Tove of the Thunder Falls Panther Band

The forest was swimming with activity, from small animals darting through the brush to the steady hum of springtime bugs swarming somewhere in the foliage. Although Tove was quite familiar with the monotonous noises of the forest's depths, she often created a story as to the origin of the disturbance. The noise of the forest was good. The silence was dangerous. Tove knew that as long as the animals and bugs continued to mull about, she did not have to be on high alert. It was typical for Tove to daydream, especially when on scout duty. Her favored station was next to a gigantic boulder, which seemed to have been tossed here by the gods when the world was newly formed. There needed to be an explanation of how it had arrived in the forest. She squatted low next to the large rock, picked a thick piece of grass from the earth, and positioned it between her teeth. The blade had an earthy sweetness to it, she noted. She would not gather it for medicinal purposes, but it was a natural treatment to help her fight sleep until the next scout arrived to replace her for the evening. It was not typical for Tove to be on duty because she was usually preferred in camp, where she could attend to the sick or injured. As luck would have it, her tribe was healthy and had not experienced injuries that required her to be at the bedside of one of her sisters. Tove stood back up and pressed her backside to the boulder, which towered over her like her big brother. Tove's teeth tightened around the grass blade, reactively thinking about her older brother. He had gone missing at sea before she had turned of age, along with several of her childhood friends. More than likely, the sea took him in its embrace, never to let go again. 

Then, Tove's thoughts joined with the hope that one day, her brother would safely return home alongside many others who were desperately missed back home. Of course, she scoffed at herself, plucked the grass from her teeth, and tossed it back to the earth again. Even if he made it back to her village, she would no longer be there to receive him. Tove reached behind her neck, pressing firmly against the tense muscles connecting her neck to the base of her skull. Anytime she thought about home, she would try to find relief from the flood of tension she would naturally experience. The ghosts of her past often came to haunt her when on scout duty, which was another reason she preferred the medicinal hut at camp. Her daydreams or nightmares would loom all evening with her, and tonight, it seemed the monsters would win. Tove's mouth tightened together to relinquish a steady flow of air. She rolled her shoulders back, dropped her hands, and shook her head quickly to snap herself out of the imagery of her intrusive thoughts. It was almost time for her to be relieved of duty anyhow. She knew she would return to the camp for a good night's rest sooner than later. Tove began focusing on gathering her belongings, which did not consist of much other than her trust spear and a rucksack of essential survival goods, which was always necessary should she be separated from her tribe. 

The sound of silence began to creep about her vicinity, and she knew relief was approaching. There were no footsteps heard. Tove knew that her sister would be deftly moving about the forest floor. If Tove lost herself in thought, she learned she would be ambushed and teased for her lack of awareness. Tonight would not be the night she'd be snuck up on. Tove had managed to fight off her imagination and was waiting when Sigrid entered the small clearing where giant brother Boulder had the advantage. There was an intimate but friendly exchange of words between her and her tribemate. Tove squeezed Sigrid's wrist, which was Tove's way of wishing her sister well and safe for the rest of the evening. After losing her brother, she rarely wasted how precious goodbyes could genuinely be.