Toranaga, the first of his name, glanced up at the sky, judging the suns position as it dipped ever more swiftly towards the Western Horizon. He picked up a pair of wooden cudgels and knock them together gently, marvelling at how the muscles on his arm tensed and moved as he did so. Like the rest of his Tribe he wore only a loin cloth and a leather sling around his body from which hung a few items of personal value. A spear rested against the clay and stone wall a couple of feet away. He waited a few more minutes, enjoying the ocean breeze as it played over his skin. Then is was time.

Taking up his two cudgels he stepped up to  hollow log that hung from the roof beams of a small structure that had been built to hold it atop a platform raised to have a view of the Village, the Bay, the Rivers mouth and the rainforest beyond. He began a steady measured beat on the log, the sound echoing out over the bay and into the forest. It was the signal for all the villagers to return home, the sun would be gone soon. It was perhaps the most important job in the village and Toragana had been flattered when he'd been offered the position by the council. 

After a hundred beats he laid down the cudgels and picked up a massive shell that lay next to the log. It was as pink as the morning sky and as large as his head. He had not personally seen the creature that had been inside of it but he had tasted it and found it to be quite delicious. 

From his height atop the small tower he could see the various fishing vessels out in the bay begin to swing back towards the village. The long canoes, a recent invention, had become very popular and every single fisherman who wished to live to see his twentieth season had bartered for one, or carved it themselves. The result were some less than impressive specimens and Toragana had watched a large shark with a head like a hammer smash one of the smaller ones into pieces a few days before and devour the fishermans catch, the man himself had been pulled to safety in another canoe. Those strong enough to survive the rigours of the water dotted the bay as they turned, some with a single rigged sail, others powered only by the strength of their owners, and headed for shore. 

The Village itself had been built on a rocky ridge that ran out from the mainland, sticking out into the bay where it divided into two parts, curling around a small sheltered harbour that provided safe haven for the fishing boats. A fresh water spring bubbled up on one side and a hot spring on the other arm. It had been a fortunate find as the connection to the mainland had needed a wall built across it to prevent the Tiger's from taking villagers right out of their huts. It was also where the small tower had been built. A gate opened through the wall beneath the tower and was closed at night with heavy thorn bushes while the wall had been topped with sharpened wooden stakes to prevent the big beasts from leaping over it. 

The village huts, like the wall, were built of clay and stone, layered upon each other and hardened in the sun to form a formidable obstacle. The rains had of course caused serious issues in eroding the wall until a small bamboo covered had been built for the top and the wall was saved.

Toragana waited until the last fishing boat had been drawn up in the small harbour, looked up at where the sun was just starting to touch the horizon, and then raised the shell to his lips. He licked his lips, took a deep breath, and blew a deep steady note that echoed towards the forest. This warned those out in the forest that the thorn bushes would be dragged across the entrance soon and that they needed to hurry or they would be left outside for the night. 

The sun sank slowly toward the horizon, its rays shooting across the ocean with a stunning brilliance. Then shoots came from the edge of the forest and three people appeared, hurrying toward them. The first two were young women and they waved up at him, smiles creasing their faces, they were naked to the waist like everyone else, baskets on their backs full of wood. The third was an older man who had a deer slung over his shoulders and he offered Toragana a nod as he passed out of sight under the tower. 

As the final rays of sunlight slipped away Toragana clambered down from the tower. Ishido, the night watchman, waited for him at the bottom of the steps and together they heaved the thick bramble thorn gate into place. Already they could hear the night creatures of the forest begin to stir as the heat left with the sun. They even heard the distant roar of some great creature deep within the forest.

Toragana thanked Ishido and handed him the watchmen spear and cudgel before waving goodnight and hurrying into the village. His house was near the wall, not far from the spring. It was identical to every other house, a small entrance fitted with bamboo door, bamboo roof and slay walls. Each hut had a small kiln outside the door that also served to heat the homes through their floor. A very unique but safe way to prevent fires in the homes.

He pushed open the door to his hut and stepped inside. A single candle burned in its bracket against the wall but it was enough for him to see Mariko, one of the girls who had waved at him earlier, lying on his bed. She didn't say a word as she spread her legs and beckoned him towards her. It was nice to be important.