As the dawn began to break, the soft amber light of the sun painted the horizon in hues of orange and pink. The tribe was stirring, a new day starting, with its own set of responsibilities. In the heart of our encampment, Mako, Kiera, and I were discussing our next move.

"Mako, do you think this is acceptable?" Kiera asked, her tone steady, her eyes focused on the tribe leader.

Mako mulled over her question, his stern face deep in thought. "Better than going to war," Kiera added, breaking the silence.

Mako nodded slowly, then turned his gaze on me. "Then we will go along with this plan of yours, Tak."

Kiera took a moment, then asked me, "Do you know where they plan on going?"

"I don't," I admitted, "But I assume it will be far away from us." I knew that Silma wanted nothing more than to ensure the survival of her tribe.

"Maybe we should return the other guy they captured," Mako suggested, turning to Kiera.

Kiera nodded in agreement. "That's a good idea."

As we began preparing for the upcoming meeting with Silma, I wondered who would accompany me. I asked them, "Who will attend the meeting with me?"

Mako sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. "I'd go," he started, "but I have to inform the others. We have to prepare for the return of the Wulani women."

"I will go with you," Kiera interjected before I could protest. Her voice was confident and calm. "I'll make sure the Wulani women are taken care of."

Kiera and I made our way down to the Mayitan tribe. The journey was silent for a while, both of us lost in our thoughts, until I broke the silence.

"Do you think this will settle the Wulani people down?" I asked my voice low.

Kiera sighed, her gaze fixed on the path ahead. "It might," she admitted, "But the captured women won't feel good about it."

"I know," I agreed, the weight of their predicament pressing heavily on my mind. "But it's the best outcome."

"I guess," Kiera responded, her voice carrying a hint of uncertainty.

"Kiera," I ventured after a few moments of silence, "What do you think happened to the other Wulani people?"

She was quiet for a moment, her brows furrowed in thought. "I don't really know, Tak," she admitted. "But if they ended up like the others, they probably all went separate ways."

"Do you think we'll encounter any more?" I asked, my thoughts wandering to the possibility of more Wulani people seeking refuge with us.

"I hope so," Kiera replied, her voice laced with hope and worry in equal measure.

"Why are you so interested in the Wulani people, Tak?" she asked, glancing at me.

I paused, contemplating my answer. "I want to make sure people have a chance to find their family members, or at least know what happened to them," I said. There was more to it than that, of course.

Kiera's voice was thoughtful, tingeing the evening air with melancholy. "They can be anywhere, Tak," she said. "Many will have given up on finding them."

I nodded, understanding the harsh reality of her words. It was true. The vast world could easily swallow up the traces of a small group of people.

"But it's fine," Kiera continued, her voice growing stronger. "Wherever they are, their ancestors are watching over them."

My mind drifted to the concept of ancestors, a thought striking me. "Kiera," I began, my voice hesitant, "Do you ever wonder if we have the same ancestors?"

She looked at me, her expression puzzled. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Our ancestors are different."

I nodded, acknowledging her point. "Yes," I agreed, "But have you ever wondered where your ancestors came from, and if they are the same as my own?"

Kiera was silent, her gaze fixed on me as she processed my words.

"Maybe," I continued, emboldened by her silence, "Maybe we all came from the same place."

The words hung in the air between us as we neared the entrance of the Mayitan tribe. Kiera remained silent, lost in thought.

As Kiera and I approached the entrance of the Mayitan tribe, a couple of guards met our gaze. A nod from them, acknowledging our presence, signified their acceptance of us. We passed through without hindrance, a stark contrast to our first encounter.

"They seem more welcoming than before," Kiera noted, her gaze scanning the surroundings.

I nodded in agreement. "Silma must have spoken with them."

"I wonder how this Silma is," Kiera murmured, her gaze still wandering around the settlement.

I chose not to respond, my mind instead drifting back to my earlier interactions with the Mayitan chief. As we neared the center of the tribe, where a massive fire pit was situated, we found Silma engrossed in a conversation with a few of her tribespeople. They were conversing in their native language, the sounds foreign yet intriguing.

Noticing our approach, Silma finished up her conversation with a few brisk words in her tongue. The crowd dispersed, leaving just us and her by the glowing fire.

"Welcome to the Mayitan tribe," she greeted us, her gaze flickering between Kiera and me.

Kiera returned her gaze, her expression unreadable. "Is there a problem?" Silma asked, breaking the silence.

"No," Kiera replied, "I'm just wondering how you ended up in this position."

Silma merely smiled in response, choosing to leave Kiera's inquiry unanswered. Her eyes then met mine, a clear shift in the mood. "We'll have to verify the truth of your words before we proceed with the trade," she stated.

I nodded, understanding her caution. "I understand," I said.

"Can I see the Wulani women who were captured?" Kiera asked, breaking the silence.

Silma's gaze flickered towards Kiera, a nod affirming her request. "That's where I sent my men," she said, gesturing towards the far end of the settlement.

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Turning her attention back to me, she asked, "What do you want me to know first?"

I pondered over her question, considering the countless things I could share with her. But, remembering her fascination with my sundial, I chose that as my starting point. "I can explain the sundial I made," I said, pulling out the handcrafted device. It was a simple piece of technology, but one that was vital to my tribe's survival.

The sundial, made from local clay and a stick, allowed us to keep track of time by monitoring the sun's position. I explained its mechanism to Silma, detailing how the markings on the side indicated different times of the day. As a token of goodwill, I offered the sundial to her. "You can keep it," I said, "It will help you when you make your own."

Silma took the sundial, her fingers tracing the lines etched into the clay. "What is this clay you speak of?" she asked.

I gestured to the ground beneath us, explaining that clay was a natural resource that came from the earth. It was akin to mud, I explained, but had unique properties that allowed it to retain its shape even after drying. Seeing her interest, I began to delve deeper into the topic, sharing with her all that I knew about clay, its uses, and the potential it held. I explained how it could be molded into different shapes, how it could be hardened by fire to create lasting structures, and how it could be used in a multitude of ways to improve our lives.

"I wish I had brought some clay with me," I lamented, my mind racing with possibilities of what I could show Silma. Scanning the items I had brought, my eyes fell on my copper knife. A practical demonstration would do far more justice than mere words.

Drawing the knife from its sheath, I held it out to Silma. Her eyes widened with curiosity and a hint of awe at the sight of the gleaming, unusual material. "This is copper," I explained, turning the blade so that she could see it from all angles. "It's a metal that can be shaped and melted, allowing us to cast it into different forms."

Silma reached out hesitantly, her fingers closing around the hilt of the knife as I passed it over. The metal glinted in the light, its unusual hue capturing her interest. "Tell me more," she said, her eyes never leaving the copper blade.

"Copper is versatile," I began, my thoughts returning to the countless ways my tribe had used it. "It's strong yet malleable, making it perfect for tools. And the best part is, it's all around us - hidden in the ground."

Her gaze flicked back to me, a silent prompt for me to continue. So, I did. I talked about how copper could be located in riverbeds or extracted from the earth. I described the greenish hue of copper ore, and how it stood out amidst rocks and soil.

Then, I delved into the process of smelting, how we could extract pure copper from the ore and mold it into shapes of our choosing.

"To work with copper, you'll need a forge," I informed her, sketching an image in the sand to give her an idea. "The forge allows us to heat the copper until it melts, and then we pour it into a mold. Once it cools down, we have our tool."

Silma listened attentively, asking questions about the forge and the process of smelting.

Just as I finished explaining the process of smelting, one of the Mayitan men emerged from a hut, herding the Wulani captives ahead of him. My breath hitched in my throat as I caught sight of the women. Their shoulders hunched over, their eyes reflecting fear and confusion. Their clothes were now torn and grimy, their skin painted with patches of purple and blue, signs of their harsh treatment. It was Aiasha I recognized first, her raven hair impossible to miss even in its matted state.

"Good to see you, Tak," Aiasha greeted me. Her voice was hoarse, but the firm undertone was unmissable. I was taken aback by her resilience.

"Likewise, Aiasha," I replied, my voice choked with guilt. Kiera, standing beside me, had been silently watching the unfolding scene. Now, she stepped forward, revealing the Wulani clan symbol etched onto her skin.

Seeing the familiar symbol, the women's faces transformed, fear replaced with a glimmer of hope. Their eyes fixated on Kiera, as they slowly gathered around her. The air was filled with hushed whispers, questions borne out of desperation and fear.

"Silence," Kiera's voice cut through the anxious murmurings. "I'm here to bring you back," she continued, her words punctuated with a firmness that instantly commanded their attention.

Kiera began retelling the events that took place, while also gesturing towards me every so often. Aiasha who already knew what was going on from the interactions she had with me nodded along. I wondered if she told anyone else what was going on within the Mayitan tribe at that time, or if she kept it to herself in case things did not play out.

With each word she spoke the captive Wulani women seemed to brighten up. Glancing over at Silma I saw her lost in her own thoughts, her eyes fixated on the capper knife I introduced. Her hands index finger and thumb rub together in a circular motion. I offered her the copper knife, so she could feel it for herself.

She smiled and accepted it. Her fingers traced the copper weapon feeling the strength it held. Unfaminal to her in both shape and material, Silma tested the knife against her own skin creating a small wound.

Nodding a few times in satisfaction she passed the knife back to me. "This process will be quicker if I see your tribe and observe everything firsthand," she proposed.

I hesitated, my gaze landing on Kiera. There was a caution that had to be kept when taking in strangers to our tribe. Yes, Kiera and the Wulani people were brought in, but after a period of time that spanned months, we were finally settling in with one another. There were always constant bickering going on between the Ashaya people and the Wulani. Small matters that Mako, the chieftain was taking care of so they would never escalate past a certain point.

Kiera, her conversation with the Wulani women interrupted, turned to us. She studied my face for a moment before nodding. "That would be for the best," she agreed.

"But," Silma quickly interjected, "I will not go alone. I'll take four others with me."

Kiera seemed to think about it for a moment before nodding. "As long as there are no more than that," she stated.

Silma's lips curled into a smile, her eyes flickering towards me. "I'll inform my people of the plan," she said, rising to her feet.

I nodded in response, feeling a swirl of emotions as I watched her retreat into her tribe. "I'll be here, waiting," I said.

As Silma disappeared into the depths of her tribe, I found myself submerged in a sea of thoughts. I wondered how the rest of our tribe, especially the Wulani, would react to this sudden development. Would they seize this opportunity to retaliate against the Mayitans, pay them back for the pain they had caused? It was a possibility I couldn't deny, and it filled me with apprehension.

I was curious about how my mother, whom I had shared my thoughts with about Silma would handle the situation. Would she treat her like a daughter? A threat? Would she even mind Silma's presence within the tribe?

A pang of unease twitched in my heart as I thought of Liora. Of her radiant smile, her sparkling eyes, and her easy laughter. How would she react to the news of Silma's visit? Truthfully, Liora did not know much about Silma besides what Mako and Kiera told everyone. Just telling them that she was the chieftess of the Mayitan tribe and had accepted our trade offer in exchange for the captive Wulani women. Yet, I felt a bit guilty not informing her of the marriage proposal Silma gave me.

Both girls were equally charming, but Silma had this air of mystery about her. It was captivating and drew you in so you could unravel the secrets that lay dormant. Liora was easygoing and comforting to be around. There was no need to keep up any guard when speaking with her. Yet, both of them were so young much like myself.

Much of their bodies could easily be seen through the slits on the side of their animal hide clothing. They were developing still, and a part of me found it offputting that such children were eager to marry and start their own families. It happened all the time, and would continue to happen for many thousands of years to come. History told us that. However, for me my thoughts were different. Something in me screamed that it was wrong, a little voice in the back of my head. Distant yet near.

I don't know why either, since Liora and Silma were both around my age. There should be nothing wrong with liking either of them, let alone marrying one. Eventually, I would have to do my part and help grow our tribe's population. So this voice that constantly echoed it's opinion at me would have to quiet down. Maybe jumping head-first into the problem would solve it. Once the act has already been done, there was no going back. Would that put a stop to the voice?

I sighed, leaning back on the rough tree trunk, my gaze tracing the patterns of the clouds in the sky.

As I rested, my gaze was pulled to a group of Mayitan men returning from a hunt. They hauled in parts of a large bison, each of them sharing the heavy burden. Even in death, the majestic creature was a sight to behold. Its large hump and long, thick fur bore testament to the harsh winters it had survived.

I found my mind wandering, delving into the limited knowledge I had about this era. My understanding was like a tiny island surrounded by an ocean of unknowns. This was a time before the Romans, before the construction of the great pyramids of Egypt, and centuries before the thought of kingdoms and empires had crossed human minds.

The sight of the bison sparked a new line of thought. I knew that bison were indigenous to North America, a symbol of the wild, untamed landscape of the continent. But where exactly was I? Could it be North America, a land that in my future would be crisscrossed with cities, highways, and the footprints of millions?

I attempted to recall if bison existed in Europe during this era, but my knowledge was a jigsaw puzzle with numerous missing pieces. My mind circled back to the bison and its undeniable connection with North America, strengthening my belief that I was indeed in the New World.