”Who shall be the next tribe Leader to guide Red Tribe and surpass all its predecessors?” Elen asked.

That was the question that was on every apes’ mind. The four trials presented tonight are a major factor for the well-being of the tribe but a new Leader, a queen is about to announce herself. The excitement grew in the air, almost at the point of manifestation. This test is considered to come with the most responsibility after passing it, compared to the other trials.

The Guardians are a team of brutes. They help each other, prepare in group, and have their Leader making the decisions for them. Sinh, Leader of the Shamans is very experienced and takes decisions according to the balance in nature and therefor the apprentices can rely on their Shaman Master to guide them in the right direction.

The Spotters have Neleem that points the way. She teaches them how to climb faster, how to avoid danger and mostly how to pick sweet fruits. Shado is doing great to identify the alignments of the lights in the sky and he solely takes responsibility for his predictions. But as a Leader of Red Tribe, you have only the Elders to consult and most inexperienced Leaders tend to trust themselves rather than others. The decisions and the burdens of those actions are yours, and yours alone. Therefore, knowing that, not every girl wants to be Leader of Red Tribe.

”I remember when I did The Troop Trial. It was against Sej and that night was not as beautiful as tonight. It was a bit chillier and it was raining. If I recall correctly, you informed us that it was not going to rain that evening Shado, can we really trust those eyes of yours? Said Elen while taunting him.

“Nevertheless, I was up against my now wonderful friend Sej. She was considerably quicker than I was, and she was also the favorite to win, were you not Sej? Nobody believed that this Bonobo could emerge triumphant, but faith has a funny way of deciding what will happen. If you would not have slipped... then I would not be standing here tonight, and things would have looked very differently.” said Elen and turned her attention over to Sej.

So did the rest of the tribe and all eyes were now on Sej. She stood up on her back legs, as a sign of respect and faced Elen.

”Now that I think back on that night, I am more than happy that you were the one who emerged victorious of The Troop Trial. But I have to admit that it must have been the rain. I have a firm grip” Sej said with a voice that could only be interpreted as happiness towards her fellow Leader.

That eventful evening, when Jupiter could be seen in the sky, was the night when Sej slipped from the branch and almost fell towards the ground. It was not only the branch that slipped from her fingers but also the legacy of becoming the Leader of Red Tribe. If only she made the right choice back then, to place her trust in Baaks furry little hands instead of her own then perhaps everything would have been different. She would have been with Zahn now and maybe Marcus would have been her son. She did not put her trust in Baak and his abilities and that was a costly mistake because he was one of the fastest spotters that the tribe had at the point, but that reason alone was not enough for Sej. She wanted to prove herself to the tribe. Demonstrate that she could do it all alone and was ready to lead but by not believing in her Tribe, she condemned herself to failure.

Elen in the other hand did precisely that. She knew her own limitations. Grabbing that fruit was a leap to great for her. She accounted for the rain that was pouring down and made the calculations that the trees will be to a disadvantage to the untrained ape, especially if you compare yourself to the spotters. She told Bao to be careful and to go for it. She believed in him and knew that even if he would fail, it would still be her best chance. At that moment when Elen told Bao to get the fruit, Sej was ahead of her and was beaming with confidence. Her brain was filled with endorphins and the thought of her loosing, well it was impossible. But nonetheless the mistake was made, and she threw away the seat on throne.

”Red Tribe has never been safer. Now we have peace and unity. It is something that you have steered us towards, and it is something truly unique. We used to care less about our group in whole, with our young females leaving for other tribes around the forest but now, it is reversed. Other female bonobos want to come to us now and the ones that are raised here, they want to stay and be a part of this growing troop. We have you to thank for that and we hope that the next Leader continues this path and takes us to new heights.”

”All beat for Elen, Daughter of Nij!”

The males started to beat their chests, screaming, and shouting as loud as they could. The females joined in. Their roars could be heard across all Red Mountain. Everyone was celebrating Elen and her family.

”I am proud of you” says Zahn while reaching for her hand and lifting it upwards the crowd . They both glanced down on Marcus, smiling, and hoping that he will make them equally proud this evening with his choice.

”Tonight, is not about me but I appreciate your kind words. I have tried to do what is best for the troop with every decision that I have taken. Tonight, the final challenge of the evening will take place between two young and strong females that have shown great willpower and understanding of what our group needs over the last season.”

”The Troop Trial is about teamwork, correct decision-making, delegating responsibility and trust in one and other. These are the traits needed for a strong Leader of Red Tribe. Realizing the weaknesses and strengths of your tribe will be paramount when making hard decisions. Identify the right ape for the right objective is not always easy. But nevertheless, it is time for a change! The beginning of a new Leadership.”

”I present to you all, Lia & Lyn. The future of Red Tribe. One of these females will be our new queen to guide us for the next eleven seasons!”

”My two lovely contestants , I just want to leave you with one thing in mind before the trial. It has nothing to do with the trial itself, but it is a remaindering what the last queen told me and after being your queen for so long, I can say with honesty that she was right.”

“Becoming Leader of Red Tribe is a difficult task but significantly easier than being one.”

The two challengers take a step forward and present themselves to the Elders and the whole tribe.