Denson peered in from the doorway and asked, "Are you done studying the map?"
Scarlet nodded and Denson gestured for Scarlet to come out, "Come out, I have an announcement to make."
After Scarlet came out, Denson glanced at another warrior holding a spear who nodded in return. The warrior then walked over to the center of the village and rang a large bell. It gave a loud, clear sound that spread throughout the village and beyond.
After about ten minutes, there was a decently large sized crowd of villagers gathered around Denson and Scarlet. In a loud voice, Denson said, "This girl is Scarlet. She will be a temporary guest here for a while. Treat her as one of our own for the time being."
The crowd nodded in affirmation but a voice of dissent appeared. "Why are we trusting her so quickly? It hasn't even been an hour since she arrived suspiciously through magic and we already have to treat her as one of us?"
Denson glared at the source of the voice. It was Mundar, the boy who originally complained about Scarlet's arrival. Denson scolded him saying, "Lyndon, calm your son."
Denson stood on the wooden podium and told the crowd, "You all joined this village under me. Originally, we were all starving. Look at us now, just one year later we are already a thriving village under my leadership."
Denson put a fist over his heart and bellowed, "When have I ever let any of you down? Trust in my leadership! Believe in me!"
After he finished Denson walked off the wooden podium in the dead silence. Finally, a clap broke out which turned into thunderous applause. Mundar snorted and walked off with his father, Lyndon.
Scarlet gave a small smile to Denson and said, "You're a natural born leader. It was a great speech."
Denson reciprocated the smile and scratched the back of his head, "Oh, it's nothing. Compared to the general's speeches mine are nothing. Anyways, go check out the rest of the village. It isn't big at all compared to towns but the people are nice."
Scarlet nodded and started from the edge of the village. The village was built along the main concrete road and the houses are connected by dirt paths. In the center of the village were a well and a large bell on top of it. Denson's cottage was the largest at about two times the size of the other houses.
Scarlet felt a tug at her waist and saw it to be a little girl about seven years old. She had dark hair and was slightly plump. Scarlet knelt down and rubbed her hand over the girl's hair, "What's your name? Where's your mother?"
The little girl gave a cheeky smile and said, "Sarah!" She laughed and hid behind Scarlet, "Don't let my mother find me yet! I'm playing hide and seek!"
Scarlet lifted up and held up Sarah. Sarah was wide-eyed upon seeing Des in raven form and exclaimed, "Birdy!" She stretched out her hands towards Des trying to hug him.
Des instantly shrunk back and tried to avoid her grasp. Scarlet gave a light-hearted laugh and put Sarah down. She pointed at a tree and said, "Why not hide behind that tree?"
Sarah hid behind the tree poorly with her sides easily seen from far away. Scarlet continued smiling as an older woman approached her and asked, "Is that Sarah?"