Chapter 18:
Pino POV:
“Fire.” I said, pointing my finger in the direction of the fireplace.
“Phire.” Atilla responded.
My new ward and I sat cross-legged on the carpeted floor in front of the fireplace. It’d been especially cold the last few days, so I refused to go out. Instead Atilla and I occupied ourselves by learning from each other.
This had been happening since I realized Atilla was no mute. I’d point out certain objects for him and tell him what they meant. He’d then respond with what the objects were called in the steppe language.
I don’t know if Atilla understood or not, but this was likely one of the first language exchanges that ever occurred on this planet!
I didn’t let the momentous occasion get to my head as I continued pointing out objects.
This was an amazing time consumer, although I could spend my time dying clothing or sewing hats and other apparel, learning is much, much more engaging. It also doesn’t hurt to learn a new language; knowledge is power right?
“Yawnnn…” Atilla sighed out in exhaustion.
“Sometimes I forget you are still just a kid,” I said rubbing his head.
“Okay, let’s get you to bed!” I continued, hoisting him over my shoulder as I crossed the room.
Atilla made his hatred for this treatment known with a fair amount of whining and kicking, but I just couldn’t help it! Being able to pick on him made me wish that I had younger siblings in my past life…
Once Atilla was snugly under the covers and well on his way to dreamland, I decided to occupy myself by taking inventory.
Water was essentially a non-issue, I usually keep about three pots of water, one for cooking and two for drinking. During the harsher days I just refill my water using the surrounding snow, but on days with good visibility I’ll make the trip to Tural for a refill.
The big issue right now is food. I thought I’d stored enough for a winter, but I didn’t account for unexpected guests. Don’t get me wrong, I love the kid, but he’s eating me to starvation right now!
Moving from the small storage area, back into the main room, I contemplated my predicament.
‘I only have three to four days’ worth of food left. That wouldn’t be a problem considering I can go hunting, but if the weather continues like this… we may find ourselves in a predicament.’ I think while glancing towards Atilla.
I still haven’t unraveled the mystery behind how he ended up all the way out here. He hasn’t offered the information and I’ve decided to let him tell me when he’s comfortable doing so.
I have a decent idea of what might’ve happened, from the memories of other mind, but if I’m right, that’s even more reason to give him time.
‘As long as you’re with me, I’ll protect you!’ I resolved while imagining the horrors Atilla had to face before I found him.
Whether it was the warm fire, full stomach, or soft fur underfoot, I began to get sleepy.
‘I really lack any furniture other than the bed.’ I thought,
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‘When I figure out how to make stone tools, a few chairs will be in order.’ I decide while finding a good spot on the floor.
After I glanced around the house one more time to make sure everything was in order, I finally let my body rest.
Meanwhile in the Tamul Tribe…
A vicious fire leaped from one yurt to another, voraciously consuming anything it could touch. Smoke covered the surrounding area, obscuring the vision of the panicked crowd as they stampeded in every direction.
Piercing cries sounded throughout the valley, the cries for mothers, siblings, and lovers.
Ironically the first casualties weren’t from the fire or the Il’ clan. The first deaths were that of the children, the old and the weak. To preserve their lives, the men, and women of Tamul didn’t hesitate to push the defenseless to the ground and trample them.
“Servant!” a respected hunter coughed out to his slave.
“Yes master!” The servant answered while covering his watering eyes.
“We must find the women and children of the family. Then we will grab anything of value we can and flee! The Tamul tribe is finished.” The hunter said as he scanned the chaos in search of his clansmen.
“B- but master… Surely if we joined the battle against the fire with the elders… perhaps we can survive this tribulation.” The servant responded as he followed swiftly behind his master.
The hunter turned to the servant and delivered a fierce slap to his face.
“Do you think it’s a coincidence that the tribal grounds start burning down right after that muttan returned. When has anything caught fire this entire winter?!?! Let me tell you, not once!” The hunter said angrily.
The servant simply stared at his master, perhaps still shocked from the force of the slap.
Sighing in exasperation, the hunter continued, “Don’t you get it? The enemy is already here! There is no chance to call the tribesmen together to battle when their families are in peril. Moreover, even if we did manage to repel the enemy, the fire would’ve burned our tribal grounds to ashes! How will we survive this white death with nothing? No matter what we do, we will lose.”
“The only thing we can hope for is to escape with our lives!” The hunter finally finished with his rant, began moving again.
Grand Elder POV:
“DO NOT SHOVE! DO NOT SHOVE! ANYONE WHO PUSHES WILL BE BEATEN AND SEVERELY PUNISHED!” I yelled myself hoarse, attempting to calm the frenzied crowd.
“You and you!” I shouted to a hunter and his servant.
“Follow me to quell the crowd and fight the flames.” I ordered, already running towards a throng of people trampling over each other.
“STOP!” I yelled, shoving the most aggressive of them to the ground and wading my way into the mass of people.
“Help me!” I cried to the hunter, but upon turning around I found him and his servant getting farther and farther away from the turmoil.
Gritting my teeth and promising to remember that hunter and his lack of loyalty, I began my ferocious assault against the crowd. Bashing them over the heads and smacking their arms and shoulders with a sturdy stick I’d grabbed from the ground.
After twenty minutes of grueling “combat” I managed to bring the rabid crowd to order.
“Women and children evacuate! Men, with me! We will secure resources before attempting to fight the fir-”
“THE ELDER OF THE HUNT IS DEADDDD!!!” a voice resounded from the south.
“Dead?!?!” I exclaimed, a sinking feeling in my stomach.
I swung my head side to side, quickly analyzing the situation. This may be a much larger problem than just a fire…
Quickly changing my orders, I commanded the three men to follow me as I rushed towards the south to investigate the death of the Elder of the Hunt.
As we ran two of them broke off and ran in an opposite direction. I can’t blame them too much, if I weren’t the Grand Elder, perhaps I too would’ve already grabbed anything of value and fled. Anyone with eyes could see the tribe was all but finished.
At least there was one good man, willing to fight till the end.
‘A true bantila of a man.’ I thought while looking at the only man who’d continued to follow me all this time.
“Wha-”
The brave hunter laid on the smudged snow, a spear through his side, a pool of blood quickly forming around him.
Before I could fully process the situation, I sensed something from my left side. Every hunter and survival instinct roared at me to dodge, so I did.
Flinging myself to the ground and rolling away from my previous position, I was able to see three spears lodge themselves in the ground where I stood not a moment ago.
Scrambling to the fallen tribesmen, I wrenched the spear from his ribs, steadying it at the three foreign assailants who’d just walked into the open.
“Who are you? Why are you on Tamul land?” I rapidly fired two questions. Attempting to both gain information as well as precious time to catch my breath and find a way out of this predicament.
Luckily, what appeared to be the leader of the men was willing to indulge me.
“I AM KAITO-IL!!” He roared at me.
“And we-”
“THE GATHERING ELDER IS DEAD!!!!” another loud cry echoed.
“Are the mighty Tula!” this “Kaito” said, completing his sentence.