I woke up to another day full of potential. I would continue training my bison and wait for news from the other tribe. Even if they did not join us, there were always other tribes. I had to start planning for the growth of our village, maybe even moving to a new location. We could be attacked from all directions, we had to be prepared. I gathered my equipment and stepped out of my tent.
I went to my bison. Today he was calmer. He knew he was inside a cage, he was getting used to my scent, and he was already responding to my whistles. This time I gave him only meat, bloody and fresh. While I was spending time with him, Cycnopy approached me.
"Chief Ragno, thank you for yesterday's gift. Even though we suffered losses, thanks to you we still have hope for survival. Do you have an order for me today?" His eyes carried fatigue but also determination, the weight of hope he had placed in me.
I looked straight into his eyes. "I truly trust you. I always want you by my side. Yesterday we survived thanks to you, and for that I thank you. Today we will scout. I want you to find a safer place for us to live. Take as many warriors as you want, take the cart. Hunt animals along the way, collect useful herbs. Try to find us a better place to live."
My command was clear, the words of a leader had to be decisive. Cycnopy bowed his head deeply and immediately set off. He gathered his strongest warriors, their equipment, and the scouts, and left the camp.
When I arrived at the village square everyone gathered around me. There was both curiosity and excitement in their eyes. I raised my voice so that all could hear. "Today everyone must stay alert. If the other tribe does not join us, we must be prepared for the possibility of an attack. We are fewer in number. Everyone must carry their weapons. And today I want the skins of those twenty wolves to be flayed, and their meat separated. Put the bones aside, I will teach you how to make soup. From the bones we will also make needles."
The people immediately set to work. The seamstresses, the hunters, the younger ones all took knives and began dividing tasks quickly. I walked around the village, checking defenses, inspecting traps I had set. My mind was full of ideas, but to make them real I needed more time, and above all, more people.
While I was lost in thought, a warrior from the other tribe approached. I welcomed him as if he were already one of us. He saluted me and said, "Chief Xeptolyn wishes to speak with you, alone."
I told him to wait and went to the square. I declared loudly, "I am going to meet with the Chief. The village is in your hands. Do your tasks and if there is trouble, handle it yourselves. I will return before nightfall." Then I set off with the warrior.
When we arrived at the entrance of their village, the whole tribe was waiting. Myr was there too, her gaze calmer now, more eager than before. We walked through the crowded gathering. They asked for my weapons. They had the right, but after last night's attack, was such a demand wise? I thought about it briefly, then handed over my weapons with confidence.
They led me into the village. In the center they gave me a place to sit, and I noticed that the fire I had given them was still burning, the flames spreading warmth and security across the square.
Xeptolyn stepped forward. His face carried both suspicion and the weight of authority. "We will accept your offer, Chief Ragno," he said, "but I have been the chief of this tribe for a long time. I do not wish to give up my authority." His words echoed among the silent crowd.
I felt anger stir within me, but I did not let it show. Leadership required calmness. I would not force them, but the offer I was about to make was undeniable.
"For all you have done so far, for keeping these people together, I thank and commend you, Chief. But this is as far as you have come. I can carry us further. Just yesterday we were attacked, lives were lost, yet you still take my weapons away to protect yourself. My offer from yesterday still stands," I said. Then I stood tall and raised my voice so everyone could hear.
"I will now return to my village, and I want to see you behind me. Survival, living for a purpose, is the right of you all. This is my offer to you, but only once. There will not be a second time."
I turned and walked toward the entrance to retrieve my equipment. As I was putting them back on, I noticed nearly everyone standing behind me, waiting for me to lead the way. Among them was Chief Xeptolyn himself. Only four or five had stayed behind. The rest had taken their belongings and their weapons, ready to march with me.
When we returned to my village we gathered in the square. I stood before my people and the newcomers alike. "Treat these people as you treated me on my first day. They are now part of this clan. They are now with us!" My words brought cheers of joy, voices of welcome, and the atmosphere immediately shifted.
The newcomers began to settle, exploring the surroundings, trying to adapt to the new rituals and the necessities of this life. I, however, was still waiting for news from Cycnopy and his team. If they could not find a new location, we would have to expand our current territory. The sky had already darkened, and there was still no sign of them. Worry grew inside me like a knot tightening.
As I waited, I returned to my bison. Watching him, I noticed something different in his eyes. Perhaps the time had come. I unlatched the cage and stepped inside. His gaze was full of fear, and mine mirrored his. Our bond was being built through silent exchanges, through patience and presence. I thought about what I would teach him today, which whistle I would use, how I would strengthen his trust.
For long journeys, for greater hunts, for safer shelters, I would need his strength. He would carry loads, he would stand as a force in battle, he would be more than just an animal. He would become a symbol, a companion, a part of the power that would carry my clan forward.
Far in the camp, I could hear the whispers of children mingling with the murmurs of adults. The night air carried smoke from the fires, curling into the sky. I stood in front of my tent, rubbing my hands together for warmth, going over my plans once again. The settling of newcomers, the defense against threats, the expansion of hunting routes, and above all, reinforcing the trust of the people in me. These were the tasks of a leader every morning, and I embraced them.
When Cycnopy returned, he would bring news of a new path, maybe a fertile valley, maybe a safer riverbank. Until then, I prepared my people for what was coming.
Inside me burned a fire, both the burden of leadership and the desire to take the next great step. Even the distant howls of wolves in the night could not shake me anymore. I was no longer alone. In front of me stood a tribe, behind me a people, and at my side a bison. Together, that was enough for something greater.