The dark sky resonated with a warm vibrancy over a dense greenery that stretched out as far as the eyes could see, fading into a deep blue. Under the forest greenery was an isolated tribe. In the isolated tribe, the people were beginning to light torches to hang outside their circular huts. There were small campfires being set outside most huts to ward against the cold that crept in as it grew darker. Going into the greenery, there was a tribe, and in the tribe, there were people going back into the house, finishing the final chore of their day. The tribe was not big; at most, there were around a few dozen huts of varying sizes. The largest hut is at the center.
Inside the large hut.
A thin old man sat in front of a small fire surrounded by different types of rocks, small bowls of unknown liquid, and powder. The room was mostly dark and was only lit by that small fire. The frail old man had white symbols drawn on his dark skin. There were lines and symbols all over his body.
There were a few more people in the compartment of the hut. They all sat at the corner in the dark, the light not reaching their faces.
He was reciting a strange chant as he looked at the fire with his eyes half closed. He grabbed a fistful of powder from one of the bowls and threw it in the fire. The fire raged as if it were a wild animal being attacked by a hunter. He continued chanting and throwing the powder and liquid around the fire until the fire extinguished, leaving only char and ashes.
The surrounding filled with darkness until a man entered with a blazing torch in his hands from one of the hut's compartments. The man had bold features. He was tall and had broad shoulders. His whites of the eye are bright, and his brows are thick. He had a strong-looking appearance.
"The ancestors have spoken." The shaman, a frail old man, said.
"Ngoma (the shaman)…what words do they say?" The leader, a man holding the torch, said as he looked at the old man's figure.
"Send the River Stone. Muruku (tribe leader)," The shaman said.
The tribe leader's eyes expanded in surprise.
A moment of silence took place.
...
Outside, somewhere near the tribe.
A dark and frail-looking man is carrying one large sack on his shoulder. He wore a thick leather cloak draped over his shoulders and some leather-like fabric from the waist to his shin. Tired, he walked into the tribe surrounded by trees. The man carried the large sack and headed toward the big hut at the center of the tribe. He passed by the people of the tribe, greeting a few on the way. Soon, he reached the big hut.
A dark, bulky man sat right beside the hut's entrance. He sat with his arms around his knees and a spear in his hand. The remnant red light from the sky ignited his silhouette while his dark skin almost blended into the shadows. The whites of his eyes were still visible, making him look as alert as can be while looking at the incoming man.
The frail-looking man looked at the guard sitting at the entrance and nodded. The guard nodded back. The frail man dropped the sack from his shoulder and turned around when he heard the deep voice of the guard.
"Nalo—Stay"
"You will wait here. The shaman and the tribe leader are speaking. They will call you."
Nalo turned around, nodded as he came, and sat by the guard.
Soon, from the darkness of the entrance, the tribe leader exited and called in Nalo.
There was pure silence except for some murmurings from inside, which could be understood if one focused enough. Nalo, simply sitting there, looks at the guard, and internally, he feels a sense of envy. Nalo is a fragile-looking man, whereas the guard is strong and brave. Strong enough to guard the Tribe Leader's hut. In the tribe itself, it shows the man's achievement.
Nalo broke the silence and said.
"Bako, look at you---you have walked far. You must feel it."
"Nalo…you are good. Even small work feeds the river. You are young. You will become."
Nalo turned his head and felt the last rays of dusk on his face as all turned dark except the many small flickers of fire torches lit outside every house, far away.
Bako felt Nalo's down mood and pointed at the totem hanging down Nalo's neck and said.
"Remember, Nalo. A stone does not walk, yet a river takes it far."
Nalo, hearing this, looked at his totem. It seemed like a rough piece of rock that was simply picked up from the ground, but it was given to him as a totem. It was, in fact, a River Stone totem. A totem is given to everyone in the tribe at birth. It usually symbolizes what direction their life would take and dictates what sort of person they become.
Suddenly, a figure came out from the darkness of the entrance, holding a torch and looking at Nalo, who was sitting beside Bako. Nalo looked at the figure's face and saw the tribe leader's indifferent gaze looking at him.
"Come…Nalo"
The tribe leader said. As he went back inside the dark hut.
Nalo got up and followed the tribe leader into the big hut. The tribe leader led to the central compartment of the hut. Inside, a frail old man sat, staring blankly into the ashes and rocks in front of him. He also saw that there were a few more figures sitting by the wall. Nalo couldn't make out their faces.
"A task has been placed in your hands. You will carry this and walk with these people. Let it not be lost or taken. If you fail, the shame will stand with your name." The tribe leader said with a stern face as he handed Nalo an object wrapped in thick leather. It was around the size of a fist and felt smooth.
"Yes, Muruku. But now?" Nalo asked
"Yes." The tribe leader replied.
The figures sitting at the corners got up and started exiting the compartment one by one. Nalo followed them as he glanced back at the tribe leader and the shaman, who were just standing there, simply looking at him.
Just as he was going through the corridor that led to the exit, he passed by another compartment in the hut. There, he saw a couple of tribe elders trying to converse, but very lightly. From the elders' conversation, Nalo heard his name being called, but the other elder soon shushed him.
Nalo felt something fishy, but he didn't pay much attention to it. After all, Nalo had quite a low position in the whole tribe, and the task handed to him seemed rather important. There was an odd sense of suspicion in the air tonight. Nalo was vague on what was happening, hence he couldn't help but go with the flow.
As Nalo and the group of people left the hut, he tried to look at their faces, but their faces were hidden by thick leather cloaks.
"Stay in the river, Nalo." Nalo turned around and saw Bako sitting at the same spot, but he had a gravity in his expression.
Soon, Nalo left the tribe and walked in the dark forest while the group of people walked in front with their torches lighting the way.
'Something is not right.' Nalo thought to himself.