Tribe Rules - S01 E04

Story 2 months ago

Tribe Rules - S01 E04

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 4

Episode 4: Tribe Rules

Jide stood outside the great wooden gates of the Sun Tribe and did not look back. He could still hear the heavy sound of the wood hitting the stone as the gates closed. He was no longer a prince. He did not have his golden crown or his fine purple robes. He was wearing simple clothes made of brown cloth. He felt light, like a bird that had just escaped from a golden cage. Even though the sky had made a scary booming sound, Jide felt brave. He walked down the dusty path until he reached the edge of the kingdom. This was the place where the tall grass met the thick trees of the forest.

Elena was waiting for him there. She was leaning against a large gray stone. When she saw Jide coming toward her, her face lit up like the morning sun. She ran to him, and they held hands very tightly. Jide noticed that she was also wearing simple clothes. She had left her life in the Rain Tribe just as he had left his life in the Sun Tribe. They were two people with no home, but they had each other.

Are you ready? Jide asked. His voice was soft but very sure.

Elena nodded her head. I am ready to go wherever you go, she said.

They turned their backs on the only homes they had ever known. They began to walk away from the kingdoms and toward the deep, wild woods. At first, the walk was easy. The sun was warm on their backs, and the path was flat. But as they walked further, the forest began to change. The trees became very tall and very thick. The branches grew so close together that they blocked out most of the sunlight. It felt like they were walking into a giant green tunnel.

They traveled for many days. Each day, the forest seemed to grow thicker and darker with every step they took. The ground was covered in old leaves and tangled roots that tried to trip them. Jide had to use his knife to cut away the vines so they could pass. This part of the woods was very different from the forest near Jide’s home. Near the Sun Tribe, the birds were always singing. There were bright flowers and busy squirrels everywhere. But here, the birds did not sing. There was no chirping, no whistling, and no flapping of wings. The only sound was the wind.

The wind was the strangest part of all. It did not just blow through the leaves. It moved through the hollow trunks of old trees and made a sound like a person crying. Sometimes, the sound was a low moan. Other times, it sounded like a sad woman weeping in the distance. It was a lonely sound that made the hair on Jide’s arms stand up.

Elena looked around at the dark trees and the gray sky. She looked at Jide, and for a moment, her eyes were full of worry. Jide, she said, stopping for a second. Are you sure you want to do this? You were a prince. You had a beautiful palace and people who served you. Now you are walking through a dark forest with nothing but a knife and a bag of bread. Are you sure you do not want to go back?

Jide stopped and looked at her. He took both of her hands in his. He felt the warmth of her skin, and it made him feel strong again. He smiled at her and leaned down to kiss her hand. Elena, he replied, a crown is just a piece of metal. A palace is just a building made of stone. As long as we are together, we have everything we need. I would rather be a simple man with you than a king without you.

Elena smiled, and some of the fear left her eyes. They kept walking, pushing through the thick bushes and over the cold streams. They walked until the dark forest finally began to open up. The trees became smaller, and the sunlight began to peek through the leaves again.

They came out into a beautiful spot that was far away from the two tribes. It was a wide valley hidden between two big hills. The land was very green, covered in soft grass that looked like a velvet carpet. There were bright yellow and blue flowers growing everywhere. A small, clear stream bubbled through the middle of the valley. The water was not black like the Great River. It was clear and bright, and it sparkled like diamonds in the sun.

This is it, Jide said. This is our new home.

They spent the first few nights sleeping under the stars, but Jide knew they needed a real house. He wanted to build a place where Elena would be safe and warm. Even though he had never built a house before, he was strong and he was willing to learn. He started working hard every single day.

First, Jide went to the edge of the forest and found the strongest trees. He used his tools to cut down the wood. He spent hours peeling the bark and making the logs smooth. His hands became rough and had small cuts on them, but he did not complain. He sang songs while he worked, and Elena helped him by gathering long vines to tie the wood together.

After the wooden frame was finished, Jide went to the stream. He looked for the finest stones he could find. He picked up heavy, flat stones and carried them back to the house. He used these stones to build a big fireplace and a strong floor. He wanted the house to be the best house in the world. He used thick mud to fill the gaps between the logs so the cold wind could not get inside.

Elena worked hard too. She found wild fruits in the forest and planted a small garden near the stream. She found soft moss to make their bed and wove tall grass together to make mats for the floor. They were very happy. They laughed together as they worked. They ate their meals by the stream and watched the sunset every evening. It felt like they had found a secret paradise where the rules of the tribes could never reach them.

But even though they were happy, something started to feel strange. It began about a week after the house was finished. The house was big and strong, and the fire in the fireplace was warm. But when the sun went down and the moon came up, the valley changed.

One night, Jide was lying on the soft moss bed. Elena was fast asleep next to him. Everything was very quiet. But then, Jide heard a sound. It was coming from outside, far away in the distance. It was the sound of a baby crying.

The cry was very soft at first. It sounded like a tiny baby who was cold or hungry. Jide sat up and listened. His heart started to beat a little faster. He wondered if there was another family living in the valley. He wondered if a traveler had lost their child. He got up quietly and went to the door. He opened it and looked out into the night.

The valley was covered in silver moonlight. The grass looked white, and the trees looked like dark ghosts. Jide walked a little way from the house. He looked toward the forest and then toward the hills. He listened very carefully. But as soon as he stepped outside, the crying stopped. There was nothing there but the wind and the moonlight.

Maybe it was just a bird, Jide whispered to himself. He went back inside and went to sleep.

But the next night, it happened again. And the night after that, it happened again. Every night, as soon as the moon was high in the sky, Jide would hear that same sound. Waah! Waah! It was the sound of a baby crying in the distance. Every time he went outside to look, he found nothing. There were no footprints in the mud. There were no broken branches. There was only the empty, silver valley. Jide did not tell Elena at first because he did not want to scare her. He tried to tell himself that his ears were playing tricks on him.

One evening, Jide and Elena were sitting outside by a small fire they had built. The flames were orange and yellow, dancing in the dark. They were talking about the garden and the beautiful flowers that were starting to grow. It was a peaceful night. The stars were very bright, looking like tiny holes poked in a dark blanket.

Suddenly, a shadow flew over their heads. It was so fast that Jide only saw a flash of black wings. Then, they heard a heavy thud on the roof of their house. A large black owl had landed right on top of the house. It was much bigger than any owl Jide had ever seen. Its feathers were as black as the ink in the Great River.

The owl turned its head and looked down at them. It had giant yellow eyes that seemed to glow in the dark. It did not look like a normal bird. It looked like it was thinking. It looked like it knew who they were. The owl opened its beak and let out a scream. It was not a hoot like a normal owl. It was a loud, sharp scream that sounded like a warning. The sound was so loud that it made the fire flicker and almost go out.

Jide stood up and grabbed a piece of wood from the fire to use as a torch. He held the light up, but the owl did not fly away. It just kept staring at them with those glowing yellow eyes.

Elena jumped up and grabbed Jide’s arm. She was shaking. Jide, she whispered, why is the owl looking at us like that?

I do not know, Elena, Jide said. He tried to sound brave, but his voice was a little bit shaky too.

Elena looked around the clearing. She looked at the dark forest and the silent hills. She gripped Jide’s arm even tighter. Her voice was very small, almost like a secret.

Jide, she whispered, why is the forest so quiet tonight?

Jide listened. She was right. Usually, there was the sound of the stream or the wind in the grass. But tonight, everything had stopped. The water seemed to have stopped bubbling. The leaves were not moving. Even the fire did not make a sound. It was the kind of silence that feels like someone is standing right behind you, holding their breath. The black owl leaned forward on the roof, its yellow eyes never leaving Jide’s face.

What do you think the black owl is trying to tell Jide and Elena? Is it a friend or a messenger of bad luck?

Why do you think Jide hears a baby crying every night when there is nobody there? Could it be a ghost or a trick of the forest?

Elena noticed that the forest went completely silent. What do you think happens when the world becomes that quiet?

Do you think the King’s warning about the "harvest" is starting to come true in this new land?

The silence is more dangerous than the noise! Jide and Elena thought they found a paradise, but something is watching them from the shadows. What is the secret of the crying baby and the black owl?