As the day seemed to have reached its climax, the food from all the separate villages in the Embrace began to transport the food on foot by separate courier convoys. Two braves at the front, the couriers in the middle, and two braves in the back covering the rear. The same set of transportation that Nora had been using for many generations.
Currently looking at the convoy from the top of a rock, Naruto smiled at the sight, the fact that such preparation and dedication were always brought year in and year out. Naruto just watched as the group marched in rhythm trudging along the wooden bridge as they walked straight toward Mother's Heart, the braves had their spears and bows out ready for any surprise attacks from machines.
'Well everything looks to be going smoothly, I should go meet up with Aloy and Rost.' the blond thought as he jumped off the rock and headed for the north gate. Walking along the dirt road the blond kicked a few pebbles into some of the reeds along the path as then by surprise a rabbit jolted out of the bush, with instinct Naruto took out his bow as his heart pounding very fast due to the sight of the little feral which ran across the road in front of the blond as it disappeared behind a few trees, Naruto being left with surprise just laughed at his reaction as he sighed in relief that it wasn't a predator.
"For a moment there I was a little scared." the blond muttered as just then cries of battle filled the atmosphere. "Braves! Machines coming from the east!" the sounds of a skirmish ended up with Naruto running towards the source as he notched an arrow, the blond arrived to see that the convoy wasn't being attacked as all the people didn't look distressed. "Wait where did that shout come from?" Naruto muttered to himself as the Watcher's war cries were heard, this time coming from beyond the Embrace. The shouts were all coming from outside and were getting louder by the minute. "What exactly's happening out there?"
Smoke was beginning to be seen as it rose up into the air, something had caught up on fire. From behind the blond could hear feet landing on dirt, so turning he was met with Aloy making an appearance. "Whatever is that they're fighting out there, it sure doesn't sound easy." she commented as Naruto turned back to the wall. "Yeah...I wonder what kind of machine is making such a ruckus."
The two walked up the small hill as beside the side of the formation, a set of trees sat there on their lonesome as in the middle of it there was a campfire. Rost was seen sitting on one of the tree stumps that were close to the fire. "Naruto can you wait here for a minute, I just want to talk to Rost in private," Aloy told the blond. "Aloy, you're not going to subjugate the man with questions are you?"
"Of course, I'm just going to try and reason with him so can you please wait here." the blond sighed. "Sure take all the time you need." Aloy smiled. "Thanks," she stated as she approached Rost. "Aloy you are here." Rost fervently stated as Aloy sat beside the man on one of the stumps. "You have the Fire Arrows, correct?"
"I do." she replied as her curiosity made her ask about the racket from beyond the Embrace. "Those explosions and shouts beyond the Embrace, is that the trouble you were talking about?"
"You will know soon enough. Until then we will wait for dark." Rost added. "Wait for dark?" Rost nodded as Aloy spoke up. "Look Rost I've thought it through and I'm not going to shun you out after the Proving, okay? I'm just...I won't do it. I'm not about to pretend that you've never raised me." she morosely began.
"Aloy...the law forbids all contact." Rost tried to reason with the redhead. "It does, and I don't care. I know what duty means for you, Rost, but all tribal law has ever done for me is take things away. And it's not going to happen again."
"But tribal law did bring the boy to you." Rost pointed to the blond that was minding his business.
Aloy turned her head from the blond and scoffed. "Naruto's different, he understood me as a child because he was shunned just like me, cast out and not loved like me. He get's me."
"Then have to understand me the same way he understands you, I must obey the law."
"And so you will. I knew you'd say that, so...this is what we'll do. I'll come to you in secret. No one will see me, so I won't get in trouble and I know you won't talk to me because...it's against the law. But I'll talk to you." Aloy explained her plan as Rost sighed heavily. "It'll be my crime, not yours...you'll just listen. And that's we'll handle this." she finished as Rost groaned.
"You've...put a lot of thought to this." Aloy just smiled at the comment. "I know, right? So you can stop worrying, it's handled."
"Yes. So it is."
Looking around Aloy spoke ending the intermission of silence. "I don't understand, Rost. Those explosions form outside the Embrace, what can we do from in here?"
"The lesson will be taught in due time, Aloy. Until then we wait." Rost stated with a raised voice
"Oookay, no need raise your voice, I'll just change the subject. I saw Karst with Naruto earlier, he gave me the Tripcaster I told you about earlier, here take a look." Aloy unhooked the weapon from her lower back as she handed it to Rost who examined it. "Hmm...I have to think what that outlaw trader charged for a weapon of this make."
"Well it wasn't cheap but the Caster is worth it, don't you want to give it a test run? I saw some watchers just down the road."
"No, there's no need, I've used a lot of weapons in my time." he replied handing the weapon back. "I just want to see if it's worth what you make it to be." Aloy nodded as she checked the sun and it was still far from setting. "Well it's still awhile till it's dark, guess I'll go call Naruto and get some rest."
"Good idea there will be no time for some sleep to night so you must eat some food, luckily there's some stew I've prepared in that cauldron over there, could you go and gather some wood for the fire, I'll go call the boy." Aloy nodded as she stood up from the stump.
Naruto who had been waiting patently watched as Aloy return to him with some light in her eyes. "I guess the talk went well?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah, he's finally stopped being stubborn," she replied as she began to stroll past the blond. "Hey, where you going?" Naruto asked. "Rost said I should go get some wood for the fire."
"And you're just going to leave him with me?! You know he scares me." Naruto complained as Aloy chucked, Naruto always seemed to blow things out of proportion when he had to meet with Rost. "Oh come on, he doesn't bite."
"Yeah but he has that look, you know that look like he disapproves of me." Aloy rolled her eyes, "You're just reading his face too much, that's just how he is, plus you're gonna have to get used to him." Naruto shuddered his arms. "That's what makes it worse."
"Aww, if he's making you that nervous let me give you a good luck charm." Aloy hoisted her arms around the blond's neck as he brought him in for a quick kiss. "Now can you handle it?" Aloy asked as she broke the kiss. "I mean...I'm a little less nervous but he's staring at me." Naruto stated as he looked over the redhead to see Rost with his hands folded glaring at him with no emotion. Aloy who looked back and saw her guardian just had a giddy smile. "Well there's nothing I can do with that." she began strolling down the road. "No Aloy come back!" Naruto whispered- shouted, "Don't worry you'll probably be fine."
"Probably?! That doesn't help, Aloy let me go with you!" the blond got no respond as his girlfriend disappeared behind a boulder. With a sigh of sadness Naruto had the courage to turn around, facing Rost. "Boy, we must speak. Come." Rost coldly stated as Naruto gulped heavily as he followed. The two set opposite each other on the stumps as Rost stared at the blond. Who was sweating heavily as the silence was broken?
"You know I don't get what she sees in you blondy." Rost began. "From the first time I met as child you've been a pain in my neck, breaking tribal law by speaking to Aloy, busy making her sneak off at night to go swimming in the Searcher's Course river with no clothing!"
"Well Rost I call it skinny dipping-" the man signaled for him to hush. "I don't want to know what you call it blondy, but what I do now is that the reason I have some grey hair isn't that I'm old but the fact I have to stress for Aloy's safety every time she's with you." Naruto didn't say anything truth be told him and Aloy did do crazy things as teens, pranking High Matriarch Lansra by adding skunk piss into her drink, and vandalizing All Mother Mountain...you know things we all know Naruto does.
"I mean to speak the truth Rost, we had some fun plus I was a kid at that time and to be honest with you I kinda ret vandalizing All Mother Mountain."
"Kinda? You should be, that place was sacred and you made Aloy an accomplice to your work!"
"Now I know your angry but that was three years ago, I took the punishment and cleared out all the paintings." the blond retorted as Rost sighed. "Even so how do you expect me to believe that you can keep Aloy safe?"
"Because Rost, after the whole vandalizing situation my dad sat me down and told me straight that it was time for me to stop being an idiot and that it was time for me to become a hunter that was looking for some respect in my tribe, to be honest with you...that talk moved me since my dad opened up to me and he finally accepted my relationship with Aloy, due to that I knew it was time for me to get serious my time as a child was over and that now I had to get my priorities straight." Rost just mused at this.
"Look Rost you might hate me for what I used to do with Aloy as kids but I can assure you her safety means everything to me, I would take an arrow to the heart if it meant she was safe." the older Nora stayed quiet at this acclaim as he could see the seriousness Naruto's words meant to him.
"I see." Rost began "But I do not hate you boy, I too want Aloy safe so I just want to know if I could trust you to keep her safe once you're both not shunned."
"You can trust me, old man, she'll be just fine." the man just glared at the man. "I'm not that old." he stated coldly as he stood up. "I'm going to gather some extra herbs for the stew, I'll be right back." with that Rost went away leaving the blond to take a sigh of relief.
"Oh my gosh, I thought I was going to die." Naruto muttered as just then he heard snickering coming from his focus. "What the?! Aloy you we're listening in!" Naruto shouted as then he heard a burst of laughter.
So-sorry it's just that was too hilarious. But look you're not dead are you?
Naruto just grumbled since he forgot to turn his focus' radio frequency. "I guess you're right, he's really not that bad. Anyway are you done gathering wood?"
Oh I was done like a couple minutes ago.
"So you left me to be tortured by his gaze!"
Well yeah, you need to conquer your fear against Rost, plus call it payback for leaving me with your dad.
"But my uncle did call me to help him find some wood."
For all, I know, you both could have schemed for him to take you away and the both of you watched from a distance as your dad cooked me with questions.
"But you wowed him with your cooking!"
Still didn't give you the right to leave me there with him, consider this prank war between me and you after ten years over with a stalemate.
"Oh no it's not missy, girlfriend or not but the prank king will say it's over when I say it's over, for now you'll have to watch your back because this war is now going up a notch."
If you somehow prank me, no more kisses for you.
"No! You can't do that! That's not fair, you know I can't cope without a daily dose of your love!"
Well it all depends on you Naruto, either end the war and still get the girl or you're suspended for as long this war lasts.
"An ultimatum! How can you be this cold, my pride as the king of pranks on the line with my boyfriend privileges...damn it you win I wave the white flag."
Great I'll come over to finalize the treaty with a kiss.
With that the transmission ended as Naruto sighed heavily. "How far has the prank king fallen... to be fooled into a peace treaty by my girlfriend! My pride is tarnished forever!" Naruto shouted out as his emotions took a quick one-eighty. "But I did promise dad I would stop, so I guess it's a win-win?" Naruto was only left to his thoughts as in the distance shouts and cries where heard.