Chapter Two: Home
Man-boy effortlessly, carried Yuto on his broad shoulders, leading the way along the winding riverbank. Yuto felt a mix of confusion and disorientation as he tried to piece together his current situation. His memories were foggy, and he could only recall snippets of information about Bird-boy's home and his past, which would flicker in and out of his mind like fleeting dreams.
Yuto's mind flickered back to a specific moment, when ‘Bird-boy’ had taken his father's spear without permission. That was the first time he had ever felt paralyzing fear. He remembered his father's rage, how he had looked like a wild beast, his face contorted with anger, his eyes wide and teeth bared. Man-boy had stepped in, taking the blame for the incident and facing the repercussions himself, taking a black eye and a swollen lip as punishment. ‘Bird-boy’ could never forget the deep gratitude he felt towards Man-boy for shielding him from his father's wrath.
These memories made Yuto feel ashamed of running away from Man-boy. Even though he knew this now, Yuto still would have run.
"Are you listening?" Man-boy's voice interrupted Yuto's thoughts.
"Sorry, what did you say?" Yuto replied, still trying to get a grip on the new language he had been speaking.
"When we get home, you can help ‘Crumb’ collect the rest of our harvest. I'll go and check our traps near the otter dam of the river, ok?"
The name ‘Crumb’ echoed in Yuto's mind, bringing with it a vivid memory. He remembered the day when Bird-boy's mother passed away while giving birth to a baby boy. The sound of her screams and the sight of her blood was still ingrained in his mind, haunting him. He recalled the look of profound sorrow on his father's face as he held the newborn. ‘Bird-boy’ had felt a deep sense of loss and pain, the taste of salty tears still lingering in his memory.
Yuto realized that Crumb must have been the baby that his mother had died giving birth to. The revelation was interrupted by a loud thud that echoed across the top of Yuto's head, jolting him out of his thoughts. He quickly responded, "Yeah sure," reminded that Man-boy asked if he could help harvest with Crumb.
“You know I could be out there gaining some mana if Dad thought that you could be more responsible,” Man-boy said. “I could get an earned name, or even a mark.”
Yuto listened as Man-boy rambled on, unsure if he was expecting an answer or simply venting his own situation.
The comings and goings of someone else's memory; couldn't help but make Yuto think about his own childhood. As an only child, he had parents who were reserved and always busy with work. He had followed their guidance and studied economics and business, but after the first semester, he realized that it was not his passion and he was not doing well. He tried to communicate with his parents about it, but they were too busy to listen and understand. He felt lost and alone, and couldn't find the courage to tell his parents the truth. As a result, he decided to stay in Kyoto, collecting allowance from them and living off of it, while pretending to still be studying. He was struggling to find a new path, something that would make him excited to wake up every day and make him feel like he was doing something meaningful. He was also feeling guilty for not being able to fulfill his parents expectations, and for not being able to communicate with them.
Lying had been a practiced skill in these situations and Yuto had only now come to terms that he would need to lie his way out of his predicament with ‘Bird-boys’ Family as-well. The problem was; he didn’t know how to act like ‘Bird-boy.’
"We've arrived, your chieftain," Man-boy said as he carefully set Yuto on the ground. "I've already checked the first and second sets of fishing nets, so you don't need to worry about those. After checking the otter traps, I'll head out to search the beach for some small game and gather some wood for the fire. Just focus on helping Crumb and don't do anything foolish, okay?" Man-boy added, placing his hands gently on Yuto's shoulders, his voice serious and reassuring.
Yuto nodded, trying to think of how bad ‘Bird-boy’ was.
Behind Man-boy, Yuto could see a glimpse of the village. With his curiosity he passed by Man-boy getting a better view of the lively and bustling village. The air was filled with the sounds of chatter and the smell of cooking fires. The ground was muddy from the recent rains, and Yuto could feel the dampness seeping through his toes. He could see the smoke rising from some buried ground spots that smelled of roasting meat and fish.
People of all ages were milling around, and he noticed that everyone was of brown skin, some darker and some lighter. The only few men were wearing clothing made from animal skins, while the women and children were wearing garments made from plants adorned with feathers.
The village was surrounded by small, terraced fields, but many of them were fallow. The houses were small and made of wood and thatch, reaching a height of 3 feet. They were scattered among the crops, with about five fields for every house.
Seeing this as his new home, Yuto couldn't help but think of the situation he could find himself in. ‘There are no walls or watchtowers. Either safety is not an issue here or the profits of this village are not deemed worth protecting.’
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Yuto shifted his focus from the lack of fortifications to the center of the village. There, he noticed four compact structures larger in size compared to the already diminutive 3-feet wooden-thatch houses. However, they were nowhere near as grand as an apartment building in Japan, more akin to the size of a small temple.
“Something’s wrong,” Man-boy said, sniffing the air. “They’re cooking too many fires, dad and the village-warriors must have won! Come!”
Yuto could see the excitement on Man-boys face as he rushed past Yuto in a power-walk. He no longer resembled the calm and collected stranger that chased him anymore.
Energy radiated off Man-boy as he warmly greeted tribespeople as they passed. Seeing this, a sudden Idea crossed Yuto's mind.
'If I can't act like ‘Bird-boy’ I could act like Man-boy instead, it makes sense of a younger brother acting like his older Brother.'
With the decision to take on the role of 'Man-boy' he followed behind him, trying to mimic his actions and greetings. He greeted the villagers with a smile and a "Hello," but quickly realized that some of the tribespeople were confused by his actions. Out of habit, Yuto had been bowing, a gesture that was not familiar to the tribe. He quickly became more aware of his actions, and made a conscious effort to adapt to the customs of the tribe.
The smell of roasting meat grew stronger, and Yuto's stomach rumbled with hunger. He could see the smoke rising from what looked to be a buried pit of fire. As he got closer, he could feel the heat on his skin.
From a distance from the center of the village Yuto could hear the voice of an older lady singing.
“Come here! Come here! Welcome!” “Come here! Come here! Welcome!”
Yuto soon realized that way was the area where he and Man-boy were heading. As he walked with Man-boy, he suddenly bumped into him as he had stopped abruptly. Upon closer inspection, he could see a group of men who looked different from the few he had seen on the outskirts of the village, along with some young men who resembled Man-boy.
Some of their faces were adorned with intricate tattoos of spirals that exuded a sense of strength and power. Some of them wore capes made from the hides of massive animals, adding to their intimidating presence. Each of them carried a weapon, ranging from spears, bone clubs, and small stone axes. It was clear that these men were fierce warriors, ready for battle at a moment's notice.
The group of men walked slowly towards one of the larger buildings. Yuto could see the older lady standing outside of it still welcoming the men in a sing-song tune.
“That’s not the group that left with dad,” Man-boy said.
“What’s this group here for then?” Yuto asked.
“Not too sure, but the fill in chieftain has called for the full village meeting song,” Man-boy replied. “Let's get a front spot.”
Yuto grimaced, as he sat on the mushy, muddy dirt floor before the largest building in the village. Due to the amount of people, Yuto figured that the meeting would be held outside before the building. He couldn't help but admire the intricate carvings that adorned its walls, depictions of people with oversized heads, mixed with ocean waves and long boats, that covered the surface, each one more detailed than the last. The quiet murmurs of the villagers gradually grew louder as time passed, filling the air with a lively energy. Crude wooden seats had been arranged for the warriors to sit on, providing a small measure of comfort in the otherwise rustic setting. Up close, the building was even more striking, with every carving telling its own unique story. As Yuto sat there, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of village life, children passed by, one even sitting near him. Yuto couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and curiosity about the people and culture that surrounded him.
As the chattering began to quiet, a man from the village stood up and spoke. "Welcome to the sub-tribe White-Water, in honor of our ancestor White-Water."
Yuto observed that the man's face was devoid of any tattoos or markings. He appeared to be middle-aged and the confident air he portrayed felt lacking.
One of the warriors, who had accompanied the group, stood up and thanked the man for the warm welcome. He then gestured to some of his men, who brought over large freshly killed pigs and placed them in the center of the gathering.
In response, the middle-aged man nodded to some of the tribespeople, signaling for them to go and fetch the pigs. As Yuto watched this exchange, he deduced that the middle-aged man was the fill in chief and the warrior was the one in charge of the warriors. Scooting forward, Yuto listened intently as the warrior leader spoke.
"We have been sent from the war for the northern-middle lands on behalf of 'Rabbit-lover' to collect more warriors. We outnumber their forces, so 'mana' is guaranteed. For every one warrior of theirs', we have three. But 'Rabbit-lover' wants to cause no harm; he wants them to submit and fear with numbers."
“With the fertile lands and multiple sources of water, our small tribes will grow as big as mountains, rather than bickering with other southern tribes over dried out lands .”
From the village crowd an old man stood-up, a wooden carved cane in his hand. Spiral designs crossed his face with more defined detail than all the warriors who had come today. “I hear that 'Rabbit-lover' has already paid for what is owed. Did he not eat the chieftain who drowned him at the fishing festival? Did he not pick the largest fish with the first pick of guest, knowing well that is not our way? I have read the clouds and they say-"
"Your past readings to ‘Rabbit-lover’ is why you are here among this small tribe today," The warrior said. "In your eyes you are still "Moon-eye," but that given name no longer exists. 'Bent-foot' is now your name I hear. Stay as ‘Bent-foot’ or you may become... BENTHEAD!"
Hearing the last words echo, Yuto couldn’t help but notice the tribespeople near the old man slowly distancing themselves. Yuto looked at the old man's face and it showed no fear.
“If you won’t hear my readings, then answer me this,” The old man said. “How are we to stop other southern tribes from attacking us, when all our warriors and now non warrior men are gone? And once the war is won we will all fight and be attacked from all sides while fighting among each other over who gets what?”
“No attacks will be attempted by southern tribes during this war, ‘Rabbit-Lover’ has gotten every single chieftain to swear over the ancestors. Once the Northern-middle tribes are our mana-less slaves we’ll use them to work on the great forest lands of the south. We will make mighty ships and attack the true north's coastlines. Food yield would increase with the middle north lands and we could focus our interests elsewhere.”
As the warrior spoke, Yuto noticed the old man had sat down, a clear pout still laced upon his lips. Yuto couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as the conversation continued. The idea of attacking other tribes and enslaving their people for the gain of their own tribe seemed cruel and unjust. He couldn't shake off the image of the old man's face, filled with determination and defiance, despite the harsh words spoken to him. Yuto couldn't make sense of why people would eat one another, other than starvation. What other reason would you have?
Yuto questioned this in a whisper, "Why would you eat someone?"
That's when the small child next to him answered. "You told me that's how you get mana."