The Amazon Chronicle
Book II Part II

Falotra cleared his throat. "Sorry, Wayu, but how can you not see there is a problem?"
"It's not just one problem," Udora cut in.
"That's right." Shayverta added as did a couple others over top of Udora voicing her objections to killing children. Wayu, feeling like the receiving end of a feeding frenzy, ended up waving his hands at everyone to calm down.
"Everyone shut up." Gelvloa said dryly. The unexpected source of the comment made everyone turn to her and to their surprise she boldly added. "We need one leader while Shaymo's away. One voice. This is stupid. We look like a bunch of useless women. Not the warriors with power that we are. We leave, we stay. It's our decision, no one else's. Taysha said to me a long time ago that a leader will make a decision. It doesn't make it right or wrong, but it's better than standing around arguing like a bunch of stupid women."
She finished in emphasis by turning her back to them and walking towards the village.
Ufrudroia was the first to find her words and called after her. "Well, you lead us then."
Gelvloa took another step, but the words seemed to sink in and she turned back to her mother. Any possible argument between them was overshadowed by Wayu's suddenly speaking.
"Leave? We can't get to home in time."
The simple statement brought a hush over all of them and he looked at Wofala who stood with tears forming in her eyes. Before anyone could speak, Wayu inhaled deeply and continued.
"If we separate from Wedic and Anshe. We have two small armies. Is better we stay together. Then we kill all of them. We must trust Shaymo... and Rafeltu and our children."
"But at what cost, Wayu?" Falotra asked.
Wayu's eyes were filling himself. The thought of his first son Daeyeu being slaughtered fought against the words at his throat. He wiped his eyes with his hand and answered.
"I believe... I believe our training... our children's training... it is good. They are strong and wise. They will keep sentry. They will see if this army of the Three Tribes come. Then they will flee."
His head hung as he finished and wiped his nose.

In the hush that followed Gelvloa took the chance to reply to her mother's comment.
"Sorry Mom, I'm too much like you. I'm more a warrior than a leader. I think Falotra would be the better leader."
The forceful words she chose to use clearly surprised even herself as she stammered to find a more polite way of conveying her thoughts. "I mean, I would trust Falotra to deal with this better than any of us. So... in a way, that's my decision as first leader... to make Falotra leader."
Gelvloa could see Falotra's first instinct was to refuse the task when everyone looked to him. But, no words appeared from his open mouth. He seemed to think it would be the best solution as well.
"Okay." he said motioning to everyone with his hands to listen until he finished, "I'll do it only if everyone agrees... and then doesn't argue against what I choose... Also, I'm only doing it until we get back with Shaymo. Agreed?"
Most of them said yes. None of them said no.
"Okay then... Everyone head back to the fire. Let me talk to Wayu and Adit alone."

The Amazoi filed out of the forest and back to the fire that was now occupied by the new-New Comer archers. When they saw the Amazoi approach they instinctively started to pick up their weapons and move away.
Shayverta was at the front shaking her head at them. "No, no, no. You come. You stay. Come." she motioned to them. The seven men, although taller than the Amazoi women, stood humbly as they kept their eyes on the ground.
Vlosha thought enough to pull out her food bag from her waist and opened it, offering her food to the nearest man. He politely refused but she didn't take no for an answer and pulled him to sit with her on a low piece of wood by the fire. "You need to practice your Osfer, ei?" she commanded rather than asked as she went to sit beside him.
Vlosha missed the seat and almost ended up on her back, grabbing hold of the man on her way and he almost fell with her. It was a much needed laugh for the others.
They moved the benches back to accommodate everyone and eventually they had their fourteen new friends standing or sitting with them as they passed their smoked meats and dried berries around to each other.
Ufrudroia stood next to her daughter and put her arm around her shoulder and neck, pulling their foreheads together.
She didn't say anything but looked in her eyes and smiled.
It was obvious she was proud of her.

"Anami's coming." Shayverta said with food dropping out of her mouth. She wiped the food from her lap as he approached with a nod and simply said, "Adit?"
The Amazoi group pointed behind the hut where Shayverta could just see Falotra and Wayu in the light.
"What's happening?" Udora asked.
Shayverta just shook her head and turned back to the fire "No idea. It's not all laughs and farts, that's for sure. I don't think we're going to like the decision we asked for..."