Tumia

New Age

Sitting in the war room, Ash and I listened intently to our generals discuss strategies to protect our home. Our scouts had reported increased human activity, with more trees being cut down near the western border.

"We need to attack them before they attack us!" one general shouted, though his suggestion was met with disapproval from many.

"They have more weapons. It would be a suicide mission," Ash countered, glaring at the old man.

My father remained silent, listening to the heated debate. It had been five days since we escaped the human base, and I warned him they wouldn't stop there. From the base, I saw smoke rising, indicating the construction of something large. It was only a matter of time before they made their move.

Our only advantage was that the humans couldn't find us. The forest was vast, and without a clear route, it could take days for them to locate our tree.

"Why not interrogate that human? She and the doctor are probably hiding something. They might be working for the humans," another general suggested.

"No, we won't bring harm to Thalia and the doctor," Ash declared, slamming his fist on the table. "They helped us bring back many of our people."

"And many died!" the general retorted, but my father calmed him down.

I understood his anger. His son, Xan, who attended school with Eldrith, was killed during their capture. It was a tragic situation. I had warned my father not to trust that school, but he believed it could bring peace. Now, here we were.

"We won't attack. They don't know where we are, so we must stay hidden," my father concluded before dismissing everyone.

I groaned, disagreeing with his approach. Following him and Ash, I voiced my concerns as we headed to his room.

"Father, we should prepare for the worst," I urged.

If they attack or find us, we're sitting ducks. We need to prepare our warriors for war. What the humans did crossed the line, and we should fight back.

"War isn't always the answer, Vorian," he sighed, walking inside.

I dragged my hand over my face, irritated with his stubbornness. Ash gave me a sympathetic look and patted my back, pulling me away from our father's room.

"Little brother, what's troubling you?" he asked as we walked.

My mind was racing with anxiety. Our father was growing old and soft, failing to see that the humans were ready to wipe us out.

"He's not thinking, Ash," I grumbled. "They won't hesitate to wipe us out. We need to be one step ahead and kill them immediately," I finished as Ash nodded.

"Does that mean Thalia too?" he asked.

I snapped at him, "No!" I quickly said, raising his eyebrow.

"She's different," I mumbled, recalling what happened in the cave two nights ago.

It had been on my mind. Olha doesn't reveal herself to anyone but Kratens, yet Thalia seemed to attract her protection. Plus, the fish—Yobap was supposed to be a myth. I had never seen it in person, but it didn't seem like just a story anymore.

She had been a mystery since our first encounter. The initial betrayal by a human shattered our trust, yet when I extended kindness to Thalia... she remained steadfast to her word. It was perplexing; I had never encountered anyone quite like her.

"But they are her family," Ash pointed out, making me think more rationally. He had a point.

"Doesn't matter they're human" I resorted

"Although you claim to hate humans you're awfully attentive to her. Teaching her how to use our weapons," he joked, and I rolled my eyes.

I did, but Thalia was different from the rest. "I saw Yobap," I quietly admitted.

Ash's eyes widened, and he pulled me into his room, closing the door. "With Thalia?" he asked for clarification.

I nodded, still confused by it. Yobap hadn't appeared for years; it was always just a legend.

"You know what this means, Vorian?" he asked, excited.

"It's an old story, Ash. Don't read too much into it," I huffed, knowing he could get carried away.

"But Vorian, think about the possibilities. Eldrith has told me some things," he said, causing me to stare in confusion.

What did my sister know? "Like what?" I asked.

"Nothing much but I think you both complement each other," he smirked as I covered my ears, not wanting to hear his opinion.

The idea of Kratens and humans being together was absurd. I hated them too much for that ever to happen.

"You're losing it," I scoffed, leaving his room.