Alfred hugged the White Lion tighter, his heart raging. The happening before him was too magnificent not to be affected.
'For the tribe! For the tribe!'
He repeated the words inside his head, embarrassed to join the howling crowd.
Soon, Chief Viren raised his right hand, stopping the people from chanting.
The tribesmen quietened upon seeing the skinny arm.
"It warms my heart seeing my people willing to take this chance together with us. There is nothing impossible with our combined efforts. Let us make sure this goal comes to fruition!"
The people looked at each other, smiling, nodding, whispering, and even hugging.
While the flame of hope still ignited in everyone's heart, the scarred Chieftain continued, using the momentum for a greater impact.
"Do not rejoice yet, everyone. We have more good news for you to hear." With that, Chief Viren sent a signal to Elder Ahote, proceeding to the next topic.
Alfred, Shaman Catori, and Aponi walked to the side, giving the stage to the next person.
The crowd watched silently, waiting for the next good news.
Without making any further delay, Elder Ahote stepped into the light, a wide grin plastered on his face.
Immediately, people noticed the item in the Elder's arms. With how unique it looked, it would be weird if they failed to react to it.
Chief Viren sauntered closer, then pointed his open palm at the pot. "Most of you probably have no idea what this is and might even think it is nothing special. However, eyes can be deceiving. This seemingly unimpressive item proves that even things outside of our imagination are possible to achieve."
Alfred scanned the faces of every person. Most of them were smiling and nodding, but some squinted, probably trying to examine the pot.
'This is what we're hoping for. The more positive reaction we get, the more confident I am of joining the tribe!'
The Chieftain placed his hand on Elder Ahote's shoulder and then turned to Alfred. "Of course, this is not possible if not because of the hard work of our best crafter, Elder Ahote, and his assistant, young Alfred. With their days of effort, they had accomplished something we had never seen for a very long time. New technology!"
The crowd threw glances at Alfred and started murmuring to one another.
Knowing that the Chieftain was boosting his name in the eyes of the tribesmen, Alfred had the urge to give the scarred old man a big thumbs up, resisting only because of how important tonight event was.
After letting the words sink in for a few seconds, Chief Viren once again walked forward. "You might have already guessed the utility of this item based on the design. However, this pot has a unique property that you will only understand later. For now, I want everyone to appreciate the clay pot yourselves as it will become a daily item for all of us in the future."
The skinny Chieftain turned to Elder Ahote and followed. "Please, Elder, if you may."
Understanding, the bulky Elder walked to the crowd, placed the pot on the ground, and stepped back, leaving the people the freedom to observe.
Without a delay, the tribesmen began to feed their curiosity, but even then, they didn't dare get closer, let alone touch.
'Are they afraid of damaging it? How much self-control and discipline do these people have?'
Alfred didn't mind if the pot was destroyed or damaged. It was an easy item to make, after all.
When he thought nothing would occur, a young girl reached out but quickly pulled her hand back, glancing at her mother for reassurance.
'I guess those younglings hadn't had full control of their desire yet.'
While the people were busy, Chief Viren sauntered over to Alfred. "Are you ready?"
"I don't know, I'm a bit nervous." Alfred laughed awkwardly, caressing the cub on his arm to find comfort.
"There is nothing to worry about." The scarred Chieftain smiled, reassuring him that everything would play out according to what they wanted. "Just show them what you can do, and I am sure the people will understand your value."
"Okay, I will do my best."
A few more minutes passed when Chief Viren gathered everyone's attention once again. "Everyone, if you are done examining the pot, I will proceed to its secret now."
Hearing the word "secret" revitalized the crowds' burning curiosity. They quietly went back to their original position and waited for their Chieftain to reveal it.
Seeing that his turn was coming near, Alfred let out a breath of air, relaxing his muscles for his upcoming debut. What he had to do needed his full focus, as failing was a terrifying thought.
"A lot of you must have been very displeased when we decided to let an outsider stay within our ranks." Chief Viren continued. "However, most of you must have already realized that we have a reason behind that decision. Tonight, we will answer your question and dispel the fog clouding your understanding."
The skinny Chieftain lingered for a few seconds, then faced Alfred. "…Young Alfred."
Alfred swallowed hard, feeling his heartbeat in his throat. This was it. The moment that would decide if they could accept him or remain an outsider.
He glanced at Aponi, who gave him an encouraging nod. Taking a deep breath, he handed her the White Lion and stepped forward.