Noya starred at the Mongu child as the ground around them becomes moist wondering the red liquid coming out of them? It smelled familiar with it's irony scent, then she remembered that this is the same stuff that came out of her when she was left in the forest by her masters. This Mongu didn't look like they can move, and she couldn't move when she was brought. Noya did not know what to feel but she was getting a sense of pride. She thinks she l had a spar, a spar she won on top of it as she puffs out her chest with glee. It was much easier than she thought it would be. But after pause Noya remembers that Zani put green things on her when she was brought here and she got better. Maybe that's what she was supposed to do now?
Taking a step away about to get the leafs Zani put on her last night, Noya stops remembering what her masters said while they left her. Dead.
Despite not being told what it meant Noya had an instinctive understanding of the concept. Squatting down and poking the caved in skull of the Mongu child Noya is sure that she made this Mongu dead. Rising to her feet Noya yawns casually and takes a step out of the pooling blood. Noya did not care about their life, she was only concerned about what to do next. That thought is cut short when she sees the body of the Mongu child slide away from the pile of fruit. Noya turns around and see Zani who makes eye contact.
Noya:"Noya dud what Zani say. That one come to take fruit! Noya spar that one. Now they dead."
Zani:"Zani hear, Noya loud. Too loud...Noya do good."
Zani says grumbling as Noya beams with more prude then before then dragging the body out of the hut and tossing it into the street without so much as a huff. The blood slowly absorbed by the dirt below as the bod falls onto the ground and a howling is heard. Several Mongu already awake ignore these howls after turning to see the body and continuing to go about their day. The rays of sunlight shining on the corpse as several creatures that have ferret like bodies mixed with the jaws and claws of hila monster rush out from trap doors that should have been hidden. But have been reduced to wooden flaps that are as clear as day in the hills od dirt and in the side of walls. Instantly they start biting and pulling parts of the body in different directions, snapping up fingers and chunks of flesh before dragging off the body into a trap door. Zani doesn't knows by the end of the day that body is going to be put into the bone pile in side of the village. Regardless Zani recognized the color of that Mongu's clothes to be that of a rival clan. With a satisfied grin at the threat to her clan and food source gone Zani looks over to the mother of the dead Mongu child.
Zani:"Zani say your runt weak. Zani try to make deal. Make your runt live, If your runt pair with Jukku. You say Jukku too weak for pairing. Shame your runt too weak to live. Like you, do better."
The Mongu woman growls in anger but, not at seeing her dead daughter get carried away. She was angry that her child was weak enough to die while stealing and not bothering to at LEAST die AFTER giving her the stolen fruit.
???:"Zani is old, old bitch! Weak woman! Should be quiet/. But right, Rella was weak. Rella Sister not."
The woman says before cracking her neck before walking inside, picking up a rock with her tail and throwing it at Zani while she does. Who leans to the side dodging the rock as it blows a hole in her hut and seven huts behind her's.
After walking back inside Zani reaches up to Noya's head, making Noya flinch before relaxing. After seeing she can barely get her hand up to Noya's chest level when standing. Zani gestures for Noya to lean down several times before Noya does so. Zani pats Noya's head filling the girl with a sense of pride, feeling in every part of her body that she'd done something right. This was how Striders would Mongu are given praise and acknowledgements by striders. The entire gesture is really a sign of submission and obedience but Mongu after several generations of it accepted it as a normal thing. Zani then walks up to Jukku, the Mongu boy was still in deep sleep. Grabbing Jukku's tail and yanking the boy awake. Before Jukku can say a word Zani holds up her hand in front of him.
Zani:"Quiet Jukku, Noya kill Rella. Noya do good but still weak. Zani too old to teach more. Take Noya to Spring, Jukku and Noya smell."
Jukku:"Okay Gran...Can Noya climb-"
Zani:"TAKE NOYA NOW! JUKKU SMELL LIKE DYING WOLF MONKEY AND MAKE ZANI SOUL CRY!"
Zani starts hitting Jukku and Noya with her staff until Jukku grabs Noya with his tail. Running out of the hut carrying the whimpering girl with him. A few minutes down the road Noya eyes are darting around the dilapidated village as Jukku carries her. Noya had never seen much in her life besides her cage and the dark room she was kept in. Every mundane thing excited her and filled her with curiosity. Unfortunetly for Jukku this ment being asked questions with each step.
Noya:"Jukku what that long thing?"
Jukku:"Tree Noya."
Noya:"What that person holding?"
Jukku:"A bucket."
Noya:"What that thing?"
Jukku:"River, you drink it, river is also water"
Noya wiggles in Jukku's grip with excitement as her tail flicks behind her, slapping Jukku on the back of his head. Promptly making the irked Mongu boy toss her on the ground with his tail. Noya however didn't seem to care and grabbed Jukku's head, turning him to face the river while hopping on her heels. Then points at a large orange koi in the middle of school of fish.
Noya"What that?"
Jukku extremely annoyed and considering knocking Noya out. Inhales and wraps his tail around a rock, Crushing it as a substitute for Noya. A. said child was walking into to river.
Jukku:"That pudge. pudge is fish, Pudge control sky, always say thank you to-"
Jukku stops mid-sentence seeing Noya pick up Pudge out of the water with her tail. Jukku immedatly slaps Noya, making her drop Pudge and whimper in dissapointment. As soon as she starts poking Pudge, making the poor fish gurgle in distress before swiming off.
Jukku:"NO TOUCH PUDGE NOYA! PUDGE WILL MAKE STORM!"
Jukku says scolding Noya before immediately regretting screaming as he sees a Mongu man run off to tell the rest of the village. For Mongu Pudge was very sacred, whoever touches the immortal fish gets beaten to death and their clan as well by the entirety of the village. Jukku knowing this dashes after the man and picks up a rock with his tail. Launching the rock, hitting the man in the leg making him trip, and give Jukku enough time to catch up. Jukku loses his balance, and the man starts to bet on the boy like drums. Grabbing Jukku by his shoulder, throwing nothing but hooks and knees into Jukku. Jukku wraps his tail around the man's leg and pulls it from under him.....
Or tries to at least, unfortunately for Jukku this man had the best legs in the village.
Man:"Sad, train tail more. Too thin, too small like newborn. Me better, much better."
This would have almost sounded like advice and not a mediocre insult. Jukku then manages to headbutt the man and be free of his grip. Taking his chance Jukku jumps knees the man in the throat, making the man gag before Jukku pauses. Catching a good look at the entirety of the man.
Feeling a sudden overwhelming sense of fear, frozen in place and is promptly punched into a tree as soon as his feet touch the ground. But this didn't bother Jukku, he was glad he wasn't close enough to smell the man's breath anymore. Mongu had little to no dental hygiene aside from their equivalent of a toothbrush, but now Jukku was grateful that Zani's breathe didn't smell this bad. A second later the man starts to throw punches to Jukku's head and sides. Narley missing as Jukku tries to avoid being hit, a deep engraved instinct making him unable to move his arms in defense. His attempts in vain as the man lands a solid punch to Jukku's liver, then grinning as her starts wailing on Jukku without resistance. *CRUNCH*.....
*THUD*
The man drops to the ground onto his face with the back of his skull caved in. A jagged mushy, and moist mess all that's left of it. Noya then drops the rock and Jukku sighs in relief.
Noya:"Jukku is okay? Noya make person no move anymore."
Jukku gieves a slow nod panting before he speaks.
Jukku:"Yes, Jukku okay. No touch Pudge, people will kill Noya, Jukku, and Zani."
Noya nods in understanding not feeling any ounce of guilt, but feeling happy she was able to help Jukku. Noya then steps closer to the boy and gestues by nodding her head. Expecting a pat on the head, but Jukku just stares at her before slapping her on the back of the head.
Jukku:"Stop."
Jukku says then looks at the dead man before them as Noya squats down holding her head. The man was wearing the typical clothing for a Mongu man. Except that his kayabandhi had a breechcloth on the front with an image of a bird on the front. Jukku recognizes the symbol and grabs Noya. Running and pulling her to the bathing area as a shadow of a current rider flickers a few feet away. This was the symbol of one of the more treasured Mongu by the Striders for adult activates, not to be touched. Luckily Jukku had reacted in time just as a strider with a shaved head with the exception of a ponytail lands. This was Relin and he was the Herder Lead for the village. Every Mongu in Dressie Forest was under the watch of him and his battalion. His to beat, his to sell, his to do anything he pleased. He was livid at the sight of the dead body.
Relin:"HOW DARE THEY!? THESE DAMN INBRED MONKIES KILLED MY FAVORITE ONE! DAMNIT THIS ONE WAS PERFECT! HIS SUCCULENT CO- BAH!"
Relin wasn't just angered at his favorite Mongu being killed. This meant something that by all means shouldn't had been possible for a Mongu to do. One of them had disobeyed his orders, this was an embarrassment to his reputation and pride. Relin was not going to allow this to happen again, he wasn't sure how a Mongu managed to disobey but it didn't matter now. Kicking the dead body of the Mongu man into one of the obvious trapdoors and watching it get dragged away it was clear he was being too soft. Relin cracked his neck before jumping on his current rider, punishments and examples will be made.