América Latina & Caribe

another Rimworld story

A lost tribe establishes itself in a valley
Their Chiftainess is a woman named Eagle
Eagle has high social and combat skills
Seems to ace everything she sets her mind to
Her sister is also in the tribe, Nano
Nano has very few skills
is poorly motivated, likes to stay in her room,
doesn't get on well with the rest of the tribe
gets an infected mad hare bite on her right leg
loses the fight with the infection, is forced to amputate
semi-conscious on the floor while her sister leads the tribe through a tough first winter
food is low, raiders are raiding, wood is scarce
but Eagle cannot be beat in personal combat
She saves the tribe, saves refugees, and saves a wealthy knight
Knight gifts her high tech armor for helping him
tribe pulls through their first year, Nano gets a peg leg at the start of spring
eventually, she even gets a bedroll

Nano can't move too well, Eagle assigns her a new work schedule
Keep the longhouse clean, refill the lanterns, train the animals
Eagle also promotes her sister to "tribe stylist" in an attempt to improve her mood
Nano grumbles a lot, but doesn't slack off
Food poisoning stops happening as the kitchens are cleaner than ever
Nano trains the tribe's dogs to haul and rescue
She also gets really, really good at Ur. She never liked hoopstone much anyway
Things stabilize for a year, despite constantly-low food stocks
Eagle establishes relations with neighboring clans and builds monuments to please them
No, she doesn't tell others to do it, she does it herself because she is the best and fastest builder by far
Shamblers appear and attack the tribe, only to be instantly smote by her prowess with the bow
Eagle makes her own greatbow, and it is the finest weapon the tribe has ever seen
She then goes on to make four more and equip everyone with them

Monsoon season year two, Eagle and Nano both get malaria
For Nano, this is just one more bad day in a life full of bad days
For Eagle, it's the first time she's ever faced an opponent she can't defeat
Nano rises after her own fever breaks, and goes to her sister's room
The best and most desperate efforts of the tribe's doctor have failed
Eagle is mere hours from death
her mind is gone, only her body remains.
There is only one thing left to do
Gently, Nano takes her sister's armor and weapons off of her
She leaves the room with them, placing them in storage
She is the last one to see Eagle alive

After Eagle is buried, Nano stands by her grave for much longer than the rest
The mood in camp is somber. Everyone is moving slowly.
After the difficulties of last winter, expectations are low for the future
Nano walks to the tribe's ritual spot, beneath a monument her sister built
She calls the rest of the tribe to her
When they arrive, they notice something unexpected
Nano speaks of life and death and loss
It's a eulogy for her sister
But also a declaration
She is wearing her sister's armor
Carrying the tribe's ceremonial jade knife
No-one objects. Perhaps none of them want the job.
Or perhaps they all assume that Nano won't have it for long.