Watching the scout leave she let her thoughts scatter. It truly was troublesome to see her sister this slim. Perhaps she had worries? Shytora would ask another shaman to visit her - just in case. They couldn't afford to loose more scouts or warriors! War was upon them if the war leader's quest to negotiate with the other tribe failed. The proud Shytora would never admidt to herself that it was honest concern for her sisters well-being that made these thoughts sprout in her mind.

With a sigh she took her scathe and headed to the dream house, as everybody called the tent in which the shamans would gather. The tent was located near the sanctuary in case of any emergencies. The tribe always came first! In the past even rituals had been interrupted and revisited to a later time when shamans were needed. The young woman stooped deep, holding the fox fur to her head as she entered the tent. The air was filled with the strong scent of incense that originated from the firebowl made from a piece of metal who's origin was unknown. A woman looked up from the fire. Her face was scarred from an in counter with a badger a few years back. The fire gave her an ominous air, creating deep hollows under those green eyes. [i]"Come, sit, sister. The gods and I shall listen to your worries. Perhaps we even share them."[/i] Shytora nodded and let her tired body sink to the ground, placing her scythe next to her. The other woman, Dabmar, reached out and squeezed her hand.
[i]"The wind has spoken to you as well? It seems it has spoken to all of us. Tribe mother predicted this would happen. In the night she woke from a dream, clutching her heart. She said to breathe deeply and gather all our strength for something is coming."[/i]
"What did she see in her dream?" Shytora asked with open curiosity, leaning in a bit closer. Dabmar shrugged. [i]"It's not important what she saw. We just have to figure out what to do now."[/i] Yes, that was true. But how were they supposed to know? The spirits didn't point in one direction and said the answers were there! "Tribe mother will be back in a few days. We should call a council upon her return." Dabmar nodded, withdrawing her hand and tilting her head with a sly smile that distorted her blemished features. [i]"You should take some time to yourself. You seem discontent. You know we have to function for the tribe! So go, find some peace and do something useful, while you're at it."[/i] The words weren't spoken harshly but they hit Shytora nonetheless. 
She rose to her full height, gathered her scythe and a backpack constructed of an aluminium frame and hide. "I'll go and gather some food, then. Maybe I'll find herbs that help against the fever. And our scouts are skimming down . . . we should take care of this quickly." The other Shaman bobbed her head, agreeing with her. 

A few hours later Shytora found herself in a jungle of rubble. There were high mountains of stone all around her. Some still showed the shape and integrity of the ancient. Metal casings with huge holes in their sides stood scattered in somewhat straight lines between the ruble and hollow stone towers. The shaman stretched her limbs, feeling cold as sleep deprivation caught up to her. She sat down and drew some beef jerky from her pocket. Looking upon the ruble and overgrown monuments of the past she asked herself how the ancient beings had been. Had they been just like them? Had they looked the same? Or had they been completely different? 

A noise let her jump to her feet and grab her scythe, feathers swaying from the movement. Trying to find the cause of the scratching noise she looked around. Something emerged a few feet away at the base of the hill she was standing on. It wasn't an animal. It looked like her just . . . like snow. Shytora gripped her scythe a little harder. Was this a trick? Nothing had the colour of snow except for the paint they made from sea shells. "What tribe do you follow!" She bellowed down to the thing standing there. Her heart was racing. What if this was a trap? Maybe the thing came from a tribe they hadn't encountered yet? Fear started to rise in her as she watched the thing.