The sun was high overhead, casting a warm glow over the gathered tribe. The shaman, tribe leader, and tribespeople were all assembled in the square, their faces filled with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. The tribe leader, a wise and aged beastman, stood at the center of the gathering, his eyes fixed on Ava.
"Ava has come to us with an idea," the tribe leader began, his voice low and rumbling. "She proposes that we capture and raise bubu birds within our tribe. These birds are easy to feed, and they can provide us with meat and eggs. This would mean that we wouldn't have to hunt as frequently, and we wouldn't risk hunting the bubu birds to extinction."
The tribe leader paused, surveying the crowd. "Ava suggests that our young beastmen, who haven't yet started hunting or are new to hunting, take turns rearing and caring for the birds. This would not only provide us with a new source of food but also teach our young ones valuable skills."
The crowd murmured, some of them nodding in agreement. The shaman, a wise and aged beastwoman, spoke up. "This is a clever idea, Ava. We've been struggling to find prey, and our hunters have been venturing further and further away from our territory. If we can raise these birds successfully, it could be a game-changer for our tribe."
The tribe leader stood tall, surveying the gathered crowd. "Ava's idea to capture and raise bubu birds is not just a passing fancy," he began. "It's a vital step towards securing our tribe's future. As you all know, it's becoming increasingly harder to find prey in our territory. Our hunters are having to venture further and further away, which not only puts them at risk but also threatens our tribe's safety."
The shaman nodded in agreement. "We've been noticing a decline in the number of animals in our territory. If we don't find alternative sources of food, our tribe will suffer."
The tribe leader continued, "Rearing bubu birds is a solution to this problem. They're easy to feed, and they can thrive on foods that we beastmen don't usually eat. By raising them, we'll have a steady supply of meat and eggs, and we won't have to hunt all the time."
Ava spoke up, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "And it's not just about the bubu birds. If we can successfully rear them, we can move on to bigger animals like the yellow-bellied sheep. Just imagine it – a steady supply of meat, milk, and wool. Our tribe will prosper like never before."
Just as it seemed like the crowd was warming up to the idea, Emily snorted, rolling her eyes. "This is ridiculous," she spat. "Why would we want to rear smelly animals in our tribe? It's better to hunt them in the wild, where they belong. Emily stood up, a scowl on her face.
The tribe leader frowned, his eyes flashing with annoyance. "Emily, we've discussed this. Hunting is becoming increasingly difficult, and we need to find alternative solutions. Ava's idea is a viable one, and we should at least consider it."
Emily scoffed. "Consider it? This is just Ava's silly attempt to make herself seem important. She should focus on bearing cubs for our tribe, not wasting her time with foolish ideas like this."
The crowd began to murmur, some of them looking uncertain. But Ava stood tall, her eyes flashing with determination. "I'm not just doing this for myself," she said. "I'm doing it for our tribe. For our future. And I won't let your negativity bring the tribe down."
Emily's face twisted in a scowl as she sneered at Ava. "You're just an outsider female with unknown roots," she spat. "You're useless to our clan, contributing nothing but your beauty, which you use as leverage to manipulate our males."
Ava's eyes narrowed, her face calm, but her anger simmering beneath the surface.
The shaman stepped forward, her eyes flashing with annoyance. "Emily, what contributions have you, as a female, made to our tribe?" he asked, his voice firm but controlled. "Have you gathered food? Have you cleaned Beast Skins? Have you birthed pups? Have you discovered new food sources?"
The shaman's words were like a series of slaps, each one hitting Emily's face with a resounding crack. Emily's eyes widened, her face reddening with shame.
The other females in the tribe threw Emily contemptuous glances, their faces filled with disdain. Though females were considered weak in the tribe, they still worked hard to contribute to the community. They gathered fruit and herbs, cleaned Beast Skins, assisted in taking care of the tribe's pups, and did everything within their capacity.
But Emily was famously lazy in the tribe. She spent her days lounging in her treehouse, waiting for her mates to bring her food to eat. She had never lifted a finger to help the tribe, content to let others do the work while she reaped the benefits.
The shaman's words had exposed Emily's laziness, and the tribe's females were not afraid to show their contempt. Emily's face burned with shame, but she refused to back down, her anger and resentment simmering just below the surface.
"I'll show them," Emily muttered to herself, her eyes narrowing as she plotted her revenge against Ava. "I'll sabotage her precious bird-raising plan, and I'll make sure she pays for humiliating me."
Ava's contributions to the tribe had been numerous and significant. She had introduced new sources of food, such as fish from the river, and had shared her knowledge of medicinal herbs to improve the quality and taste of meat. Before her arrival, the female members of the tribe had been solely dependent on meat hunted by their mates in the forest. But now, they could catch fish and gather vegetables and plant roots, reducing the problem of food shortages in the tribe.
Ava's knowledge of medicine had also been a valuable asset to the tribe. She had successfully treated George's broken bones, and her skills had earned her the respect and admiration of the tribe's members.
In contrast, Emily's behavior had been a constant source of tension and conflict within the tribe. She had continuously disturbed the peace of the tribe long before Ava arrived.
The Shaman's words were a stern condemnation of Emily's actions.
The tribe's members nodded in agreement, their faces stern and disapproving. Emily's male companions, who had always been fiercely protective of her, looked on in shame and embarrassment, unable to defend her actions.
Emily's face burned with humiliation as the Shaman's words cut through her like a sharp knife. She felt her eyes widening in shock and outrage as the Shaman suddenly pointed his staff at her, condemning her actions in front of the entire tribe.
"Emily has continuously disturbed the peace of the tribe, wastes the food, and is now going against the ideas sent to us by the Beast God," he declared, with one arm folded behind his back and his staff pointed at Emily. "Take her to the Punishment pit. Don't provide her with food, don't speak to her at all and guard her so she can calm down and think about what she did wrong."
The Shaman's words were a stern condemnation of Emily's actions.
As the Shaman finished speaking, he turned to Ava and patted her messy head, a warm smile on his face. Ava felt a surge of gratitude and respect for the Shaman's wise and fair leadership.
The Tribe leader, who had been standing by the Shaman's side, stepped forward and escorted the Shaman back to his dwelling, leaving Emily to face the consequences of her actions.
Emily's face twisted in rage and humiliation as she was led away by the gigantic Orcs, her screams and curses echoing through the tribe's settlement. Her male companions followed closely behind, their heads hung in shame and embarrassment.
As Emily was dragged away, the tribe's members watched with a mix of happiness and relief. They knew that Emily's actions had been causing tension and conflict within the tribe, and they had hoped and waited for her to be punished and that her punishment would serve as a warning to others who would seek to disrupt the tribe's peace and harmony.
Ava, on the other hand, was surrounded by the tribe's members, who thanked her for her contributions and praised her for her wisdom and kindness.
The tribe's people couldn't help but compare Ava's contributions to Emily's laziness. The contrast was stark, and it was clear that Ava was a valuable member of the tribe, while Emily was a burden.
She smiled humbly, feeling grateful for the tribe's acceptance and appreciation.
As the tribe returned to their daily activities, Ava couldn't help but wonder what the future held. Would Emily learn from her mistakes and return to the tribe, or would she continue down a path of destruction? Only time would tell.
* * * * *
Emily's eyes blazed with hatred as she sat in the darkness of the Punishment pit. She couldn't believe that the Shaman had condemned her, and that Ava had been the one to bring her down. Emily's mind seethed with resentment and anger, her thoughts consumed by visions of revenge.
She couldn't wait for her punishment to be over, so she could put her plans for Ava and her foolish bird-rearing plan into action. Emily had always resented Ava's influence over the tribe, and now she saw her chance to destroy everything Ava had worked for.
As she sat in the darkness, Emily's hatred for Ava and the Shaman grew with each passing moment. She felt betrayed and humiliated, and she vowed to make them pay for what they had done to her.
Emily's thoughts turned to her male companions, who had stood by and watched as she was dragged away. She knew they were still loyal to her, and she planned to use that loyalty to her advantage. They would help her bring Ava down, once Ava's plan for rearing birds failed her authority in the tribe will drop greatly and nobody will likely believe Ava blindly next time and Emily would finally get the recognition and respect she deserved.
The darkness of the Punishment pit seemed to be closing in around Emily, but she didn't let it consume her. Instead, she let her hatred and anger fuel her, and she began to formulate a plan to destroy Ava and everything she held dear.