Winter's Wrath

It was the beginning of the winter season. It was cold and harsh, and the worst was yet to come. In the middle of the harsh winter, big snow tornadoes could occur.

The snow would fill up to the height of six-foot-tall trees. Only the Skyroot tribe could survive here because they could live in the Big trees. Other tribes would just wander or migrate to warm land before the winter. 

That's why hunting before the climate change could turn for the worse, was a survival mechanism for the hunters in Skyroot tribe.

One could question why other tribes don't do the same.

Every tribes has their own god and culture. If others would start to do the same as Skyroot they would be treat as exile of Skyroot and also it would be disgrace to their god or goddess for copying other gods methods.

In extreme cold below zero degree Celsius, Animal will become less active and go to hibernate. Before that happened, Hunters of the tribe had to gather enough food to survive the winter. And the best source of food they could gather is meat.

Herbivorous grazing animals begin to eat more and fatten up before winter to hibernate, just like carnivores. However, because grass is low in calories, intelligent herbivores gather their food in caves, while others choose to migrate to lower, colder regions to hibernate and survive the cold, feeding on grass as soon as they emerge from hibernation.

Before that happens, the Skyroot tribe hunts these animals to stockpile enough food to last through the winter. This is their only means of survival, and the tribe is prepared to hunt once more.

Additionally, as many children reach their 16th winter and awaken their ancient bloodline powers, this annual hunt becomes a celebrated event within the tribe. The young hunters are trained to hunt these weaker herbivorous animals from very young age.

The experienced hunter would protect the younger generation in here, the strong would be chosen as a group leader and weak could only follow the strong. Although adults would also attended the hunt but their hunting target would be different. Meaning they would hunt in the frontline while the weaker monsters would be directed towards the young hunters.

This was their way to survival. And the tribe was ready to celebrate the hunt again.

Axel was also ready to hunt too. He rested inside the camp away from the prying eyes like the lone he was. And it was almost dinner time.

He was hungry enough to eat an elephant, but he had to wait until the food was ready and the ritual was done. Due to the hunt being a form of ritual, hunters had to work hard today. Regardless, the food would be lavish today. At least, this is what his uncle Mani said to him.

"Dumm..Dumm." As informed, the drums rang from the center of the camp. The sun began to set, shading the sky crimson red. Youngsters around him all started to gather around the big bonfire in the center of the camp, where hunters were cooking the meat around the fire.

Axel also being curious and hungry walked toward the center expecting good food. But instead of food what he got was a old guy chanting various religious mantra, His Uncle Mani with several strong Hunters just like his uncle stand beside the Shaman.

He immediately understood the Food he though hunters were cooking is actually sacrificing to the goddess Nala for the coming hunt.

Around 5 minutes letter when the shaman stopped chanting the bonfire immediately soared, half of the sacrifice hunter set in the bonfire immediately burned to ash but other half is looked like they were perfectly cooked as if Goddess Nala cooked them with her own hand.

After seeing the scene, Axel felt his blood start to boil like water, just like when he was running.

Suddenly, a big chain started to form around his right hand, and a tattoo-like bracelet dyed in red color appeared on his right hand. Not just him, everyone around his age experienced the same.

Some were pink, some were lighter red, but Axel's tattoo was a dense red color, almost like dark brown. Axel was immediately astonished by it. Is this the blessing of Nala, his uncle said about?

'So my abilities are dormant until now!' Axel thought

Everyone gets their own different tattoo, unlike Axel's hand bracelet-like chain tattoo. For example, a boy to Axel's left got a triangle tattoo on his palm. Many are happy, but many looked disappointed. After all no one wanted a tattoo on their forehead or in their neck.

Although this tattoo placement doesn't really matter, if one wants, they could even hide it, but it is looked at as an artistic presentation in the tribe, and many tribesmen even tattoo for good look. But it will give you some passive power just like Axels ability.

Unlike others, he really doesn't care about where it should appear, but he finds it fascinating and wants to do more research around it."

But before he could research more about it, his uncle stood near the large bonfire and started giving a lengthy speech. He was wearing the same clothes as before he came.

The only difference is that he is now wearing a crown made of wood adorned with a necklace crafted from the vertebrae bones of fierce beasts. Skillfully crafted, it gives his uncle a dominating and cool fierce leader vibe, making it one of the most beautiful things Axel has ever seen in his life.

"Our children! Thanks to our goddess Nala, we could take the first step toward your journey to become great hunters without any problem. May the Goddess clear the obstacles for our tribes, bless us to destroy our enemies." Immediately after Uncle Mani said that, the whole crowd started to shout

"Praise the goddess Nala, Praise the goddess Nala."

"All the tribes and their gods and goddesses cannot even save them; that's why they always moved out from their motherland every time a simple winter came. But we are not cowards. we do not fear deaths we never fear the challenge goddess Nala put us. We will never betray our land or our goddess. We are the Sky-root tribe; even the Skyfiends fear us, let alone some change in the sky. Are all my brothers ready for tomorrow's hunt"

" Yes" The crowd immediately shout in unison.

"All my brothers are you ready to protect the village"

"Yes'

"All my brother are you all ready to die for the Goddess Nala"

Crowd again shouted "Yes".

After that he was talked about how great the tribe and hunters were and how noble it was to hunt for the tribes people.

"Is my uncle is a politician. He is definitely looked like the leader." Axel thought.

"…..To provide for our tribes. Tomorrow, we show our strength in the face of the winter, Show the might of Sky-roots people. We will beat the cold, we will triumph over our prey and prove our worthiness to this world, we will ensure the survival of our tribe….."

Chieftain Mani said with certainty. The hunt can never be a failure or else the people who were depending on them back home would suffer the worse formed of death.

Being a leader have its merit and demerit in every society. Whatever it maybe a politician, a hero or a king you have to take responsibility of your people.

That's why sometimes it required harsh decision for well being of the tribe. In this hunt some people could die even with the experienced hunter protecting them.

But Axel agreed with his uncle conviction. It was better to ensure survival and It was better to contribute to ensuring survival.

After giving the long speech Mani return to his Chair. His chair is directly near the big bonfire. So when he sit in the chair the flame and his prideful look feel like a scene from a movie.

Just as his uncle sat on the chair six people with different kind of haircut walked toward the bonfire and stood in front of the tribe.

They are six best hunter in the tribe and each use different kind of weapon. They each represent a team of hunters using different weapons. 

Toward the left most side a female Hunter holding bow and arrow could be seen. She was the leader of Archers of the Sky-root tribe. She is the only female on the group of six.

This make him wonder, Because until now although there are girls within them awaken bloodline power some of them go away as soon as their Awakening completed. And they didn't even wait to listen to their leader speech.

This Absolutely shown that they aren't compulsorily have to save the tribe and hunt for the food. And most of them didn't even looked interested in it.

Regardless, near her were other people carrying sword, spears, hammer, axe and shield.

'Well! If feminists from earth seen this, I fear my uncle had to abandoned his post as the tribes leader to not recruit more woman in the hunting team' thinking that a little smile formed from his own joke.

When these towering figures stood in front of the bonfire without spoken a world. Even the rowdy kid stopped talking. After gaining everyone attention, they lifted their weapon in the air.

"For the tribe" They roared before smashing the weapons on the ground. It was a thunderous roar that awakened the primal instinct in the heart of youngsters. Even Axel felt his heart beating powerfully with each passing second.

"For the tribe." The audience regardless the young hunter or the old roared with them. The passionate roars of young man and girl filled the air.