Dried leaves and twigs crunched under Rion's feet as he followed behind Haria, both of them were passing through a short tunnel which was brightened by the sunlight streaming through both open ends.
He glanced at Haria, and his eyes involuntarily shifted towards the clawed leather gauntlets that were hung at her waist.
The claws were forged from the same blue material used in Haden's spear and Jura's arrows, while the gauntlets themselves were made of dark, hardened leather.
'I think that's why they call her the panther?' He guessed while looking at the sharp claws of her leather gauntlets.
"We are about to reach the place, little Rio," Haria announced. The light amusement and playfulness faded from her face as she continued, "Remember this: you are no longer the little king, little Rio or anyone's baby... Here, you are a Dhaevrak, and a true Dhaevrak only acknowledges strength."
His expression turned serious, he nodded and spoke, "I'll remember that."
She turned her head towards him and flashed a smile before saying, "Then get ready to meet your new friends."
They stepped out of the dim tunnel, and the bright world greeted them. He looked before him, and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Where are we...?" He asked, disbelief spreading across his face.
Before him were huts much like those in the Redwood basin; yet, that wasn't the strangest thing. It was the people.
The people who walked around here were young — none of them looked a day older than twenty.
Haria smiled at his bewildered expression and spread her arms wide, her voice bright with pride as she spoke, "Welcome to the Redwood Den."
However, Rion was too confused to share her excitement.
"What is this place?"
She shook her head and explained, "This place is, as I said, the Redwood Den. Here, we learn to hunt, kill and survive. Once a child reaches the age of ten, they can enter this place."
He furrowed his brows and looked up at her as he asked, "Why have I never heard of this place?"
"That's because we don't want wet brats showing up here. No one — young or old — is allowed to speak of the Den," she replied in a strict voice.
Hearing her words, he tilted his head and spoke, "Aren't 10-year-olds also wet brats?"
She facepalmed herself and mumbled under her breath, "Why do they always ask this same damned question?"
A few moments later, she turned towards the huts before her and asked, "Do you think we allow 10-year-olds to hunt?"
She began to walk after asking and gestured for him to follow.
He followed behind her and questioned with a puzzled look, "You don't?"
"Nope, we only teach them how to. They can only hunt after turning fifteen." She answered and walked closer to the outer fence of the Redwood Den.
'I remember reading that most tribe's make their child hunt at a young age...' he thought while remembering the knowledge of his previous world, 'But... Dhaevrak tribe doesn't seem to operate in the same way... I didn't even know about the existence of this place...'
He shifted his eyes at the two neon green arrows that floated within the settlement of the Redwood Den, one of them was at the south end, while the other was in the west, 'I always thought these two arrows were related to something hidden within the red and black mountains...'
'I was kinda right, I guess,' he finished his thoughts while looking at the two figures that stood before the opening within the fence.
They wore animal hides, and their muscular body bore scars of various life-or-death battles.
Seeing Haria walking towards them, both of them bent a knee and raised their folded hands like cups.
She smiled and said softly, "Stand."
Both of them stood up and looked at her before their eyes shifted towards Rion. The guard at right asked, "He is?"
She turned her head and looked at Rion before speaking, "He is Rion."
Rion looked at the two figures and thought, 'They are going to say something stupid, aren't they?'
Both of them looked at each other before they nodded and stepped aside, "I hope you know what you are doing, Haria," said the figure on the left.
She smiled at his words, gripped Rion's hand and responded, "Of course I do."
Both of them stepped inside the fence and entered the Redwood Den.
Meanwhile, Rion thought, 'That's it? I won't get to faceslap them after they talk shit about me?'
He looked back at the two figures and thought with narrowed eyes, 'One of them must be offended about some stupid shit, and now he is going to scheme against me... I know it, but I can't prove it.'
"What are you thinking?" Haria asked after seeing him staring at the fence guards from the corner of her eye.
He turned his head to her and replied, "I was just wondering… would Papa and Mama have stopped me from coming here?"
She rubbed her chin in thought and replied a few moments later, "I don't really know, but your mother doesn't want you to even lift any weapon... so I believe, she would have stopped you... as for your father, I don't even know what goes through his head."
He nodded at her words and looked before him. They were about to enter the inner settlement.
Just as they entered, the people who were walking by stopped in their steps and bowed to Haria before locking their gaze on Rion.
'What the hell...' he cursed inwardly as he felt their stares dig holes in his body.
"Continue whatever you were doing," Haria said flatly and continued her steps.
Rion followed behind her and asked, "What was that?"
"They were just curious about you," Haria replied in the same tone as before.
He stared at her, nodded and turned silent.
A few moments later, they reached a hut as big as the chieftain's hut. Haria knocked on the door.
"Enter," a voice came from inside.
A voice Rion knew very well.