I was carefully laying down the clay bricks for the storage, my hands spreading the mortar when the sound of hurried footsteps came from behind me. I straightened up, wiping the sweat from my brow as I turned around to find my younger brother Zulu racing towards me, his face flushed and breathing hard.

"Tak!" he shouted, his small chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.

I immediately felt a knot of concern in my stomach. "What's wrong, Zulu? Why are you out of breath?"

Zulu's eyes were wide as he quickly spat out, "Some Wulani people have gathered at the entrance of our tribe's path. The elders are there too. Silma and some Mayitans have returned, and some of our people are not pleased."

My brow furrowed at his words. The Mayitans? Silma? I thought they had just left a few days ago. What could have happened to have them return so soon—and to cause such tension among the Wulani?

"Silma asked for you," Zulu added, his voice tinged with urgency. "Some of the Wulani who were held captive are saying that we should take action against the Mayitans."

I let out a sigh, feeling the weight of the situation settle over me. "Alright," I said, setting down my tools. "I'll come. Let's go."

As we began to walk back towards the path, my thoughts were racing. The last thing we needed now was more discord, especially given the recent tensions within the tribe. The agreement with the Mayitans had been a good deal that caused no bloodshed, I hoped it would give us peace of mind. However, some of the Wulani don't seem to agree.

This was odd to me considering that they could have spoken before the deal was made. I guess having the ex-captives here caused their minds to change after hearing some of the stories of what they've been through.

Zulu looked up at me, sensing my concern. "What do you think will happen?" he asked quietly.

I glanced down at him, his youthful face full of curiosity and worry. "I don't know, Zulu," I said, trying to mask my own concerns.

But even as I said the words, I couldn't help but wonder: how much more could our tribe take before the fragile bonds that held us together finally broke?

As Zulu and I approached the crowd, I could hear the chatter before we even reached them. It was a cacophony of raised voices and sharp tones, filled with frustration and maybe even a bit of fear. My eyes darted through the throng, landing on Mako and Kiera who seemed to be doing their best to calm the people down.

But the air was thick with tension; you could practically cut it with a knife.

As we stepped closer, my eyes met Silma's. She seemed to have been waiting for me. "Tak," she called, her voice rising above the clamor, "over here."

Excusing myself through the crowd, I finally stood before her. "Silma, it's good to see you, but why have you returned so soon?"

"We had some changes in the tribe," she said cautiously, eyeing the people around us, sensing their restlessness. "I see your tribe has changed a bit too."

I grimaced. "Yes, some people within the tribe are quite upset we didn't take further action against your people. I'm afraid our agreement hasn't settled well with everyone."

Silma nodded, her eyes clouding over. "Coming back here may not have been the best choice," she admitted, "but I had no other option."

"Something happened? You look troubled," I probed.

She sighed deeply, her shoulders drooping a little. "The elders have decided that I am not fit to lead anymore," she shared. "They say I've been misguided by your tribe, and the new ideas I brought back were against what we've learned. They didn't even give me or the others who agreed with the changes a chance to explain."

My eyes widened at her revelation. This was serious, Silma being overthrown could endanger the fragile peace we'd built. Would the Mayitans be willing to act against us, or keep the deal we made? It was something I had to keep in mind.

I glanced back at Mako and Kiera, both of whom seemed to be wrestling with their own sets of problems in calming our people down. Then my eyes fell on Zulu, his youthful face flushed with concern and confusion as he stood there not knowing what to do or say.

I turned back to Silma. "Stay here for now," I suggested. "Let me talk to the elders and see what we can do. We have to calm these people down before anyone decides to act against the words of the chief."

Silma nodded, her eyes meeting mine. "Thank you, Tak."

Taking a deep breath, I looked at Silma, whose gaze was fixed on the crowd, her face a mask of contemplation and worry. "Silma, what do you want? What can we do to make this situation better for everyone involved?"

She looked at me, her eyes a complicated mix of hope and despair. "I wish for my people to stay here, with the Ashaya. But if that's not possible, I understand. I don't want any more trouble, Tak."

My heart sank. Even if I agreed, I couldn't make that decision on my own. "We could probably manage feeding the people you've brought with you, but with the current tension... I'm not sure the others would be willing to share what we have."

Silma remained silent, pondering the implications. The weight of her dilemma seemed to be pressing down upon her, leaving her unusually speechless.

"Let me see if Mako will go for this. He has a lot to deal with, and he may not agree. If he can't find a way for your people to stay peacefully, I don't know what else can be done," I told her, feeling the burden of our tribes' futures pressing heavily on my own shoulders.

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She nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude that my words didn't warrant, given how little assurance they offered.

With a last, lingering look, I turned away and made my way through the crowd, dodging glaring eyes and hushed conversations. The air seemed to get heavier with each step I took towards Mako. When I finally reached him, he looked as stressed and weary as I felt.

Mako motioned toward the group where Silma and her people were gathered, their faces marked by uncertainty and tension. "Tak, they have to leave. We can't allow them to stay," he said, his voice tinged with regret but resolute.

I looked at him, surprised but listening intently. "Why?"

"If they stay, the Wulian people might take matters into their own hands, and in our current state, I don't think my voice—or even that of the other elders—will carry much weight," Mako explained, his eyes scanning the restless crowd as if to emphasize his point.

Nodding, I absorbed his words, the reality of the precarious situation sinking in deeper.

"The most I can do is ensure they leave without harm. After that, we—myself and the other elders—can try to figure something out. Perhaps there's another solution, but for now, this is the best I can offer," Mako continued.

For a moment, I stood there in silence, wrestling with the decision that was no longer mine to make. What could I say? I wanted to say something, but given how fast he stated these words the Wulani people might be quick to act if Silma and her people don't leave. So, she couldn't stay, that was all there was to it.

"Do you have anything to say?" Mako asked, breaking the silence.

I sighed. "Not really. If this is what you think is best for the safety and unity of our tribe, then it's what we have to do."

Mako nodded solemnly. "I know you're closer to Silma than I am. That's why I wanted you to be the one to hear this decision firsthand."

"That's fine," I replied, my voice tinged with a sadness I couldn't quite hide. "I'll go and inform Silma of our choice. She deserves to know."

As I turned to walk back toward Silma, each step felt heavier than the last.

Lost in thought, Liora suddenly appeared in my path. Her eyes searched my face, clearly sensing that something was off.

"Did anything happen with Mako?" she asked, a note of concern in her voice.

I sighed, the heaviness in my chest apparent. "I was just on my way to tell Silma that she and her people will have to leave. Mako thinks it's the best course of action given the current tension with the Wulian people."

Liora looked past me at the restless crowd, her face reflecting the complicated mix of emotions I was feeling. "That's unfortunate," she said finally. "I actually think Silma could be a good addition to our tribe."

Curious, I looked at her. "Why do you say that?"

"We need more women to help grow our tribe," Liora explained. "And Silma has experience in leadership."

I nodded, digesting her words. "I get your point. She does have qualities that would benefit us. But the situation is volatile, and adding more variables might just ignite the flame."

"Is there anything you can do?" Liora's eyes met mine, full of a hope that I wished I could fulfill. I could offer a lot in terms of knowledge, but fixing this was not something I could deal with. Who knows how the Wulani captives were treated, and how much they suffered. These wounds inflicted on them would take time to heal, a long time.

I pondered for a moment, the different scenarios running through my mind. "Honestly, no. Even if I took Silma as my wife, which might offer her some protection, there's still the risk that others might take matters into their own hands. I don't think that would be the best option for her safety—or for the unity of the tribe."

Liora nodded slowly, understanding the complexity of the issue. "I suppose that's true," she said softly. "It's just a difficult decision to stomach."

"Believe me," I replied, my voice tinged with regret, "I know."

With a heavy heart, I continued on my way to deliver the news to Silma, leaving Liora standing there, a somber figure against the backdrop of the tribe.

As I navigated through the restless crowd, my mind raced, sifting through the fragments of possibilities like pieces of a complex puzzle. The fact remained that our tribe needed to grow. With an expanding community, the workload was bound to increase—building, hunting, gathering, farming, defending our territory, and countless other tasks. Waiting for a new generation of children to fill these roles was not feasible; it would take too long. We needed more hands now—able, willing hands.

A thought flickered into my consciousness: What if Silma and her people could settle nearby, close enough to be a part of our community but far enough to avoid immediate conflict with the Wulian members of our tribe? A day's walk would be too far; we needed them close, perhaps just a few hours away. They could have their own space yet still interact with us for trade, cultural exchange, or in times of need.

The idea seemed almost too simple, but sometimes the most straightforward solutions were the most effective. Yet, would Mako and the elders go for it? Would the Wulian people accept this compromise? There were no easy answers, but the concept felt worth exploring.

Deep in thought, I almost didn't realize I had arrived in front of Silma. She looked up as I approached, her azure eyes searching my face as if trying to read my thoughts.

"Tak," she greeted me, her voice tinged with a blend of hope and apprehension.

"Silma," I replied, forcing a small smile. "We need to talk."

I glanced back for a moment, seeing Liora in the distance, her eyes meeting mine with a look of quiet encouragement. With a deep breath, I began to share my thoughts with Silma.

Silma listened intently as I laid out my thoughts about a potential compromise. Her eyes widened momentarily before settling into a thoughtful gaze.

"That sounds like an option, Tak," she said after a moment, her voice tinged with relief. "I mean, our primary concern has always been safety—being part of a larger community offers protection. We could start building huts or even small homes with clay, just like you taught us."

I nodded, my gaze meeting hers. "It's a possibility, but I need to be clear: there's no certainty that our tribe would come to your aid if problems arose. The Wulian members are still... unsettled about the peace we've made. Their acceptance of your people living nearby is still a big 'if.'"

Silma nodded, her eyes searching mine. "I understand. And what about you, Tak? Would you help us if we needed it?"

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. It was a complex question, one that tested the boundaries of loyalty, practicality, and the uneasy peace we were all trying to maintain.

"I'm just one person, Silma. My influence has its limits, especially given the current tension within the tribe," I said, choosing my words carefully. "But... I'll do what I can. You have my word on that."

Silma looked at me for a long moment, her eyes filled with a mix of understanding and gratitude.

"Sometimes, one person can make all the difference," she said softly. "I'll talk to my people about this option. It's a bit of hope, and right now, that's what we need."

I nodded, feeling the weight of our conversation settle over me. It was a fragile hope, built on a foundation of uncertainties and what-ifs. However, if it panned out it could be the start of something new. Maybe the start of a new set of homes that would be the beginning of a new district.

Silma and her people could work in their little corner and provide materials and food to us. A tribute of sorts that the elders would have to see is a big benefit for us. Eventually, once the situation calmed down more and Mako got control of the Wulani people we could integrate Silma and her people.

There was a lot this decision could provide to us as a tribe. Even if Mako didn't agree to it, or any of the elders saw the benefit, that doesn't mean it can't be done in secret. Hiding Silma and her small group would be hard as someone was bound to find out sooner or later, but with winter coming around it would give them a bit of time to settle in. This time would also benefit us as well, to heal.