing for the road. And he will most likely return soon, as the little fool did not take any food with him.”
While voicing his remarks and frustrations, old Ato hauled a backpack before him, made of strait and tough wood sticks and what appeared to be animal skin, it was evidently an item of crude assembly, yet it did not give the impression or the appearance that it might fall apart if used with any assertive activities.
“Then, we will wait for him to come back. For now let us carry what of our food and fresh water we have, as well as the other items necessary to sleep here, it is not like we can move that well anymore, and staying all together is the best choice we have right now.”
And as the old Village Chief was expressing his commands, he could see the heaviness in the eyes of the other friends he had known for a long time. In the end, having to separate from their children and grandchildren, was not an easy ordeal for any of them, no matter how well they were trying to hide it.
“Sigh-----! We all know that going with them, will only put everyone in danger. Thirteen old people, who can barely move, can only be a burden, especially now that we are forced to eat the winter reserves. This year has been an unusually bad year, not just for us but for the surrounding villages too. The bandits attacking the other villages were to be expected. However, we who have known no other home but this, it is not possible to leave---, and if it means risking the young folk's life, then all the more reason to stay and wait. It is possible that the County Guards will pass a second time and we might be able to move as well. Till then, we just need to prepare and ready ourselves for any possibility.”
As he spoke, the old Village Chief's words came to be more and more coarse and rough, because a part of him wanted to say that he was remorseful and ashamed, and another to take all the blame and responsibility, even though the whole ordeal was a matter beyond his own power.
Yet he knew that his decision to stay behind would probably be the death of all the twelve old friends that he had known since his oldest memories.
However, his duty as village chief did not allow him to gamble with the future of the village, as such, at the earliest of this morning, when two Guards carrying the seal of the County announced that they ought to move out immediately, as a consequence of the bandit's looming attacks that the surrounding villages had reported, he directly overstepped his son's authority, while excluding himself and the other twelve who could not walk properly on their own, for the large exodus to the nearby makeshift village.
Be it for food, for women and the children, the village could not and would not afford any loss, as such, the decision could have been said to have been taken before the guards had even arrived.
And so, the villagers, the younger generation took everything of value, food, water, and animals and proceeded to walk south, following the course of the river, that was flowing in the same direction as the location of the encampment formed by the Captain, which the County Guards had sent to protect the nearby villages from the bandit attacks.
But as the road would normally be four days long by foot, having thirteen others to carry and take care of, would have made the journey far longer than what could be admissible, potentially reaching six or seven days or maybe even longer, increasing the risk of being caught by bandits, while having no support from the County Guards.
"---. This is for the better."
Nevertheless, as the old chief ended his long speech, the other seniors, began to bring the last of their food, fresh water, as well as thick, coarse blankets filled with straws, to use as improvised beds to sleep on for the nights to come.
"---."
"------."
"---------."
"------------."
"---------------."
“Grandpa---------!!! I have found a good softwood tree on the west side of the hill, now you can make me another little statue this year.”
Yet, as the last of the items were being brought into the Village hall, light footsteps could be heard from outside of the building, moving rapidly through the village and approaching them.
"Rascal!"
But the sudden voice that arrived from the same direction as the footsteps, caught the immediate attention of old Ato, who at this moment was carrying a big iron pot on his back.
The voice had a high-pitched inclination, but at the same time, it carried a boyish feeling to it, and it was indeed the voice of a young boy, who at this instant was undoubtedly running towards the Village hall, after just having spotted old Ato near the large structure.
“You damn brat! Where have you been all this time? Do you know that I have been searching for you all day long?!!”
“What---? Why? I---, I did not know. I was in the forest to the north, on the west side of the hill---, I have found a good softwood tre---.”
“What accursed softwood tree!"
The boy was small, even though old Ato had an average stature, because all in all, the boy was not reaching even his waist, as he was only a head taller than his knee. A head full of black short hair and big eyes which held more emotions than he was giving on his face. And to top it all he was thin, very so if one had to say it, appearing as though suffering from malnutrition or a stump in his natural growth.
"How many times have I told you, you can not go alone in the forest? Now come fast, we have to talk to the Chief.”
“Eh! Wha---, what? Why the mean chief!”
“It is the old bastard, not the young one. So quit your trembling."
"Hmmm? Why---, do we have to see the old Chief?"
With the boy before him, old Ato set the heavy pot down, took the child by the hand and began to walk quickly in the direction of the Village Hall.
"How can a son of Ato be afraid of that old bastard.”
“This old bastard you know---, can still hear you well!”
"Ahh!"
“Ah!!! When did you---!? Sigh---, stop walking on people as though you are a ghost, as you are going to scare the heart out of me one of these days.”
But just as the two of them were about to reach the hall, the voice of the old Village Chief came from behind their backs, giving a shiver and fright to both the young and the old duo.
“Aha---! Now, now, no need to exaggerate brother. But then again, good to see you well, young Levis. Now tell me, where have you been till now?”
"A morning walk."
But at the appearance of the old Village Chief, the little boy's feet begin to tremble, while he was trying to put on the most innocent, and most ingratiating face he could, whilst being in front of the old man.
"Slap!"
"Ayyy---! Yaaa!!!"
However, a moment later, a resounding smack and a small screen of pain came to be, from the back of the boy, as old Ato's palm was hanging mid-air, while the boy had taken a few steps forward from the force of his slap.
“You truly make this old man worried. How can a man of Ato, try to ingratiate and cower, with and before his enemy?”
“Stop joking, brother. There are no enemies here, only friends. That being said, little Levis is quite late, and the sun is almost gone. He will have to stay the night. We will put him on the road, at the first light in the morning. So, now come inside to---.”
"---."
"---."
Yet, as the old Village Chief was trying to invite the little boy inside the hall, his somewhat mellow old face, sharpened and harder like that of a warrior of many battles, frightening the old and young duo.
“Quickly! Hide the boy. Give him the provisions, and conceal him at the outskirts of the village, near the south road.”
"---."
Without losing time, the old Village Chief gave an order to old Ato before him, while not elaborating as to which reason was he to do so.
However, prompted by his gaze and face, old Ato took the boy by the hand, and while taking the leather-made backpack, they moved to the southern outskirts of the village, the part closest to the road, that needed to be followed to reach the other villagers.
“Here---, hide."
"Grandpa?"
"Aha! Now stay silent, as I will go, and see what has spooked the old Chief. Stay put---, and do not come out, no matter what---, understood, son of Ato”
As he spoke, old Ato took a good look at the young boy, while patting his shoulder and rubbing his small head, before turning around, and leaving to find the old Chief, as little Levis gave him a nod of his head in response, while looking at his departing figure.
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"---."
"Hmm? Hmmm---? Wait---, wait------, wait---------! Where are all the other villagers? And is Grandpa and the old Chief playing hide and seek?!”
As for little Levis, who at this moment was crouching behind some wild berry bushes, and some ordinary pine trees, confusion was writen all over his face, as all the strange things that were happening were starting to hit him one after the other.
But as question after question came out of his little mouth, muffled sounds of galloping horses could be heard in the distance, sounds that were coming closer and closer, and could be heard louder and louder by the moment.
In the end, the commotion prompted him to peek and look in said direction, to see what was, that, which was advancing in the direction of the village.