Inside Tia's Cave
Enzo entered the space where Tia lived and found the fox girl kneeling in submission. His gaze was cool, his tone sharp as he asked, "What's your name?"
The girl slowly raised her head. "Amy," she answered softly. "I come from the Red River Tribe. Two months ago…"
She began to share her story.
Amy had been a member of the Red River Tribe before it was destroyed by the Thorn Tribe. In the chaos of its fall, she had fled, crossing numerous steep mountains and surviving by sheer luck. Eventually, she wandered into the tusked boars' territory. Though she avoided being trampled by hiding in the shadows, hunger eventually forced her out—and that's when the Crimson Star hunting team discovered her.
It was clear she had survived more on luck than skill.
When Amy finished her account, Enzo told Tia to bring food and water and place it in front of her.
He gave a simple command: "Eat."
Amy, clearly still fearful, hesitated to reach out.
Tia spoke firmly beside her, "Enzo said it's alright. You can eat."
Reassured, Amy reached for the food and began to eat quickly, her hunger making her movements frantic.
As she ate, Enzo watched her closely.
Compared to Tia, Amy's skin was pale and flawless, her figure graceful—though not particularly curvaceous. Despite her bruises and dirt-smeared body, she radiated a delicate beauty that evoked sympathy. But Enzo wasn't convinced. How could someone so seemingly frail survive such a dangerous journey alone?
He kept his guard up.
While Amy focused on her meal, Enzo stepped closer and placed his palm against her back. A soft green glow pulsed from his skin—the leaf-shaped totem mark active. The sudden contact startled Amy. She looked up at him, her mouth still full, eyes wide with uncertainty.
"Keep eating," Enzo said, not unkindly.
Sensing something off, Tia quietly moved to the entrance of the cave, keeping watch.
Amy's body grew tense again.
Enzo's hand slid down to her tail—recently cleaned, soft, and snow-white. Still damp in places, the fur was fine and smooth.
At his touch, Amy flushed. Her skin seemed to steam with embarrassment.
For her kind, tails were intensely private.
Then Enzo paused. Embedded in the fur near the base were two small seed-like objects—roughly the size of pine nuts, both glowing faintly with a whitish light. He plucked them out and held them up.
"What are these?" he asked directly.
Amy shook her head. "I… I don't know."
Enzo changed his tactic. "Did you come across any unusual plants while you were wandering?"
This time, she nodded. "One day when it was raining, I found shelter in a cave and discovered a strange tree. It had bright red fruit. I ate some… and afterward, I felt stronger—like I could sense powerful beasts nearby. But that feeling faded a few days later."
Enzo gave a quiet chuckle. "You really are lucky."
Amy didn't understand the remark. She just kept eating, her appetite undiminished. After finishing her meal and drinking deeply, she slowly began to doze, slumping into sleep before Enzo.
Once she was out, Tia came closer and eyed the glowing seeds curiously. "Master Enzo, what are those?"
He couldn't say for certain. "Possibly seeds from a rare plant. To find out, we'll have to plant them."
"Plant them?" Tia asked, confused.
Clearly, she had no experience with agriculture either.
Enzo opened his backpack and took out a few small potatoes and sweet potatoes he'd saved. Then, with Tia, he left the cave and found a nearby patch of open earth. Using a stick, he dug into the soft soil and buried a potato. He then poured a little water over it.
Holding out his hand, the faint green glow returned.
Stimulate All Things—activate.
He had already considered how useful this divine ability could be beyond healing. Cultivation and growth—those were just as important. Experimenting on beasts could come later.
As they watched, the spot where the potato was planted began to change. A sprout broke the surface, pushing up toward the sky.
Soon, the plant had grown nearly to the length of Enzo's forearm.
And still, his strength hadn't waned. Encouraged, he kept the divine spell active.
Minutes passed.
The seedling stretched upward until it reached about waist height.
Tia, wide-eyed, whispered, "Is this the power you possess?"
Enzo nodded.
He dug around the plant's roots with the stick and pulled the whole thing free. Clusters of small potatoes hung beneath it—about a dozen in total, each around the size of a fist. It was a good yield.
Still, he could feel the mental toll. Accelerating plant growth had its price.
Reflecting on this, he thought, So this is the current limit of my power. According to what I inherited, the only way to strengthen further is by developing the tribe—either in size or in strength.
That meant building the tribe's infrastructure had to be a top priority.
He broke a few potatoes off the plant and set them aside. Tia, at his instruction, gathered small branches and started a fire. Once it had burned low, leaving a bed of glowing ash, Enzo buried several of the potatoes in it and added more twigs to maintain the heat.
Tia looked confused. "What are you doing?"
Enzo grinned. "Making something delicious."
Tia's eyes lit up with excitement. Anything Enzo called delicious had to be amazing.
After some time, he raked through the ashes and retrieved the roasted potatoes. He let them cool before handing one to Tia.
"Peel it and eat," he instructed.
Tia didn't hesitate.
The moment she bit into it, her eyes sparkled. The soft texture and mild sweetness made her savor every chew.
"Delicious!" she thought, unable to hide her joy.
Enzo took a bite too. It was familiar, comforting. But Tia's overjoyed reaction amused him. If this impresses them, what would happen if I made real fries?
Suddenly, shadows began to gather around them.
Looking up, Enzo noticed dozens of tribe members standing nearby. None of them spoke, but their eyes were fixed on the potatoes, their throats moving as they swallowed hard.
The smell had drawn them in.
Then Sovita's voice cut through the crowd. "What's going on here?" he asked, pushing forward.
He caught a whiff of the roasted food and clearly wanted some—but instead, he stifled his craving and reported, "My lord priest, the vanguard expedition supplies have been tallied. They include—"
Enzo held up a hand. "Wait."
He stood, holding one of the potato plants aloft.
"These are called potatoes," he said to the gathered tribe. "They're the same as what I just ate. Here's your task: cultivate the land. If you do, all of you will have the chance to eat this food."
A cheer erupted from the crowd.
Excited, the tribe members rushed back to gather tools. Soon they were clearing land, pulling weeds, and preparing soil at the camp's edge, mimicking what they'd seen. They even added ash from old fires to the soil—though they didn't understand why.
With the crowd busy, Enzo turned to Sovita. "Now, go ahead."
Sovita resumed his report. "Heru is requesting ten bows, five hundred arrows, ten spears, and one hundred strips of dried meat. Their plan is to explore along the Maxi River's tributary—seeking fruit, hunting grounds, and the mineral deposits you asked about. They'll loop back before the rainy season to monitor changes in the river's flow."
As he spoke, he knelt and began sketching a crude map in the dirt using a twig.