The firewood team will be the first to leave the camp, followed by Civ and Luk.

  “Be careful Luk and Civ. Make sure to return safely.” Kivrah commanded them.

  “We will fulfill your command Tribe leader.” Both of them bowed.

  The group starts to leave. But before they leave the camp. At the exit, the whole tribe was waiting for them.

  “Luk! Civ! Be careful on your travels. Sun Goddess will always guide you!” The voices from the crowd start to get loud.

  In the midst of the loud noise, a warm feeling is what Civ and Luk are experiencing. Both of them were being embraced by their tribe.

  A spear was raised, and Civ said. “On this trip, we will make sure to know the weaknesses of these giants. So when they attack, there is nothing they can do!”

  Shouts were heard as they started leaving the camp. Neither Civ nor Luk looked back and continued to walk towards the east. The roaring shouts from their tribe were still heard from afar.

  ‘They are sure zealous,’ Civ smiled.

  “Civ, thank you for making this. The tribe leader said to use it for now since he is not leaving the camp.” Horm smiled

  “Sure Horm, next after we return, we will make more of that once the two leathers are ready.” Civ replied.

  The group continued chatting until they reached the border. Where Horm and the firewood team could roam around.

  “Civ, this is where we can accompany both of you for now. I will always pray to the Sun Goddess for your safety.” Horm holds Civ’s hand.

  “Thank you Horm, please expect a safe return from us.” Civ and Luk continued the journey without looking back at the firewood team.

  The forest was still silent, felt like a ghost town. Except that what they are seeing is trees.

  As they walk around, both of them make a mark of “X” on the trees.

  Seeing how calm Luk has been is one of the reasons why Civ wants Luk to accompany him. Aside from his speed when running, Luk was also experienced at getting lost. So he had an idea what to do. Which is making sure they know where the river is.

  In their current topography, the river is their best bet to avoid getting lost. As long as they knew where the river was, they could continue to walk forward.

  “The forest is still silent Civ. Too silent, that is scary.” Luk commented as they continued.

  “I agree, I just hope these giants are too far away from us.” Civ replied as they slowly but surely continued their travel while marking the trees.

  Now that they are far away, Civ just noticed how convenient it is to use the leather clothes they are wearing. Aside from minimal scratches, it was a breathable cloth. They still both used the animal skin with hair as additional protection. But they only brought the one for the upper body.

  Two and a half hours had passed, and Civ decided that they should take a break.

  Sitting at one of the fallen logs, Civ and Luk opened the waterskin. Then they take their first sip from this container.

  GULP

  GULP

  GULP

  The taste is still there, a discernible taste of the resin and a noticeable bitter aftertaste. But for a waterskin that was just created, the taste of the water is tolerable.

  With a breather, Civ and Luk continued their journey.

  Looking around, Civ felt that they had already been there.

  “Wait Luk.” Civ stopped in his tracks.

  “I think we have already been here.” Civ looked around, and his eyes widened.

  What he saw were the X marks that they placed when they got lost.

  “This is the place where we were chased by the boar!” Luk exclaimed upon realization.

  “That is right. If this is the place. Then that will be.” Civ looks around.

  In front of him were green vines that crawled to the tree. On the tree’s branches, there were the yellow grapes!

  “So we really came back where we got lost.” Civ chuckled a bit, and he grabbed his bow and arrow.

  Aiming at the grapes, he starts hitting the main stalk that holds the grapes. After shooting the arrow, he finds where it went and uses the same arrow to save his resources. Seeing what Civ is doing, Luk also followed and started aiming at the grapes. A couple of shots later, they were able to collect four clusters of yellow grapes. With this, it will greatly help them on their travels. Tying it on their waist. They continue their journey while throwing grapes in their mouth from time to time.

  For another hour of walking, Civ noticed that the trees were getting fewer and fewer. Civ fastens his pace, and Luk matches it.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  WHOOOSH

  WHOOOSH

  WHOOOSH

  What Civ suspected was right. They are already at the edge of the forest where their camp is. In front of them is a wide grassland.

  “This can’t be.” Luk looked at the wide grassland where no trees were visible to the naked eye.

  Civ brows curled and tightened his grip on his spear. Walking towards this grassland is like walking naked. If they encounter the giants, they will be chased without a way to hide. He was having thoughts of returning to the camp. But then he thinks of the danger of having these giants run rampant toward them like they were nothing.

  He straightened his back and asked Luk. “This is more dangerous than I anticipated Luk. Are you willing to follow me in these grasslands?”

  Luk just looks at him and smiles. “Wherever the Chosen One goes, I will always follow!” Luk pumped his chest.

  Having a brave companion makes this search much easier. But this grassland might be the biggest obstacle they need to solve.

  Observing the grassland that they can see right now. It seems that there were animals staying around before the migration.

  “Luk can you walk on the side going south and see if you notice any animal manure?” Civ started walking north.

  Civ was a bit confused since the one they were standing right before was just grassland. He was sure this was grazed, but he did not know which animal it was.

  Walking farther, they both seem unable to notice any animal waste.

  “I do not see any Civ!” Luk shouted from the other side.

  “Alright, come back!” Civ responds.

  While walking back to their middle point, Civ noticed something. It was dry and felt like grass that was clumped.

  When he looked down, he smiled. Below him is an almond-shaped dirt!

  “Luk! I think I understand it now! Come here!” Civ stop and crouch down.

  Luk came running. “What was it Civ?”

  “This is where deer live!” Civ replied.

  He looked around, and as expected. When knowing what to look for, he noticed an antler that was sticking out from one of the big stones.

  “Follow me Luk!” Civ ran towards the stone.

  When they arrived, Civ walked around it. Behind is a skeleton of a deer.

  It was a big deer skeleton. If this deer were alive, it would stand around 4 /12 to 5 ft (around 1.5 meters)

  When Luk followed where Civ went, his eyes widened.

  “This is big! The bones are big!” Luk exclaimed.

  Civ bends on one knee and inspects the bones.

  “I think Luk, this is an old deer that died because of old age.” Civ starts to run his eyes from head to body.

  “Or not.” Civ looks closer to the middle of the rib. He saw grooves in the rib and some cracks from the other rib.

  “What do you see Civ?” Luk also bends on his one knee and starts looking at the lower part of the deer.

  “Have you seen anything Luk in the middle of part of the deer?” Civ asked.

  Luk squinted his eyes and tried his best. But he shakes his head.

  “No, I do not see anything,” Luk replied.

  Civ pointed it out to him. “This, can you notice it now?”

  “Right! But why is that like that?” Luk asked.

  “Honestly, I don’t have an idea. But this deer might have died because of an injury.” Civ confirmed.

  The grooves in the ribs do not tell everything since it has been dead for a long time. This deer died. But one thing is for sure. This deer was attacked!

  Civ brows met. He looked at the front, and it was grass. On the back, it was the forest where his tribe was staying.

  “Luk, we need to be more careful. This search might be more dangerous.” Civ said it with a heavy tone.

  Luk gulped and replied. “Yes Civ. I will listen to you.”

  When Civ stood up, Luk also followed. A breeze of air was filling the grassland. Fluttering the clothes of Luk and Civ. As Civ looked forward, he ran multiple scenarios in his mind.

  “Luk, we need to prepare.” Civ sat down again.

  “Pick long blades of grass,” Civ instructed.

  Following the command, Luk started collecting grasses. The length that they collected was arm's length.

  “Remove your animal skin.” Civ removed his animal skin that served as a cloak.

  “Poke holes in it. But make sure not to make a big hole.” Then they start stabbing the animal skin with their stone knives.

  Next step, Luk has an idea already. But waited for the instructions from Civ.

  “Then we need to put the grass we collected, then put it inside and bend it.”. Civ explained.

  After filling the holes, the animal skin was covered with green grass.

  Once they are done, Luk asked. “Why do we need to add it?”

  “We need it to avoid getting seen.” Civ briefly explained.

  Honestly, this is not enough if they need to camouflage. If possible, they need to put on a suit to cover their visibility in the grassland. This might not cover their whole body. But this is enough for now to make sure they are not that noticeable from a distance.

  “Alright, let's continue our travel.” Civ took note of the skeleton of the deer and continued their walk.

  Even though the travel was peaceful, it's not the same as what they are feeling. Amidst the cool breeze that they feel from the wind. Walking in the middle of the grassland on a sunny day, they start feeling the heat. Luk and Civ consume more water because of it.

  “Luk, don’t drink your water too much. We need to reserve as much as possible before we can find a new source of water.” Civ reminded Luk.

  Walking in this heat makes Civ feel terrible compared to walking in the protection of the tree’s shade.

  “Civ, I feel thirsty again.” Luk said he tried his best to take a sip from his waterskin.

  “Try your best Luk. Let’s try to find at least a tree here.” Civ also takes a sip of water.

  The taste was still there, but quenching their dry mouth. It was the least of their concern now. Then he takes a bit from the grape they have. Removing some of the aftertaste with sweetness.

  They continued to walk for more than two hours now. Civ and Luk marked any stones they encountered and the skeletons of a deer they saw.

  But Civ noticed that the grassland feels endless!

  ‘Not good, if it’s further than I imagined. We need to return to the camp by tomorrow.’

  Based on the distance they covered, Civ thinks they can spare an hour or two. Then they can return to the edge of the forest by night if they don’t find any forest in an hour or two of walking.

  ‘That would be a plan.’ All for the sake of the tribe’s safety.

  Civ looked up to the sky. It should be around 2 PM now. Then they continued their walk.

  After an hour and a half of travel, Luk’s walking is starting to slow down.

  “Civ, the water in my waterskin is almost gone!” Luk exclaimed. His voice was trembling.

  “Do not worry Luk, I still have half on my end. If you need, you can take some on my waterskin.” Civ tried to calm the situation. But Civ himself felt some concern also.

  However, in a couple of minutes, he noticed something. From afar, they are seeing the tops of trees!