Beastmen: She Tames the Land-Chapter 117: Inter-tribe festival

Visha worked with Allo treat the rest of the Stone-horn tribe members. She guided Allo as he ground the ingredients into powder. She showed him how to get the proper proportion. She used her commune skill to help them find the same kinds of herbs closeby. Those that were not found, they agreed that, should they need it, they can send it to them.

The entire time they worked together, Allo would ask Visha questions about herbs and their interactions. Allo spent most of the days learning about what worked and what didn’t when it came to herbs. He learned that rituals are not the only way to treat people. Allo was a fast learner, and his brain soaked up the information like a sponge.

She also learned about Allo’s gift. Through conversation, she learned that Allo was able to see lifeforce. He could feel a person’s potential or propensity for metal work. It was one of the reasons he was able to take care of the Stone-horn people for so long, even when he couldn’t find a cure.

Together, they were able to make enough poultice for all the ill Stone-horn people to use. The people who had been listless and weak were now walking around with renewed energy. There is still another treatment before they can be completely cured.

Allo stayed to look after his tribe members, while Gorn and the trio went to Gorn’s personal forge. Gorn gestured for them to sit on a bench.

"I thank you again, Priestess Visha, for helping our tribe." He first thanks Visha, then continues. "Leader Uri and I had talked before about how to trade if the illness was cured. Now that we know everyone will be cured, I am not sure my reward will be of much use to you."

"You’re welcome, but we both know if it weren’t for the things you offered and your own hope at trying every option, this would not be the result." Visha didn’t praise herself or him. She made it clear that they were doing this for benefits.

"We are grateful for your respect," Uri said in a calm voice."We don’t ask for anything except what we agreed upon. However, there is one thing we were hoping you could do to help us."

Gorn leaned forward, "How would you like me to help you? You’ve already saved the lives of my people. We are forever indebted. Anything I can do to help, I will."

"While we still want to trade for the things we earned. There is something our tribe needs that I hope you can help us make," Uri said.

He gestured to Xeno, who unfurled a soft piece of hide. He placed it on the table that was close to him, sliding it towards Gorn. On the hide was a drawing in charcoal that Xeno had drawn himself. It was a hinge, but not a simple one. It was a complex locking mechanism. This being made ensured that the gate no longer had the grinding sound they had become accustomed to.

"This is what we would like to have made," Xeno stated, his long fingers sliding over the top of the hide. "We currently have a substitute. At first, we thought we would use that thing in the future. Now, we have a choice, and we would like to ask for this to be made. If we need to trade for this, it is understandable."

Gorn took the drawing. His fingers traced the lines of the drawing. His eyes focused on it with a strong intensity. "I have seen a similar lock before."

Gorn’s statement sent ripples through their soul bond. Visha’s shock was sent to the two men.

Visha never thought there would be places that could make hinges like these. She always thought this world was still in the Stone Age. But now, she was learning that there were people out there who made things like the hinge.

It was already a shock to her coming to this world, learning about beastmen, thinking about the Stone Age, and how she would have to work her way up to a level of comfort she could live with. Then she learned about their lifespan, now she is seeing metal works, and to hear about the hinge as something other tribes have.

Her skin felt itchy. She wanted to leave the caldera at that moment and run around this new world to see everything it had to offer. It was the second time she had felt this way. She knew that if she had any more surprises, she would end up asking Uri and Xeno to travel the world with her. But, she would first make sure their pack is at ease.

Her conscience would never let her run away and leave the people she cared about without a way to fend for themselves.

"Where did you see it?" Visha asked with an eagerness she hadn’t felt in a long time.

Uri and Xeno felt her shock and her desire to leave. Their hearts ached, but they would not lose their composure. Visha felt their heartbreak in that second and squeezed their hands reassuringly.

She knew they would need to talk about this later.

Gorn saw her eyes light up at the mention of the hinge. His eyes became wistful as he recalled the place he had seen it. "It was a long time ago. Before we came to live on this mountain. It was the inter-tribe festival. Every three years, the festival is held. All tribes, clans, and packs that have been recognized by the three ruling tribes are invited. Because we work with metal and have many contacts, we were able to attend. It was the first time I had seen a place like it." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The trio was intrigued. It was their first time hearing about the inter-tribe festival. They thought about how much they had been learning since they started on their journey. According to the timeline in her world, Visha had been here a year. For the Beast Continent, it had only been half a year.

No matter which, she couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that there was still so much she didn’t know about this place.

"Would you be able to tell us about it?" Xeno asked, excitement in his voice.

Gorn shook his head. "Just mentioning the festival was enough to get us removed from going to any other festival. They have strict rules about what can and cannot be known by people outside of the circle. What I can tell you is that there are three ruling tribes. The Condors. The Mammoths. The Panthers."

Silence filled the forge before Gorn leaned back. He started speaking as if the topic never happened. "I can make this. But I want to be there when you install it."

Clearing his throat, Uri answered, "Of course, I would not expect anything less."

The trio spent the night at the Stone-horn clan. They would not go to the Stone-horns to trade. During the next new moon, the Stone-horns would visit their pack instead to see the installation of the hinge.

Before leaving, Visha, Uri, and Xeno made sure to collect the cookware and armour.