Different tribes share the land of Earth, fighting to acquire the knowledge of Steel.
Ichigo, son of the leader of the feared and powerful swordsmanship tribe, Kenshi, has a problem: he is in love with someone that he isn't supposed to know, or have met.
Orihime, apprentice and future leader of the glorious and almost holy healing tribe, Hira, tries to fight a future in which all her freedom would vanish.
With the ongoing war between everyone, and people pulling strings in the shadows, how can love be? How can it survive?
Notes:
Hello everyone!
Here is a new fanfiction, that I plan to be much longer and much more graphic than the little fics I wrote before.
As you can see in the summary, it takes place during prehistoric times, right after the discovery of bronze.
It might remind some people of the Korean drama "Arthdal Chronicles" but just the time period and the tribes are linked. The story will be much different.
For those, and I know you're here, who expect smut since it's in the tag, it will happen, of course, but you will have to be a bit patient hehe
I apologize for any misspelled words or any incorrect spelling, I will review this chapter soon.
I hope this story will be liked, because the more people are involved in it, the more I want to write!
So without any more waiting, here we go!
Chapter 1: The healer and the fighter
When the birds started their singing and the sun hit the fragile walls of the huts, all the fear from the night faded away. The monster of darkness went back in its hole, and the light high up in the sky bathed all tribes with its warmth.
The guards out of the small village looked around, wary of what might still lurk behind each bushes, in all trees, but not sounds escaped the awakening forest.
It's a relief to most of the inhabitants because no one liked to fight a wild animal or a scout sent by the other tribes to dig into the secrets of the swordsmen.
By the time the sun was higher than the first tree branches, everyone was awake, already tending to their duties. The women, gathering their young children, made sure the fires were still lit so that the meat that the hunters would bring can be cooked quickly. Older children played until they were called by adults, to help them craft more, or simply repair what needed to be done.
Ichigo was out in the fresh air, near the fire at the step of his hut, which was slightly bigger and much more decorated than the others. The advantage of being the leader's son.
"Ichigo." Renji, a tall man with crimson hair and ritual tattoos all over his skin, like claw marks on his arms and neck, and forehead, walked up to him and made a quick bow. Ichigo nodded his head at him and they chewed on a slice of dried meat together until the taller man took a stick to draw in the mud.
"So. What is going on with the northern tribe? Are they still trying to do some... Research, on holy ground?"
While the swordsmen didn't exactly have a god to worship, they still considered some of nature's wonders to be holy, to be a gift from whoever controlled life.
"I sent some of the men to have a look at the open field, where the stone of Shez is. Yesterday, a scout had told us it had been touched by a fool's hand."
Renji opened his palm to let go of the stick, dipping a finger in the freshly returned earth, a bit of water pooling within. He played with it for a bit, sticky mud staying on his fingers while Ichigo looked all around the camp. It was peaceful today.
The swordsmen were used to have people meet them, or spy on them, so that they could learn the fighting techniques, powerful enough to take down a great many numbers of enemies and preys. And a tribe that could defend itself while maintaining a very good stock was respected.
"Do you know where Father went? I couldn't find him this morning." Ichigo was never worried for his father since he was the leader. And being a leader meant he was strong enough to choke a bear with his hands.
"He left early with Byakuya and Kisuke. I am not certain where, but I think it was to meet the Healers."
Ichigo's ears perked up and he turned his head to his friend, who was still nonchalantly looking at the mud.
"Why would they? It's not time for the tribute yet."
"Ah, well, I don't know. I'm just guessing. I'm not the one the plans are told to."
Right. Renji, as strong and sincere as he was, wasn't all-knowing. Ichigo's father, Isshin, was quite the secretive chief, preferring to let his friend Kenpachi train the people and Kisuke teach them about nature and how to think, while Isshin dealt with the political talks. So if Ichigo wanted to know where did they go, and why, he'd have to find them.
He sighed and got up, pulling on his legs to unstick his feet from the ground. That was Fall. Dead leaves and cold weather and rain. Not his favorite time of the year.
"I'll get going. I have things to do."
Renji simply nodded and rose too, cracking his back and going back to his hut to get a warmer coat on his shoulders. Better not to have a cold or a running nose.
Ichigo walked through the village, saying his greetings to everyone that bowed to him. A little girl came up to him and showed him a small lizard, that came from who knows where, and he smiled gently at her.
"It's a beautiful lizard you got here. What's its name?"
"It's Bawabawa!" The little girl smiled brightly, opening her small arms wide to show how strong this name sounded.
"It was under a rock, all freezing! All cold! So I took it, I warmed it, but I didn't eat it!" The small girl seemed so happy, so proud of herself for managing such a task that Ichigo rubbed her hair, the smile not leaving his face.
"And you were right. Bawabawa right here can be a precious friend. You know how in the huts they are some bugs?" The little girl nodded, listening to all the man's words attentively.
"Well, Bawabawa can help you get rid of them! Just treat it well, and it will help you!"
The girl bursted in a big "ooooh", eyes shining like the stars at night, and her mouth forming a huge grin. She took back the lizard and gathered it carefully in the wool of her clothing, blowing hot air on it.
"I'll keep it alive!" Ichigo smiled again and stood up, waving at the little girl, Nel he recalled, before walking away.
It's a good thing that children are curious, he thought as he strolled to the side of the village, where the horses were tamed and kept. The more the children understood or tried to understand how their complicated world was, the better it was later, when they were older. They grew up to be more independent while still working as a group.
Chad, a immense and rock-like build man was taking care of the horses, gently patting them and feeding them the few carrots they had kept since the last harvest.
"They're pretty nice with you" joked Ichigo. "With everyone else, they keep on whining and kicking. I think Grimmjow was sent to the ground the moment he tried to mount one of them."
Chad raised the corners of his mouth, the closest thing from a smile coming from him, and pulled away from the horse.
"Grimmjow is better off not riding any horses. He's too much of a jaguar."
Ichigo couldn't help but agree : their fellow swordsman wasn't known to be gentle, kind or anything good actually. He was a great fighter, but was cruel and most animals feared him. Or were angered. It was yet to be determined.
"I take it you're joining your Father?"
"I need a horse."
The two spoke at the same time, and Chad didn't need any more information before turning around and getting a dark horse out of its single box.
"Here. He's well-rested and should carry you as fast as possible."
The black horse seemed to be nodding, expectingly tapping his hoove on the ground. Ichigo thanked Chad and placed all the necessary equipment on his mount before getting on it and trotting away from the camp.
Long ago, when he was just a child, they lived in a warmer area, almost deserted by vegetation. His mother had given birth to him there, and many had thought he was the reincarnation of the sun, with his bright orange hair. Turned out, he was really just a human.
Now, they lived way up the desert, where summers were suffocatingly warm and winters deadly cold. The forest all around them brought them shelter, food and a great many number of ways to live properly.
Ichigo, with his zanpakuto to his side, made his horse gallop through the forest, quickly going farther away from the camp. He was alone in the forest, and no one could help him if he were to meet an opponent stronger than him.
The vast forest had many turns to avoid the caves, in which were said to be monsters, some even murmuring about some cannibals, but he didn't believe in that. They were just bears or wolves and the villagers' minds had run too wild. But he still remained away from them. For security.
The stone of Shez, which he had discussed about with Renji, was considered a very important place, not just for his tribe, but for the holiest of all, the one that should be spoken with admiration only : the Healing Tribe.
This other tribe was adored, respected, and revered as the tribe with the gift of healing. All its members where knowledgeable in medicine in all it's ways, calling upon magic to protect and tend to all the injured. With so much on their shoulders, the Healing Tribe had agreed to an alliance with only the strongest, the finest, and the richest tribes, so that all could benefit from the others.
And with the rumors of the stone of Shez, where many rites were held, being trespassed and soiled by the hand of unknown renegades, it was Isshin and all his tribe's duty to take a look and figure it out.
The journey wasn't long, thanks to the rapid horse Chad had given him, and Ichigo arrived close to noon to the stone of Shez. He carefully got off the saddle, tying the reins to a tree so the horse wouldn't run away, and placed a heavy wool cap around him, the hood down.
The place was still deserted, his father probably having been there before him, if the horse's hooves on the slightly wet earth was any indication.
"Is anyone here?" He called, walking towards the entrance of the grotto in which the stone was. It was heavily surrounded by never fading white lilies and other pale flowers, and Ichigo wondered once more how was that possible.
No one answered him so, with a frown and ready to pick up his zanpakuto, hilt close to his hand, Ichigo entered, not bothering to take a torch as the place was decorated with many candles, well lit.
His steps were silent, yet all could be heard within the grotto, and soon he heard someone else breathing in the confined place. Ichigo walked hurriedly to the person standing in front of the stone, on their knees while a cape, even thicker than his, covered them from head to toe.
Yet he didn't draw out his weapon. He opened his own cape a bit more so he could place both of his hands to his sides, smiling at the figure.
"And what are you doing here alone lady? Bad people could be after you after they damage the stone."
The figure seemed to freeze then sighed, pale and delicate hands taking the hood off the head, revealing long auburn hair, with a few transparent jewels in them, tightly kept together by a braid at the back.
"Not when I have someone as strong as you to protect me." The young woman answered back, fully turning her face to smile at Ichigo.
Orihime only slightly raised her hand up to ask him to sit next to her that he had already complied, his sword on his knees. She chuckled at his eagerness, and he looked into her eyes before taking the held up hand in his.
"Well, if I must, then consider me your guard for now." Ichigo grinned before taking her hand up to his lips, kissing it very lightly.
"Only for now?" Orihime tilted her head to the side to fake innocence, but she quickly placed the kissed hand on his cheek.
The two young people looked at each other before Ichigo rolled his eyes playfully and looked up at the stone, shining slightly under all the candles light. Orihime gathered her serious and closed her eyes, her hands joined in front of her as she concentrated on whatever the stone was telling her.
For centuries, this sacred stone had been some kind of messenger between the gods and the Healing Tribe, so the young woman needed calm and quiet to hear them. Ichigo looked around and wished he could listen too.
After a short silence, Orihime recited a thank you and a short prayer in another language before standing up, Ichigo doing the same.
"Are you here about the rumors?" She asked him, walking back closer to the entrance, where a room had been dug inside the rock. It was filled with books and skins on which were written mysterious things, in the same language Orihime had spoken. Farther away, a bed and all the necessities for one to live here.
"Yeah. My father and two of his men have probably already come, since I see nothing have happened." Ichigo nodded and walked to a chair to sit down.
"True. Isshin and his two fellow companions came here already, only to see that nothing had been soiled, unlike the rumors said." Orihime took off her dark cloak to reveal a pale white dress, wool, and saying cleverly mixed together to bring beer warmth, comfort, and beauty while still being considered pure.
"Hm... I see. But then why did the rumors started... By whom?" Bringing a hand to his chin, Ichigo started to think of all the possibilities. No tribe was foolish enough to do anything on the stone of Shez. That would bring shame, anger and the god's wrath upon them, doubled by curses from the Healing Tribe.
Orihime walked in front of him and took his face between her hands, making him look up.
"Your father is already investigating that. He went away to the other chiefs to give them orders."
"Orders? As in, execute the ones who spread a false word?"
"I can't know for certain. Your father says only what he needs to say to my tribe before he rushes to help others." Orihime was smiling, but her eyes were turning cold, the distrust against her people obviously annoying to her.
Ichigo brought a hand around her waist and she pulled away, fingers up.
"No, you're too dirty, I'll get scolded again!" She scolded him, and the young man felt his smile deflate.
"What do you mean, I am clean!"
"Obviously not, look at your reflection." Orihime gave him a bronze plate, and Ichigo was barely able to see himself. "Your ride was in the mud, your face is covered in it. Come."
Ichigo got up, following the chuckling woman to the hidden part of the room, near the bedroom part of it. There was a small opening on which she pulled on, turning the crevasse into an opening door. Some steam came out from behind, and the two of them quickly arrived in some kind of bath chamber.
"I thought you had said you didn't want to bathe together?" Ichigo told her playfully, and Orihime blushed very slightly before shaking her head.
"You need to clean up, not me. And since you have no idea what "cleaning up" means or how to do it correctly, I'll have to help you."
Ichigo snickered behind his elbow. She didn't insult him, it was true the swordsmen weren't known to be very... Clear-skinned, pampered like the Healing Tribe. So he turned to her and nodded once before taking his cloak off.
Orihime helped him placing it near the baths so that it could at least be dry when he got out. She turned her head to look away from him stripping his shirt off his torso, getting to his pants and his shoes as well. He shyly entered the water, which was dense enough to hide all of him except his collarbones.
"Alright. I'm in."
Orihime got back to him and kneeled near his head, looking only at his face, with the blush going redder on her cheeks as she helped him wash up his face.
The room was silent except for the tiny splashes from her gentle hands cleaning his him, and Ichigo wasn't missing any second of it. This beautiful woman, leaning down on him so she could wash his face, caressing his eyebrows and the sides of his forehead... It made him feel so warm inside, and that wasn't from the bath.
"What is it?" She asked quietly, eyes darting to his lips faintly before staring in his eyes. He blinked a few times before pulling his hand out of the water, slowly raising it to touch the back of her neck, lowering her face so their lips could meet.
As they started to kiss gently and without any heat, he felt the connection between them deepen even more. Throughout the years, they had always been close. From strangers that met in the forest to children rolling around the summer fields together, their lives where bound together, intricate strings that could never be cut. And as they grew up more, and got so many responsibilities thrust upon them, they got even closer, scratching the friend to become the lover.
But as the kiss deepened and the two relaxed, the stone started to shine, unlike any other time. A bright red, like blood freshly pouring out of a wound.
