Chapter 1. Demon's Maw

There is a canyon among the hills and plain behind the mountain where the Serpents tribe is located.

Because it looks like a fanged mouth that is about to devour something it was named Demon' Maw.

Since the tribe lived and rooted itself in this location it has been a witness for hundred years of tribal history.

The mountain is small with only about 40 meters height but it makes up with its width connected to some hills.

Along with the scattered hills at the surrounding land.

While the canyons entrance, from the opening into the depths are inclined downwards.

And the cave with its entrance crack like a mouth with sharpened teeth is right after the canyon's entrance.

Light never reaches its deeper places where shadow and darkness dominates.

This gives the Demon's Maw its name which is well deserved given its grim appearance.

And when someone brave entered it. It's like it swallowed those who dare enter.

That is why it is a forbidden place. Since No tribesman go deep into it because they have no need to and nothing to gain

And the tribe is not curious of what's in the depths. Since there is not even a concept of mining. And no prey thrive within the caves depth.

Regardless of its presence, plenty of plant and animals inhabits the forest on the mountain and hills.

And the sparse trees and grasses that lingers on the entrance of the canyon and the plains.

Fruit trees and edible green vegetables.

Fat insect grubs and small animals.

And the occasional fat birds that migrates from somewhere else when the seasons change.

This is the main source of food for the gathering women and tribal slaves. Besides other processed and dried food that can be kept for longer time.

Except for the occasional bountiful harvest from hunting by the men of the tribe. Most often they only catch small prey and those weak and hungry animals that is local to these land.

Yes, there are slaves in this tribe.

And Slaves are only women.

Whether it is A child, teenage female or older women.

Those unlucky enough to be captured from other tribes and turned slave.

And those that are born by slaves.

And I am one of them.

Born a slave.

My mother gave birth to me.

A product of rape and multiple forced sexual activity.

Of course I am only among many with this life experience.

My name is "Silver".

This is Silver using the words she secretly learned to choose a name for herself.

Describing the color of her hair that embellished her malnourished face.

With her appearance only some ways before being labeled of having physical defects.

Thankfully Her eyes still shine with hope for a better future. Like a marble containing countless mysteries to unravel.

Silver kept thinking as she stroke her short cut hair she maintained all year around to prevent lice nesting on her head.

Whenever Silver cleaned her hair with water and the unique grass that foams when scrubbed, her hair color can be seen.

Although it is normal to have the color brown of dirtiness due to days and months lack of cleaning.

Since bathing with water and being clean is a luxury. And it is better not to be too clean. It can avoid situations like bullying, sexual inducement, etc by tribesmen.

With water being treasured at the same level as food supplies. Since storage container is rare and the water source is far from the tribe settlement.

Even eating is only to maintain minimal activity to not die of hunger.

"Slaves are never full." Silver thought to herself and rubbing her deflated belly. Patting it in the way of consoling a well behaved pet.

"How can we?" Asking herself and glancing at the obvious unhealthy slim form her body had taken.

Of the bone frame, obviously protruding on her darkened skin.

As her memories of childhood to adulthood keep playing in her mind.

Of the neglect of the tribesman and the occasional abuse she experienced.

When the slaves have no source of food except for the meager scraps provided by their masters.

Silver is very aware they are lucky if they can eat at least once a day.

Usually eating is every other day since food is very important for the tribe.

As Silver think to her self and remembering that only herself knows of her name. Because she chooses the name without even telling her mother.

"Slave are just slaves.

They are tools for their master use.

There is no need for a name to call them.

And no one will bother naming us."

Silver mused as she recalls the dictation of older slaves. A knowledge taught by slaves with luck to grow old and not dying in the process.

This memory made her recount the quantity of the local slave population.

Nearly hundred slaves are present in the tribe. They are scattered and allocated to the family with able hunters. Some are to the bachelor men with no mate.

And the elders who control the distribution of resources got two or more slaves to nurse and care for their declining health.

Similar to herself, Silver is aware that most of the slave are young girls at their prime. Those who are close to their coming of age and eligible to be mated and bear a child.

For a slave, youth means strength.

And strength is equal to better slaves.

Although their health seems to be contrary of being healthy and strong.

"Occasionally a slave is given to the young men of the tribe that has come of age.

For learning and performing sexual acts and as tribal mate to be if you are in luck.

It is Tradition they say.

A tradition that even we slaves accept.

This is the norm here and No one will think otherwise."

As Silver thought grimly with the occasional flashes remembering the faces of barely beautiful young female slaves that suffered the fate.

"Not even the slaves, who live in captivity and grew up taught how to be a slave.

Not the tribesmen who grew up as masters.

Very normal indeed.

Because no one taught us the difference."

This things, Silver have learned long ago.

Aside from gathering and doing household chores for their master.

Slaves can be order to do almost anything.

There is no human rights here.

No one will pity and No one will bother helping.

Everyone is burdened by survival in this wild lands.

If Silver remembered correctly.

The serpent tribe have a population of about 500 individuals.

It is considered to be medium settlement around these inhabited land.

This is what she learned eavesdropping in the discussion in the tribe.

The tribe have ancestral control of the surrounding mountains and plains.

For about 10 kilometers in circumference if measured with the tribes settlement at the center.

It is accepted and treated as a fact by other surrounding tribal settlements.

Most of which are small tribe with few that are reaching the medium population.

The resources within this territory are barely enough to feed the tribe.

Even with the surplus from the occasional bumper harvest and hunting results.

Food is a resource that is in shortage that is often times more important than life.

In this savage community, the starved people can kill for food.

And food can buy the life of a willing person.

A lesson that Silver remembered the hard way during her childhood escapade trying to steal for a bite.

That is when she was punished to starve after being beaten.

Snapping out of her thinking and as she continues to grasp and pull edible vegetables.

Silver is now located in the plain beside the mountain.

Along with other slaves, they are task to collect the edible wild vegetables for the day.

Since it is in season and there's plenty growing in the soil.

Looking up front, Silver can see the demon's maw.

With vines and creepers in their wild glory decorating the entrance. Looking like the unkempt beards and mustaches of old tribal men.

Unlike other people.

She is very curious of the place.

Sometimes she also imagine being devoured by it.

To escape her life in the tribe.

Ofcourse this is the worse of Silver's imagination.

Usually Silver is just curious of what is in the depth.

Does it have an end and What is there?

Several questions popping up in her head.

Silver's active little brain ask this silly questions.

She ofcourse tried asking fellow slaves that are close friend.

They said she is crazy to think of it.

And someday according to them, maybe Silver will be mad enough to act on it.

Silver's mother also dissuades her every time she open the subject.

Looking at her with stern looks at her eyes that signify a beating if questioned otherwise.

What else can she say?

Silver just rolled her eyes and shut up.

There is no entertainment.

Only imagination and daydreaming can pass her time.

To entertain herself and have a respite out of the cruel reality of the life Silver is living.

Unlike other slave.

Silver questions her place in this tribe.

Silver is born a slave and She know of this.

She lived her life as a slave, but sometimes Silver ask "Why?".

Maybe this is peoples instinctive yearning for freedom.

This is what makes Silver different from her fellow slave.

Even Silver's mother never thought of this.

They don't even entertain the idea.

So Silver kept silent.

"Questioning myself and thinking of an answer by myself.

Pretty crazy, huh."

Silver acknowledge her thoughts as she traverse the path back to the tribe.

As she treaded and stomp the grasses on the muddled path with her caloused little feet wearing straw sandals that were close to being broken.

Along the way as Silver have finished her task while distractedly thinking about random topic.

As she carried a basket like container on her back that is full of green vegetables.

Edible as it is and having freshly harvested fragrant scent.

But Silver don't like how it taste to be very bitter.

"But it is all we can eat to at least have something in our stomach." Silver said to herself.

Like the hares Silver sees rushing through the grasses in the field.

If she were to be asked of this topic.

She will say that she don't see any difference between hares and slaves.

"Maybe well grow fur and leap like bunnies someday." Silver jokingly thought to herself.

But as time passed, Silver have reached her master's dwelling.

A hut made of wooden frames and walled with woven reeds and hay.

The gathered edible food is to be presented to the mistress.

Silver remembered that the slaves who gathered more have goodluck.

Maybe you can eat later.

If it is less than what the master think is enough.

Then I'm sorry, just be hungry because You are a slave anyway.

The master believes you can live up to the next meal.

Or so Silver think what's in the head of the masters.

Every gathering period, Silver will think of this like a humorless joke.

But Who can say that Silver's idea is not right?

Silver walks through the tribe and into the periphery.

Here Silver is now back to the place she call a shelter.

This is Silver and her mother's home, for a more acceptable term.

Although Silver still firmly disagree in her heart.

This home is made of branches as frames, and weaved hay and other grasses as walls.

Or walls as slaves call it.

But really, Silver think that piling up wooden sticks and covering it with a wide enough hide is better shelter.

"Well.

One can fantasize.

This is really impossible. " whispered Silver.

Back to Silvers home.

She watch her mother arrange things.

Our belonging as Silver respectfully call.

Although it is self deception.

But it's all what Silvers family have.

Some old hide and fur with rotten parts.

These are Silvers clothes.

Yes, that's what She wears.

A hide so old it smells of rotten flesh.

At the same time embellished with molds.

They are what the masters granted us.

Silver believe that Mother and herself are already considered lucky.

The wealthy slave family within the folk.

Most slave can only use wide leaves to cover their body.

These folk belong to the decent camp in slave society.

The lucky ones.

At least they can delude themselves to have decency.

Some masters prefer nakedness.

So their slave doesn't bother covering.

Or they must not cover themselves.

Anything is to cater the master's preference.

So the slaves follow.

"They are the wild ones" .

Silver entertained the idea in her mind.

Anyway, Silver felt nauseous.

So let's forget this indecent image.

While musing of these topics.

Silver have prepared the meal for this day.

"Our dinner.

The food for the day.

It is barely enough for two mouth to feed.

But it will do as is every single day in the past."

Silver whispered to no one.

The meal consist of dried fruits.

Something like a berry but more bitter than sweet.

Silver also warmed the soup.

She call it soup but it is actually just edible grasses boiled in water.

These grass that even less wealthy tribesman won't eat even when lacking food.

"Lucky us slaves, huh." Silver thinks ironically.

Silver sometimes pray to have more unwanted food.

But prayer won't make it real.

There only a handful of edible food that can be gathered in the territory.

Unless you go further and intrude on another tribes land.

Anyways food for thought.

These are Silver's passing idea as she finished eating.

"I'm done eating." Silver said to her mother.

As Silvers mother begin to rest.

Silver also laid beside her mother to at least keep warm.

Their shelter doesn't do much warming and providing heat for its dwellers.

Silver don't want to never wake up.

Which is actually what kills most weak slaves.

Those who are old.

Ofcourse these includes sick, weak, malnourished and starved people.

But it is not impossible to die of abuse.

It's not absent in the tribe.

Some master tribesmen vent their anger.

Some just give unwanted punishment for fun.

Some force sexual activity in multitude. Majority of men just vent their excess energy.

And this happens many times during the cold and rainy season when hunting is almost impossible.

But slave do die most of the time with variety of reasons. But there are always supplement that came from many sources of slavery.

"How sad. Hopefully her will be future mate from unknown future time will be kinder. " Silver laments as she recall the fate of those life gone.

As Silver thought lingers for a hope of achange in her life and rewriting her future destiny.

She can feel her body's need for rest.

So Silver give in to sleep.

A respite of life and escape to dreamland.

While thinking that tomorrow is her coming of age.

Silver whispered let's pray tomorrow to be a little bit better.

Just a little bit.

As Silver positively encourage herself.