The Warriors' Return
That day after the announcement, our daily routine changed. Whenever we had time, we'd gaze down at the Great Plains visible far below the mountain. Checking if anyone was approaching, if even a puff of dust was rising. It wasn't so much that we wanted to see them sooner; we just had to do it.
We didn't know exactly when the warriors would return. Right after arriving at the Kalend Plateau, they'd sent out messenger birds to call the warriors back. The problem was, they couldn't send birds from the plateau to the warriors. Due to the homing pigeon instincts that the system relied on. We could send messages to the warriors, but they couldn't reply back to the plateau.
In the end, Serian's "good news" was just a guess. Assuming the messages had gone through normally, they'd said it was about time for them to arrive. So me and the kids just stared blankly at the plains, waiting endlessly for something to appear.
"Hing. I wish they'd come soon. I miss Grandma and my parents."
Basha mumbled listlessly, chin propped on a rock as he lay sprawled out. Basha was the grandson of the Wolf Elder. His mother was a warrior, and though his father wasn't, he was off at the battlefield with her. It wasn't just Basha—most kids his age were the same.
Sonya's father, the snake beastkin kid Naga's parents, Tamur's father and brothers... Most of the younger siblings around my age had family members out with the warriors. But the even younger ones, around five years old, were mostly with their parents. That was inevitable, since the rotation cycle was five years.
The warriors and elders away from the tribe were holding the line against the demons near the beastkins' old lands, in a place called the Gorge. It was a battlefield of repeated hit-and-run guerrilla fights, so non-warriors could only last up to five years at most. That's why they'd endured for ten years by having the elders and warriors stay while the rest rotated back.
In other words, most of the adults here had been through the battlefield at least once. They claimed they'd only gone to fill numbers, nothing major, but where did they get that experience massacring magical beasts on the plains? Common sense said no way they won with double the enemy numbers just on brute strength and size. There was always a reason they fought so unusually well.
The last rotation was four years ago. Kids Sonya's age were about five then, and the younger ones were still infants. So their parents had no choice but to go. Now the little ones were just waiting for Mom and Dad to come back.
...Tch. Orphans get lonely too. Officially, I was watching the plains as the kids' protector; honestly, it was because I was curious about the elders. Having seen the strength of the Bear Elder and Deer Elder, I couldn't rest until I saw the active elders fighting demons.
But after days of this, I was starting to get bored. Staring at the plains at least had a destination in mind, but this? No clue when—or even if—they'd come.
'Screw this. One more day. If they don't show today, I'll just do my own thing.'
Nothing wears you down like waiting without an end in sight. Plus, tomorrow I had plans to meet Marien.
I was mulling over ways to sneak down secretly every day when faint dust rose at the edge of the plains.
"...!"
I shot up and looked closer. Way off in the distance, a group on horseback was approaching fast. Too far to identify, but definitely...!
"They're coming!!!"
My shout had the other kids jumping up and making a huge fuss.
"S-Sis, where? What do you see?"
"Too far, can't see..."
The kids with poorer eyesight couldn't spot it. But the hawk beastkin siblings Luca and Rio looked where I pointed.
"Ah! There!"
"Coming from the plains!"
"I'll get the elders!"
Naga bolted off. With both parents gone, he was especially lonely, quiet and not mingling much with the others. It'd been ages since he looked this lively.
Soon the elders checked the situation and ordered preparations for a welcome.
"At that speed, they'll be here tomorrow. Any meat left? ...None? Then let's butcher a cow."
"I'll go meet them tomorrow."
The mood turned festive in an instant. Everyone buzzed with excitement at reuniting with their kin. Especially the non-bear and deer beastkin, thrilled their own central figures were returning.
The horse beastkin kid Kanta pointed to the flower field below the plateau.
"Ursa sis! Let's pick flowers. Make flower crowns? Give 'em as gifts!"
The hyped-up kids dragged me along, so I wove flowers too. Kanta meant crowns, not wreaths.
"Whoa! So pretty."
"Gonna put it on Mom tomorrow!"
The kids beamed, clutching their handmade crowns. Caught up in the vibe, I made one too. Didn't even decide who for. Guess I'll carry it till tomorrow. Anyone'd be happy with it.
'Oh yeah, tomorrow's my meetup with Marien, but the elders are coming?'
What to do. I'll see the situation tomorrow and sneak out. With all the stuff to do and say when they arrive, they won't miss one kid, right?
I carefully stowed my cosmos flower crown and waited for tomorrow. The kids, who usually crashed at sunset, chattered late into the night for once, so I didn't sleep till deep dark.
Next day. The village buzzed from morning with welcome prep. The Bear Elder had gone down at dawn to guide them. I returned from gathering pollen for the ceremony and found everyone clustered at the plateau edge.
"They're here!"
Cheers erupted. Peeking out, I saw about forty riders ascending. Four beastkin led on a massive horse, with an empty huge black horse beside them. Sturdy-looking beastkin followed, weapons strapped solidly to backs and waists. Probably the warriors.
Behind them came beastkin resembling tribesfolk but bulkier—not quite warrior material. As they neared the village, the returnees dismounted and walked the rest.
Time to sprinkle pollen.
"Warriors! We welcome you back!"
"Waaaaaaah!"
Amid flying petals, the tribe gave a grand welcome. The warriors waved back with easy smiles. Up close, most had minor wounds. Hawk beastkin with bandaged arms, snake beastkin limping. Bodies battered, but faces lit with relief. Expressions of those ending decades of grueling war.
Serian approached the leaders.
"Welcome back. Glad you're all safe."
...
The welcome turned straight into a festival. People who'd longed for these faces wept, laughed, hugged. The vibe would last a while.
"Grandmaaaaaaa!!"
Basha dashed off, tail wagging wildly. He'd just crowned his parents; now hunting Grandma—the Wolf Elder, obviously. First time for him and me too. Too busy with pollen to see faces clearly. Who was she?
"Aigoo. You must be Basha! Finally hugging you after just hearing tales."
...Huh?
The Wolf Elder scooping up Basha had a warrior's tough build, fitting the frontline. But...
'Why's she so young-looking?'
Visually, barely thirty. Didn't match "grandma" at all. Sure, the stronger you are, the slower you age, but this was extreme. Deer Elder Serian, the youngest at just over forty by beastkin standards—prime age—looked early twenties, that made sense. But the Wolf Elder, easily over sixty, like this? By proportion, if forties look twenties, sixties looking thirties fit. Still, too youthful. Brain accepted, senses rejected. Human standards lingering, I guess.
I scanned the returned warriors' faces one by one.
...All looked young. These folks really rolled in battlefields for decades?
"Horse Elder! Still the same after ten years!"
"Can I pet your mane?"
Horse beastkin chatted at the stationary big black horse—the one that led with the elders. Elder? That horse? Either the horse beastkin were nuts, or...
"Heh. Calm down, everyone."
The horse spoke. No, human words from a horse's mouth...
"Eek! The horse talked!"
The kids screamed in unison. Me too.
"Haha. Whoops. Forgot folks who don't know might freak in this form. Not like me at all."
Then the black horse reared on hind legs.
-Cracklerattle.
Its body twisted, shape shifting, until a human form emerged. Rugged, open features, long flowing hair suiting sun-bronzed skin—a handsome man.
"I-It changed... Horse into a... person..."
The kids gaped, frozen. Same for me.
"Sorry for startling you. Lots of new faces, so let me introduce myself properly."
The man swept back his wavy hair, flashing white teeth.
"I'm the horse tribe's elder, Black Mist Enkidu. Nice to meet you all?"
The horse elder grinned broadly at the kids.
"...What a character."
Transforms into a horse. Unique speech. Striking looks. Definitely memorable type.