The next morning, Kael joined Thorn and a small group of centaurs as they ventured out from the tribe's camp. The landscape stretched endlessly before them, vast plains dotted with sparse clusters of trees. In the distance, mountains loomed like silent sentinels, marking the edge of their known world.
Kael kept his distance from Thorn, watching the second-in-command's movements closely. The group moved in near silence, the only sounds being the soft thuds of their hooves against the ground and the occasional rustling of wind through the grass.
As they rode, Kael decided it was time to gather more information. He pulled up alongside a centaur named Barak, one of the older, more experienced warriors who had fought in many skirmishes with humans.
"Barak," Kael began quietly, "what lies beyond these plains? I've heard talk of other races, but I don't know much. I'm from far away, remember?"
Barak grunted, glancing at Kael before answering. "Beyond these plains, there are forests, mountains, and other lands. We've had run-ins with goblins to the north, and orcs sometimes raid our territory. To the west, there are humans, always expanding, always taking more land. Farther south, I've heard of beastmen—lion and tiger tribes, mostly. Dangerous, but they stay in their own lands."
Kael absorbed the information carefully. So, this world was filled with more than just humans and centaurs. There were other races, other threats, and opportunities.
"And humans?" Kael asked. "Are they the biggest threat?"
Barak nodded. "They are many, and they have numbers, weapons, and magic. But they aren't invincible. We've bested them in small battles, but when they gather in large numbers, they're hard to fight. Their mages are powerful too, unlike our shamans, who are few and far between."
Kael frowned. "How many shamans do we have?"
"In our tribe? One," Barak said with a grim smile. "And he's not strong. Other tribes might have more, but we don't."
Kael kept his expression neutral, but inside, he was already strategizing. If humans had more powerful mages, the centaurs would need every advantage they could get. Steel weapons were a start, but it wasn't enough. They needed numbers, tactics, and perhaps...magic.
As they scouted the plains, Thorn led them closer to human lands. The group kept a careful distance from the human patrols, watching their movements from afar. Kael took note of everything—their armor, their weapons, their formations. He could already see weaknesses in the way the humans moved, how they spread out their patrols too thinly.
After hours of scouting, they returned to the tribe with vital information. Thorn delivered his report to Garth, outlining the patrol routes and the human presence near their territory. Kael offered his insights as well, though he kept his tone respectful, knowing that Garth still held ultimate authority.
"You both did well," Garth said, nodding to them. "We'll prepare accordingly. But for now, we remain cautious. The humans will not find us unless we reveal ourselves."
As the tribe dispersed, Thorn shot Kael a dark look. The tension between them was thick, but Garth's words had given Kael more standing within the tribe. He wasn't the leader yet, but he was moving closer to it.
The real challenge lay ahead—Garth was still in control, and Thorn was still a rival. But Kael knew that, in time, his position would only grow stronger. He just had to wait for the right moment.