A crisp breeze graced my skin as I gutted the last of the snakefish I had just caught, before tossing the meaty carcasses in a basket beside me, and the unwanted entrails back into the river. I felt rather lucky with my catch as all of the fish were around the size of a pineapple, and while the metallic smell from their blood was unpleasant, I could not wait to eat every single one of them.
"I still can't believe you can eat those things. They're monsters!" shouted a voice from behind me.
I turned my head toward the source to notice my sister, Nima, standing atop a small hill a few meters away from the riverbank. Her long, free-flowing black hair shined with a hint of indigo in the sun as she walked toward me.
"Ah, my lovely Nima, just try one already. Stop letting the sharp teeth intimidate you," I replied with an inviting smile.
My sister was one of the many people in my village who were perturbed by, if not afraid of, the predatory snakefish that inhabited our nearest river, which was named the Cocoliloc River. According to a folktale I was told as a child, they were demons in the form of fish who savagely fed on human flesh, which was one of the reasons why many of the adults in my village always told the youth to stay away from that specific river, including my grandmother.
"Ugh, maybe I'll try ONE small sliver tonight. But hurry up! Nearly everyone is already preparing their meals," said Nima while she tugged at my shirt.
I couldn't help but stare at her for a few moments, as I noticed her caramel skin seemed paler than usual, and her honey-colored eyes were less vibrant. I instantly knew she was sick again, but she didn't want to tell me. She was always an extremely stubborn girl.
I quickly picked up my wooden basket before following my sister, who was already a few steps ahead of me. Once I caught up with her, I put one of the fish carcasses directly in front of her face, which prompted her to yelp in fear.
"You're such a jerk Tlalec!" she yelled furiously while pushing me away. Her reaction caused me to laugh hysterically. She then mocked my laugh before jabbing me in the stomach, inciting even harder laughter.
After a few minutes of walking, my sister and I exited the forest, which transitioned into a small clearing directly behind our village. It was bustling with loads of activity; I heard children laughing, meat and other foods cooking over fires, and adults talking amongst each other. I told Nima to check on our grandmother before walking over to the side of our plank house, where I noticed my Aunt Teuicui preparing some food on a makeshift stove made from metal boards and other spare materials.
"Hey auntie," I began as we embraced each other, "I brought some juicy additions to tonight's feast."
"Oh, wow, these are the meatiest fish I have ever seen you bring! The water spirits must have been very pleased with you, my dear."
"It seems that's the case, or I was simply lucky."
"Indeed, my dear. Here, leave the basket next to me so I can start preparing them. Go check on my sister for now," commanded my Nana softly.
Ever since I turned seventeen, my grandmother's health was on a rapid decline. A part of me wanted to attribute her illness to a sudden raid we suffered when I was four, which forced us to seek out a new village, but I didn't want to make myself believe any preconceptions. I also lost my father and grandfather in that raid. Before they left to fight off the raiders, I vividly remembered my father gripping me by the shoulders and telling me to join the military when I became of age. I never knew his reasons for that statement, but his face seemed filled with a type of fear I had never seen within him. I also vaguely remembered strange-looking people with braided beards, white skin, and odd tattoos marching within the chaos.
As I entered my plank house, I immediately heard my grandmother expel a violent cough before turning my head to see her frail body laying on her bed. Her skin was usually a dark beige color, like burnt sandstone, but at that moment nearly all of her color was gone. Even her hair changed, going from a soft silver to a deathly white. Nima was by her side feeding her warm soup.
"Hey grandma, how do you feel?" I asked while gently hugging her. My mind was fogged with pity, which kept me from asking a more worthwhile question. It was obvious she wasn't feeling well.
"Ah, I'm feeling quite alright my love. This is simply the gods letting me know I shall return to them soon," said my grandmother as she chuckled, inciting another string of coughs. "Goodness me! You know, forget all those statements about old age being the most peaceful time of your life. Those are fucking lies."
"Grandma!" exclaimed Nima. She looked as though her jaw was about to fall off completely.
I burst with laughter instead, as I always do whenever my grandmother curses. And thanks to her vulgar statement, I was actually beginning to feel better. As far as I can remember, she always tried her best to make my sister and I smile, no matter how bad things got. Even when she was utterly exhausted after her daily duties, she would never forget to tell us stories and crack jokes before we went to sleep.
All three us of conversed for a long while before a sudden booming voice from outside caught our attention.
"Let's go, let's go! Everyone to the longhouse! The food is officially ready, and you all should know that mister Aapo isn't nice when he's hungry."
Aapo was one of the prominent adult figures of our village. He was a fairly tan-skinned man; tall and chubby with some bulkiness to him, and his resting expression was always serious, but that expression didn't match his personality at all. For the most part, he was always jolly, almost to an obnoxious point, but he was adored nonetheless.
My grandmother forced her upper body up from her bed as her face showed an expression similar to a child getting sweets from the market. "Well, it seems we've been chatting much longer than we thought. Let's get a move on kids, I've been waiting all day for this."
Nima sprang to her aid, holding her by the arm as she helped her up. "Tlalec, could you hand me my-"
"One step ahead of you," I interrupted with a grin as I held my grandmother's walking stick in front of her. She let out a snicker before rolling her eyes.
"Hey, you go on ahead and help set up the dining area. We'll catch up with you," said Nima while gathering a few things.
I obliged, even though I didn't plan on helping at all, and made my way out of our plank house. Within seconds, my nose was sieged by a coalition of countless smells: fish, crab, beef, chicken, pumpkin, corn, potato, and many more. I also noticed that the sun was rapidly setting. Huh, it feels like the sun was way up in the sky just a few moments ago I thought to myself.
A squad of kids bolted past me, all of them obviously following the same trail of smells as I was. I couldn't help but wholeheartedly relate to their excitement. A middle-aged woman shouted at them in an attempt to slow them down, but the group brushed her off.
Before I walked up the steps to the massive longhouse, which sat on a hill and towered over everyone like a millennium-old tree, I stopped to take a look at the fiery sun that was setting on the horizon. It was odd that I found it so breathtaking at such a random moment. Perhaps it was because it reminded me of the history behind this grand meal, but I wasn't sure.
I quickly jogged up the steps and entered the two intricately engraved doors, which were being held open by two men. My nose was once again tackled with another wave of smells, all emanating from the multitude of foods that were resting on wooden tables surrounding the interior of the longhouse. The sight of every single dish made my mouth water profusely.
"You seem hungrier than a starving wolf," said Aapo, startling me.
"Oh, you have no idea," I replied.
He slowly examined all of the food around us and rubbed his belly before mentioning how eager he was to eat every pound of it.
Out of sudden curiosity, I briefly studied the scar on his left eye as he spoke. It made me feel a sense of pity for him, as well as remind me of its origin story. During bonfire nights, Aapo would always tell us about his close dance with death, which gifted him with that everlasting scar.
According to his story, when he was a teenager, he and a group of friends snuck out one night to meet their lovers for a date at a nearby lake. The moon was incredibly bright, which allowed them to see fairly well, along with the aid of a lamp. After they all met up and had their fun, he said an unrecognizable figure walked up to them and stared. It uttered no discernible words, only hisses, and whispers. It wore a white mask crafted with a blank expression, foreign clothes, and a belt decorated with ornaments shaped like human heads. It also wielded a large ax-like weapon. Before they could come up with a way to approach the figure, they were viciously attacked, and all of Aapo's friends and their lovers were slaughtered right before his eyes. He said the figure swung its weapon at his head, but he instinctively dodged back, causing it to graze his left eye. Filled with primal rage, he tackled the figure to the ground and repeatedly jammed a sharp rock into its neck, prompting it to caress his face before finally dying.
A quick shoulder pat from Aapo snapped me out of my random daydream.
"Go get yourself settled my boy. It's almost supper time," he said while walking to assist an elderly woman with a pan of food.
I obliged his request and strolled toward the other end of the hut to find an open table for myself and the rest of my family. A pile of cornbread pieces tempted my tastebuds as I walked, and I hastily checked to see if anyone was looking directly at me before snatching one. It's crumbly, soft texture along with its sweet yet tart flavor filled me with ecstasy.
Once I was done with my stolen snack, I found a completely empty table and made myself comfortable while keeping an eye out for my family. In order to guarantee spots for them, I rested my legs on the seats adjacent to mine. I may have seemed like an arrogant bastard, but I didn't care. I also glanced at a few cute girls making their way to their own tables.
After nearly everyone found a seat, I began to worry as to where my family members were. The sun was almost completely set, and eating alone was surely not in my plans. I was also not going to sit at a table with random folks. I intermittently glanced toward the entrance to see if I could catch a glimpse of them, but to no avail.
"Boo," said Nima from behind me, causing me to spaz.
"Wow, thanks for that," I said sarcastically.
While Nima was stubborn and serious most of the time, she did have a comedic side to her. That was something I really loved about my sister.
My grandmother was laughing her lungs out while settling herself next to my sister, who placed herself next to me.
The three of us talked about our restlessness for tonight's feast for a few moments, which I assumed was also the subject of conversation at every other table around us. Nima couldn't wait to eat some pumpkin soup along with smoked chicken and cornbread. On the other hand, my grandmother was eager to fill herself up with quinoa, fruits, and vegetables. She wasn't much of a meat-eater.
All conversations in the room instantly died down when we heard a sudden loud ring. It was Aapo again, this time banging a mallet against a large bell about half his height but three times his width. He commanded that everyone stand up, before introducing the village's central elder, Sapallu.
Sapallu was an unusually strong man for being in his eightieth decade of life, yet his short and slim stature made most people think he was frail. He could easily walk without any assistance from others. His hair was a delicate blend of gray and black, braided all the way down his back, and his skin was light brown with a sea of wrinkles decorating it.
He walked over to Aapo and briefly embraced him, then signaled everyone to sit down, however, he remained standing. He then began a short speech.
"I would like to thank each and everyone one of you for attending tonight's feast. As you know, we come together at the beginning of every spring to commemorate the founding of this village; a new home we forged after we were forced from our former homes many years ago. We arrived here as distrustful strangers, and now we sit together as friends and family. May we thank the gods for their blessings, as well as for each other. Now, let us feast!" Sapallu raised his arms in celebration after completing his speech before signaling everyone to help themselves to the wide variety of food.
Nima and I sprinted to get a spot in the ever-growing line that started near the entrance. It was growing rapidly as nearly everyone in attendance rushed to the line like hungry beasts, and we did not want to be the last two in line. Luckily, we got to the beginning of the line with only around twenty people in front of us, and the scents from the food smelled more enticing than ever. My sister and I grabbed three woven plates once we reached the first serving table and proceeded to fit as much food as we possibly could from then on. I was also responsible for my grandmother's meal and fixed her plate with all sorts of grains and fruits and vegetables.
After gathering the food, Nima and I rushed back to our table while carefully holding the plates of food. I handed my grandmother her meal before settling myself down and tearing into mine like a hungry wolf. As I was eating, I noticed a person walking toward us at the corner of my eye. It was my Aunt Teuicui.
"Aha, there you are! I kept trying to find you guys," said my aunt with glee as she sat. Two plates of food accompanied her; one with a variety and the other with a sole pile of cornbread.
"I think that's too much food for such a small person, don't you think?" teased my grandmother.
"Ah, shush Meztli. We all know you're the smallest one," replied my aunt.
The four of us enjoyed ourselves for a good while. I cracked many jokes to conjure up as much laughter as possible, nearly to the point where our neighbors may have found us upsetting. Life felt so tranquil.
Not long after we finished our meals, the dinner was interrupted by loud banging originating from the entrance doors. A brief moment of awkward silence followed. Two men from the tables nearest to the doors then proceeded to open them, revealing a group everyone instantly recognized. It was Quanah, our district's lead Brave, sitting atop his horse, with some of his fellow Braves sitting on their horses behind him.
He was the commander of one of the many bands of Braves that helped in guarding our province, Wapun, as well as our entire nation, from threats both domestic and foreign. He originally guarded Ekta, the plains province, which also happened to be his home.
His was average in height, yet very defined. His muscles always seemed as though they would rip out of his beige uniform. Many women found his uniform, a sleeveless shirt below an iron-infused, leather cuirass, to be very attractive. A small iron helmet shaped like a wolf's head and a pair of bracers and shin guards completed his uniform, however, he only wore a full uniform in dire situations.
Sapallu broke the silence with a greeting as a visibly distressed Quanah dismounted from his horse and made his way in, along with his second, Nui, who was an intimidatingly muscular man most likely hailing from the coastal province of Kamaka, due to the intricate tattoos decorating his face. Even he had a face of concern.
Quanah began to speak after stepping onto a table near the center of the longhouse, "I apologize for the sudden intrusion, especially on a special night such as this. Trust me, you all know I have always respected your traditions, and I would never interrupt unless there was something of importance that needed to be said." He paused for a few moments, seeming increasingly bothered. "We just received word from a royal messenger that our most eastern territories have fallen victim to savage raids, and according to reports from witnesses, the aggressors are claiming these newly raided lands as their own."
Everyone gasped and murmured, a few even began to cry.
I felt my heart sink and my blood cool. Were we being attacked by the same individuals from all those years ago? I asked myself. I took a glance at my grandmother, who seemed to be in absolute despair.
"To counter these attacks, the Grand Chief and Council are requiring that all physically capable males between the ages of sixteen and thirty-five travel to the capital and join the army within forty days from receiving this news."
A multitude of emotions punched me in the gut after hearing those words. My mind raced with a million thoughts, like a perturbed beehive. How soon would I have to leave? How would I get there? Who would take care of my family, and my village? Every thought overwhelmed me. I even felt my body fall into a slight panic.
Quanah concluded the devastating news by allowing all of us males five days to get ready before setting out at dawn upon the sixth day. A portion of his group would act as our escort throughout the seventeen-day journey, with him as the leader. He then left as quickly as he had entered.
Following a few moments of relative silence, Sapallu instructed everyone to finish their meals as peacefully as they could.
I surely couldn't. My mind unceasingly raced with millions of thoughts regarding my possible futures. I wanted to feel a sense of pride in finally having a chance to avenge my father, my grandfather, and my past village, but I felt so stuck from disbelief and fear due to the fact that I was actually headed to war, especially as a teenager.
It didn't take very long for family members to notice how pale I looked.
With a soothing voice, my grandmother reassured me that everything was going to turn out okay. Nima and Aunt Teuicui followed suit.
As much as I loved their reassurances, I couldn't tame the wild sea of emotions and thoughts that were inside of me, no matter how hard I tried. I looked around the longhouse in a blank trance while attempting to make sense of everything. Part of me simply couldn't believe I was going to war. Actual war.
Inside of my head, I asked the Great Spirit why this was happening, and the internal silence helped me to realize one thing; that only time could give answers to my burning questions, and I would have to directly face this trial, and all future trials, if I wanted to reach those answers.