102 A Child's Hero

Natasha woke up in a dim-lit room in front of a group of old goblin women sitting on high chairs. Next to her was Shuja and Artio sitting on the oak wood floor in front of the elders. They woke up earlier and were in the middle of a conversation. Shuja was holding a silver bow with a bronze cap on each end, pinching the horse strings. She stared at the bow, holding it carefully in her hands. It was heavier than any bow she had ever held, but it was not due to the material but the burden the weapon carries. "I'm sorry, but I can't accept this." She told them.

"Why not? Isla thinks Shuja great Chief. Shuja lead tribe against Black Crow." Isla said.

"No, I'm sorry, but I have other things to do."

Isla jumped off her chair, "Shuja sure?" She asked one last time.

"Yes," Shuja extended her arm, giving the bow back to Isla. "Again, I'm sorry."

"No, is ok," Isla took it and placed it back on the mantlepiece above the fireplace and behind the chairs.

Natasha pushed her self upright and moved next Artio, "What just happened?" She asked.

Artio whispered to her ear, "They tried to recruit Shuja to turn her into their Chief, but as you can see, she rejected them."

"You," Isla called out Natasha, "You awake. Woman ok?"

"Oh, yes, I'm fine, thank you,"

"Great," Isla said with a smile, "We welcome you. Maston welcomes all women. We live here, protecting forest from men. They come hurt trees and women, but we Maston protect all. Maston strong as blood trees so no scared. We not let you hurt anymore." The elders climbed down their chair, "Now come, we show Maston tribe." Isla splashed water on the fireplace, extinguishing the light of the room.

They led the three out, and when they were outside, they could believe what they saw. The canopies surrounded them, and above them was the clear night sky with the stars shining over them. They were standing on platforms attached on top of the trees. The platforms had fences made of rope and leaves, and these platforms bridged over to other trees, with each tree hosting several small homes. And the trees were extremely tall, and despite the size of their trunks no different than any other trees, yet these ones easily shouldered the structures on its branches and leaves. "Oh, how jealous would Mari be if she finds out about this?" Natasha whispered to herself.

"This tree sacred. This blood tree keep tribe safe. So tribe protect tree. Maston not forgive who hurt blood trees." Isla said.

"These blood trees? Are they Tungstree?" Natasha whispered to Artio.

"Yes. Each of these trees houses maybe five to eight goblin families. Their strength is remarkable, which is why carpenters highly value these trees. There are at least twenty-five trees in this tribe alone, enough for a tribe numbering of three hundred to live on among the canopies."

The Maston tribe used a complex and symmetrical network of wooden platform paths that travels through the canopies. The paths are like a spider web, sticking from one tree to the next while forming a perfect circle around the Chief's home, with bridges connecting to each circling path. It was like a maze that starts and ends in the center.

These paths were several meters above the ground, and the only way up is to use the rising wooden platforms attached to a pulley. These platforms vary in size and the method of which they work. Some platforms are pulled with a lever, and some ascend by having a heavier object raise the platform.

While they were walking, Natasha noticed a bonfire beneath them and several Maston guards watching over it. "What's going on over there?" She asked.

"Tribe found dead blood trees. Maston fight black crow, got blood tree branches. Not all body, but branches good too. So now burn blood tree remains. Body return earth, but blood trees spirit rise to sky, to heaven." Isla pointed at the smoke.

"Tungs, I mean, the blood trees are known to be fireproof. Well, at the very least, highly resistant to fire. It will probably take a week to turn an entire tree to ashes." Artio noted.

"No, take whole summer." Isla faced the women, "Branches take week. Then become ash."

"Summer?" Artio was surprised, "And you guys watch over it while it burns."

"Keep fire going. Watch fire, keep fire alive. Job finish when tree ashes only."

"That explained why there was a fireplace back there? "Natasha commented.

The women stayed a little longer, watching the fire dance in the dark. The guards watching the fire were unaware of the women above them watching. Afterward, they continued to tour. While walking, Natasha wondered where Rock and Stick were, so she asked Artio about their whereabouts. "I don't know," Artio said, "Probably stuck in a cell."

"A cell!" Natasha could not but yell.

Isla stopped the tour and walked to Natasha. She reached for Natasha's hands and gently held it. "Everthing ok? Why yell? Something bad happen?" She asked.

"Where are they?"

"Who?"

Natasha grabbed Isla's wrist, "The boys that were in the cave with us."

"Boys? You mean men come in cave?"

"Yes! Where are they?"

Isla freed her hands and pointed towards a spherical building. "Over there. Men there give Maston women fun." Isla smiled, "Men no hurt you again. Men only toys no-"

Natasha sprinted pass the group running towards the building. Artio and Shuja ran after, yelling for her to come back, but their voices could no reach her ears. When she heard Isla mention them as toys, her body moved on her own. A sense of urgency swelled inside her, followed by fear and disgust.

When she reached the building, she slammed open the door, revealing Rock and Stick tied on a pole facing away from each other, with numerous women climbing on top of them. Rock was kicking the air, blocking the women from grabbing his coat and kicking those trying to get closer. He kicked the air and knocked the women off of him, but he did his best not to hurt them. "Get off me! Get off! Get off!" Rock was yelling, rocking side to side to shake off the women that managed to get on top of him.

Despite Rock's attempt, one woman managed to hold on to his coat. "Me ride man all night!" She yelled before turning around, grabbing his waistband, "Fun time now!" Rock started panicking, jerking his body as hard as he could to get her off his body. Rock was making the entire building shake.

"Rock, calm down! I can't free my hands if you keep shaking the house!" Stick yelled, but Rock could not hear his brother. "If you're going to kick, at least knock them out!"

"Get off!" Rock continued to repeat those words, until suddenly, the goblin on top of him trying to remove to tear his pants got kicked to the face, knocking her unconscious.

"Get off of him," Natasha yelled while shielding Rock with her body.

"Mom! What are you doing here?" Rock cried out.

"It's ok, I'm here." Natasha wiped Rock's tears with her shirt, "I won't let them touch you."

Natasha comforted Rock, letting Shuja and Artio keep the goblins away from them. Isla and the rest of the elders ran in the building, disgusted to see them protecting the boys. "Why you protect men? They toys now!" Isla yelled.

"I will not let you touch them!" Natasha protested. Artio and Shuja were surprised to see an angry Natasha. Her pale white skin turned bright red from the searing anger she felt. Even Stick, who was facing away from Rock and Natasha, could feel her anger from her voice.

Isla rushed forward to Natasha, bearing her nails at Natasha and ready to grab and pull her hair. "Look, maybe we can talk this out," Shuja got in between Natasha and Isla. "Let us explain ourselves before we get violent." Shuja embraced Isla and dragged her away from Natasha.

Isla tried to fight out of Shuja's arms, but an old green goblin like her could not hope to escape Shuja's arms. "Fine!" Isla yelled, "Me listen. Let explain." Shuja freed Isla, dropping her on the hardwood floor.

"I am a commander from Lev and Razin." Shuja told them, "The chiefs of both tribes along with Rock and Stick are brothers. And we are on a mission to escort Natasha and Master Artio back to their home. That's why we are here."

"Sure that why." Isla said, "No explain Natasha being like that. Hugging man like baby."

"Because he is my son." Natasha glared at Isla.

Isla had an idea of what that meant, and she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. She wanted to ask why she was protecting her bastard son, but her voice could not leave her mouth. Isla was scared to ask because she doesn't want to know the details. Being dominated by men was foreign to the all-women Maston tribe.

"Take men out here, put men cage, no touch men!" The women looked disappointed.

"Where are you taking them?" Natasha asked.

"We no touch boys. But boys still no free." Isla walked out of the room, "Isla want know of Chiefs. Tell Isla everything."

"Should we follow them?" Shuja asked Artio.

"Yeah, I also want to know what's happening with Black Crows." Then Artio leaned into Shuja's ear, "And we could keep them busy until your husband and Smoke come to rescue us."

"Ok, wait. Sun is not my husband!" Shuja yelled.

"Who Sun?" Isla asked.

"We'll tell you as long as you promise you won't them," Artio said.

"Isla said no touch men. Me no turn back."

The elders nudged the women out of the building. Natasha embraced Rock one last time before following Shuja and Artio. "Everything is going to be ok. I won't let them hurt you." She whispered to Rock.

The guards dragged them out of the building. "We can still walk, you know!" Stick shouted at them. Rock and Stick stood up and followed the women down the elevator. Stepping foot on the soft earth brought a cathartic feeling to Stick. He turned to Rock, expecting his jolly brother to be happy to be back on the earth, but the experience visibly shook Rock. "Rock? You ok?"

"Do you think they are going to hurt mama?" Rock wondered.

"Dude, she's with Shuja and Artio. It will be fine. And if anything happens, we can just break free from these bindings." Stick said confidently, which made the guards giggled. "What's so funny?"

"Blood rope strong. No one cut blood rope." One of the guards said.

"What?" Stick tried to pull the rope apart, using his mana to strengthen his arms. But he could not break the red bindings keeping his wrist tied together. "Oh shit. Rock, can you?"

"No," Rock answered, "I tried earlier before those monsters came to violate us. I couldn't tear them apart."

The brothers followed the guards until they reached another elevator in the border of the Maston village. The platform carried them up the tree where a giant ball cage waited among the canopies. The cage was as red as the Tungstree, and it was attached to a red rope tied on a tree branch.

"Get in," One of the women yelled. The brothers complied, getting inside the ball. Then the guards rolled the ball off the edge, leaving the brothers hanging among the canopy. "Cage super strong. No escape, but do escape. boys will," The guard slammed her fist on her palm, "Go splat! So bye bye." They left laughing at the brothers.