The wind picked up. Silently at first, as if it wanted to announce itself without being noticed, gradually asserting its presence.
Kino's mind didn't process the cold, or the shifting trees, or the five hunters hidden in the brush, waiting for her slightest mistake.
She focused solely on Jermal, on how to answer his question without ending up burned to a crisp.
The man standing before her watched without blinking, his patience thinning by the second.
There was only one choice left.
Kino threw her spear aside. It clattered across the ground, skidding harmlessly out of reach.
Before the sound even faded, she dropped to her knees and bowed.
"I don't seek to impose anything on you. That would be suicidal for me… and for my tribe. I only meant to propose an exchange."
Jermal remained silent. She took it as permission to continue.
"You're new to this region. And aside from the monsters prowling nearby, other tribes live here too. Some are far less… considerate than mine."
The wind howled. Leaves spiraled in the invisible currents.
"So in return for our help navigating this land, and our knowledge of the creatures and plants around here, we only pray that you might be willing to share some of yours."
The wind died the moment her words ended, as if the world itself held its breath, awaiting the god's answer.
Jermal finally blinked.
A slow, deliberate blink. The kind animals make when deciding whether something before them is prey or a threat.
Kino stayed on her knees, head bowed, breath trapped in her chest. She could feel the five hunters around her without seeing them. Their presence pressed in from all sides. She knew that if Jermal whispered a single word, her life would end before she even reached her spear.
Jermal stepped closer.
The sound of his foot sinking into the damp soil sent a shiver down her spine. His shadow fell over her like a curtain.
"You pray for kindness," he said.
The words were not hostile, yet they seemed to weigh ten times heavier than they should have.
Kino kept her head down. "Yes."
"Why?"
She swallowed. "Because I do not wish for conflict."
"That is not a reason." Jermal's voice deepened slightly. "That is fear."
Kino hesitated. Then she lifted her head just enough to meet his chest, not daring to look him in the eyes.
"I fear what your tribe can do. Anyone with a working mind would. But that's not why I came here."
"And what is?" Jermal asked.
Kino hesitantly lifted her head from the damp soil.
"Well… we number about sixty. Even so, we're starving. Funny, isn't it? All this land, this massive forest. Yet, we go hungry."
She clenched her fist until blood welled from her palm.
"An enemy tribe wants control of our little encampment. Their numbers are larger, and they live many kilometers away. Still, they want ours."
She let out a bitter breath. "I think they called this tactic a 'siege'. They're blocking our hunters from leaving camp. Our fighters are growing old, weak from hunger. We won't last much longer. That's why I'm here. That's why I'm asking."
Jermal replayed the information in his mind with slow precision.
First: multiple tribes roamed this region, most likely hostile.
Second: Kino's people were starving right now.
And lastly: the value this woman could bring far outweighed whatever agricultural knowledge he hoped to gain. That much was painfully obvious.
He held all the leverage in this conversation.
He took a moment, just long enough to appear thoughtful. But the answer had already made itself clear.
"I will not do what you ask of us."
The blood drained from Kino's face the moment the words reached her ears. This tribe was their last hope. None of their other neighbors would dare oppose the Owlheads, who were currently starving her camp into submission.
This tribe was new. They had not chosen sides yet.
But it was over now. He had said no. She had failed.
"That does not mean I will not help you."
Color surged back into her cheeks. Her eyes brightened, although she could sense that something heavier lay beneath his words.
"I want to change the terms of our contract. I will help you fight back against your adversaries. In exchange, I want one thing. And it is not your knowledge."
The suspense thickened. Even the five hidden hunters leaned in with curiosity.
"I want your tribe to merge with mine. Once you do, salvation will be only a moment away."
Kino was in no position to argue. She opened her mouth to accept, but Jermal lifted a finger, stopping her as casually as one would quiet a dog.
"Up up up. Joining our tribe means following our God. The Hollow Eye will pass judgment upon you. Only then will your fate be decided."