Lys awoke in a makeshift tent laying on a bed of soft leaves. Her bones creaked as she sat up. Stretching her arms, she looked over her olive toned skin finding a few cuts and bruises that had mostly healed. Running her slender fingers through her long brown hair, she snagged them on many tangles and knots. Clenching her teeth she groaned while slowly turning her body, and dangling her feet off the edge. She looked around and noticed a large hairy figure approaching.

“Good morning, ma’am! Well, uh, it’s nighttime now, but um… good to see you’re awake. You’ve been asleep for almost two days.”

“Paouni, where is Ong?”

“Oh chief Ongjorni, he’s running around holding this place together. He told me to keep watch over you and make sure you don’t move too quickly. That was an amazing spell you cast, you saved us.”

“I didn’t do it alone. How many did we lose?”

“Most survived but... all the elders except one, and the young children didn’t make it. We recovered all the bodies. Well, almost all of them.”

Lys swallowed hard and took a deep breath before speaking. “That’s unfortunate. All those innocent children. If it’s Myorni’s body you’re looking for you can stop, there is no body to find.”

“Oh... um... well, where is she?”

“She’s gone Pao and did I hear you correctly? You said chief Ongjorni.”

“Uh... yeah, I mean, since most of the elders are gone he’s been running the place, everyone’s calling him chief.”

“I see.”

“Ong’s always been one of the toughest. He’s almost tougher than me, definitely smarter.”

“You don’t give yourself enough credit. I knew you were the strongest among us. It’s no surprise you have nary a scratch on you.” Lys moved to exit the tent. Pao jumped in front of her. Spreading his broad muscled arms and sticking out his bare tan chest. Filling the space with his expansive form and ever present funk of body odor and booze. “Pao, please get out of my way. I need to see Ong.”

“I’ll get him for you, ma’am but he gave me very specific instructions not let you leave and that you would try to force your way out.”

Lys had a crippling headache and knew she was in no condition to subdue him else she would. “Alright I’ll stay here, but please fetch him quickly.”

“On it ma’am” Pao turned and ran through the rows of tents. Once certain he was far enough away she reached under her shirt and touched a symbol tattooed under her breast, while reciting an incantation. Her body morphed into a large cat covered in orange fur and black spots. She stealthily moved out of the tent. Briefly looking around, she glimpsed the aftermath of their escape. Injured wrapped head to toe, mothers left destitute weeping over empty bundles and rising smoke from funeral pyres. Guilt gripped her throat; unable to bear the sight, she fled into the forest.

She ran through the night until she arrived at the edge of the grove. Carefully she walked through the clearing, scanning every fallen tree, dead animal, piece of debris, searching. Then she saw it, a tiny silver sapling growing in a beam of moonlight. Lys reverted to her normal form and wearily collapsed by the sapling. The ground quaked under heavy footsteps. She forced herself up and turned. A large purple bull with a body full of stars stepped into the clearing. Its massive horns jutted out past its shoulders, then curved sharply inward, ending at dagger tipped points. The bull stopped and morphed into a man with a long, extravagant, finely braided brown beard, and muscular physique.

“I figured I’d find you around here.”

“Ongjorni! He who breathes life into my world.”

“Lysyntri, she who breathes life into my world.” Ong ran and took Lys into his arms. His bare grizzled chest, and tree trunk arms engulfed her, revitalized her. Lys had to put on a strong front; everyone looked up to her. But here, buried in his luxurious beard, created the one place where she didn’t have to. For the first time in many years she wept. A steady stream of grief for the fallen, regret for the past, and the loss of a sister, all soaked up by Ong’s beard. Once Lys she’d cried enough, she looked up at him and he looked at her with a smile.

“So it’s Chief Ongjorni the Bull now,” Lys said.

“You know that makes you Chieftess Lysyntri the Spider.”

“That’s nothing new, my sister, and I were basically in charge, anyway. Though I’ve no right to lead, I failed everyone.”

“My life, you didn’t fail anyone. Your plan worked, were safe for now.”

“Ong, let’s go somewhere quiet for a while. I’m not ready to look anyone in the eye but you.”

“My life, anything you wish.” Ong cradled her and carried her off into the night, the sapling visibly growing in the moonlight.

#

After most of the wounded recovered, the tribe traveled deeper into the forest, until they came across a clearing surrounded by large densely packed trees. Lys declared that this would be the perfect spot to set up a more permanent settlement. The others followed her suggestion. Using stone, clay, and bits of foliage, they constructed a village that blended perfectly with the surrounding forest. Once they felt secure in their new surroundings, they held a meeting in the center of the village to discuss their next move.

“Thanks to Myorni’s sacrifice we’re safe here for a time. But that safety comes with no guarantee. Lysyntri has informed me that this spell is very experimental, and she is unsure how long it will last. The enemy is still searching for a way in; we must remain vigilant. All the little ones and most of the elders have perished, save for myself. The future of the Usgrat tribe is uncertain, and until we can secure a future, children will be a liability; I am a liability. Therefore, we are all to drink this tonic. It will sterilize us, the effects can be reversed later once we find a way to remove the malice that infects our souls.”

“Wait!” one female stood up and looked at Lys. “I can smell it, you’re pregnant, aren’t you?”

Ong stared wide eyed at Lys “Is it true?”

“Yes darling, I only recently found out myself. I meant to tell you sooner, but we were all so busy. The elder and I already discussed it. I’m keeping the baby. The child will not become a liability. I have a plan to keep him safe.”

“What’s your plan?” Protested the female.

“I need not bore you with the details, just know that I can keep my child and this village safe. You know what I am capable of, I have more than proven myself.”

“Of course you have, the Spider always gets her way.”

“That’s enough!” Bellowed Ong. “It’s true that we have no guarantee of safety and it’s likely that we do not have a future. But we have to keep some hope. That we will reclaim our homeland. This child, my child, shall be our one hope, that we have a future.”

Pao stood and declared. “I the strongest warrior of the Usgrat pledge my axe, in service to protecting our future.”

“Thank you, brother. The two of us will stand guard over the future, let us all march towards it together!”

“I’ll drink to that!” Someone shouted, and the meeting degraded into a booze fest. Ong and Lys sneaked away to talk in private.

“You said you had a plan to keep him safe. How do you know it’s a boy?”

“I just have a feeling.” Lys looked down while gently rubbing her belly. “I’m sorry my child. You will have a hard life. But I know you will find so much joy along the way. The good will always outweigh the bad, and as long as you keep living, things will get better. Be strong and never forget that you belong in this world. My little Ang.”