After a few minutes, the voice of the tree nymph broke the silence, assuring, "It's okay, you can open your eyes now and stand up."
As I cautiously opened my eyes, I beheld the sight of her having completed whatever she had set out to do. Steadily rising to my feet, I watched as the vines retracted back into the earth. A deep soothing sense of calmness soon enveloped my entire body, accompanied by the disappearance of the scratches that had previously marked my arms and legs, making it clear to me what had transpired.
As such, I acknowledged the kneeling tree nymph before me, offering a grateful nod and expressing my gratitude by saying, "Thank you."
She shook her head and responded with a hint of weariness, "No problem. Besides, with the plan you've devised, many burdens weighing on my shoulders will also be lifted." A smile played across her face as she rose to her feet and made her way towards the seated Village Chief. "Your turn, Chief."
"It's merely a minor scratch," the Village Chief reassured us, his voice filled with resilience. "I just need to soak in the pool, and I'm confident I'll be alright."
"Hmph!" The Tree nymph scoffed, lowering herself to the ground beside the Village Chief. With a motioning gesture, she beckoned him to lie down on his back, firmly stating, "You should know by now that I don't do half-measures. It's either a complete healing or my abilities won't work."
Resigned, the Village Chief nodded and reclined on the ground, preparing to undergo the same treatment I had just experienced. As the tree nymph worked her healing magic on him, a frown creased my brow as her earlier words resonated in my mind. Unable to hold myself back, I blurted out, "What did you mean by 'burdens weighing on your shoulders'?"
She snapped her head towards me and directed her gaze at the two massive huts in the distance, wearing a warm yet weary smile, "Since the Village Chief has already revealed everything to you, why don't you go there and see for yourself?" As she finished speaking, the Village Chief let out another audible sigh, for the umpteenth time, clearly worn out, and closed his eyes, allowing the healing process to continue.
With a sense of apprehension weighing on my heart, I turned my attention to the two huts for a moment before mustering the courage to approach them. Each step felt heavier than the last as I made my way closer, unaffected even when the tree nymph cautioned me, "The ones on the left are asleep, so please don't disturb them."
I pressed on until I stood in front of the wooden door of the first hut, the one on the right, and gently pushed it open. The door let out a creak, revealing a sight that widened my eyes in shock -a room filled with several newborn babies nestled upon beds made of the same vibrant green vines that had once enveloped me.
As I entered the hut, my eyes were immediately drawn to the sight of countless green vines clinging to the walls, adorned with lush leaves, creating a mesmerizing indoor garden that defied conventional expectations. Surprisingly, the floor remained untouched, covered by the same grassy scenery as the outside. With cautious steps, I ventured further into the hut, my gaze fixated on each peacefully sleeping infant.
Fortunately for me, the serene and comforting encounter I had with the vines just moments ago prevented my mind from spiralling into a completely different train of thought at this very moment.
With my eyes scanning the room filled with baby boys and girls, I reached the far end before I knew it.
Counting over sixty, or perhaps even fifty babies, my heart swelled with concern as I silently retraced my steps back to the doorway. However, before leaving, I couldn't resist taking one last glance at the children. Suddenly, the tree nymph's voice resonated near my ears, startling me and causing a brief jolt of dread. After regaining my composure, I turned to see her standing there.
"Don't worry," she reassured me, "they are as healthy as they appear."
"Come on," she continued, turning around and gesturing for me to follow, her fingers guiding the way through the air. "Before you leave, you need to cleanse your body to ensure the complete healing process. Although it's not something I typically offer, considering you came with the Village Chief and the circumstances he explained, I'll make an exception and allow you to swim in my pool just this once."
Casting one last glance at the closed door, I gently shut it and then proceeded to follow the tree nymph. However, instead of responding directly to her, I couldn't help but ask, "Now that it's clear we won't be using the babies as a distraction anymore, what will happen to them?"
In a sudden motion, the tree nymph turned her head towards me and responded, "I don't know." Before fully facing me, she continued, "As the current oldest Tree nymph on the farm, my role is to assist the warriors in protecting the farm and oversee certain aspects of its operations."
Her gaze shifted towards the huts, and she added, "Taking care of the little ones until they're carried away, to the other side of the river, is just one of the tasks I assist the village with. It benefits all of us, and I can handle it without any issues." She then refocused her attention on me and asked, "But since you've posed that question, I assume you already have an idea of what to do with them, right?".
Nodding in agreement, I proceeded to explain how the growth of each child would be advantageous in fostering the development of the new settlement. Instead of diminishing our numbers, allowing them to grow and dividing ourselves once our numbers reached a certain limit would prove more beneficial.
"Then again," I suggested, "we can simply reunite them with their parents."
