With a mischievous grin, I began to swing my arm in a playful, rhythmic motion, captivating the baby's attention. "Who's the man?" I teased, my voice filled with childlike enthusiasm. The infant's eyes blinked open, curiosity shining within them as his cries gradually subsided.
Encouraged by the positive response, I continued my antics, gently rubbing the baby's stomach while engaging in playful banter. In my best baby voice, I playfully repeated, "Yooou arrr... Yooou d maan," drawing out giggles from the little one.
The atmosphere soon transformed into a delightful game of Tom and Jerry, with me assuming the role of Jerry, prompting peals of laughter from the baby as his tiny hands playfully attempted to catch mine.
With a sense of satisfaction, I gently returned the first baby to the safety of the vine cradle, observing as his movements gradually ceased. Without wasting a moment, I moved on to the next baby, prepared to repeat the process.
Nonetheless, while I engaged with each child, I reminded myself that this experience served as a valuable preparation for my future role as a father. Frustration didn't find a place within me when the technique didn't immediately work for every baby; instead, I adapted and switched to another, understanding that it was all part of the learning process.
As I continued with the task at hand, a deep sense of responsibility washed over me, prompting thoughts about the safety and well-being of both my children and their mothers. Furthermore, while assisting Anara in restoring the babies to a serene state within the vine cradles, I couldn't help but contemplate the challenging task of seamlessly integrating these children back into the village, ensuring their acceptance and a smooth transition.
….....
After soaring through the skies for a few minutes, allowing the wind to clear his mind, the Village Chief decided it was time to descend and return home. Deliberately reducing his speed, he approached his compound and flew over the gates. When he touched the ground, his wings slowly folded, seamlessly transitioning him back to his human form.
With a soft landing near the entrance of his first hut, he caught sight of Thak engaged in a conversation with some of the guards.
"Chief, you have arrived," Thak quickly acknowledged, his attention shifting to the Village Chief's presence. The two guards standing alongside Thak echoed their greetings in unison. "Welcome, Chief," they exclaimed.
The Village Chief acknowledged the guards with a nod before turning his attention to Thak, posing a question that lingered on his mind. "Did you handle everything?" he inquired, his tone a blend of interest and authority.
Thak nodded in response, wearing a wry smile as he shook his head tiredly. "Yes, Chief," he responded, "However, there's still a problem that I don't think I can currently solve myself."
The Village Chief raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "You still haven't seen her," he stated, a tinge of doubt in his voice. This was an unprecedented occurrence, and the more he pondered about it, the more he realized that several unprecedented events seemed to be unfolding. He could only hope that Orion wasn't the primary catalyst behind this one as well.
"Yes, we still haven't seen her," Thak replied with a hint of frustration. Despite thoroughly searching her hut and the entire village, there were no signs of Fiona. Her absence had created a problem as well, as without her to draw water from the well, the market square well was becoming overcrowded. Villagers were forced to endure outrageously long lines, making it difficult for some to fetch their water.
The Village Chief looked doubtful. "Are you sure you've checked every inch of the village thoroughly?" he questioned, knowing Fiona was not the type of woman to cause unnecessary chaos without a valid reason.
"Yes, Chief," Thak replied honestly, "We even searched the two strongholds, but no one has seen her there either."
The Village Chief's gaze intensified as he weighed the situation. "So, if Fiona isn't in the Village, the farm, the forest, or even the two strongholds, does that mean she has crossed the river?"
Thak nodded solemnly. "Yes, Chief, that seems to be the only logical conclusion we've reached. However, we still can't make sense of why she would have crossed to the other side of the river." He paused for a moment, deep in thought, before hesitantly continuing, "Chief, does this mean Fiona is coming out of retirement? She was the best in her generation. However, if she intends to return as a warrior, who will....."
"Don't worry about it," the Village Chief interjected abruptly, understanding what Thak was about to say. Without Fiona, the villagers might resort to fetching water from the river surrounding the village, which would be dangerous considering the lurking threat of the Vylkr vines. "The first thing we need to do is assemble a team of warriors, those with two-star potentials and above, and have them search the borders for any signs of Fiona. If she is still alive, bring her back to the village so that I can understand what went wrong."
"And if she is dead?" Thak asked, solemnly.
"Then we will pray that Naka blesses us with someone possessing a similar gift during the next awakening ceremony," the Village Chief replied, his tone carrying a tinge of resignation. "That's all we can do for now. In the meantime, inform the warriors to deter anyone from attempting to fetch water from the river. We don't want any sudden attacks at this time." With those words, the Village Chief walked inside the hut, with his thoughts becoming more convoluted as he thought about the current issues.
While Thak focused his attention on the two guards before him, preparing to carry out the Chief's commands, the Village Chief himself made his way to the room where he handled the affairs of the village. When he opened the door, a tired sigh escaped his lips when he laid eyes on the person he had already anticipated would be there.
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