Tribe

After a few hours of walking in the forest, Ling still couldn't stop his eyes from straying to the figure beside him.

It was a young man just a little older than him. But that's just on the upper part. His lower part was a snake! And a big snake too! If he stood up with only the points of his tail on the ground, he'd be twice Ling's height!

The snake man had a shirt now, so you couldn't tell where the human body stopped and the snake one started. But Ling had seen him shirtless earlier. The young man introduced himself as Ahas, and he was climbing the tree where Ling fell at earlier. The reason why he did not have his shirt on.

The forest was where his kind live, along with other tribes. Now, Ahas was leading Ling to his tribe.

Of course him following this snake man didn't mean that Ling trusted him that easily. He hadn't forgotten that hit on his head. It was just that, once he got his bearings and observed the forest, he couldn't tell where the exit was. It was like he was in a separate world where it was only the forest existing without other places outside.

That was the work of the forest according to Ahas. Despite its familiar green, it gave a different feeling to Ling with its too tall trees forming a canopy that blotted out the sky. No light from the sun was seeping through with only the 'mist' illuminating the surroundings.

Aside from the life 'mist', it was like the forest also has life itself. It was guarding itself from those it was not familiar with. That was why Ling could not sense the exit.

But Ahas had told Ling not to worry. Although the forest was affecting his senses, since it hadn't really hurt Ling, he could find the way out eventually. Just that, it was easier if he asked for help from the natives instead of wandering alone in this forest.

Moreover, Ling had sensed that the direction they were going to had a faint trace of Maga's presence. It was either Maga had gone here or the dragon was near. After a thought, Ling decided that this snake man's tribe might also help him find Maga.

Not to mention that Ling was also curious about the whole tribe with half man and half snake bodies. Under Ling's vigilant eyes, there was a familiar sparkle as his sight strayed to the snake man's tail.

Soon, a 'mist' barrier was visible in front of their eyes. There was an obscure path leading to it and Ahas was walking through it as he talked to Ling beside him.

"Here's our tribe. Sorry, I can't tell you the way out. Our chief had to guide you herself." Then, he complained under his breath. "I couldn't even get out of the forest myself."

"Was that why you were climbing that tree?" Ling slowed down his pace, moving behind Ahas now.

When Ahas realized, he turned in time to see the change on the boy's expression. "Oh, come on. I was really surprised when I heard the fight in the sky. Then, you fell and I thought you were an intruder from another tribe." Ling was still frowning so he continued. "I already told you there were other tribes here. And we don't exactly welcome them in our territory. Our chief could explain it better, so let's go."

Knowing that he really needed their help, Ling followed with his guards up.

"But yes, I was trying to see what's outside the forest." Ahas said quietly.

Ling didn't get to follow up that statement since several figures came out behind the trees once they were near the barrier. When he looked closely, Ling realized that they were not all half man, half snake people.

Of the ten, aside from the two with snake half-bodies, one have a horse half, two have goat horns and hooves, and a woman even has wings and claws for feet. The other four were wolves.

Suddenly, the bird woman jumped forward and caught Ling in her claws before flying high. Ling was used to being held this way so he didn't move in case he would fall again. Then, he watched the scene below.

"What do you think you're doing, Ahas?" The horse man stepped forward.

Ahas then raised his palms up in front of him. "Hey, Bayo. I knew you guys are here. You see, I saw that guy when I was walking around the border so I led him here to you." His face was straight but everybody knew he was lying.

"Your mother just went out looking for you. Did you climb up a tree to watch the other tribes fight again?"

"Damn!" He exclaimed, then sighed with a small look at the two people flying in the air. "Well, this guy didn't look like he was part of the other tribes. I think his ride was stolen so I was going to lead him to the chief. No need to tell mother about me now."

"What don't they need to tell me now?" A voice suddenly hissed behind Ahas.

After tensing up, Ahas slowly turned around with a smile. "Mother! I was just telling them I'll get this kid to the chief."

The rustling leaves resounded as a snake came into view. It raised its body until it was in front of its son's face. "What kid?"

Then, eleven pairs of eyes looked at the bird woman's claws. The child was missing. Just a minute ago, Ahas had seen the kid there. Where did he go now? And how did he escape from Ibon's claws?

"I'll trouble you, Bayo, to take care of this." The snake bowed to the horse man, then slithered to the barrier. "Ahas, follow me!"

"B-but the kid came with me. I was going to..." However, Ahas stopped speaking after a look back from the snake.

When the group dispersed, Ling came out behind a tree near the barrier. He knew that the others would be looking for him so he kept his presence hidden. Now, going past the barrier wouldn't be wise too.

Earlier, he actually didn't mean to escape. He had already realized that Ahas couldn't be trusted but that didn't mean that the tribe would hurt him.

However, when he heard that unintelligible hiss—same as what he had heard deep in the forest earlier, he thought that it was the monster Ahas was afraid of so his body reacted. He went through the 'mist' holding him and slowly fell to the ground using his 'mist'.

Since he had already escaped these people's claws, he decided to keep hiding, seeing as that the monster didn't leave yet. Then, Ahas even spoke some gibberish too and followed that creature.

The others didn't follow after the creature and were probably looking for him. By then, Ling understood that the snake was not an enemy of this tribe. However, he had already sensed Maga's presence outside the barrier so he decide to follow it instead.