I'm updating quickly for some reason. This is quiet a long chapter, more than 2000 words! :D

Very mild sexual content this time. I'm not sure if it even is sexual.

Enjoy!

Ha-Ru was at the lake again, drifting around in peace. He ignored the sound of the waterfall clattering. It was a longer walk to the lake now, since they have a new settlement somewhere further away from the border between them and the Outlands.

Eight years. It has been eight years since he has crossed that border.
It has also been the last time he had seen Rin. The red haired boy who called him fat. He remembered his face vividly, despite the fact that Ha-Ru had been threatened by death for several times and had been sore from the painful drop from the waterfall. He still remembered the kid's red eyes and hair, his sharp teeth and his dirty hollow cheeks. Despite his unorthodox appearance, he was charmed by Rin. They had been talking in the tall grass for a while. Admiring Rin's sharp-toothed grin. Rin was explaining how the Outlanders didn't need anybody. That he took care of himself. Ha-Ru had thought it was cool, but immediately felt bad when most of Rin's kin had suddenly arrived, heavy breathing from the climb. They were all looking just as menacing as Rin did before at Ha-Ru. They were all so skinny; They looked so tired from hunting, and toughen up by the rough climate. And then Ha-Ru's tribe arrived, who were all well fed, looking a bit more civilized, accomplished, as it were.
So many things were going on at that moment. His mother rushed to Ha-Ru, holding him, crying, screaming at him, pushing Rin away from him. Ha-Ru's fear of what was coming had returned in full blast and hoped that it would all wash over him. He had seen Ki-A's expression too. He looked so… appalled when he looked at the Outsiders' Leader. "Go-Ru" He said… was it Go-Ru?
Ha-Ru didn't know what to think of it. He seemed totally different from when he smiled. Was that the same face he made when he fought Ru-O?
And Ma-Ko. Ma-Ko had looked sad. Just very sad. He had been hiding behind Na-La's back the entire time.

Something definitely shifted inside the tribe's core since then. The men were much more keen on hunting. They had their senses sharper than usual, even when they were supposed to be sleeping with the women beside them. Everyone was alert. Especially Ha-Ru's mother. She was furious when they returned to the settlement that day. She prohibited Ha-Ru from returning to the lake. Ever again, she said. Ha-Ru was devastated. The period following after that he had only been helping the women and the children out with picking berries, adding logs to the campfire and fishing. Especially fishing. Ha-Ru had gotten better at distinguishing fish and the way they tasted. That's how he had acquired a very strange fondness of mackerel. He liked the fish so much that he didn't even bothered eating any of the meat the men caught. After a while Na-La had given birth to twins, a boy and a girl, and both also had brown hair, though they had Na-La's eyes. They named the boy Ren and the girl Ran. The atmosphere in the tribe's has gotten a lot happier since Na-La's birth. Everyone wanted to make sure Na-La had enough time to take care for the two. Mi-Ho always ordered Ha-Ru and Ma-Ko around to fetch some fruits and water so Na-La and the babies didn't get tired.

Ha-Ru didn't remember when his mother had allowed him go to the lake again. He knew it happened a very long time after the incident. He guessed it was around the period the boy's voice started dropping. And Ma-Ko was in the middle of a growth spurt. Ma-Ko shot up like tree. Before he knew it Ma-Ko was a head taller than him. Ha-Ru remembered that he had to stand on his toes to help Ma-Ko get his winter attire on, so he could wrap some of the mammoth skin around the boy's neck. Ma-Ko called it 'a scarf'.

Now it was summer. Ma-Ko had now fully grown to the leader's figure he had always meant to be. Ha-Ru just felt somewhere in his gut that Ma-Ko was soon going to be the new Head. He was always meant to be, but he sensed that he was mentally preparing now. Ma-Ko was now just as tall as Ki-A, he was also tanned, a broad chest, handsome… And Ha-Ru was still, well, Ha-Ru: Pale, almost as delicate as a female, and slender with toned muscles. Na-Gi didn't change much either, he was still as small and bubbly as the day he met him. He still had those curly blonde locks and big, purple eyes. And Rei, gosh Rei, he has changed too. Rei was very smart, and had recently helped Ki-A through with the strategies for the hunt. He was of great use, despite his bad eyesight. Both Ma-Ko and Rei were very active in the hunt now. Ha-Ru and Na-Gi sometimes didn't see them for days, because they were off hunting in a different location, claiming there were a herd of fat buffalo grazing there. Why wasn't he and Na-Gi not allowed to join them anyway? Rei was the same age as Na-Gi, yet he could join them and Na-Gi couldn't. Ha-Ru was sure Na-Gi was swift and good at sneaking up on the prey. Didn't he catch a rabbit with his bare hands once?

But why couldn't Ha-Ru join them? Ha-Ru wasn't frail. Yet Ki-A didn't allow him to join them during the hunt. Tradition normally allows young men to join the hunt when their voice dropped and their growth spurt kicked in. Their puberty stands for facing manhood, and thus was a sign that they were old enough to go hunting. Ma-Ko had joined them since then, so did Rei…
But Na-Gi and him… no. It had been years since both have had their puberty. Ha-Ru had it sooner than Na-Gi, since he was older. Yet, he was only allowed to go fishing, and guard the settlement when the men were gone.

Ha-Ru soon realized he was over thinking and was ruining his precious time in the water. He quickly dipped his head underwater and rose up again, waving his wet dark hair from his eyes. Running through it with his fingers for a while. His fingers and feet were starting to get wrinkly and so he decided to return to their settlement. It was dusk and the men should probably have returned by now as well. He waded to the border of the lake, got up and clothed himself.

"Ha-Ru!"

What? He turned around and saw Na-Gi hurrying over to him. He looked really tense.

"Oh, are you finished?" Ha-Ru nodded. "Good, you must come quickly, the men have just returned, but they look really bad! The Head is unconscious, covered in blood! Ma-Ko and Rei look banged up too! It looks like they have been attacked!"

Ha-Ru's blue eyes were wide open. Without further comment he followed a running Na-Gi to their settlement. "How about the other men?" Ha-Ru asked, catching up with Na-Gi.

"Everyone's injured! To-Mo said they wanted to lead a herd of buffalo nearer, but they got ambushed by beasts!"

"Ambushed by beasts?"

"Yeah! They were waiting for them apparently!"

"Did To-Mo say what kind of beast they were?"

"He did say something of hya-no...hyeno...-hyanena-"

Hyenas, Ha-Ru knew.

Ha-Ru spurted up the hill, were he saw smoke rising from the campfire. Both of them started to slow down and stood still when they saw To-Mo and a few other men heading into the cave.

"To-Mo!" Na-Gi shouted. To-Mo turned around Ha-Ru saw he cut his lip and had a heavily bleeding bite wound on his left shoulder.

"Na-Gi! Ha-Ru!" He said with a horse voice. Na-Gi briefly embraced To-Mo and then held him up by his shoulder, trying to hold him steady, since he was wavering a little.

"The Head looks worse." To-Mo breathed. "Bitten everywhere… blood. Go-Ro too. You should better check up on him. Rei has broken a leg. Ma-Ko.." Ha-Ru's breath hitched. "Ma-Ko has a black eye and has a few injuries. But he's one of the least injured."

Ha-Ru let out a big sigh. "Thank you, To-Mo." He said and then took off to search for Ma-Ko. After a few seconds he found Ma-Ko sitting in the end of the cave, getting treatment from Mi-Ho. "Ma-Ko!" Ha-Ru whispered and he fell on his knees, embracing Ma-Ko. His wounds looked nasty, and needed some stitching. "Are you okay?" Ha-Ru asked, holding Ma-Ko's face his hands, noticing the painful looking black eye. Ma-Ko gave him his kind trademark smile and said: "I'm fine. I'm glad you're here Ha-Ru."

"Ha-Ru." Mi-Ho intervened. "I'm going to look at the Head. You stay with Ma-Ko and stitch his wounds." Mi-Ho pushed a pile of strings in his palm and a small needle carved from wood. "I'll ask Sa-Fi to bring you water to disinfect the wounds. Rinse it carefully after you're done."

"Okay." Ha-Ru didn't have so much experience with stitching wounds, but knew the basics. He was probably going to use some water on that black eye too.

…

He was already halfway the stitching, and Sa-Fi had already passed by the give him a bowl of water. Ma-Ko stayed quiet the whole time and only stared at Ha-Ru, giving him that warm smile and that loving stare that always made him uncomfortable. As kids it felt normal to Ha-Ru for Ma-Ko to look at him like that, but now they're adults and until recently, his gaze has gotten more meaning than Ha-Ru would have first thought.

"Ma-Ko."

"Hnn."

"… Why are you so carefree?"

"I'm not carefree."

"Then why are you smiling like that?"

"Was I smiling?"

"Yes."

"Sorry, I'm really worried."

"…Okay."

Ha-Ru knew Ma-Ko often hid his worry behind a smile, but now he should be very concerned. Seriously concerned. His father was balancing on the border of life and death, yet he puts on a dumb smile. As if nothing's wrong.

"I'm sorry for making you worry, Ha-Ru. Please don't be angry."

"I'm not angry."

"You're frowning."

Dammit Ma-Ko.

"You're father is dying. I don't get why-.."

Ha-Ru couldn't finish his sentence. He looked down. "You knew, but still…"

"Ha-Ru." Suddenly he felt a hot palm against his cheek. The palm pushed up his face and suddenly he met a pair of green eyes, a few inches away from his. His smile is gone. This time he does look worried. Ha-Ru shut his eyes and felt Ma-Ko's faint breath ghosting over his lips. Then their lips touched. It was so small, hesitant. His fingers were dancing through his black hair and it felt… really nice. Ha-Ru felt his fingertips carefully touching the backside of his head. His body has gotten involuntarily hot and craved for Ma-Ko's touch. He carefully opened his eyes. He could count the little freckles under Ma-Ko's eyes.
Why were they doing this?

"Ma-Ko!" Na-Gi's voice suddenly came from the cave's entrance. Ha-Ru bounced back and realized Ma-Ko had been holding his waist with his other hand. With a faint blush on his cheeks he turned around and saw Na-Gi running towards them. "Ma-Ko," He huffed, "the Head wants to see you."
Even though none of Ma-Ko's wounds were entirely stitched by Ha-Ru, he stood up and left the cave, walking between all the injured men, and the women and children taking care of them. Na-Gi and Ha-Ru stayed inside, keeping To-Mo and Rei company.

When Ma-Ko came back, the sky was pitch black. When he entered the cave it was so quiet that you could only hear the woods crackle in the campfire. Na-La and Elder Mi-Ho stood beside him. Na-La's eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks we're wet from the tears. Mi-Ho all the same.

"I've come to announce that my father, the Head," Ma-Ko paused, "…has deceased."
An unexplained sadness has filled the cave. It was still painfully quiet in the room, apart from faint cries coming from the women. Na-La's knees buckled and could not longer hold up her desperate tears. Mi-Ho had her arms around her back in order to keep her steady. Ha-Ru and Na-Gi looked at each other. This could only mean one thing, and Ha-Ru could feel from the atmosphere that the men were thinking the same thing.

"I am your new leader."