"No...No. Get away. Leave me alone"

Denahi was chained to the ceiling, half naked, alone, in that cold and dark chamber. The only light was the one from the lightbulb hanging on the ceiling.

"Hello boy" said a voice from the shadows.

Denahi saw with horror Keldysh coming out to the light, he tried to brake free but there was no use. He was too weakened and cold.

"Get away from me" he said as his voice exposed his fear.

"I'm not yet done with you"

Denahi freaked out at seeing the knife on his captor's hand.

"No please, no, NO!"

Denahi snapped out of his dream screaming, he was bathed on sweat and panting. But he calmed down when he saw the reality: his wife was sleeping by his side as his daughters in front of them. Denahi got on his feet and walked out for some fresh air, he sat in a trunk in front of his tent to contemplate the stars and full moon.

"Are you alright?"

He turned to see Chayo at the entrance of their home.

"The same nightmare, it's been six nights"

Chayo took a sit beside her husband and placed an arm around his shoulders.

"You think...it might be an evil spirit?"

But Chayo shook her head.

"Where I come from...is called PTSD, posttraumatic stress disorder. Is like a mental sickness that can develop after a traumatic event, even if it's been years since it happened. Like me when we met."

Denahi saw Chayo with love, he gently cupped his hands on her head and placed a sweet kiss on her lips. Chayo responded by letting her husband's tongue in.

"If you need to talk about something, you know you can come to me"

He smiled as he nodded.

"I love you Precious"

...

Just as promised, the next morning took place the Father-Daughter trip. Aleu had stay home to also spend time with her mother. Denahi and Meztli were navigating through the river looking for a good spot to spend the day. They even had bring Jet, who in a moment started to bark to a shore, perfect to land.

"Good boy Jet!" the girl told her dog.

Denahi and Meztli paddled to the shore, the first one touching land was Meztli since she was at the front part of the Kayak while her father was at the back.

"Ah finally! My legs were getting numb" Meztli

"Mines too"

Denahi started to walk to the forest.

"Where are you going?"

"To find us some wood, you can start by setting up camp. I'll be right back."

"Okay, just be careful"

Denahi made way through the trees, not too far from the river to keep an eye on Meztli. He didn't have troubles to find the wood they needed, so he made a big bunch of branches, tied up the ends and place it on his shoulder. When all the sudden he heard something stepped on a branch.

"Hello?"

The same sound again.

"Meztli is that you?"

On that moment he spotted a shadow between the trees, it looked like a man. But Denahi's blood froze at the sight of that strange figure taking out a knife, Denahi had no weapons to defend himself so he prepared to run. Until the strange figure disappeared running to the woods. Denahi didn't think twice before racing back to the river, Meztli was starting to set up camp when she saw her father coming sooner than expected.

"Jump to the kayak"

"What? Why?"

"Pick up everything, we're leaving"

"But why?"

"Meztli" said Denahi on a serious voice as he gripped, but not to hurt, her arms "Don't start debating me and do what I'm asking you to do"

Meztli saw in Denahi's arms that something had happened, that was enough to do what her dad asked. Once everything ready Denahi told Meztli to jump to the Kayak, the girl obeyed as she told Jet to follow her. When they were abord Denahi pushed the Kayak to the water to next jump on and start paddling the fastest he could.

After half an hour the could find an even better place than before, even if they had gone further from home. Denahi and Meztli prepared a little fire and were eating deer meet. But Meztli then realized the expression on her father's face, one she didn't like at all.

"Are you okay Dad?"

"Ah? Oh, yeah just...I was thinking."

"...Is it from earlier?"

He nodded.

"There was a man in the woods, I had a bad feeling and I wasn't going to put you in danger."

But it was more than that, Meztli knew it.

"Dad, can I ask you a question without you getting mad?"

"Why would I get mad?"

"Last night I heard you talk with Mom, I heard about...a sickness or something like that. What did you mean with that?"

Denahi remembered on that moment that episode of his life, the one that started to harass him since days ago in his dreams. Denahi saw that his daughter was worried about him, so he smiled to her as he caress her head.

"Honey...remember the stories we used to tell you when you were a kid?"

"Yes"

"Well...we didn't tell you everything because you were too young to understand."

Meztli started to worry even more.

"Dad...what are you talking about?"

"Well...remember the story when I became a prisoner?"

"Yes, they took you away from Mom and you were captured with uncle Koda. Then Mom found you and rescue you."

"Yeah, just that we omitted a part of the story. When we were separated...they killed your mother before me. Then they took me to their den and...there I discovered what a man can do to another man. I'm not gonna give you details because is too painfull for me to remember but...the only thing I would tell you is...I was tortured physically and mentally and even..."

Denahi couldn't keep going so he looked away.

"Even...what?"

But Meztli figured out the answer when she saw Denahi pressing his legs together. Her look turned into horror, she couldn't do more than hug her father trying to confort him. Denahi returned the hug as both of them could feel the tears on their eyes.

"Daddy so I'm sorry, I didn't know-"

"Shh, it's okay baby, it's okay"

...

The next day the four brothers went out hunting, but they had also brought Meztli and Aleu with them. This was the first hunting of the younger one, what explained her nervousness since she didn't like violence. After like an hour of walking, they found a caribou, an enormous and strong male, perfect to supply meat. Sitka and Koda were the ones who scared the animal, Denahi and Kenai were sending it to a trap, then from the bushes jumped Jet, which attacked the caribou's neck so Meztli threw her spear to the stomach next. The boys arrived in time to hold their prey, Sitka and Denahi were holding the front legs while Kenai and Koda the ones from the back. Jet was still biting the animal's neck but it wasn't enough to chock it, so Aleu had to take the final shot. Her sister gave her a stone knife.

"Make it quick Aleu, so it doesn't suffer" Meztli

Aleu lifted the knife in the air, she was ready to kill the caribou. But when she looked into the eyes she could see all the suffering from that poor animal, the screams and whimpers were making her doubt, but the worst was the pressure starting to come from the others.

"Come on Aleu!" Sitka

"Aleu kill it now!" Denahi "We can't hold it from much longer!"

"Don't think! Just do it!" Kenai

"Aleu hurry!" Koda

The kid panicked, she didn't know what to do, she froze.

"I...I can't. I can't do this."

"Aleu? Aleu" Meztli

The eldest saw her father, his look said everything. Meztli retook her knife and ended up killing the animal on a quick and clean movement. Aleu ran away to the forest.

"Aleu wait!" Denahi

"Go, we got this" Sitka

Denahi nodded and started to follow his daughter to the woods. He finally reached her after few moments of running.

"Aleu stop! Stop right now!"

Aleu turned to see her father with tears in her eyes, waiting for a scolding. But Denahi instead low to her level to not appear intimidating.

"Daddy I'm sorry! I couldn't do it, I couldn't-"

"Hey, hey, breathe"

Aleu started to calm down.

"Okay, now, tell me what happened. I'm not mad at you, but you worried me when you ran off like that"

"I couldn't it Daddy, I couldn't, it was suffering so much. I don't like hunting Daddy, I don't like to see animals dying. Please forgive me."

"Aw sweetie, come here"

Aleu hugged her dad.

"I love you Aleu. You know that, right?"

She nodded with the head. After calming her for few more minutes they both came back with the group, they have finished to prepare the animal for transport. Being the elders, Sitka and Denahi would carry the animal first, then when they got tired, it would be Kenai and Koda's turn. Even Meztli wanted to help, despite the advices of her father and uncles about the weight. But she managed to convince then once they were arriving at the village.

"Hey, why the scolded puppy face?" Meztli teased Aleu at seeing her look.

"Leave me alone"

But her sister had other ideas.

"You know, you looked funny when you froze back there. You looked like a little damsel in distress, waiting for someone to rescue you."

"Stop"

"What's the matter, you're gonna start crying like you always do?"

"No, leave me alone!"

"You're gonna call for Daddy to save you?"

"I SAID STOP!" she screamed almost hurting her throat.

"Hey what's going on here?!" Denahi

"Nothing"

"Meztli don't try to trick me, I heard everything you told your sister. If you don't stop right now I won't let you carry the caribou once we arrive at the village. Understand?"

"Yes sir"

Meztli didn't tease her sister the rest of the road, they were close to the village so before they entered, Meztli along with Koda carried their prey to some men. Meanwhile Denahi was taking Aleu home, on their way the met Chayo who just finished her training.

"Hey, how did it go?"

"Hey Precious"

"Hi mom"

"¿Y ahora tú? Why the long face?"

"Aleu just froze in the hunting" said Meztli coming from behind.

This just made Aleu feel worse, even she started to cry again. When Denahi saw this he had enough.

"That's it, you young lady are coming with me. We have to talk"

"Ugh! Why?! I didn't do anything!"

"Hey!" Chayo "Don't talk back to your father and quit the attitude. If he or me tell you we're gonna have a talk with you, we're gonna have a talk with you. Period."

"But Mom-"

"But Nothing"

Meztli sighed.

"Fine, I'm sorry"

Denahi placed a hand on her back and then both walked away, leaving Aleu with her mother. She did the same as Denahi to not seem intimidating.

"Now, tell me what happened"

"I don't like hunting Mom. I don't want to kill animals."

Aleu expected disappointment from her mother, since she knew Chayo had been a great warrior when her parents met. Her father was one of the best hunters of the village and her big sister was born to fight. All this facts put pressure on the kid, especially because she was all the opposite she hated violence and danger, she didn't see herself as a brave or strong person. Surprisedly her mother just wrapped her arms around her and placed a kiss on her head.

"I understand you Aleu. Don't get me wrong, killing the first time is not easy. I tell you from experience, but we must do it for survival."

Although Chayo hoped her daughters wouldn't have to take someone's life in self defense. Like she had done before.