Chapter 40 Into the Forest
The first scouts left before sunrise.
Aren woke to the sound of footsteps outside the guest quarters. For a moment, he stayed still and listened. Quiet voices. The clatter of weapons. Someone pulling a rope tight. Then a horse-like grunt came from somewhere near the eastern gate.
Aren got up and stepped outside. The sky was still dark. A thin gray light had begun to appear beyond the trees.
Doran was already there. He was checking the straps on his pack.
"You slept?"
"A little."
Doran looked at him. "You look terrible."
"You don’t look much better."
"I wasn’t trying to."
Aren smiled. Nearby, six warriors were preparing to leave. They weren’t wearing heavy armor. Most carried short spears, knives, and small bags containing food and water.
Doran had chosen two Greenleaf hunters for his group. The other two scouts came from Stone Brook. Aren recognized one of them from yesterday’s training. The warrior noticed him looking.
"You remember me?"
Aren nodded. "You were on the mixed team."
The man smiled. "And I was the one who carried the stone without dropping it."
Doran laughed. "You’re still talking about that?"
"I earned the right."
Aren smiled. "Good luck."
The warrior nodded. "We’ll be back before you know it."
Doran looked at Aren. "That’s the plan."
---
Chief Aldren arrived a few minutes later. He carried no weapon except a simple knife at his waist. He looked over the three groups.
"Remember the instructions." His voice was low. "Observe first. Don’t chase anyone. If you find signs of an enemy, return."
The scouts nodded. Captain Reth stepped forward. "River group, with me." His group moved toward the western gate. The Iron Ridge scouts went north. Doran’s group headed east.
Aren watched them disappear one by one. The gates closed behind them. For a few seconds, nobody spoke. Then Jarek walked beside Aren.
"So..."
Aren looked at him. "So what?"
"Nothing happened."
Aren raised an eyebrow. "What were you expecting?"
"I don’t know." Jarek looked toward the closed gates. "I thought something dramatic would happen."
Doran would have laughed at that. Aren just shook his head.
"Go eat breakfast."
Jarek sighed. "You’re no fun." He walked away.
Aren watched him leave. For once, he was glad nothing dramatic had happened.
---
The morning passed normally. The markets around Stone River slowly became busy. Fishermen returned from the river. Women carried baskets between the houses. Children ran through the streets while guards watched from the walls.
Aren spent most of the morning walking around the settlement. He wanted to see how Stone River actually worked. The tribe was much larger than his village. They had different groups responsible for fishing, hunting, farming, toolmaking, and guarding the walls. There was an organization behind everything. It wasn’t perfect. But it worked.
Aren stopped near a group of men repairing a wooden cart. One of them was struggling with a broken wheel. Aren watched for a moment.
"Need help?"
The man looked at him. "Do you know how to fix it?"
Aren hesitated. "I might."
The man handed him a piece of rope. "Then show me."
Aren crouched beside the wheel. He examined the damaged section. A memory surfaced. Not a clear image. Just a feeling. How the pressure should be distributed. Where the support should go. He adjusted the rope and added a second piece of wood beneath the damaged section. The wheel became more stable.
The man tested it. "Huh." He looked at Aren. "That actually works."
Aren smiled. "I got lucky."
The man laughed. "Then you should stay lucky."
The Civilization Legacy System appeared.
════════════════════════════
KNOWLEDGE APPLIED
Basic Structural Repair
Civilization Points +5
Memory Synchronization: 27% → 28%
════════════════════════════
Aren stared at the message. Another memory. Another small piece. Nothing powerful. Nothing that would suddenly make him a genius. Just knowledge. Useful knowledge.
He closed the system. The man beside him looked confused. "You alright?"
"Yeah." Aren stood. "Just thinking."
---
Around midday, Chief Aldren found him.
"Still exploring?"
"Stone River is bigger than I expected."
Aldren smiled. "Most outsiders say that."
"I’m starting to understand why you were willing to host the council."
Aldren looked toward the busy market. "We needed it."
"Because of Black Fang?"
"Because of everyone."
Aldren picked up a piece of dried fruit from a nearby stall. "Black Fang isn’t the only danger."
Aren looked at him. "What do you mean?"
Aldren shrugged. "People fight over hunting grounds. Rivers. Salt. Good farmland."
"Even without Black Fang?"
"Especially without Black Fang." He handed Aren the fruit. "Peace between tribes doesn’t happen because everyone suddenly becomes friends."
Aren took it. "Then why?"
"Because sometimes people realize fighting costs more than cooperation."
Aren considered his words. That made sense. Maybe that was why the council mattered. Not because everyone trusted one another. Because they had reasons to avoid fighting.
---
A loud horn suddenly sounded from the eastern wall. Aren stopped. One blast. Everyone nearby looked toward the gate. Aldren’s expression changed.
"That’s not a council signal."
Another blast. Two quick ones.
Aren immediately understood. "Three short whistles..."
Aldren looked at him. "No." He shook his head. "That’s the old signal."
Aren’s heart tightened. "What does it mean?"
Aldren looked toward the eastern forest. "Emergency."
---
Guards rushed toward the eastern gate. Aren followed Aldren. Several warriors were already preparing their weapons. Nobody knew what had happened yet.
A few minutes later, a figure appeared between the trees. Running. Alone. Aren recognized him. One of Doran’s scouts.
The warrior stumbled through the gate. Two guards caught him before he fell.
"Where are the others?" Aldren asked.
The scout struggled to breathe. "Ambush..." The word came out barely audible.
Aren stepped closer. "Who attacked you?"
The scout looked at him. His face was pale. "I don’t know."
"How many?"
"Too many."
Aldren crouched beside him. "Where is Doran?"
The scout swallowed. "He told us to split up."
Aren’s expression tightened. "Why?"
The scout looked toward the forest. "Because they were following us."
The gates immediately began closing. Aren stared at the dark trees. Doran had gone into the eastern forest with four other scouts. Now only one had returned. And somewhere beyond the trees, someone had decided to stop hiding.
End of Chapter 40