The Moot

In record time had anyone present recorded the feat did the party make their way from the borderlands of the territories of the Tribes of the Buffalo, Jungle, and Highlands to the stone built Sword Clan Village. Outside the great stone walls awaited an army of Tigers lounging before a legion of terrified Sword Clan guards. Along with the familiar group of the Axe Clan chieftain, Tagunban's half brothers Katsu and Bongao, and Ta Da who all shared a face of amazement when they saw Taguban. With two foreign companions, one a woman they assumed was a new wife, the other some sort of giant alongside the Lord of All Tigers, a great beast chieftain who easily towered over all the other tigers three times over. As Tagunban approached in the confident stride of a true man all his clansmen stepped forward and hugged him aside from Ta Da who still gave him a nod of approval. “It's not even been a year and you've done so much brother.” Katsu cheered “I think you've gotten taller too” called Bongao. “And you've brought with you the greatest boon to the Axe Clan I've ever seen, a true great beast chieftain in the flesh.” The chieftain proclaimed. “Your father looks down on you with pride today.” Ta Da exclaimed as he looked over Petara, Oranui, and the Lord of All Tigers. “And did you get yourself a wife already? I will say you didn't do a bad job of it little brother.” Katsu proclaimed as he smacked Taguban on the back before Petara strode forth and spoke. “He should be so lucky, I'm afraid he's only courting now. I am Petara the Shaman, it sounds like you all are his clansmen, it's nice to finally meet you. Oh and that giant back there is Oranui, don't mind him, he doesn't speak Hiaghlander yet.” Petara greeted before she motioned to Oraanui who simply smiled and waved a giant hand. All clansmen present nodded at Oranui in acknowledgement before turning back to Taguban. “And what's that bow and arrow you're holding?” Bongao asked as he pointed to the broken remains of Aegata the Manhunter’s longbow. “That is the bow and arrow of the late Aegata the Manhunter, and it is my lynchpin against the warchief, for the legend died because of the warchief's lies.” Taguban answered to the shocked horror of all present. “You mean the Aegata the Manhunter? The actual legend whom we speak of around bonfires?” Ta Da asked, his eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. “The very same I'm afraid and his death I will avenge here today along with my father's.” Tagunban responded as he held the broken longbow up. “Did you know he was Diwata and not Spear Clan like the legends say?” Tagunban asked to the even further shock among the faces of his clansmen. “You have had a journey of legends it sounds like, young warrior.” The chieftain added as he placed a bony hand on Tagunban's shoulder. “But I believe the moot is going to start soon and it's best we cement our plan. Now while you were away I had Banyaga curry favors among the other clans with some of his trickery among other things so that should buy us some support against the war.” The chieftain elaborated “With the Lord of All Tigers vote that should buy us more, do you think that's enough?” Taguban asked in worry. “I'm afraid I'm not sure, the warchief is still popular especially among the Sword Clan who get the largest vote. If you think you can rally people against the warchief with Aegata the Manhunter's longbow there then do it, we can't take any chances.” The chieftain responded. “I understand, let's get this over with.” Taguban replied with conviction as he strode forth on stone roads. Petara who was speaking with Katsu and Bongao cut their conversation short and quickly caught up to stride behind Tagunban's side along with Oranui and the Lord of All Tigers. Katsu, Bongao, and Ta Da meanwhile all strode beside the chieftain in his sagely manner; the Axe Clan declination showing their full might to all onlookers. Many of whom looked in shock to see the rumored champion of the Lord of All Tigers is such a young Axe Clan member who also traveled with two foreigners. Especially considering that he was the one who dueled against the warchief and shamed himself and his clan in the process. The Lord of All Tigers roared into air which started water buffalo, gayal, pigs, and even dogs all throughout the Sword Clan Village before the horde of tigers lazing about outside flooded into the village to join their chieftain in marching up to the Warchief's longhouse where the moot was in progress. Concerned screams, wails, and animal shrieks filled the air alongside the chuffs and grumbles of the many tigers before the menagerie stood before the mighty stone longhouse of the Warchief, the sword wielding guards struggling to stone their faces at the army of potential man-eaters before them. “The Axe Clan comes to moot.” The chieftain proclaimed in authoritative sagacity “As does the Lord of All Tigers and his champion, let us moot or a tsunami of claws and fangs will be upon you!” Tagunban's boldly proclaimed before an orchestra or pantherine roaring. The guards simply bowed their heads and stepped aside, letting in Tagunban, the chieftain, and the Lord of All Tigers before closing ranks and denying access to Katsu, Bongao, Ta Da, Petara, Oranui, and the litany of tigers behind them.

The trio heard angry shouting from Katsu and Petara as they entered the stone halls of the longhouse to see a horde of elders, warriors, champions, and even other great beast chieftains of all varieties standing proud along the flanks of the longhouse. “The Axe Clan arrives to moot.” The chieftain proclaimed “As does the Lord of All Tigers!” roared Tagunban in unison with the Lord of All Tigers. The warchief sat in his throne before the moot silently gritting his teeth trying to hide the deep anger, frustration, and disbelief from the realization Tagunban was not only still alive but also possessed the power of the Lord of All Tigers. The chieftain, Tagunban, and the Lord of All Tigers then all strode with confidence to the right flank of the longhouse and took their places. “Now that all clans and Great Beasts in our tribe are present, we may proceed with this moot.” The warchief proclaimed in the booming and authoritative speaking voice of long held experience. “My fellow tribesmen, it has long pained me that our tribe in spite of its proud warrior tradition, rugged honor, and sheer cunning has among one of the smallest if not the smallest territory of all the tribes on Mikai Island. This is an embarrassment to our people. That I cannot let stand on my honor as warchief or our honor as the great and noble Tribe of the Highlands. Therefore I moot to rally our forces for a great war next year in which we shall invade the West. We will conquer and overrun their petty charges and retake the land of our ancestors!” The warchief roared out like a lion as many of the delegates cheered and bayed for blood in response. “You would invade our ancient kin to the West before you would take back land we lost to the Tribe of the Seas in the East. This is no rally to greatness for anyone other than a too young and inexperienced warchief's ego. Your actions mock your title.” The chieftain proclaimed a series of hoots and shouts from his supporters including Tagunban. “Insults? You levy insults against me in this time of greatness for our tribe. Me? Your warchief and therefore the rest of the tribe. Don't you see this is only the start, the resources we take from the Tribe of the Buffalo would bolster our faces to take back our Eastern territories. Or have you lost your nerve and ambition in your old age? Perhaps the Axe Clan is in need of a chieftain that isn't a senile has been?” The warchief responded first with a feign of mock hurt before transitioning to baseless speculation and then ending on mockery; all to the hoots and cheers of his supporters in turn. The chieftain meanwhile stood unphased in his aura of sagacity. “I am only pointing out the reality of this situation that even a child could see. You have only ascended to the position of Warchief of our tribe eight rains ago and have led no previous wars. Yet now you wish to wage the largest war in our tribe's history against an enemy that has not wronged us in ages? Do you even know the logistics of what such an intense war would take, how much food our warriors would need to eat while on march? The vulnerability of our villages while said warriors are away on some ill thought invasion likely to fail?” the chieftain questioned and chided the warchief and his supporters. “Likely to fail?! Are you so arrogant as to claim your tribesmen are weak? Do you even…” the warchief chided only to be interrupted by the air shaking roar of the Lord of All Tigers. “If you intend to have your men hunt the entire time of your invasion the tigers would starve. Steal our food from our hunting grounds and we'll be forced to descend upon your livestock while you're gone, and if they can't sate our hunger then your wives and children will be next!” The Lord of All Tigers roared before his kin outside the longhouse followed his example. “See what my enemies have to resort to? Mockery, petty threats, and the promise of violence against women and children. They know they have no real, no true, and honest points against my plans for our tribe's future greatness. They would rather wallow in the mud of their mediocrity like a pig before the slaughter.” The Warchief rallied with a cheer of whistle and agreement. “Yet you never answered this wise old hog’s question butcherer. How do you plan on feeding our warriors while they march? How long will our Eastern border be vulnerable for? And how much of your no doubt plans for looting actually recover the resources we lose fighting this war of yours?” the chieftain questioned in defiance as other delegates began to repeat them in turn. “Yes I am a butcher, a butcher of our tribe’s enemies! Our supplies from our great harvests will carry us until our warriors will grow fat from looted food. Perhaps along the way we shall feast on the flesh of tigers to remind them of their place below man. When we are victorious we bring herds of water buffalo so great we would struggle to eat them all in ten rains!” The Warchief’s voice boomed through the air as the warriors cheered assured in his plans of victory. “Great harvests? I have heard no news of great harvests, only the usual fare we always get. What happens when our warriors find themselves at a Buffalo Tribe village with meager at best loot? The Axe Clan warriors cannot and would not even if they could, march purely on your overinflated ego!” the chieftain called out, with a similar boom of cheering from his supporters. “Of course the Axe Clan would have a mediocre harvest, or at least claim so in order to cheat their way out of respiration for the dishonorable actions of their so-called warrior when he attempted to attack me before calling an honorable duel. Said so-called warrior who accompanies the Lord of All Tigers who just threatened to devour our wives and children.” The warchief chided as hate filled eyes fell upon Taguban and the Lord of All Tigers. “You dare speak of dishonor?! It was you in your dishonesty that cost the lives of the two of the tribe’s greatest warriors, Katas the Living Wildfire and Aegata the Manhunter!” Tagunban then threw the remains of Aegata’s longbow to the chieftain of the Diwata clan present among the warchief's supporters. “The warchief misled one of our greatest warriors into attacking me after he had already won our honorable duel and forced the Axe Clan to pay reparations. When he was attacking me his death came by the Lord of All Tigers whom I defeated and made contact with to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. After I gave him an honorable burial I vowed to avenge his death by defeating the one truly responsible for it! You, so-called warchief, are the one responsible and your actions cannot go unpunished!” Taguban roared in passion, pointing the finger of hatred to the warchief as the moot went wild in shouting and arguments. “Preposterous! Everyone knows Aegata the Manhunter was of the Spear Clan, not the Diwata whom this fool threw some shattered longbow too without evidence.” The warchief argued while glaring daggers at both Tagunban and the Diwata chieftain. The Diwata chieftain an elderly man with short cut hair and a small body covered in ritual scarring, knelt over and picked up the shattered longbow. “You promised my clan that you would clear that rumor warchief. Aegata was indeed Diwata and this is the broken remains of his longbow. That means he is dead, and with the warchief’s lie now evident I choose to believe the champion of the Lord of All Tigers.” The Diwata chieftain then strode across the longhouse to stand beside Tagunban as the Spear Clan chieftain nodded his head in agreement before the longhouse again erupted into an ear shattering cacophony of yelling and debating. “You do not seriously believe that ridiculous tale? The traitor obviously murdered his fellow tribesman to attack my honor!” The warchief screamed in rage over the crowd. “Enough of your games dishonorable warchief! Call the vote!” The chieftain roared even louder before the moot began to chant. “Call the vote! Call the vote! Call the vote!” Could be heard well outside the stone walls of the warchief’s longhouse and throughout the whole of the Sword Clan village. “Enough, if my people call for a vote then I shall call it! I will not entertain the game of these traitors to our clan in the making anymore!” The warchief proclaimed over the crowd. “Today we vote on the great war with the Tribe of the Buffalo next dry season, cast your votes tribesmen!” The warchief declared before the moot. “The Axe Clan votes no” sounded the chieftain. “The Spear Clan votes no, the spirits do not point to a positive outcome.” The spear clan chieftain proclaimed. “The Diwata vote no” the Diwata chieftain responded. “The Lord of All Tigers votes no.” Tagunban roared. “The Sword Clan votes yes!” The warchief interrupted. “The Pig Chief votes yes” snorted the fat champion of the Pig Chieftain. “The Chief of Dogs abstains.” Voiced the skinny and shaggy champion of the Chief of Dogs barks. Thus more and more votes were proclaimed with the vote becoming increasingly tight until all major and minor clans and Great Beast Lords were accounted for. “Five voted abstain, twelve voted yes, and thirteen voted no. The moot votes against the great war of the West against the Tribe of the Buffalo.” the announcer proclaimed before the moot as it once again exploded in the sounds of passionate shouting. With the explosion of activity the warchief glared great burning eyes of hatred at Tagunban and mouthed. “You fucking cur, I told you if you got in my way I would kill you and everyone you held dear, and I meant it.” Tagunban in turn mouth back with a sharp toothed grin. “You can try Winston but my family is strong. Any threat you send against us will be butchered and fed to the tigers. Attack us directly and you will lose your position as warchief of this tribe forever.” The warchief’s face flushed red as he bared his teeth at Tagunban in pure rage before the chieftain placed a hand on Tagunban's shoulder. “Looks like we did it boy, let's celebrate our victory with your friends and family.” The chieftain celebrated as Tagunban smiled and nodded following him outside.

As the trio met the evening sun outside the stone longhouse the Lord of All Tigers roared before all his kin scattered back to the wilds, jumping over walls, houses, and people to do so. Taguban walked with pride as he shoved the sword wielding guards aside with ease as the chieftain and the Lord of All Tigers followed behind. Seeing his wide toothy smile Katsu, Bongao, Petara, and Oranui all gathered around him. “For now we won, we beat that bastard at his own game and made a fool of him in the process.” the chieftain proudly proclaimed before everyone gathered around them and cheered in celebration. “So now that you've stopped the warchief’s plans, what do you plan on doing now little brother?” Katsu asked Tagunban before Tagunban stopped and thought for a moment. “Well the rains are bound for any day now, so I'll hold up in the village for the rainy season. The warchief isn't dead yet though, father and Aegata aren't truly avenged yet. So next dry season I think I'll go on another adventure.” Tagunban answered before turning his head to Petara and Oranui. “If you two will have me of course.” Tagunban elaborated as Petara chuckled before she translated to Oranui. “You know travelling with you has cost me some things I held very dearly. Yet even still you have far from lost my interest. After all, you still need to tell me every detail of your meeting with Daisekel. Besides, I need a place to hold up for the rainy season anyways.” Petara answered with a smile. “And I've been stagnant for too long, I wouldn't have nearly been killed if I hadn't gotten rusty. As well as someone needs to keep the two of you out of trouble.” Oranui answered in turn. “Then it's settled, let's head back to the village. I'm almost homesick already.” Tagunban laughed as he strode forth, all his family and party in tow. The three days of travel it took to return to the Axe Clan village were filled with rambling joy of victory and friendship. When the party returned to the village they were met with feasts and celebrations over their victory. The village took Tagunban back in open arms thanks to the efforts of the chieftain while he was away. Tagunban and his party stayed in the now incredibly crowded hut of his late father. Petara had long discussions with Yawanu the Shaman as well as Tagunban's mother Mayumi. Oranui began the process of learning the language of the Tribe of the Highlands. Bongao left soon after to return to his new Spear Clan bride, and the Lord of Tigers happily lazed about the village while being fed a steady supply of pig and water buffalo or hunting the hills around the village. One starry night, the last that year would receive Tagunban would sit on the tree he mourned his in years ago while holding his axe, thinking of this life. Oranui found him and stepped up asking him a question in Japanese. “What's on your mind?” Tagunban shook his head to clear his trance. “Oh it's just I was thinking. After this rain I will be the same age I was when I died in my old life. Sometimes I still wonder what became of my original mother after my death. I still can't imagine the pain she felt after hearing of my grizzly death.” Tagunban responded quietly in Japanese as he was deep in thought. “All you can do now is live your current life the best you can. After all you have lived a lot more in this life than you ever had in your last life haven't you?” Oranui responded in Japanese. “Ya I have.” Tagunban responded with a smile. “That's the beauty of this world, it's not safety, stability, or material goods. It's the profound depth and beauty of life you can live with humanity at its most raw.” Oranui elaborated in Japanese. “Well said man, well said.” Tagunban responded as he watched the storm clouds roll in over the distance. Wondering what his future in the wild and untamed world will be..

~End