”I am Zahn of Red Tribe. Son of Eru and father to Marcus. I have guarded our tribe with all my life since the day I passed the Canopy Trial. It has been a privilege to wake up every sunrise and feel that I have a purpose in this rainforest.” He continues with a passionate voice while flexing his huge muscles towards the crowd.

”If you want to protect the ones you love and hold dearest then the path of strength is the one for you! If you feel that none is allowed to destroy our precious family then the path of strength is the one for you!”

”IF YOU WANT TO BECOME THE MIGHTIEST OF WARRIORS AND BE REMEMBERED FOREVER THEN THE PATH OF STRENGTH IS THE ONE FOR YOU!”

Chants and screams can be heard from the crowd. Apes beating their chests to show support for their fearless guardian. The motivation of the contenders rose like a shooting star towards the midnight sky. Zahn always knew how to get a crowd going. There was no coincidence that he was the first one to talk to the challengers about The Guardians.

”Guardian of the Canopy Trial is not like the other trials. Great knowledge will not help you here. Only the most powerful of apes will succeed. The challenges include a big swing over the flowing magma that is pouring out of Red Mountain. It will prove to us that you are not afraid of what could mean your death! Ape on ape combat to demonstrate who is indomitable and who gets the bragging rights with the females. We all want that, am I right? Said Zahn while looking over to Chim and winking his eye.

”Who shall be the one that protects us together with our Guardian brothers from enemies that come into our territory? The danger may come from the trees, the ground or from above. You can never be sure from where your enemies will strike next.

”To all the young ones and this seasons challengers who does not know the significance of “The big swing”, it is about swiftness. Even if you are strong, like me (Zahn start’s flexing again), there is also a need to be able to jump from tree to tree and swing without hesitation and exhaustion. Smaller apes or animals may not be able to take you down because of your size and muscles but they may still be able to out-swing you. How will you protect us then?”

”The combat will test your determination and resolve. How will you beat your opponent? With brute force or with tactics?” I want you all to know that even if we are but one voice in the wilderness, make it heard so that all the other tribes and animals hears and fears us! Be relentless, like I was when I fought Kil. It was the battle of our lives; the crowd was roaring, the forest vibrated...”

”Thank you, Zahn. We have all heard that story, countless times.” said Elen while smiling. The whole tribe knew that when he started to talk about his stories, Zahn would never stop. He loved to tell those tails and boast about himself.

”Your dad is so impressive Marcus!”

”I will definitely go for the Canopy Trial” Some chattered between them. Marcus looked over at Chim. Chim appeared as he was ready to fight. Eager to start and prove his worth to everybody, but mostly to himself. He could be that ape that protects the tribe, the way that he got protected by it when he was little.

Next up was Sinh. The Spiritual Leader of Red Tribe.

”Sinh is one of our oldest Leader” Marcus whispers to Chim.

”He has been to our home numerous times to talk affairs with my father. I think he was alive even before mother was Tribe Leader. That has to be more than twenty seasons ago!”

”Really? He does not look that old! It has to be related with being a shaman. I mean all the funny things they eat and smell? Don’t you think Marcus?”

Marcus did not have time to reply.

”I look upon you all today with my three eyes. One with hope, for our future is bright! The other with caution because we need not to stray from our paths that are set before us or everything that we have built up will crumble and the third with wisdom. We are all here, thriving in this rainforest we call Home because we live in harmony with it. We do not take more then we need, and we use everything we take. I sense that there is something big and revolutionary waiting for us in the near future. I hope that you all want to join the Shamans to explore this future together.”

”We have watched and encountered animals beyond your wildest imaginations. I dare you to come and SEE for yourselves!”

The contenders looked more frightened than inspired after Sinhs speech. The mental strength it takes to pass the shamans test eventually comes down to the mindset of the ape because the world will be looked upon with the different eyes after joining the Shaman hood. Some have never been the same even after the trial.

”Shamans Trial, oh yes. My apologies, I tend to get too enthusiastic and drift off when it comes to such pleasantries.”

”It is about awakening your eyes and I do not indicate to get up from your favorite branch and travel from tree to tree but to really notice the world that lies before you. We all have a third eye inside of us that can and will open up the mind of the one that lets it. With the help of some very special plants that we have learned to blend, various visions and locations will be shown to us and from this, experience will be gained. That is what I call real awakening.”

”Not many of us think about what makes our world in the trees grow every period. How each season the fruits and plants blossom repeatedly. What we need to survive are our five senses. Smell, touch, sight, hearing, and taste. What if I told you that there are more senses that we can perceive?”

”Have you ever felt that a storm is coming from a distance? That the hair on your whole body vibrates and tries to tell you something is going to happen. That you maybe have thought about your friend or your mother and then suddenly that somebody came swinging from the tree tops out of nowhere? Even if you do not know what those feelings are or why you thought about that ape in that exact moment, that signal is what I call our instinct. Something that cannot be explained but is still there, lingering like an invisible energy.”

”If you choose this trial, your mind will take your eyes into places that seem impossible from where we are standing now.”

Sinh stops. He is hesitant to continue. He usually does not explain the trial in too much detail, but this season is different, somehow. His instinct is telling him something but even The Great Sinh cannot comprehend this energy fully yet. He does not know if he wants to go on to talk about the visions that will be presented to the challengers once they take the mixed plants. Are they ready to hear about their spirits that will be shown to them or just leave it for themselves to explore?

By awakening the third eye, all that is concealed to the naked eye is revealed. By drinking this brew, the shamans connect to nature in the most unique way. They get the ability to see different animals and how they behave and to understand their needs to survive and live in harmony in their respective habitats such as the rainforest, oceans, and deserts. Not many tribes around Red Mountain has figured out this potent brew and that is why the Red Tribe is one of the most advanced families in the rainforest.

Many of the challengers that has chosen Shamans Trial regret it soon after they drink it but fortunately for them, the experience only lasts a short while. The visions can sometimes be too daunting and surreal for them to comprehend. The world around them gets twisted and they start to see patterns everywhere they look and before they know it, they faint. That is often when they meet their other self. Their spirit in another form.

”The second test is, well, more delicious. Identifying fruits and plants throughout the rainforest. It is important that we know which plants are beneficial to our health and which ones can cause us harm. Sometimes if we eat the wrong plants it may lead to our death. It is called herbalism with a touch of juicy fruit, at least that is what I like to call it. We work closely with the Spotters to tell them exactly what plants we currently need in order for them to go out and collect them. Neleem will tell you more about that.”

”I will leave it at that... yes” he says.

”I have already piqued your interest. I truly hope so but if not then you do not have what it takes to be one with nature.”

”Thank you Sinh. That first part was very…very hair-raising. I hope our great Leader has not scared to many of you now. His path is truly a blessing for those that accept and embrace it.” Elen says with a calming voice.

”I do not know many apes that has passed Shamans Trial and does not feel enlightened afterwards.” If the challengers can only understand what it is that they are seeing, then the whole experience will blow your minds away.”

”It is time for our third Leader to present herself.”