Tila's Story

Leonis and the Mira hunting party made their way back to the Mira village without further incident, though more than a few had cast wary glances over their shoulders at the thick plumes of smoke and fire that had tore through the jungle in their wake. They were clear of the worst of the heat that wafted through the jungle as they traveled upwind from the area of the bombing, but even from here the destructive nature of the run was clearly apparent.

They Mira were apt to traveling in small scattered groups and frequently left little trail for pursuers to be led back to their villages and today was no different as extra care was taken to cover their tracks and to ensure they did not betray their tribe with a careless misstep.

Meanwhile back at the village dozens of men, women and children had gathered outside of shanty shacks and tree-houses with watchful looks and mutterings among one another. They had all heard the jets fly by overhead before the sounds of the napalm bombing had shook the rainforest, and their words of conversation seemed caught between wishes to stay and await the returning hunting party, or to move out. Without a clan second in Shief Leonis' absence, there was some confusion over who should make the call.

Fortunately the decision would be stayed as signal whistles broke out from the surrounding wood. In their homeland of Aelora such measures were ingrained into every Mira until they were second nature, and each whistle had a distinctive meaning; the system of communication almost serving as a language of its own. The Mira were a semi-nomadic people and with dozens of villages scattered through the rainforest, an early warning was all that was needed for the Mira to have a village evacuated and the tribe moving on to another before it could be taken by the void that had once served as enemy. These days their enemy came in a different shape and form - but old lessons remained strong.

Today though the whistles were not a warning, but rather they served as an announcement of the hunting party's arrival. It would be another fifteen or twenty minutes yet before the returning Mira reached the village and the uneasy bantering shifted to speculations of just what had transpired out there in the jungle while small groups of excited children exchanged bets and declarations of just how many of the human aliens their favorite hunters had no doubt slain. Of course a child's imagination and reality were not often hand in hand, and on this day it would seem there were no casualties to be spoken of for either Mira, or the ever encroaching Aschen.

Tila's attention was wrapped up in staring towards the village's entry as she, just like the other Mira there, impatiently waited for some sort of sign or signal. Up in the higher tree house, she sat on the edge of the walk with legs hanging down while leaning against the loose rope that served as a guard rail. That stub of a tail twitched anxiously as her ears suddenly perked to a sound in the jungle. It was a signal - though she couldn't remember what that particular signal meant. Ohh! Why didn't she pay attention during communication lessons!

At least it seemed it wasn't a signal to evacuate. All the same, the teenage Mira slid back on the planks and stood to get a better look down at the paths below. The hunting party was coming in and among the hustle, Tila scrambled to start her decent to the path. When she got down one level, she paused to look for her friend, Makya. Usually he was up towards the front, preferring a spot in the lead, but Tila could see the first few of the hunting party and there was no Makya. Was he injured?

Knowing that she would lose her good vantage point by going lower, she looked before taking in a deep breath to call out.

"Makya!" Though her smaller voice was easily drowned out in the large group. "Where's Makya..." she muttered to herself, crooning her neck out for a better look. Her hair was given a strong toss to get out of her eyes when she cried out once again.

Having arrived back at the village only shortly before, Ryth and the warrior with him had already been subject to questions regarding the conflict with the humans. Most seemed relieved when he said that there had been no casualties on either side to his knowledge, but there were those who were disappointed that the Aschen had not been slain. The whistle had already been sounded, though, and so many had been content to wait for the Shief's return rather than bother the young Shamana for a debriefing.

Indeed it was a matter of minutes before the hunting party returned. Ryth had waited at the entrance to the village, anxiety well hidden beneath a mask of perfect calm. It wasn't that he doubted the others' ability to survive, far from it, but the few years he had spent in the Forest of the Fall had taught him that even the most capable of warriors could be slain. These Aschen were far from the persistent threat that their homeland's denizens had been, but they had strong weapons and flight machines - they were dangerous in their own right.

Baako walked along with the group of hunters. His deer was still slung over his shoulders, he was quite proud of himself. He held onto his deer, machete, and spear throughout the whole ordeal. Despite almost being killed, Baako was in a good mood. He had a deer and he was returning home.

Baako could see the village and this excited him, he could smell home. He saw all of the Mira waiting for them. Well they were more likely waiting for Leonis. Baako scanned the crowd. Baako could honestly say he didn't have a close friend in the bunch. Baako didn't care. Then he saw Tila, a Mira he had seen a few times before, but he couldn't recall if he had spoken with her. The Mira was clearly shouting something. Baako thought he heard "Makya". Baako looked around, He realized that Makya wasn't with the group. This troubled him. He said nothing, however. Perhaps Makya had just fallen behind.

Hebeny sat on the edge of her dwelling, one foot dangling while the other sat counting the passing moments. In her hand, she played with, and sharpened her spear. Countless times, she had removed and adjusted the tip. Things around the village had been quite dull while the Clan awaited the return of Leonis. Her nerves were shot at the resistance to leap forth through the gates and hunt down the warriors as she saw the jets and heard the explosion. She was in no position to make decisions, and as such, had to follow the orders of 'staying put.' Such was the way of her people, questions merely left for one to ponder on.

Her ears perched as the arrival signal whistled throughout the trees. Her excitement could not be contained, as she climbed, leaped, and shimmied down the tree house to race towards the village's entry gate. There she saw Tila stretching her thin body above the rest trying to get a glimpse. This comforted Hebeny, in that she hadn't missed the hunting party's actual entrance. She took a stance towards the back of the crowd against a tree trunk, and posted her spear into the ground.

As Hebeny continued to scan the crowd with her grey eyes, the hair on her collar eased back as she saw the fire red mane of the Clan's Shamana standing at the village entrance awaiting the rest of the party. At that point, she felt all was well, and was only too prepared to hear of the assumed success Leonis would talk of later that evening. Hebeny had been told on a numerous occasion that she held too much blind pride in their leader; but some things that had been taught by her Mother stuck, even through the mess of Aschen threats. Hebeny knew the Aschen were of no match for the fearless Mira, even with their technology. No one could convince Hebeny any different.

Tila was busy stretching from the back of the crowd and didn't notice Hebeny at first. When she relaxed on her feet and stumbled against a spear in the ground, she looked up at the fellow female on the other side of the weapon. After the ungraceful bout, Tila frowned and stood to wipe off her skirt.

"Hey Hebeny...I was looking for Makya, did you see him come in before? Maybe I just missed it. I'm sure he's here..." The Mira was a mess already, and the hunting party was still filtering in. That wasn't unusal for the lynx like feline, however. Tila always did seem to be a hot mess, after all. It was well known that she was friends with Makya so her concern wasn't totally unfounded, but she was certainly wigging out.

"Hebeny. Let me up on your shoulders so I can get a better look." The command was given little time to sink in before Tila was climbing on the other femme, attempting to get up on her shoulders for a better vantage point. If Hebeny shoved her off, Tila would just transfer to the tree trunk near them and after a moment she would prefer that branch to another Mira's back. Claws digging into the bark, Tila clung to the plant with all fours, turning her head to look out over the crowd.

"Do you see him? I don't see him..."

Hebeny gripped her spear a tad tighter as the lynx tripped over it's edge. She responded with a flat, dull look. "Hmm.." She paused a split second, "Actually, no I haven't seen him. But then again, I don't believe everyone has made it through the g.." She cut herself off with a "No, you may not...Oomf!!" Grabbing hold of her spear with both hands, she planted her feet firmly into the jungle floor. Tila was the same age as Hebeny, but quite the opposite of personality. And thankfully, lighter in weight.

Annoyed, the young feline reached up with one claw after Tila had climbed fully atop her shoulders, and grabbed a hold of her hind leg. "If you don't mind!" Hebeny was relieved; more of the frustrating presence, than the awkward pressure that Tila had put upon her while jumping into the branches of the tree.

Hebeny didn't consider herself any more 'close' with one Mira than the next, but Tila had been in many of the same training courses as Hebeny had. She was more of a constant, than a comfort, but Hebeny still appreciated the young Mira; at times. Standing at the bottom of the same tree, Tila's tail began to brush against Hebeny's face, "I can't see anything! Will you please calm down!" Hebeny stood straight and backed a few paces away, to keep form for the eyes that turned around looking at the pair. Judgment from the elders was not something Tila ever seemed to be worried about, a reckless side effect of keeping her company.

Tila's lynx like bob-tail twitched in the folds of her skirt as she finally settled on a branch. For a rare moment, the young Mira looked nearly adult, posture rigid and right on the branch. A hand went up to her long bangs, holding them at bay so that she might get a better view of the procession. Her toes twitched a bit as she let her feet hang there, skirt splitting the tree.

"Hebeny...I don't see him anywhere." The tuft of fur on her chest rose and fell slowly as she tried to calm herself down. "You don't think anything happened do you? I mean, I'm sure he's fine. He's probably going to be at the back of the group dragging in some huge buck." Tila laughe a bit nervously while chattering on, but after a moment she falls quiet.

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared intently at the back of the group. "He'll show up...He's right around the corner...Right, Hebeny?"

Leonis' return was met with the clammer of voices as several of the veteran warriors gathered to exchange words with their Shief. The exchange was brief as those gathered shook their heads at whatever news Leonis had provided them before they moved off to spread word through the village.

Grunting gruffly, Leonis slung his great axe over his shoulder as he made his way through the gathered tribes-people.

"We're leaving tonight," he informed them.

This village was too close to the encroaching Aschen patrols for his taste and it was time to press on deeper into the jungle. Nightfall would give time enough for Tapu to return.

He didn't linger to discuss the matter further as he and a trio of others made their way through the gathered Mira to discuss further action in the privacy of the Shief's hut.

Still wiggling on the branch, she spotted Leonis and tried to wave to get his attention. It seemed he was going to pass under the branch she was on, maybe if she just scooted out a little bit further...

"Shief Leo--!" FWOOP. It was by pure luck that she hadn't landed on top of anyone, though the heap she was in on the ground in front of Leonis was not very...ceremonious. Scrambling, she pulled her skirt down and got situated on her knees before just going into a bow there on the path. Past the blushing, she finally pried one eye open to look up at her leader.

"So sorry, I err...sorry." Slowly her eyes lifted to look up at the great Mira before her. "I was looking for Makya - is he with you?"

Hebeny recognized the seriousness in the Shief's voice, "We're leaving tonight." She herself, didn't have that many belongings, but that didn't mean others did not. As Hebeny had no 'parents', to speak of, she spent a lot of time helping the other Clan members in whichever way she could.

Pushing herself up from the tree, she respectfully waited for the Shief to pass before making her way back to the hut which she had been occupying. The uneasiness that surrounded Tila's ungraceful dismount of the branch stalled her. Hearing the desperation in her friends voice, she stayed to hear of any news Lenois himself would have, but mostly to try and coax a positive reaction from her friend if needed. It was well known the young Mira Tila wore her heart on her sleeve, and sometimes, her reactions could prove most bothersome. Makya himself was one that could tolerate and steer Tila's emotions down their smoother courses. If he was no longer with the Clan, or hurt otherwise, Tila would need to be preoccupied during the move.

So, Hebeny stood as a shadow behind Tila's skirts. Ears peaked, and eyes darkened.

Leonis patted the young Mira, Tila, upon the shoulder as he moved past pausing only to speak with her briefly.

"Makya is with Tapu and Kahl," he reassured the youngster.

The pinch of worry behind his gentle expression betrayed his uncertainty of that fact though.

"Go on now," he told her as his hand dropped away. "It'll be sunset in a few hours."

"Are...are they coming later?" Tila muttered, sitting up to stare at the larger Mira before her. Her question was far too soft to be heard, however, as Leonis passed by. Once he had moved on, Tila stood and brushed the dirt out of her furry legs before turning to look at Hebeny.

"Heh...guess I kinda over reacted." She said with a big grin, one hand scratching the back of her head. "Heh. So we should go pack, right? I mean, Shief said we're leaving tonight. Do you need any help getting your things? I don't have much to pack, just my bow and arrow and sleep sack...I started work on that flower necklace but I'll just make a new one when we get to the next village."

Tila seemed rather satisfied with Leonis' explanation of where Makya was. She had no reason to doubt him, after all, and with her head down in the dirt, she hadn't seen that tinge of worry in Leonis' eyes. Tila was all too happy to follow orders and go get packed up. Walking over to one of the trees, she started to climb up into her tree house, looking to see if Hebeny was coming.

Once up in the treehouse, the young Mira grabbed a bag made out of reeds and vines, opening it up to toss some of her smaller items inside. She had really undersold what she had up here, collecting quite a few interesting gem stones and river rocks that were all part of her collection. When all the little things were in the bag, she sealed it shut before sliding the straps over her right shoulder, leaving the sack portion on her shoulder blade.

Reaching out to her weapons, she tied a bone knife around her waist, clipping it onto her skirt to keep it at her side. Leaning against the wall was a single long staff spear, one that Kahl had helped her make. Lifting her hand, she rested her paw like digits on the shaft and frowned. It seemed that was one more friend who hadn't come back. Slowly drifting over to the deck, she looked below her at the other houses in the village that were slowly being emptied of their belongings, a trail of Mira already starting to form, following Leonis' orders. Then, the teenager's eyes went back towards the forest that their warriors had just come from. Somewhere out there were her mentor and friend. She couldn't just leave them behind. If she were in trouble, wouldn't they come for her? She was certain they would - So how, then, could she possibly leave them?

Turning swiftly, she rushed back to her weapons and finished packing them into a special holder on her back, the bow the last piece to be put in place. Without even waiting on Hebeny, Tila climbed down the tree outside the house and landed rather gracefully on the ground after the descent.

She wasn't about to go out on her own blindly searching, though. No, first she needed some more information - information she was sure Shief Leonis had. Keeping her items on her back, she slipped into the jungle bush and moved as stealthily as she could, something that wasn't all that challenging for her since she was rather small for a Mira. Coming closer to Leonis' hut, she tried to hang back in the leaves while listening in for any conversation she might overhear...

Baako wasn't at all surprised that the Mira were leaving. He found his way to his hut and inside were all of his belongings. A hammock, his spare spear, and a few small hunting trophies. Baako lived a simple life and he was perfectly satisfied with it. He removed the point of his spare spear and tucked it into a pocket. He then took down his hammock and put his trophies in it and then tied the hammock to the shaft of the spear. He then put the makeshift bag over his shoulder.

He was ready to leave. He decided to walk around the village until the order was given for him to leave. Baako wandered aimlessly occasionally saying hello to passersby. Baako found himself walking toward the Shief's hut. He began to turn around when he noticed the bushes rustling. Baako slipped into the bush unnoticed and found himself behind Tila. The young Mira was eavesdropping.

Baako put his hand on her shoulder and quietly asked, "What are you doing?"

Tila heard the slightest rustle just before she was touched on the shoulder. Using a move that Kahl once showed her, she gripped onto Baako's hand and attempted to pull him over her shoulder, using her smaller form to slip from under the flip and wind up over the larger cat, her spear pulled down from her shoulder and pointed towards the other Mira's throat.

"Baako!" she hissed, putting the spear back on her shoulder. She didn't move from hovering over him, though, looking up towards the window of the hut to make sure they hadn't drawn attention. "You've gotta be quiet. I'm trying to find out where Makya and Kahl are. They didn't come back with the others. Now hush, I'm listening..." A feat that wouldn't be too hard with her over sized ears.

Baako was surprised to find himself on the ground, but he didn't care. If Tila looked down she would find Baako's machete ready to strike her side. Baako had new intent of hurting Tila, but his instincts kicked in while he was being flipped. Baako focussed up when she mentioned Kahl and Makya.

"Y'know," began Baako quietly, "I was with those hunters." Baako took a breath and managed to sheath his machete. "I too was wondering where Makya was," continued Baako, "If you're going to find him, I'm coming with you." Baako hoped his offer would be accepted. After some thought Baako realized that his offer sounded more like a demand, "If you'd have me." Baako really did want to know what happened to Makya. Kahl was more of a secondary priority for Baako. Kahl had had his knee obliterated by a rifle.

A boom and then a crack echoed in the distance, followed by plumes of smoke rising up on the horizon. Clearly seen from the village. Something Strange was going on, the sound of a thousand bad things encroaching on the fringes of the jungles surrounding the village...

Meanwhile inside the hut several of the veteran Mira were engaged in discussion over the days events.

"They grow bolder by the day," Magi growled. "We must make a stand."

"Our numbers are few," Cheke interrupted. "The split in the clan when we left Aelora has yet to be mended. We cannot afford a direct confrontation."

There was the sound of a fist hitting a table that was audible enough that even the pair of eavesdroppers could hear the pounding of wood.

"We are Mira," Magi bit back. "We do not fear our enemies, and we do not bow even under threat of death or extinction. It is better that we die as warriors with our pride intact than to live in fear as cowards."

"Be at ease Magi," Leonis tempered voice rose. "The Mira will stand strong as they always have, and we will face these enemies as we have those that came before them. But there is wisdom too in Cheke's words. Pride alone will win us nothing. We will strike back in a place of our time and choosing.

There were murmurs of agreement behind Magi's more vocal outburst.

"The Shamana will seek council from the spirits tonight, and tomorrow we will begin preparations," Leonis continued.

"And what of Kahl. Will he fight again?" another of the warriors inquired.

"I do not yet know. He was taken to Naia. If his injuries can be mended, it will be she who can do so."

The conversation trailed off after a time as the gathered warriors of the tribe discussed options for relocation and strategies for this new threat they must face.

Tila was a bit startled by the first on the wood, but thankfully she had long since put her spear back onto the holder strap going across her back. She was, however, still hovering over Baako, holding one hand against his chest as she listened intently.

When Kahl's name came up, Tila perked up and turned an ear closer to the window of the hut. So he was with Naia? They didn't say that Makya was with him, but Tila just assumed that he would be. Slowly standing, she offered Baako a hand up before hearing a loud crashing sound. Her head swung in the direction of the noise and instinctively she dropped into a defensive pose.

"What in the world was that?" she questioned of her fellow eavesdropper. "C'mon. Let's get a move on before all heck breaks loose." Reaching for Baako's hand, she snuck back out of the bushes with him and started off in the same direction that Kahl had been taken. "If we're quick, we should be able to catch up to them before they move on. Do you have all your stuff?"