Upon hearing the request of his son. Kivrah's heart felt heavy.
"Son, I know you want to explore the forest. But this is something I cannot allow!"
"Father, you don't need to worry. If I have the stone knife in my hands, I can fight back the boar!"
"You!". Kivrah feels his blood rushing out of his head, but he tries his best to suppress it.
"Maybe allow your son to explore the land Tribe leader Kivrah.". Shaman Mashu steadily sits in a Seiza-like position as she intently stares at Civ.
Civ felt a chill gaze from the Shaman, but he thought that he might be misinterpreting it.
Shaman Mashu shifts her focus to the Tribe leader. "Do not worry about your son. Right now, the Sun goddess gave us protection. As long as Civ brings this stone knife, he will be protected from any grave danger".
Tribe leader Kivrah stared at the stone knife. Looked back at the Shaman, who replied to him with a nod of assurance.
"I'll grant your request. But in two conditions."
"I am listening Tribe leader." Civ, with a stern face, was all ears.
"First, if you will leave the camp. You need to tell me a day before where you are going and what you will do. Second, you need to be accompanied by Horm and Arsh. If either one of them does not want to come along with you, you cannot leave the camp".
"I understand Tribe leader. I'll follow your instructions."
Kivrah handed him the stone knife. "Please create stone knives for the Shaman and me. I'll also try to learn how to use it. If you have already created the knives we requested, wait for me here. Now, you all can go."
The trio bowed and immediately left the hut to fulfill their task.
"Tribe leader Kivrah, I know you are protective of your son. But as the old saying goes, the one that comes, chaos will erupt. The one that comes, people will unite. "
"The one that was prophesized?"
The Shaman did not answer his question but instead stared at him.
Kivrah looked up to the top of the hut where the sunlight was entering he quietly whispered to himself.
"Oh Sun Goddess lead me!".
—----------------------------------------------------------------
When the trio went back to the back of the cave, both Arsh and Civ started working on the stones Horm collected. Out of twenty stones that Horm brought, only three of those can be made into stone knives.
After a moment of silence "Guys, I want to go back to where we met the boar."
"Uhgh not again" Arsh rolled her eyes
"That's too dangerous" Horm shakes his head.
"Hey Civ do not drag us down and we might also be scolded by the tribe leader and prohibit us from leaving the camp." Arsh harshly retorts while Horm nods multiple times.
"What if I created a knife for you and Horm?"
A sweet words coming from a troublemaker! Both of them know how difficult to make a stone knife since it is also dangerous. They are getting cuts when working on it. But they ignore the sweet nectar.
"While it sounds promising, I don't think we can get it right-" Civ interrupted.
"What if I have it right now?"
Arsh and Horm looked at each other. Tempted by Civ's persuasion.
"Are you sure?" Arsh asked.
"Yes. Actually -" Civ pulled another rolled animal skin and inside of it is another 3 stone knives!
"You can choose which one you like." Civ smiles like a salesman knowing that he closed the biggest deal of his life.
Good thing Civ created some stone knives in his leisure time when no one is watching. He was able to use it as leverage to persuade his friends.
With curious eyes, both Arsh and Horm reach out for the knives but - Civ pulled away the knives he showed.
"Ah-ah-ah You cannot touch it unless-"
"Unless?"
"You say follow me in finding the boar."
"But Civ!" both of them retorted.
"Alright, the deal is closed, no knives for you!"
Seeing their friend Civ slowly putting away the knives. Both of them cannot resist temptation.
"We will follow you, we agree!" Arsh and Horm helplessly said in unison.
'Bait was a success!'
"Hehehe As I expected, I can rely on my friends". Civ smile gives chills on Arsh and Horm's spine.
"Since you will accompany me, you need to bring a knife."
Civ showed them again the stone knives and they started inspecting the knife.
Horm selected one of the knives right away but Arsh - "Civ, can I take both?"
Arsh held both knives and tried to swing them simultaneously.
Civ was a bit surprised because he was quite familiar with her stance.
He is not pretty sure if Arsh is a pure fighting genius or just a coincidence.
'We'll genius or not, I'm pretty sure she has a talent that fits for one of the groups I wanted to create.'
Looking at the lively Arsh, Civ cannot wait until that day comes.
"Now that you have your knives, I want you to follow me later to my Father. I will ask his permission to explore the forest the day after tomorrow."
Arsh was worried about something. "Civ if we ask the tribe leader that we will look for that boar, we are not definitely leaving the camp."
"I know. That's why we need to tell Father that we are just going to do our duties as collecting berries and stones."
"Are you sure your father will not be suspicious of us?" Horm worriedly asked.
"Not really. Since the location where the boar is from the north side. We can say we will go to the east then after we leave the camp, our destination will be north."
They are still doubting the plan. But since they already made a promise with Civ, they have no choice but to fulfill the agreement.
After they conclude their plan, they continue to create stone knives. The whole afternoon, they are only able to create 2 knives.
They immediately went to the Shaman's hut. The Trible leader Kivrah and Shaman Mashu were already waiting for them.
When they get inside the hut, Civ immediately shows them the 2 knives they created.
The first one was beige in color while the other one was dirty gray. Shaman Mashu selected the gray and the Tribe leader selected the beige one.
Kivrah meticulously inspects his knife. The grip was good and the blade is not perfect but it is still impressive. Kivrah cannot hide his smile upon getting this tool.
"Well done on finishing your task! Shaman Mashu and I will look into how we can use this knife once we have enough ideas to use it. I will share it with our tribe and the three of you will teach them how to create it."
Civ wanted to interfere with the plan of his father. But decide to let them be. Advancing the technology as soon as possible might be a good strategy. But since they are just getting started, it is better to slow things down. Also, it is better to observe how his tribesmen approach this new technology.
Kivrah ordered them to be dismissed but Civ interrupted.
"Father, I want to leave with my friends to gather some food the day after tomorrow."
'That fast!' Kivrah was unable to reply right away. Knowing the attitude of Horm and Arsh, he is pretty sure that either one of them will stop Civ. But both of them agree right away?
Kivrah ran through his eyes to Civ's friend. He did not notice any unusual behavior. Aside from being nervous that their tribe leader was staring at them intently.
"Arsh, Horm. Did both of you want to follow my son?" Kivrah's tone was firm, intending to let Civ's friends honestly answer his inquiry.
Both of them respectfully bowed. "Yes Tribe leader."
Kivrah looked again at his son with astonishment. He wants to know how he convinced his friends to agree right away but since a promise was made, a promise should be kept. He has no reason to break it.
"I understand. The three of you will be free to go but where are you going?"
"Father, since the boar is in the north, we planned to go the east first to see if we can look for food."
The decision of his son in his opinion is not a good one. Since both East West and South areas that they can safely travel to have a scarcity of food available for them. Only the path to the north is the one they have not traveled yet due to the boar's presence.
Remembering the Shaman's teaching, Kivrah takes a deep breath. He lets his faith in the Sun Goddess protect his son's travel.
"That will be fine but make sure to return before dawn and meet me here in the Shaman's hut.".
"We follow the Tribe Leader," they said in unison.
The next day, they did their daily task of creating the stone knives. Today they were able to produce only two. It was because Civ was more focused on creating a smaller version of the stone knife. about three or four thumbs thick. They gave the two stone knives to the Shaman for safekeeping.
After that day, Civ woke up early. He went immediately to Horm and Arsh camp respectively. So they could leave as early as possible once his father woke up. They start leaving to east as they planned, but as soon as the camp is not in sight, Civ sprints right away to go north!
"Hey Civ!" Horm was unable to react right away but he and Arsh followed Civ right away when he noticed what he was doing.
After 10 minutes of running non-stop at full speed, Civ immediately stopped. He looked at his exhausted friends with a smile.
"Great way to start the day right!". His smile has a hint of satisfaction from looking at his disheveled friends.
"You are crazy Civ! We all know you are the fastest person in our tribe. Yet you run away from us without saying anything." Arsh was quite frustrated but as she looked around them. There were berries everywhere! That's when she noticed that they were on the north side of the forest.
"Sshhh Don't shout too loud, let's rest for now and eat. We might get the attention of the boar. If it is nearby." Civ interrupted Arsh while he leaned himself into a tree.
"While we are both exhausted, let's enjoy these berries. When we return to the camp, let's follow this path."
"But how can we be sure we can go on the same path?" Horm asked while gouging his food.
"We'll with this!".
"The knife?!". Both Arsh and Horm were puzzled.
"Yes." Civ stands up and marks the tree with an X symbol.
Both Arsh and Horm jolted and stunned at what they witnessed.
"Hey Civ, stop it! You will face the wrath of the giants if you injure the tree!"
Realizing this Arsh and Horm are horrified by what Civ did. It is like witnessing a massacre in front of them and they cannot do anything to stop it.
Horm starts prostrating and calling the Sun Goddess for protection. While Arsh is fixated on Civ.
A few moments later.
"See? Nothing happens." Civ
"You don't understand Civ, do you remember what the elders always said?"
"What do you mean Arsh?"
"Do not make the trees cry or the giants will wipe your tribe." Arsh was trembling in fear.
"Do not worry about it, as long as the giants do not see it, they will not know it was us".
Arsh just ignored Civ's antics as she was already full of him.
"Looks like you have the energy to talk. Let's continue do not worry, we'll walk right now."
Civ friends heave a sigh of relief since they don't need to catch up with Civ. But on their way, they are still afraid as Civ starts stabbing the trees they pass!
As they walk a couple of minutes "Oink!"
They immediately ducked and ahead of them, were a bunch of big boars and a group of piglets.
And then that is what Civ realized. "So it was a female huh?"