Threats

The emerald canopy of the A****n rainforest stretched endlessly above Kai as he made his way along the narrow trail. The air hummed with life, thick with the scent of damp earth and blooming flowers. Sunlight danced through gaps in the leaves, painting shifting patterns on the forest floor.

As Kai entered his village, the familiar sounds of daily life greeted him. Children's laughter rang out from between the buildings, mixing with the rhythmic clacking of looms where women wove intricate patterns into cloth and baskets. Men tended to small plots of cassava and plantains, their hands dark with rich soil. The sight of his home never failed to make his soul restful.

His village, nestled deep within the living labyrinth of the jungle, was a hidden jewel among the verdant chaos. The dwellings were constructed from the materials of the forest itself: large, thatched roofs made from palm leaves, walls of woven bamboo, and wooden floors elevated to keep them above the ever-present moisture of the jungle floor. The village was laid out in a loose circular pattern, centered around a communal clearing where the people gathered for meetings, ceremonies, and celebrations.

At the heart of the village, the central fire crackled. Kai's grandmother, Asha, stood nearby in the doorway of her home which also served as their healing space. Her ceremonial robe was adorned with vibrant beads and feathers, most given as gifts as tribute and respect to her station and her healing efforts. Today, her eyes were clouded with worry.

She motioned to him and Kai ducked into her doorway.

"The loggers grow bolder," Asha announced, her voice rough with age but still commanding. "They come closer each day, cutting down our trees and driving away the animals."

As Asha continued to outline what she saw as the main issues the village was facing, Kai tried to focus on her words, but his mind kept drifting to the scientist he'd encountered six months ago. Isabel. Her face haunted his dreams with increasing frequency.

"Kai!" Asha's sharp tone snapped him back to attention. "Are you listening?"

He blinked, cheeks flushing. "I'm sorry, Grandmother. I was... distracted."

The woman's sharp black eyes studied him so deeply he thought she could see directly into his soul.

Asha's eyes softened, though a trace of frustration remained. "You are still having the dreams? The dreams of the foreign scientist?"

When Kai nodded, his grandmother continued. "The Earth Goddess does not always speak only through the signs of the forest. She often comes in dreams. You must listen to her warnings."

Kai's brow furrowed. "How can dreams of a foreigner be messages from the Earth Goddess?"

"The goddess speaks in many ways," Asha replied firmly. "Through visions, dreams, the wind's whisper, or the rustling leaves. You must be open to all her messages, even those that seem strange."

Kai nodded but remained unconvinced. His practical nature, shaped by years of leading his tribe through the challenges of the jungle, struggled with the idea of divine intervention manifesting as dreams about Isabel.

He had always relied on tangible solutions to protect his people, from fortifying their defenses against poachers to training young warriors in the art of stealth and survival and how to use their big cats to their best advantage. When faced with a threat, he assessed it through careful observation and strategy, not through mystical visions.

His leadership had always been grounded in the realities of the forest: managing food resources, negotiating with neighboring tribes, and ensuring the safety of their territory through meticulous planning just as his father and his uncle Aru had taught him. The idea of interpreting dreams as messages from the Earth Goddess felt foreign and unreliable compared to his tried-and-true methods but he would never disrespect this wizened, little woman by questioning her beliefs.

Asha continued, "We must also prepare for the poachers. They are more ruthless than the loggers, they hunt us for our hides." Her face wrinkled into a fierce scowl. "We must watch the young ones even closer. There are not so many these days that we can afford to lose even one to these monsters."

Kai nodded gravely. "I will speak with all the warriors and the young ones. We will post extra patrols and keep the cubs inside the perimeter of the village for now. I know the young men will be disappointed to delay their training but it cannot be helped."

As the meeting progressed, Kai's worry increased, but Isabel's face seemed to hover at the edge of his consciousness, her voice a persistent whisper in his mind. He shook his head in frustration. He had to get this woman out of his head. She had no place there. He would never see her again as he would never travel to the outside world again. His place was here, protecting his people. His father's last words echoed in his ears, "Protect our people… no matter the cost…"

By the time he had met with his warriors and tried to evoke the fear of the goddess into the cubs and young men, the sun had begun its descent.. Kai sought solitude by the river, watching small fish dart between smooth stones. The beauty of the jungle in the fading light couldn't shake his unease about the threats to their land and the waning of their magic.

Suddenly, an urgent voice broke through his reverie. "Chief Kai!"

He turned to see a young scout running towards him, breathless and wide-eyed.

"What is it?" Kai asked, heart racing.

The scout gasped, "The stranger! The scientist woman from months ago—she's back! I saw her with two other outsiders, setting up camp."

Kai's pulse quickened. "Are you certain it's her?"

"Yes, Chief," the scout nodded vigorously. "I recognized her immediately."

Kai took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Alert the council. We need to prepare for their arrival."

As the scout hurried off, Kai remained by the river, lost in thought. The jungle seemed to hold its breath, the air thick with the promise of change.

"Why now?" Kai muttered to himself. "What does it mean?"

He gazed into the deepening twilight, his mind a whirl of questions. Isabel's unexpected return, the goddess's warnings, the threats to their land—it all seemed connected, yet the pattern eluded him.

Kai straightened his shoulders, resolve settling over him. Whatever challenges lay ahead, he would face them. The forest's ancient magic stirred around him, its secrets on the verge of revelation.

As he made his way back to the village, Kai's voice was barely a whisper. "Isabel... why are back?"

The night enveloped the jungle, leaving Kai's question hanging in the air, unanswered but filled with possibility.