Primitive Man

Chapter 51: Friends or foe

The sun had barely crept over the horizon when Garnt found himself in a tense situation. He decided to have a gathering early in the morning, but Kara was giving him an odd, suspicious look.

He wanted to ask whether, she was the one that spied on him last night, but decided not to since he wanted to finish the meeting.

Beside her stood the Baktou seemingly unfazed by the brewing tension in the air and Unami with a tried to look on her face showed the long night she had.

But today, they had no time for games. Iron ore and cement needed to be gathered quickly, and the group was determined to take their task seriously. Garnt, with a newfound sense of authority, stepped up and issued a stern warning to anyone who dared to break the rules.

"Listen up," Garnt declared, his gaze fixed on everyone in the area. "Anyone who breaks the rules will face consequences."

Kara and Unami were the centre of attention, but Garnt quickly decided to ask them to get ready instead of just making the two girls uncomfortable.

Baktou stood by Garnt's side. He calmly asked, "What if we stumble upon another great loot like earlier? Will we come back?"

Garnt met his gaze, unwavering. "No," he replied firmly. " Even if it is a rare animal, we will leave it there. I want to find these ingredients as soon as possible,"

With determination in their hearts and Garnt's warning fresh in their minds, the group set off on their mission. The early morning sun cast long shadows across the rugged terrain as they ventured into the wilderness.

The tension between Kara and Garnt still lingered, but for now, the pressing need for resources took precedence.

As they walked through the wilderness, Garnt couldn't help but wonder why his mother, Gundo, hadn't come to bid him farewell. Her absence weighed on his mind, but he pushed the thought aside, focusing on their task.

The group moved cautiously, their eyes scanning the ground for any signs of dark-coloured soil, the important indicator of the materials they sought. Garnt's leadership was unwavering, and he kept a close eye on his companions, making sure they remained vigilant.

"Remember," Garnt called out, his voice carrying through the quiet morning air, "keep a sharp eye on the soils. If you spot any dark-coloured soil, shout out immediately."

The group nodded in agreement, their determination mirrored in their expressions. They continued their search, each step taking them deeper into the untamed wilderness. The pressure to find iron ore and cement weighed heavily on their shoulders.

After two days of tireless searching, the group finally stumbled upon a place with the coveted red, dark-coloured stones, and Garnt quickly identified them as iron ores. Relief washed over him as he realized they had found the materials they needed.

He decided to mark the location and return with others to mine the precious resources.

Taking a well-deserved break, Garnt instructed everyone to rest for a moment. As he sat down to catch his breath, Kara approached him, her determination and curiosity still burning in her eyes.

He felt a little awkward with her after their recent tension but agreed when she asked if she could accompany him as he scouted the area.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, the tension between them palpable. Then, out of the blue, Kara turned to Garnt and asked, "Garnt, what were you doing on the banquet night?"

[Ohh~ looks like you will have to explain to this girl, how you're going to be her step-father.]

Eva said with an excited voice craving for more drama.

Garnt's heart skipped a beat, and he went stiff at her unexpected question. He hadn't expected this line of inquiry. He opened his mouth to reply but hesitated. Before he could answer, Kara continued, her tone tinged with suspicion, "And why were you with Unami on the banquet night?

I saw both of you talking with my mother."

He felt a little confused for a minute, but then he realized that this girl was not going to question him about her mother since she didn't even think that Ayra would do something like that.

"I can't really tell-" Garnt didn't want to spread rumours, but Kara suddenly held his hand and squeezed it with her mind filling with sadness.

"Brother Garnt, do you see me a sister? I don't want to see you as my brother, I only have one real brother," Kara said those words easily causing a misunderstanding.

"..."

Garnt fell silent, his heart heavy with the unintended implication of her words. He didn't want to hurt Kara, but he also couldn't ignore his feelings.

However, just as things were about to take a different turn, Kara moved closer to Garnt, her intentions changing. She attempted to kiss him on the lips, her emotions laid bare for him to see.

She was only a few inches away from sealing their unspoken feelings with a kiss when a loud commotion in the distance abruptly interrupted the moment. Both Garnt and Kara were startled. Garnt swiftly grabbed Kara's hand and pulled her behind a nearby bush to hide and observe what was happening.

Through the foliage, they witnessed a substantial group of ten or fifteen people outside the cave. The group seemed to be working on various tasks, such as cutting wood and organizing the fruits they had gathered. A woman, who appeared to be the leader, was moving in and out of the cave.

She looked just like Arya and Gundo used to look when they were cavewomen, only covering her bottom with some leaves and with a body that looked like it came out of a statue. She was a woman not to be underestimated.

Curiosity got the better of Kara, and she whispered to Garnt, "What do you think they're doing here? Should we confront them?"

Garnt shook his head gently, his eyes fixed on the group. "No, Kara," he replied in a hushed tone. "We need to be cautious. This could be dangerous.

We should gather proper equipment and bring more people from the village before we confront them. We need to find out who they are and what they want first."

[If you're going to build a mine here, we can't have these people around. Either they join us or we get rid of them. We don't want random people killing our miners in the future.]

Eva, with her tone coming back to the serious one, muttered those words.

After marking the area discreetly so they could easily find their way back, Garnt and Kara retreated silently from their hiding spot near the cave.

The route back to the village surprised Garnt; it was remarkably easy to get to the place from their settlement. He made a mental note of this, realizing that it could either be a boon or a bane depending on the intentions of the group near the cave.

"I'll leave marks for now, but let's see,"

Back in the village, Garnt gathered the hunters and Aunt Ayra. They sat around a small fire, its flickering flames casting eerie shadows on their faces. The mood was tense as they contemplated their next steps.

Aunt Ayra, with her experience and wisdom after countless number of battle, spoke first, her voice steady and calm. "Garnt, this situation calls for caution and thoughtfulness. We don't know who these people are or what they want. We must consider our options carefully."

She highlighted the point that, they don't want to go on a killing spree since they needed more human resources.

Garnt, known for his strong leadership qualities and quick decision-making, nodded in agreement. "You're right, Aunt Ayra. We can't jump to conclusions. But we also can't ignore the potential threat they pose.

We have two choices: either we approach them as potential friends or prepare to defend ourselves if they prove to be foes."

The hunters exchanged glances, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. Garnt's reputation as a leader was built on his ability to make tough decisions, and it was evident now. They trusted his judgment.

Ayra nodded slowly, her eyes reflecting her trust in Garnt's leadership. "Very well, Garnt. Let us prepare for both possibilities. We'll gather more information discreetly, and when the time is right, we'll decide whether they are friends or foes."

Garnt felt a heavy responsibility on his shoulders but knew that the safety and well-being of their village depended on their actions. With determination in his eyes, he said, "We'll be cautious and prepared, Aunt Ayra. We won't let any harm come to our people.

But we'll also strive for peace if it's possible."

"Within one week period, we will confront that cave until then, we will keep an eye on them to see what they are upto," Garnt took his decision.

As they sat by the fire, the night grew darker, and their thoughts turned to the mysterious group near the cave, their futures uncertain, and their actions guided by the wisdom of their leader, Garnt and the person behind that leader, the ultimate system, Eva.