With a large bowl of steaming hot soup in his hands, Ares calmed down a little. The warmth of the bowl spread through his fingers, up to his elbows, then to his shoulders, before finally reaching his neck and the sides of his jaw. He slumped his shoulders for a moment and then drank in the salty soup, before finally placing it down. Then he looked out to the thousands of oxfolk that had joined, all of whom had brought their own food and were sharing it around.

‘Seriously, they all joined this quickly…’ Ares felt the coolness of embarrassment flood through him. Then he recalled the jokes he made about his kids, and even if they were the cutest, it was pretty cringe. He reached up and then rubbed his face, as if trying to hide himself from the world. He took another long sip, letting the salt fill him, before he then stood up and placed down his bowl.

He then stepped up and inhaled deeply. As he did, a quiet began to come across the tribe, like a wave that flowed out towards the edge. When all was silent, Ares was bombarded with attention. He began to sweat though his body was cool.

“Good afternoon! I am Ares, and though many of you know that, we have quite a new family members.” Ares smiled. It filled him with a warm fuzzy feeling, breaking through the nauseousness in his stomach. “I understand this is a confusing time, and that to be a part of my tribe, well… It’s not the same as the tribe you were a part of. You will no doubt harbour ill feelings towards me for some time. There is a code you will have to obey, and to put it simply, you will obey. If you have an issue, you will…” Then he paused.

“Before we speak about that, I understand that perhaps I should tell you the structure of the tribe. I am the chief, it is a pleasure to meet you.” Ares bowed his head. “I am still very new to all of this, so there will be times I may stumble. Then we have Rori.” Ares motioned to the bearman to try and get some of the gazes off of him. “He is my…” Ares tried to think of something cool. “He is my…” He rubbed his forehead. “He is my right hand man, he is the counsel. If I am not around, you will take orders from him. Whatever he says, I will back with my trust.” Ares bowed his head to Rori, who returned the bow.

“Then we have Torak. He is my kinsshield. He protects my kin, my children. Then we have Aspara, she will guide the milk mothers in their duties. The milk mothers take care of the newborns, mine or others, and they will be given a certain level of protection too. Anyone that troubles them or the children, troubles me.” He began to walk around in a circle as he spoke to his people, looking around at the crowds.

“Speaking of milk mothers.” He looked over to the three. “We are asking for those of you who are able to spare some time to take care of the babies. Things such as feeding them, clothing them… to take care of them, I’m sure you don’t need me to explain such things. I will make sure that you have a level of comfort afforded to your position, as well as some gifts now and again as thanks.” He summoned the black viper leather and then handed it over to Aspara. “For yourself and the milk mothers, including all those that join.” Then he continued.

“There are many positions open, ones that bring a great honour to their bearer. The kinsshield is but one, then we have the counsel guard. Then we have those that will guard the people, those that will make up the standing army, among many others. Each tribe will have their own representative that will be in charge of bringing any issues to me during scheduled meetings, though if there is an emergency, please do bring the matter ahead as quickly as you can. I will also eat with a family during breakfast and the evening meal, once we’ve established a town for ourselves. Every able bodied adult will also take part in daily training too.” Then Ares stopped.

“I think we have most of the importantly boring things out of the way. I suppose I should speak of the more exciting matter at hand.” He turned to look at Rori, who waited for him to continue. Then he looked out to the crowd. Something caught in his throat. Then he looked out, his body filling with a sense of dread and guilt. He paused for a moment. “I will only be taking ten others with me in conquering Dragon’s Spine.”

A murmuring broke through silence as Ares shuddered. He looked back to see Rori staring at him blankly, though Torak had a look of surprise on his face. Then came laughter, which he turned to see. It was Lana, who was slapping her knee.

“Ten people!” She threw her head back and her entire body shook with laughter. Then she stopped and then straightened up once more. “Which ten?”

Ares stood up tall. “I will take only those that fit these two criteria. They have to be strong. They have to be crazy. I won’t guarantee you’ll survive the trip there and back, but I will guarantee you one thing, that we’ll conquer it.”

“You speak such nonsense out of your mouth, it is hard to listen.” Called out a voice he hadn’t heard before. It was one of the older oxfolk that had joined from Sohka’s tribe. Ares raised a brow towards them and then they continued to speak. “You are our chief? I didn’t realise you were this stupid. I had thought it was act.”

“No, not quite an act.” Ares chuckled. “Who is it that speaks up to his chief with such words?”

“My chief? Even if the mountains trembled, I would not have you as my chief. I am here merely to see what you have to say.”

“Ah, excuse me. Of course, of course. There are those of you who are here just to see the kind of man I am, hmm?”

“A man? You are barely a boy.” They grinned at him and a few others began to chuckle.

“Perhaps in your older age you have lost your vision, oh great elder. Would you like someone to describe myself to you?” Ares asked, cocking his head to one side. “Or, perhaps in your old age, your mental abilities have also decreased?” Ares asked with his brows raised, his head still cocked to one side like a chicken.

“You should watch your tongue, boy. Is this your chief, one who treats others with such little respect?” He asked, his arms spreading wide. He was a large, beastly oxfolk. It was a surprise he wasn’t the horn of the tribe.

“I treat others with the same level of respect they show me. If you are so wizened in your age, wouldn’t you understand this concept?” Ares asked as the oxfolk stood up.

“I would never follow a fool like you. You will bring this tribe to ruin.” They snarled.

“Oh, do you think you’d be a better leader?”

“I could take shits that would be a better leader than you.”

“So why aren’t you the leader?”

They remained silent.

“I asked Sohka to send his best, so why didn’t he send you? You weren’t his best, were you?”

They glared towards Ares, whose face shifted into a smile. “Yet, that shouldn’t be a reason why you can’t be the leader of this tribe. Shall I tell you how I came to be the leader of this tribe?” After they continued to remain silent, he continued. “I’m willing to put my life on the line for my ideals. That’s it. Yes, I’m strong. Yes, I’m handsome. Yes, I’m smart. Those mean nothing if you have no conviction. That’s the difference between you and I, I think. Though…” Ares could feel the heat within his body begin to grow. “I can give you a chance to show me your conviction, what do you say?”

The oxfolk remained deathly silent. “What is your name?” Ares asked finally.

“You have not yet earned that respect.”

The heat continued to grow and he swallowed. “Perhaps I will with my next few words. What say you, to a bout. No, a duel. No…” Ares looked up. “Not quite a duel. What say you, I will allow you to pick…” Ares turned to face Rori, as if pretending to mull something over. “Ten warriors. Like the ten warriors I was going to take to Dragon’s Spine, and the eleven of you will face me. It shall be a bout to the death, all eleven of you against me. You may come at me one on one, or all at once, no bother to me.” Ares cocked his head to the other side. “Oh, what’s that?” He said, turning to face Rori and then he turned back to them. “You’re right. Ten warriors is too little. I’ll let you pick a hundred. A hundred and one against me. To the death.” Ares glared at them.

The oxfolk definitely seemed to be taken aback, his brow beginning to sweat, his vein throbbing violently.

“Show me your conviction.” Ares stated, this time standing still, his head lowered somewhat as his arms crossed. He tapped his foot.

“No need.” The oxfolk replied. “Ten is more than enough.”

Ares’ lips twitched into the smallest of smile, a smile so minuscule, it couldn’t really be called a smile at all. “Go ahead, pick your ten.” Then he turned to Lana. “Would you please call Grita? Tell her it’s important, and that I would greatly appreciate her coming to us as swiftly as she can.”

Lana nodded and then made her way, taking a few others with her as the other oxfolk man then went back to his own little group, growling quietly in their own language so he wasn’t able to really gather much. Ares then turned to Rori.

“Sorry, I got a little heated.” Ares placed a hand on his forehead. “I couldn’t let him walk over me in front of everyone and then… it just kinda came out.”

Rori nodded. “There are easier ways to deal with such things. I would be more than happy to speak in your place.”

“I can’t have that. I need to be able to navigate these conversations myself.” Ares sighed. “I’m going to kill eleven men for no reason…” He then looked up to Rori. “I trust you to stop me when I go too far, Rori.” He reached out with his fist, and Rori extended his own. The pair nodded to one another and then he walked over to Torak.

“What should I avoid doing to not disrespect the oxfolk?” He asked them.

Torak thought for a few moment. “Do not destroy their horns, save for the one who instigated. You may keep his horns, but the others are merely following his lead.”

“Is that a personal request?” Ares asked, wondering why it was so oddly specific. Torak bowed their head.

“Yes, but others will understand the meaning behind it as well.”

Ares nodded in response. “Alright then…” He placed extended a fist towards Torak, who repeated the gesture back at him. “Ah, would you follow me, Torak?”

Then he walked over to Aspara. “Will you find a few milk mothers and then take the children into the tent?” He asked. He looked over to Torak. “I don’t want them to see. Sorry that you won’t be able to see either, but… perhaps you can be watching from afar, but I don’t know if they’ll send anyone to try and hurt them to try and distract me.” Ares was extremely paranoid, but that was only because he knew what happened in his own history. Things like this have to be covered.