THE TRIBE RIDES AGAIN
It was a cold and grey day when the Daldriad left their beloved plains of Asulon. They had seen the signs of collapse in nature. Massive storms, floods, earthquakes. For the past month they had spent all their time building ships. They were poorly made atrocities, the Daldriad were not shipwrights. The tribe crowded their nervous horses onto the boats and soothed them with carrots and soft voices, before gathering onboard the ship. Mustang Ghora’Rama stood on a rocky outcrop, looking over his people. They were gathered on the seashore, scattered like leaves in the wind. Then the Mustang looked behind him. He saw the vast plains of his childhood, the place where he, his father, and his father’s father had been raised. His red tattoos stood out in stark contrast to his tanned skin. The Mustang stood their for a time, reflecting. Waiting for a sign from the spirits. When none came, he walked down from the rock and onto the windy shore. His Drel’Khamen fell behind him. Ghora’Takota, Bura’Ghali, and Oros’Tetulan. Their orange blended with his red as he walked by the ships and talked to each family. They were frightened, as he expected. No Daldriad had ever faced the open sea. He listened to their fears, and gave advice, before moving on. Eventually, his path brought him before the Drel’Ulicthr. Five of them there were that day, Bura’Atash, Lalan’Abra, Lalan’Yatar, Agar’Hachan, and Prolin’Bal. They greeted him with cold stares. He had never gotten along with them, and they thought this move was a mistake. Bura’Atash, the oldest and a woman, greeted him with an inclincation of her head. “Mustang.” “Grreetings honorrable Drrel.” “Therre is still time to take back yourr decision, Mustang.” “No. You of all should be able to feel the end, honorrable Drrel.” “We should not be so hasty. What if the storrms pass? What then, Mustang?” “Then I shall guide my people to safety, then rrid myself of you, and go to the side of the Grreat Spirrit.” “Verry well Mustang.” The Drel’Ulicthr strode onto their personal ship, they politely refused to sail with the Mustang. Rama looked to his people, and then got on his own ship. At that signal they too boarded. Then the fledgling sailors hoisted the sails and the ships bore them away. Rama watched as his homeland vanished behind him. Days, perhaps weeks passed. Rama lost all track of time aboard the ship. He was often seasick. He watched the ship bearing the Drel go down in a storm. He watched two of his Khamen die of scurvy and dysentery. This he watched, and then fell into a silence. He waited, and prayed to the Great Spirit to deliver them from the wrathful sea. He and his brother Takota were the only leaders left. Then a shout came from the ship next to them. “LAAAAAAND!” The cry was taken up by the other ships, joyfully. They screamed until the wind echoed with their shouts. All of them grabbed for a look at the land, the land, the land! Hours later, the ships landed on Anthos. Many Daldriad got down on their knees and kissed the beaches sand. Many prayed, some cried. Then Rama got off from the ship, and looked around at his people, beyond proud. He smiled joyfully and climbed on top of a barrel. “Childrren of the Grreat Spirrit! We have made it to land! Look arround you! Hills, valleys, vast distances to rride in. I forrsee a brright futurre for the trribe!” The tribe nodded their consent, there were no cheers. Rama continued. “But...this voyage has not been without harrdship. We have lost valiant men and women. Ourr numberrs have been grreatly reduced. And still therre is harrdship ahead. We must rrestock the horrses, we must hunt. And we must build our camp again. With that the Mustang whistled for his horse, Kalabhora. Deftly he jumped on to it. The men and women did the same. Then he turned his head around to see his tribes, his herd. Their belongings were few. The ships they would leave behind. “Forr the trribe, and the Grreat Spirrit, we rride!” And the tribe echoed back. “We rride!”