[River Valley, Early Afternoon, Sun Burning Through Sparse Clouds]
The path to the river cut through tall grass that brushed against Kael's thighs, leaving streaks of pollen and seed heads clinging to his skin. The air was thick with humidity, the kind that made breathing feel like work, and the scent of crushed vegetation mixed with the mineral smell of moving water grew stronger with each step. Insects buzzed in swarms around his head—small black things that bit if given the chance—and he swatted them away clumsily, still adjusting to this body's reflexes.
Lyssa walked ahead of him, her hips swaying with each step, the hide skirt riding up slightly to reveal more of her thick thighs. Sweat glistened on her shoulders and the small of her back, catching the sunlight, and Kael found his eyes drawn to the movement of her body despite himself. Behind him, Eira carried two large clay vessels for water, her breathing steady and strong, while Kira bounded alongside like an excited puppy, chattering about something she'd found that morning—a bird's nest with blue eggs.
Senna had stayed behind, claiming she needed to help repair one of the hunting spears. Kael suspected she just didn't want to be around him.
The river opened up before them suddenly—a wide stretch of cold, fast-moving water cutting through the valley floor. The banks were lined with smooth stones worn round by centuries of current, and the sound of rushing water filled the air, drowning out the insect drone. On the far side, dense forest pressed close, the trees thick and ancient, their roots exposed where the water had carved away the earth.
Several women were already at the river—washing clothes, filling vessels, their voices carrying across the water in fragments of conversation and laughter. Kael recognized the older woman from the settlement, the one who'd been scraping hides. She looked up as they approached, her eyes narrowing slightly, then returned to her work without comment.
"Strip down," Lyssa said casually, already untying the leather straps that held her top in place. "Water's cold but it feels good in this heat."
Kael froze. "What?"
Lyssa laughed, the sound bright and musical, and pulled the hide free from her chest. Her breasts bounced as they were released—full and heavy, pale where the sun hadn't reached, with large dark nipples that were already tightening in the air. She stretched, arching her back, completely unselfconscious about her nakedness, and Kael's mouth went dry.
Oh fuck, this is normal here. No modesty. No taboos about bodies.
The system pulsed.
[CULTURAL NOTE: NUDITY IS COMMON DURING BATHING AND SWIMMING]
[TRIBAL CUSTOMS DO NOT EQUATE NUDITY WITH SEXUAL INTENT]
[HOWEVER: PHYSICAL AROUSAL IS NOTICED AND CARRIES SOCIAL MEANING]
Eira was already unwrapping her own hide clothing, revealing a body that showed the marks of childbirth and hard living—stretch marks across her belly and hips, breasts that hung lower and fuller than Lyssa's, thick thighs scarred from years of work. But there was a raw beauty to her, a strength that radiated from her frame, and when she waded into the water with a soft gasp at the cold, Kael couldn't look away.
Kira was the last to strip, her developing body still awkward and gangly, all knobby knees and sharp elbows, her small breasts barely formed. She splashed into the water with a shriek of delight, sending spray across the surface.
"Are you going to stand there staring, or are you going to bathe?" Lyssa called, waist-deep now, her hands cupping water and pouring it over her shoulders, the droplets running down between her breasts, over her soft belly, disappearing beneath the surface.
Kael's hands moved to the leather tie at his waist before his mind caught up. This body was young, underdeveloped, and he had no idea what he looked like beneath the hide wrap. But everyone was watching now—including the other women on the bank—and refusing would mark him as strange.
He unwrapped the hide and let it fall.
His cock hung between his legs—not large, not small, just average for a sixteen-year-old body. Uncircumcised, which made sense for this era, with a nest of dark hair at the base. His balls were tight against his body from the heat and nervousness, and when he looked down, he saw muscle definition he'd never had before—lean and wiry, every line visible beneath sun-browned skin.
The cold water hit him like a slap when he waded in, and his cock shrank further, his breath coming in sharp gasps. The current pulled at his legs, trying to sweep him downstream, and he had to plant his feet carefully on the smooth stones to keep his balance.
Lyssa was suddenly close—too close—her body pressing against his side as she reached for something. "Here," she said, holding out a rough stone. "Scrub your skin. Gets the dirt and dead flesh off."
Her breast brushed his arm, soft and warm despite the cold water, and Kael felt his cock twitch in response. Lyssa's eyes flicked down, noticed, and a small smile curved her lips.
She's testing me. Or flirting. Or both.
"Thank you," Kael managed, taking the stone and beginning to scrub at his arms. The sensation was rough, almost painful, but it did strip away layers of grime he hadn't realized were there.
Eira called from deeper in the river, "Don't go past the rocks, Kira! Current's too strong!"
The youngest sister ignored her, paddling toward the center where the water moved fastest, her laughter high and bright. Then she went under.
Kael's body moved before his mind processed. He lunged forward, his arms cutting through the water, fighting the current that wanted to drag him sideways. Kira surfaced twenty feet downstream, sputtering and thrashing, her eyes wide with panic.
[QUEST TRIGGERED: SAVE FAMILY MEMBER]
[REWARD: TRUST +10, EIRA'S AFFECTION +5]
His muscles burned as he pushed harder, the cold water numbing his limbs, but adrenaline flooded his system and the system pulsed in his mind, feeding him information—angle of current, distance to target, optimal swimming form. His body responded, cutting through the water with efficiency that shouldn't be possible for someone who'd been sick yesterday.
He reached Kira just as she went under again, his hand closing around her wrist and yanking her up. She coughed and gasped, clinging to him desperately, her nails digging into his shoulders.
"I've got you," Kael said, his voice steady despite his racing heart. "Hold on."
He kicked toward the bank, angling across the current rather than fighting it directly, and the system guided him—small adjustments in angle and effort that made the difference between success and being swept downstream. By the time his feet found purchase on the stones, his legs were shaking and his lungs burned.
Eira was there immediately, pulling Kira from his arms, her face pale with fear turning to relief. "Stupid girl," she breathed, but her hands were gentle as she checked her daughter over. "Never go that far. Never."
Kira was crying now, her body shaking with delayed shock. "I'm sorry, Mother. I'm sorry."
Lyssa appeared at Kael's side, her hand gripping his arm, her eyes wide and bright. "That was... you moved so fast. Like you knew exactly where she'd be."
Kael's chest heaved as he caught his breath, the cold finally registering now that the adrenaline was fading. "Instinct," he said, which wasn't entirely a lie.
[QUEST COMPLETE: SAVE FAMILY MEMBER]
[TRUST +10]
[EIRA'S AFFECTION +5]
[NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: ENHANCED REFLEXES (LEVEL 1)]
[EFFECT: +10% REACTION SPEED IN CRISIS SITUATIONS]
The system information flooded his mind—the skill would improve with use, would grow stronger as he completed more quests. And there were more quests waiting, more opportunities to gain power.
Eira stood, pulling Kira with her, and moved to Kael. Before he could react, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him against her wet, naked body, her breasts pressing against his chest, her face buried in his shoulder.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you for saving her."
Kael's arms came up automatically, holding her, and he felt the way her body trembled, the way her breath hitched. She smelled like river water and sweat and something earthy and maternal, and when she pulled back, her eyes were wet with tears.
"You're stronger than I thought," she said, her hands cupping his face, her thumbs brushing his cheeks. "Your father would be proud."
Something twisted in Kael's chest—guilt, maybe, or the ghost of this body's memories bleeding through. "I just did what anyone would do."
"No," Eira said firmly. "You risked yourself. That's not nothing."
Lyssa was watching them with an unreadable expression, her arms crossed under her breasts, water still dripping from her body. When Kael's eyes met hers, she didn't look away, and there was something calculating in that gaze, something that made his skin prickle.
The walk back to the settlement was quieter. Kira stayed close to Eira, still shaken, while Lyssa walked beside Kael, their arms brushing occasionally. The sun had shifted lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the grass, and the air smelled like approaching evening—cooling earth and woodsmoke from cooking fires.
As they crested the rise that overlooked the settlement, Kael saw movement near the central fire pit. Men had returned from hunting—maybe eight or nine of them—dragging what looked like a deer carcass. The scarred man, Tormund, was directing the butchering process, his voice carrying across the distance.
But it was the figure standing apart from the group that caught Kael's attention. Tall, maybe six-foot-two, with shoulders like a bull and arms thick with muscle. His hair was dark and cut short, his face broad and brutal, with a nose that had been broken multiple times and a jaw like carved stone. He wore more elaborate hide clothing than the others—animal furs draped across his shoulders like a cloak—and when he turned, Kael saw a necklace made from what looked like animal teeth and bones.
[TRIBE MEMBER DETECTED: VARG, AGE 26]
[ROLE: LEAD HUNTER, ALPHA MALE]
[RELATIONSHIP: RIVAL]
[WARNING: VARG HAS CLAIMED MATING RIGHTS TO DESSA]
[CONFLICT PROBABILITY: HIGH]
Oh, perfect. Of course there's an alpha male I'm going to have to deal with.
Varg's eyes found Kael across the distance, and even from here, Kael could see the assessment, the challenge. Then Varg's gaze shifted to Lyssa, and his expression changed—something predatory sliding into place.
Lyssa stiffened beside Kael. "Fuck," she muttered under her breath.
"What?" Kael asked quietly.
"Varg's been trying to claim me for a year," she said, her voice tight with frustration. "He thinks because he's the best hunter, he can have any woman he wants."
"And you don't want him."
"I'd rather fuck a cave bear," she said flatly. Then her hand found Kael's, her fingers lacing through his, warm and strong. "Come on. Let's eat before he decides to make tonight difficult."
As they descended into the settlement, Kael felt Varg's eyes tracking them, felt the weight of that attention like a physical thing. The system pulsed again.
[CONFLICT INEVITABLE]
[VARG VIEWS YOU AS THREAT TO HIS STATUS]
[RECOMMENDATION: ESTABLISH DOMINANCE OR FORM ALLIANCES]
Kael squeezed Lyssa's hand, feeling the calluses on her palm, the strength in her grip. His new life was getting more complicated by the hour, but the system thrummed in his mind, feeding him information, showing him paths forward.
And in this world, strength was everything.