Barbarian tribe Nahele of the forest. 

One of the three indigenous clans located at the eastern side of Ash, which includes the Mashkosi of the grasslands, and the Tahoma of the leaping water. Named after the forest they reside, the Nahele are experts of logistics and tracking, herbology and spirituality. Even though the Nahele are only the second largest of the four great clans, its importance far outweighs the Tahoma, the largest, stretching deep into the capital, the City of Ash, and right into the good graces of Emperor Jie. All the healers residing in Ash came from Nahele, or at least studied in the clan once upon a time, becoming sturdy branches with well founded connections in noble clans, including the imperials. 

Although the time has not yet arrived, once a year the aspiring echelon of water and wood experts converge here, due to not only the high concentration of essence, but also the teachings and experience that the capital can not provide. Of course the other three clans, including the sister clans of the Mashkosi and Nahele in the west, and the solitary Pillan of the western mountains, are not exempt from this once a year excursion. And it was this very excursion that the current leaders of the Nahele and Mashkosi had been solemnly speaking in great detail over. 

A gust of wind shuttered the windows, the rain dropped like an overturned bucket. It wasn’t long until the lands were drenched. A mere 15 minutes of rain had the whole lot drowning, no one willing to take a single step outside. And the adjoining village Iolanthe, unlike the Nahele clan acting ignorant of the rain, was doing just that. Not a soul was in sight in the village blooming with violet flowers.

“Ha! The accuracy of you lots’ forecast is amazing just as it is terrifying. And what was it again, a month's worth of rain? If it hadn’t come from your mouth, not even you could stop me from breaking open the dolts who dared to utter such a ludicrous prediction.” Achak, the Nahele chieftain, with his arm resting on the windowpane, took his sight off Iolanthe village, and to the man who just spoke. 

Arriving in record time, Istaqa the Mashkosi chieftain, was the first to shoot off the mouth in anger towards the latest weather prediction, and he in fact, burst open a few heads already seconds after arrival. Currently no death has been reported, but quite a few clansmen were shacked up in the medicine hut, and the ruckus outside still hasn’t calmed down much. Achak could not help but inwardly sigh. Istaqa would compensate those few at the very least. As for the land and building damage——– he would have Istaqa fix that himself.

“Fine!” Istaqa slammed his mug to the table, his arm propped up by his knee, a mocking sneer glimmering through his beard. “If it plans to last this long, then it best put in some damn work, and take out those blasted flames kicking up a fuss. My lands have been seared into charcoal. And at this rate, that little excursion will have to be stopped, those nobles left to sully up the capital and blast a few holes in that ‘good’ emperor’s ear.” Suddenly, after the words left his mouth, he burst into laughter. “Good! Let it stop! Rain or fire, at least one good outcome from this deary mess can be had. Those snot nose spoiled brats I’ve had it up to here with, and as the years go by, they become that little bit worse.”

“It isn’t that they’re becoming worse, your standards are far too high for any normal person to meet Istaqa.” Halona, Chieftess of the Nahele, shook her head with a chuckle. Both her and Dyani, Chieftess of the Mashkosi walked in with platters of food.

“Ugh, not you too Halona. Achak, my wife has been hanging around yours for far too long. If my sweet becomes bitter, I’ll have your head you hear me!” Suddenly a fist clocks Istaqa, and instead of blowing his top, his shoulders hunch. “Sweetie, why’d you hit me?”

“You know why.” Dyani plopped down next to her husband, glaring daggers at the boorish man the size of a bear. “Halona has invited me to the rain festival a week from now, and I won’t be missing it. Will I?”

Istaqa sat straight and nodded like a woodpecker, “Yes my sweet, of course you will be here for that. Why wouldn’t you be? I most currently won’t stop you. Yes. yes, yes.”

Dyani smiled and pleasantly hummed. Kindly she stuffed her husband’s mouth with a baby blue apple, and even refilled his mug. “Of course you’ll need something to do whilst we wait for the performance and festivities. Be sure to fix the mess you made, every building should be as it were before your arrival. You’ll do that for me, right?” 

As expected, Achak smiled. Leave it to my sister to do all the work for me, and the wife slave to mindless follow along. Only that boorish man would think the honey badger was a rabbit. How naive. Sometimes he wonders if Istaqa has forgotten who introduced them. He smiled at the matchmaker, his wife refilling his own mug, and let her tug him over to the table to sit.

There the couples’ conversations deviated far from the gloomy weather, the awaiting disasters, and even the looming black flames haunting the future. Odds and ends were talked about instead, the coming rain festival and who would be leading the dance. It was Catori, Achak and Halona’s oldest daughter. Finally she could stall no longer and had been ‘convinced’ into leading the dance. Although the entire clan were well aware as to why she refused time after time, with the war chief's daughter's leg injured, and the other females of the tribe ‘conveniently’ indisposed or otherwise busy, the responsibility fell to her.

It has always been tradition in the Nahele tribe to celebrate the rain. The festivities following each form it would take, from the forming of clouds, the strike of lighting, the thunder calling out from the sky, and the fall of rain. Even the ripples, pitter pattering throughout all forms of water were not forgotten. It all culminated upon the rain dance, a sacred ritual passed on through the generations. A rite that all must go through at some point. He had danced it before, as did Halona and Dyani. Even his two other sons had long completed theirs, leaving only Catori to have yet done hers.

Speaking of his sons, Achak’s sight fell outside the window once more, a scowl knitting his brows. “Halona, our sons and daughter, they went out hunting with the war chief’s twins, correct?” His wife answered yes. He frowns, “Chogan included?” 

She confirmed again, confused why he mentioned their youngest. “What's wrong? Have they returned already? ——–Strange. They’d not left too long ago. Dyani and myself saw them off moments before setting up the food on the fire.” 

Achak’s frown became worse hearing that. His sight moved, as if following something, until it finally reached the door, and then bang! The doors flew open and a rush of air was pulled out. There at the room's entrance was a small and lithe body drenched in water, heaving on air.

“Mother, father, the leopard and primate are on the move.” 

A chill swept through the room at his words. Only the sound of rain, wind, and the exhausted gasp of the boy could be heard. All eyes fell on Chogan, and he shivered due to the attention.

Halona looked to her husband then to her son. “Where are the others?”

Chogan shook his head, indicating they weren’t here. “Meztli and Kishil, Catori and Hiamovi followed after them, tailing not too far behind.”

“Which direction?” Achak abruptly asked, startling his son into lowering his head, but quickly after he looked back up.

His thoughts ran themselves into a spiraling mess, but still managed to form an answer for his father. “They’re heading towards Iolanthe, but somewhat eastward. I couldn’t quite catch the exact location. —–I am no good, I have failed you father.” 

Just as Chogan lowered his eyes to his nose, and nose to the ground, his father, the mountain pressing down on his shoulders, rushed past him. In a daze he watched as his own mother, as well as uncle Istaqa zipped past him. Suddenly a hand fell on his shoulder, snapping him out of his shock.

Aunt Dyani ruffled his hair and smiled. “It’s alright Cho, you did well. Now go get yourself cleaned up. Those three will handle it.”

Chogan just nodded, still terribly worried about his siblings and the twins. He’d once witnessed the destructive nature of that leopard and primate, the shaking earth, the topple trees disappearing into the horizon, which still haunts him. The aftermath that is now a fresh water spring, is the lasting proof, the evidence that those two beasts are forces of nature that no normal being could contend with. 

He hoped everyone would be okay. Praying deep down no one would get hurt. His two small hands clasp together as his sight peered into the falling rain.