Aight, now it’s time to actually…y’know, write ToS.

THE TRIBE OF SHADOWS:

PROLOGUE, PART ONE:

Dilath Solan, of an independent Asretorri village known as Wynock, wandered along the banks of the River Thal, bow in hand. He was roughly two miles from Wynock, but could smell cooked Saberfish and Stegosaurus even from here. He was searching for a Dilophosaurus to bring back, to bring back its scales and venom. His breath slowed as he reached for an arrow from the quiver at his belt, his bow creaking slightly as he nocked it. Dilath stepped forward, hearing a soft, distinctive hiss as he did so. He drew the string back and shot, a thrum cutting through the air, and then a thud as a sharp stone arrowhead pierced a Dilophosaur’s neck, dropping it in a single shot. Dilath grabbed the dead beast’s neck, sliding the bone hunting knife from a loop in his belt and roughly stabbing the Dilophosaur in the chest, dragging the knife down and cutting out its organs before cutting off its scales in long, wide strips. He slit off the goat-sized animal’s crests, putting them, and a few lines of scales, in the pouch on his belt. Dilath then cut out some of the better-tasting meat from the Dilophosaur’s spine, putting it in a larger pouch.

And then he smelled the smoke.

Not cooking-fire smoke.

Charred wood and…flesh.

He bolted back to his village as fast as possible, sliding his bow onto his shoulder, his legs starting to burn after the first mild and a half. He heard gunfire, now. Bursts of light from Holy Tek rifles, the heavy thuds of Longneck rifles and cracks of double-barrels. As he came closer, the thud of boots.

Wynock was ablaze. Dilath heard screams.

And then he didn’t. That was worse, so much worse. He ducked into an area full of dense trees, every part of him shaking. The rip of Tek guns, the roar of a flamethrower, so much smoke. Charred stone. Burnt wood. Scorched flesh.

Dilath did the only reasonable thing, at least by his standards.

He ran like mad.

Ran, into the woods, the dark woods.

Ran, from the fire, the scorching fire.

-Ranger