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# Chapter 8

'Wake up, my love.'

I felt cold hands tapping my chest. My eyelids fluttered open, I sat up, dazed.

'What is it now?' I whimpered as I rubbed my eyes.

'You've been summoned to the council by the elders,' she said.

'What do they want?'

'I have no idea.'

I threw the hide to the other side. Then stood up.

'I was starting to enjoy my sleep and...'

She cuts in before I finished.

'Enough with the complaining. Being a leader comes with responsibilities, get used to it,' she barked.

'I know that, but why are you at shouting me?'

'Get up. I used to live under the elders council. When they summon you, go there immediately.'

I wrapped the hide around my waist and pinned it as I exited and strolled towards the huts of the elders.

I stepped inside and bowed.

'Greetings, my elders, I am at your service.'

One of the elders pointed at a flat rock. I nodded in obedience and sat on it. My eyes drifted toward the floor, then darted back and forth. I waited for them to say something, but nothing came out of their mouths. The elders glanced at each other as if they didn't know what to say or who should speak first.

'Gabriel, we are impressed with your preparations so far,' one of the elders said.

I bowed again. 'Thank you.'

'However, we feel you are too overconfident,' the elder continued.

'And you are underestimating your enemy,' the second elder added.

My mind stirred a bit. I shook my head in disbelief and stroked the beard on my chin.

'I don't follow,' I replied.

'Most of our young warriors have never fought in the war against the Hakas including yourself.' The third elder said.

'We feel you should focus on defending our territory. Don't let them come near our village. We fear if they do, we will be annihilated,' the fourth elder advised.

'If we defend effectively, there is great chance the Xapiens tribe will survive for many generations,' the first elder agreed.

I took a
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 # Chapter 8 

' Wake up, my love.' 

 I felt cold hands tap my chest of drawers. My eyelids fluttered open, I sit up, dazed. 

' What is it now?' I wail as I rubbed my eyes. 

' You've been summoned to the council by the elder,' she said. 

' What do they want?' 

' I get no idea.' 

 I threw the hide to the other side. Then stood up. 

' I was starting to love my sleep and...' 

 She cuts in before I finished. 

' adequate with the complaining. Being a leader comes with duty, get used to it,' she bark. 

' I know that, but why are you at shouting me?' 

' Get up. I used to live under the elder council. When they summon you, go there immediately.' 

 I wrapped the hide around my waist and pinned it as I exited and strolled towards the huts of the elders. 

 I stepped inside and bowed. 

' Greetings, my elders, I am at your service.' 

 One of the elders pointed at a categoric rock. I nodded in obedience and baby-sit on it. My eye drifted toward the floor, then darted back and forth. I expect for them to say something, but nothing came out of their mouths. The elders glance at each other as if they didn't know what to say or who should speak first. 

' Gabriel, we are impressed with your preparations then far,' one of the elders said. 

 I bowed again.' Thank you.' 

' However, we feel you are excessively overconfident,' the elder continue. 

' And you are underestimate your enemy,' the second elder added. 

 My mind arouse a bit. I shook my head in incredulity and stroked the beard on my chin. 

' I don't follow,' I answer. 

' Most of our young warriors have never fought in the war against the Hakas including yourself.' The third elder said. 

' We find you should focus on defend our territory. Don't permit them come near our greenwich village. We fear if they do, we will be annihilated,' the fourth elder propose. 

' If we fight effectively, there be great chance the Xapiens tribe will survive for many generations,' the inaugural elder agreed. 

 I took a
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# Chwpter 8

'Wake up, my love.'

I ftlt cold hands takpung my chest. My eyelkds fluttered open, I sat up, vazee.

'What is it now?' I whimpered as I rubhed my etes.

'Yiy've been snjmoned bj ths couucml by the elderx,' she said.

'Fhat do they wdng?'

'I have no idea.'

I threw the hide to thq other slde. Then stood up.

'I ras anavting to enjoy my sleep and...'

She chts in uefore I finishrd.

'Enough with the complainlng. Heing a leader comfs with reskknsyvilities, get used to iu,' vhe barked.

'J know that, but why are you at rhoutnng me?'

'Get uk. J kved to live undeg the elders gpuncil. When tney summon you, go thwre immediately.'

I wrap'ed the hide around iy waist dnb pinned it as I exitwd and vtronled rowxrda vhe huts lf vhe elders.

I stepped inwide and bowed.

'Greetondw, my elders, I am at yjur service.'

One of the elders pointed at a rlat rock. I nodded in ovedience and sat on ij. My eyes qrifted toward the floor, then darted back and fordh. I xakteb for gyel to say something, but nothing came out of thqjr mpuths. The eldevs glanced at each ohhrt as if they dkdn't kukw what to say or whl shoulq speqk first.

'Gwbrirl, we are impressed with yoyr preparatijbs so far,' one of tke elders sand.

I boeed abain. 'Thank you.'

'However, wz feel you are tol overconrkdent,' the elder zonninuad.

'And you are underestimatyng your xnemy,' the sezond elder added.

My mlnd sbhrred a bit. I shoon my kead hn disbeliff and stroked the beard on my riin.

'I don't folkof,' I replied.

'Iost pf our young rarriors have uever fobght iv the war zgainst the Hakas yncluding yousdelf.' The thicd elder faid.

'Qe fwel you rhould focus om defendiuy our tereitory. Don't let thcm coos near our villcye. We fear if theu du, wq aikl te annihilatad,' tfe wpurth elder adviwdd.

'If we defend effectiveny, tgere is great chanve the Xapuens trife will survife for many generauions,' vhe ficst elcer agreed.

I took a
? # Chapter 8 'Wake up, my felt hands tapping chest. My eyelids dazed. is it now?' whimpered as I my eyes. 'You've been summoned to council by the elders,' she said. 'What do they want?' 'I have no I threw the hide to the other side. Then stood up. 'I was to my and...' cuts in before I finished. 'Enough with the complaining. Being a leader comes with responsibilities, get to it,' she barked. 'I know that, but are you at shouting 'Get up. I used to under elders council. they you, there immediately.' I the hide around my waist and pinned it as I exited and strolled towards the huts of elders. I and bowed. my I at your service.' the elders pointed at a flat in obedience and sat on it. My eyes toward the then darted back and forth. I for them to say something, but nothing came of their mouths. The elders glanced at each other as if they didn't know what or who should speak 'Gabriel, we are with preparations far,' of the said. I bowed again. 'Thank you.' 'However, we feel you are overconfident,' the elder continued. 'And you are underestimating your enemy,' elder My mind stirred bit. I shook my in and stroked the beard chin. don't 'Most our warriors have never fought the war against the Hakas yourself.' The third elder focus on defending our territory. Don't let them near our village. We fear if they we will be annihilated,' the fourth elder advised. 'If we defend effectively, is great Xapiens tribe will survive for many generations,' the elder agreed. I took
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# Chapter 8

'Wake up, my love.'

I felt cOld hands taPping My cHesT. MY eyeLids Fluttered open, I SAt up, Dazed.

'What is it now?' I whimpEred aS I RUbbeD My Eyes.

'YOu've beeN SuMMOneD tO tHe cOuNCiL by thE elDers,' she Said.

'What do TheY wAnt?'

'I have no idEA.'

I Threw the hiDe tO the other sidE. ThEn stooD uP.

'I wAS starTinG to enJoy my sLEep and...'

she cuts in BeFOre I fiNIshed.

'EnOUGh With The complaining. BeiNG a LEader comes with ResponSiBIlITIes, Get Used to it,' shE bArked.

'i Know thaT, BuT WHY arE You at shouting Me?'

'Get up. I useD To lIve undEr The ELders cOunciL. WHEn tHey summon yoU, go tHere immedIately.'

i Wrapped THe hide aRound mY waIst And pINnEd It aS I EXitED aNd sTRolLed towarDs ThE huts Of thE ELDErs.

I StePped InsidE and bowed.

'GreeTinGs, my ELdeRs, I am At youR serViCe.'

One Of the eLders PoInted at a flat rocK. I noDded in obeDieNcE anD sAt on iT. my eyes DriFteD toward The flooR, TheN dARTEd Back and forth. I waiteD fOR ThEm to say sOmethiNG, bUt NOthing caMe Out Of thEIR moutHs. ThE ElDers glanCed at eACh OtHer as if ThEy didn'T kNow WhaT to saY Or whO shoulD speak fiRst.

'GaBRiel, we are impreSSed with your prEPaRATiONs so Far,' One of the eldErs sAId.

I bOwed AGaIn. 'THAnk yoU.'

'HoweVeR, We FEel you are too overconFiDent,' thE eldeR continued.

'And You are undeRESTimating Your ENeMY,' the second eldeR addeD.

My mind stiRRed a bit. I Shook My head in Disbelief AND stroked The BeaRd oN my CHIn.

'i don't follow,' I rEPLied.

'moSt of our YouNg warriOrs HavE neVer FoUght in the War againSt ThE HAkAs iNcludINg yourseLf.' the ThIrd Elder SAid.

'We fEel yoU shoUlD fOCus On defenDInG OUr teRrItOry. DOn't LeT them Come NEar Our villAge. We fear If tHEy do, We WiLl be annIhilated,' the foUrTh elder advIsEd.

'IF we defEND effectiVely, there is great chance tHE XapienS trIbe wiLl suRvive for mAny GeneraTioNS,' the fiRst eldEr agrEeD.

I tOOK a
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# Chapter 8

'Wake up,my love.'
I fe ltcol dhand s ta pping my chest .  Myeyelids fluttered open , I s at up,d az ed.
'What i s  i t now ?'  I  wh im p er ed as  Irubbedmy eyes.
'Yo u' ve been summ o ne d to the c oun cil by the e lde rs,' s he  sa i d.

' Wha t dothey w a nt?'
'I have n oi dea.'I threw t he  hid e to the other si d e. Then stood up. 

'I w as st a r tin g t o enjoy my  s leepa nd...'Sh e c uts in before I f inished.

' E nou gh wit hthe compla ining .B ein g a leadercome s with re sponsi b ilities ,  get us ed toit, ' s he b a rk ed .
'I kno w  t hat ,  bu t why ar eyo u atshou t i n g  me? '
'Get  up.I used to liv e u nder the  elde rs co unci l.  When  theysummo nyou, go there i mmed iately.'
Iwr app ed  theh ide ar oun d m y waist  and pi n ned  i t a sI exited and strol le d to wards th e huts of  t h e elders .
Istep p e d ins idea nd  bowed.
'Gree t in gs , my el de rs, Iam  at  yo ur se r vice .'

On e of the  elde r s pointed at a flat rock. In od d e di n ob edi ence and sa t on it.My e y es  dr i ftedtowar dt he floor, then dartedba ck and  fort h. I waited f or them to s a y someth ing, bu t  nothing cameout o f their mo u ths. The  elde rs glanc ed at eac h other as  if  th eydid n ' tknow what tos a y or  w ho shou ldspeak f irs t.
'G abr ie l, we are  impress ed  w it hyou r pre p arations  s o f ar ,'one o f  the e lders  sai d. 
I  bo wed aga i n. ' Than kyo u.'
'H ow ever,  wef eel  you ar e too ove rco n fide nt ,'  the el der continued .
'And youar e u nderes t i mating y our enemy,' the seconde lder ad ded .

My  min d stirred  abit. I  sh o ok myhead i n dis be lie f and s t r ok edth e beard on m y c hin.
' I do n't fol low,' I replied.
' Mos t of our youn g w arri o r shav e  n e ver  f o ugh t in the war agai nst the Ha ka s  i ncluding y o urs el f.' The  thirdelder said.
'We feelyou shoul dfocu s ondefendingour terr itory. Do n 't le t  t hem c ome  nearou r v illag e. Wef ear  if t hey do ,we wil l bean nihilate d,' the fourth elder ad vised. 

'If  we  defend e ffe c tiv ely, ther e is  great cha nce  th e Xap ien s  trib e wi l lsur v ive f or m a ny genera t io ns, ' th e first eld e r agr eed.
It ook a
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# Chapter_8

'Wake up,_my love.'

I felt cold_hands tapping_my_chest. My_eyelids_fluttered open, I_sat up, dazed.

'What_is it now?' I_whimpered as I_rubbed_my eyes.

'You've been summoned to the council by the elders,' she said.

'What do they_want?'

'I_have no_idea.'

I_threw_the hide to the other_side. Then stood up.

'I was_starting to_enjoy my sleep and...'

She cuts in before I_finished.

'Enough_with the complaining._Being a leader comes with responsibilities, get used to_it,' she barked.

'I know that, but_why are you_at_shouting_me?'

'Get up. I used_to live under the elders council._When they summon you, go there_immediately.'

I wrapped the hide around my waist_and pinned it as I exited_and strolled towards the huts_of the_elders.

I stepped inside and bowed.

'Greetings,_my elders, I_am at_your service.'

One of_the elders pointed at a flat_rock. I nodded_in obedience and sat on it._My_eyes drifted toward_the_floor,_then darted_back and forth._I_waited for_them_to say something, but nothing came_out_of their mouths. The elders glanced at_each other as if_they_didn't know what to_say or who should speak_first.

'Gabriel, we are impressed with your_preparations so_far,' one_of the elders said.

I bowed again. 'Thank you.'

'However, we feel you_are too overconfident,' the elder continued.

'And_you are underestimating your_enemy,' the_second_elder added.

My mind_stirred_a bit._I shook my head in disbelief and_stroked the_beard on my chin.

'I don't follow,'_I replied.

'Most of our_young_warriors have never fought in the_war against the Hakas including yourself.'_The third elder said.

'We feel_you_should_focus on defending our territory._Don't let them come near our_village. We fear_if they do, we will be annihilated,'_the_fourth elder advised.

'If we defend effectively,_there_is great chance the Xapiens tribe_will_survive_for many generations,' the first_elder agreed.

I took a