She peeked out from behind her arms, watching Rhett's dramatic display of "grief."
She had grown used to his antics. At first, she took him seriously. That just led to more teasing. She tried to explain, but he only heard what he wanted.
So she started this: covering her head and staying still.
But if you looked closely, you could see her blue eyes reflecting his face and a hint of a smile.
She let him poke her, even moving her head slightly with his touch.
He stopped, seeing her calm acceptance. He put his hands on his hips. "You're enjoying this, aren't you? Waste food again, and no meat for you."
She lowered her hands and stood up. She didn't nod or shake her head. She just tugged his sleeve and pointed deeper into the forest.
The message was clear: she'd get another one. Intact this time.
He laughed. "Good! Asking for more training. Progress!"
He snapped his fingers. His mist grew thicker. He wouldn't be Rhett if he stayed still.
"Let's make it harder, then." He grinned. "Don't turn the food to dust this time, Vice Captain."
The mist surged. Deeper into the forest, there was a roar and the crash of trees.
She took a breath. Cold gathered in her hands. The rose petals were sharper now. The cold was more focused.
Whoosh!! Splash!!
The sound of heavy prey hitting the village ground was now common.
The chief watched them drag in a beast even bigger than before. His face showed a mix of gratitude, exhaustion, and habit. He directed the young men to handle it.
"Tough one. That rhino has thick skin. You alright?" He checked them over, relieved to see them unharmed.
At first, he had opposed the "hunting training." The endless meat was too much.
"Kid, we appreciate it. But this is too much. If the tribe gets used to free food, they'll lose their skills and drive. It will hurt them."
Rhett was making a little flower for the girl. "You're overthinking it, old man. This isn't for now."
The chief was confused. "Then what is it for?"
"Reserves." Rhett finally put the flower in her hair. It melted.
"You said you might hide in the mist for a hundred years. Your food stores wouldn't last. I'm preparing for that."
He stood up. "I'm processing this with my power. Freezing, drying. We'll fill that cave. Even if you sleep through it, it'll last generations. And the kid can only fight forest beasts. It'd be a waste not to use them."
The chief wanted to argue. A century was too long. But he remembered Rhett's stories of the outside world. He stayed silent.
Rhett saw he understood. "As for hunting skills? They'll come back when needed. For now, surviving is what matters."
From that day, the chief stopped opposing him. He organized the tribe to process the meat. They salted, smoked, and froze it, carrying it to the cave protected by Rhett's mist.
Then, the chief's daughter built statues of Rhett and the girl outside the cave.
If Rhett left, worshiping him was one thing. But praying to him, offering food in front of his statue... it was strange. Very strange.
Now, the cave was a huge storehouse, enough to last for ages.
Watching his people work, the chief sighed with relief. He walked up to Rhett. "The back rooms are almost full. Isn't that enough?"
Rhett looked at the rhino. "Fine. Starting tomorrow, we change the training."
The chief sighed in relief.
Rhett spoke to the girl. "Tomorrow, more precise work. Freeze just the brain, or just the heart. Keep the hide and meat intact. Better for selling... and for storage."
The chief: "...I should expand the cave."
The girl nodded, serious. She would learn.
Rhett patted her head. "Good. That's my vice captain."
The chief turned away. He needed to process the rhino and maybe find a new cave.