WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.520 --> 00:00:05.759 For decades, people have disappeared in the woods without a trace. 2 00:00:06.519 --> 00:00:10.279 Some blame wild animals, others whisper of creatures the world 3 00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:14.160 refuses to believe in. But those who have survived they 4 00:00:14.199 --> 00:00:18.679 know the truth. Welcome to Backwoods Bigfoot Stories, where we 5 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:22.839 share real encounters with the things lurking in the darkness bigfoot, 6 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:28.239 dog man UFOs, and creatures that defy explanation. Some make 7 00:00:28.280 --> 00:00:32.320 it out, others aren't so lucky. Are you ready, because 8 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:34.640 once you hear these stories, you'll never walk in the 9 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:38.920 woods alone again. So grab your flashlight, stay close, and 10 00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:41.840 remember some things in the woods don't want to be found. 11 00:00:42.520 --> 00:00:46.240 Hit that follow or subscribe button, turn on auto downloads, 12 00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:48.399 and let's head off into the woods if you dare. 13 00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:05.359 This is the part of the road where things get real. 14 00:01:06.040 --> 00:01:09.280 Not the grand moments, not the councils and the standoffs, 15 00:01:09.719 --> 00:01:12.120 but the small, hard work that happens out in the 16 00:01:12.200 --> 00:01:15.920 dark when nobody's watching, the kind of work that decides 17 00:01:15.959 --> 00:01:20.000 whether everything built so far actually holds. There's an old 18 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:22.079 truth about the wild. That code is about to teach 19 00:01:22.120 --> 00:01:24.920 the hard way to someone who thinks he's ready. The 20 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:28.000 forest doesn't care how good your intentions are. It only 21 00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:30.959 cares whether you can keep up. And keeping up out 22 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:33.959 there in the black between the trees is a lesson. 23 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:37.159 You don't learn from anyone's words. You learn it from 24 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:41.599 your own stumbles. The night's waiting, and this is part four, 25 00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:47.640 Chapter twenty six, Night Patrol. The first time Eli joined 26 00:01:47.640 --> 00:01:50.879 Coda on a nighttime patrol, he discovered just how much 27 00:01:50.879 --> 00:01:54.239 he had left to learn. You move like a wounded elk, 28 00:01:54.359 --> 00:01:56.879 Coda whispered as Eli stumbled over a root for the 29 00:01:56.879 --> 00:02:01.359 third time. Every creature in the forest knows where he is. Sorry, 30 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:05.280 I can barely see anything. You're relying on your eyes 31 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:09.759 at night. Eyes are almost useless. Use your other senses. 32 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:14.919 Eli tried, He really tried. But where Coda moved through 33 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:19.080 the darkness like water flowing around stones, Eli crashed through 34 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:22.800 the underbrush like a wounded elk. After an hour of 35 00:02:22.840 --> 00:02:27.360 painful progress, Coda called a halt. This isn't working, he said, 36 00:02:27.759 --> 00:02:31.240 not unkindly, you need practice before you can patrol with me. 37 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:35.080 I don't want to slow you down. You're not slowing 38 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:39.439 me down tonight. Tonight, I'm teaching, not patrolling. But you 39 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:43.439 must understand the difference. When I patrol for real lives 40 00:02:43.479 --> 00:02:49.639 depend on silence. I cannot risk that for friendship. Eli nodded, understanding, 41 00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:53.039 even as disappointment settled in his chest. So what do 42 00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:57.159 we do? We practice every night for as long as 43 00:02:57.199 --> 00:03:00.800 it takes. I'll teach you to move quietly to sense 44 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:05.800 your surroundings without sight. It may take weeks months, but 45 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:09.800 if you're willing, I'm willing. And so began a new 46 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:13.639 phase of Eli's education. Every night, after his parents thought 47 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:15.919 he was in bed, he crept out through his window 48 00:03:15.960 --> 00:03:18.479 and met Coda at the edge of the forest. They 49 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:24.280 started with simple exercises, walking blindfolded through familiar terrain, identifying 50 00:03:24.360 --> 00:03:27.879 sounds in the darkness, learning to feel the forest floor 51 00:03:27.960 --> 00:03:31.039 with his feet instead of trusting his eyes. It was 52 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:36.919 frustrating at first. Eli failed, constantly tripping over obstacles, making noise, 53 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:41.319 losing his way, but Coda was patient, correcting his mistakes 54 00:03:41.319 --> 00:03:46.439 without judgment, celebrating his small successes. You're improving, Coda said, 55 00:03:46.439 --> 00:03:49.400 after the tenth night. Your footsteps are half as loud 56 00:03:49.400 --> 00:03:52.280 as they were. That's still twice as loud as yours. 57 00:03:53.240 --> 00:03:56.840 Progress is progress. Do not compare yourself to a sasquatch. 58 00:03:57.240 --> 00:04:01.520 Compare yourself to the human you were yesterday. Gradually, Eli 59 00:04:01.599 --> 00:04:05.080 began to understand what Coda meant about not relying on eyes. 60 00:04:05.879 --> 00:04:08.240 The forest at night was alive with information if you 61 00:04:08.280 --> 00:04:11.479 knew how to receive it. The ground told stories through 62 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:15.439 texture and temperature. The air carried sense that painted pictures 63 00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:19.040 of what had passed this way before. Sounds created a 64 00:04:19.079 --> 00:04:22.720 three dimensional map of the surrounding area. I think I'm 65 00:04:22.759 --> 00:04:26.120 starting to get it, Eli said one night, after successfully 66 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:29.800 navigating a quarter mile stretch without a single stumble. You 67 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:33.399 are Your body is learning what your mind cannot be taught. 68 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:37.839 Soon night will feel as natural as day. Will I 69 00:04:37.879 --> 00:04:42.560 ever be as good as you? Coda considered the question seriously. No, 70 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:47.519 you lack the physical attributes, the night vision, the sensitive 71 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:51.639 feat the instincts bred into my kind over thousands of generations. 72 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:55.279 But you can become good enough to be useful, good 73 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:59.480 enough to not be a liability. That's my goal, not 74 00:04:59.560 --> 00:05:04.199 a liab ability. Coda's teeth gleamed in the moonlight. It's 75 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:08.439 a worthy goal. Many humans never achieve it. On the 76 00:05:08.439 --> 00:05:12.279 fifteenth night, Coda let Eli join a real patrol. We 77 00:05:12.360 --> 00:05:15.240 go to the eastern boundary, Coda explained, as they set out. 78 00:05:15.720 --> 00:05:19.199 There have been signs of dog men activity, Probably just scouts, 79 00:05:19.519 --> 00:05:23.600 but we must be certain. Eli's heart rate increased, but 80 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:26.600 he forced himself to stay calm. This was what he 81 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:29.720 had trained for. This was his chance to prove himself. 82 00:05:30.839 --> 00:05:33.759 They moved through the forest in tandem, Coda leading and 83 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:37.600 Eli following close behind. The younger boy had learned to 84 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:41.000 read Coda's body language to anticipate when to pause and 85 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:44.519 when to move. He still wasn't silent, but he was 86 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:48.879 quiet enough. After an hour, Coda stopped abruptly, one hand 87 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:53.519 raised in warning. Eli froze for a long moment. Nothing happened. 88 00:05:54.199 --> 00:05:57.480 Then Eli caught it. A scent on the wind, sharp 89 00:05:57.480 --> 00:06:02.240 and musky, nothing like the sasquatch he had learned to recognize. 90 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:06.160 Dog men. He breathed. Coda nodded once, his eyes scanning 91 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:10.079 the darkness ahead. His nostrils flared as he analyzed the scent. 92 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:14.560 Two of them, he whispered, half a mile east, moving away. 93 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:20.319 Should we follow? No, we observe and report. Following dog 94 00:06:20.360 --> 00:06:24.800 men into their territory would be provocation. Coda began backing away, 95 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:29.959 gesturing for Eli to do the same, slowly, no sudden movements, 96 00:06:30.920 --> 00:06:34.879 They retreated with excruciating care, retracing their steps until they 97 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:38.160 were well clear of the dog men's path. Only then 98 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:42.199 did Coda relax slightly. You did well, he said. You 99 00:06:42.279 --> 00:06:46.879 remained calm, you followed instructions. That's more than I expected. 100 00:06:47.720 --> 00:06:51.480 I was terrified. Fear is natural. What matters is what 101 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:54.360 you do with it. You controlled your fear instead of 102 00:06:54.439 --> 00:06:57.839 letting it control you. That's the mark of a true ally. 103 00:06:58.279 --> 00:07:01.399 Eli felt a surge of pride, quickly tempered by reality. 104 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:04.240 I still couldn't help if something went wrong. I'd just 105 00:07:04.279 --> 00:07:07.519 be in the way perhaps, But having you here means 106 00:07:07.560 --> 00:07:10.879 I'm not alone in the forest. That matters more than 107 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:13.959 you might think. Coda placed a hand on Eli's shoulder. 108 00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:18.480 You have earned your place, Eli Thompson, whatever comes you 109 00:07:18.519 --> 00:07:22.120 face it as one of us. It was, Eli realized 110 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:27.959 the highest compliment Coda could give. Chapter twenty seven, Sarah's Roll. 111 00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:31.399 Sarah Thompson had never expected to become a teacher to 112 00:07:31.480 --> 00:07:35.319 non human beings. Yet here she was, three years into 113 00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:40.160 this strange adventure, running informal education sessions for young Sasquatch 114 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:44.839 who wanted to understand human culture. The marks are called letters, 115 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:48.480 she explained, pointing to the chart she had made. Each 116 00:07:48.519 --> 00:07:52.000 one represents a sound. When you put them together, they 117 00:07:52.040 --> 00:07:57.199 make words. Her students, a group of four juveniles, including Tira, 118 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:01.519 studied the chart with intense concentration. Learning to read was 119 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:04.959 challenging for beings whose entire culture was based on oral tradition, 120 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:09.040 but they were making progress. Why do humans need marks 121 00:08:09.079 --> 00:08:12.759 to remember words? A male named Dora asked, we remember 122 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:18.079 everything important without mars because humans forget. Our memories aren't 123 00:08:18.120 --> 00:08:21.480 as good as yours, so we write things down that way. 124 00:08:21.959 --> 00:08:25.639 Even when the person who knew something dies, the knowledge survives. 125 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:30.360 That's sad. Tira observed, to forget the words of your elders, 126 00:08:31.319 --> 00:08:35.279 it is sad, But writing lets us share knowledge across 127 00:08:35.320 --> 00:08:39.519 great distances and long times. Books written centuries ago can 128 00:08:39.559 --> 00:08:43.519 still teach us things. That's a kind of immortality. The 129 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:47.480 students considered this. Sarah could see them processing the concept, 130 00:08:47.879 --> 00:08:51.559 fitting it into their understanding of the world. These sessions 131 00:08:51.559 --> 00:08:55.159 had started small, just Tia asking Coda for help and 132 00:08:55.240 --> 00:08:58.879 Coda bringing her to the Thompsons. But words spread and 133 00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:02.759 soon other young said Aasquatch, were curious. Now, Sarah taught 134 00:09:02.759 --> 00:09:06.279 twice a week, covering everything from reading to human social 135 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:11.279 structures to the basics of technology. You're building something important, 136 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:13.919 Eli told her one evening. These kids are going to 137 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:16.919 grow up understanding humans in a way their parents never could, 138 00:09:17.720 --> 00:09:22.000 and maybe that understanding will prevent conflicts. Maybe someday they'll 139 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:24.679 be the ones building bridges we can't even imagine yet. 140 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:28.360 You sound like Coda. I'll take that as a compliment. 141 00:09:29.159 --> 00:09:32.639 Sarah didn't know where this strange educational experiment would lead, 142 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:37.440 but she knew it mattered. Every bit of understanding, every connection, 143 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:44.480 every small step toward mutual comprehension mattered. Chapter twenty eight, Mira. 144 00:09:45.559 --> 00:09:48.360 The forest was quiet in the hour before dawn, that 145 00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:51.919 liminal space where night creatures retreated and day creatures had 146 00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:55.320 not yet stirred. Coda and Mira moved through it together, 147 00:09:55.960 --> 00:10:00.120 their footsteps synchronized from years of walking side by side, 148 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:03.399 three years they had been together. Now, three years since 149 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:06.440 that first spark of recognition, when they'd seen in each 150 00:10:06.440 --> 00:10:10.039 other the same restless spirit, the same refusal to accept 151 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:13.159 that the world had to stay as it was. Their 152 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:16.799 bond had grown from curiosity to friendship to something deeper, 153 00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:22.399 something neither had words for, but both understood completely. You're 154 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:26.000 quiet this morning, Mia observed her amber eyes catching the 155 00:10:26.039 --> 00:10:32.000 first pale light filtering through the canopy. Thinking about Coda, 156 00:10:32.039 --> 00:10:34.639 paused at the edge of a small clearing, looking back 157 00:10:34.679 --> 00:10:37.600 at her. Even after all this time, the sight of 158 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:40.759 her still made his breath catch. The silver gray of 159 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:45.519 her fur unusual among their kind, the intelligence that blazed 160 00:10:45.559 --> 00:10:49.480 in her eyes, the way she held herself, proud and unafraid, 161 00:10:50.120 --> 00:10:53.960 ready to challenge anyone who tried to limit her. About 162 00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:58.320 how lucky I am, he said simply. MIA's expression softened. 163 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:01.480 She closed the distance between them and pressed her forehead 164 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:04.679 to his, a gesture of intimacy. Their people, reserved for 165 00:11:04.759 --> 00:11:09.200 bonded payers, were both lucky, She murmured. We found each other. 166 00:11:10.120 --> 00:11:12.879 Their bond had been tested many times over the years, 167 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:17.080 the war with the dog men, the exposure to Eli's family, 168 00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:20.879 the constant pressure from elders who thought Coda's human friendships 169 00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:25.399 were dangerous, and Mira's questions were disrespectful, But every test 170 00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:28.759 had only made them stronger. Do you remember the first 171 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:31.399 time I went to Eli's house? Mira asked as they 172 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:35.480 continued their walk, the question coming from nowhere and everywhere. 173 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:40.559 Coda laughed softly, you were terrified. You tried to hide it, 174 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:44.399 but I could tell I was not terrified. I was 175 00:11:44.440 --> 00:11:48.000 appropriately cautious. You nearly jumped out of your skin when 176 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:50.879 his mother turned on the kitchen light. It was very 177 00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:56.360 bright and unexpected. Mira swatted his arm playfully. Besides, you 178 00:11:56.360 --> 00:12:00.799 weren't exactly calm the first time you met them, either, true. 179 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:05.279 Coda's expression grew thoughtful. But that night changed everything. Seeing 180 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:08.039 you there in their home talking with Eli like it 181 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:10.720 was the most natural thing in the world. That's when 182 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:13.360 I knew this could really work, not just my friendship 183 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:17.639 with Eli, but everything, the alliance, the possibility of our 184 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:22.519 people actually coexisting with humans. Sarah made me tea, Mira recalled, 185 00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:26.000 wonder still evident in her voice. She didn't know what 186 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:29.000 sasquatch eat, so she offered me everything in her kitchen, 187 00:12:29.559 --> 00:12:33.840 fruit bread, some kind of dried meat, and tea. I'd 188 00:12:33.879 --> 00:12:36.879 never had anything like it. You made a face when 189 00:12:36.919 --> 00:12:40.080 you tasted it. It was bitter, but I drank the 190 00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:42.600 whole cup because she was being so kind and I 191 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:46.120 didn't want to offend her. Mia smiled at the memory 192 00:12:46.840 --> 00:12:50.360 Eli's mother serving tea to a sasquatch in her kitchen. 193 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:55.360 The world is stranger than our ancestors ever imagined, stranger 194 00:12:55.399 --> 00:12:59.799 and better, Coda agreed. At least sometimes. They reached their 195 00:12:59.799 --> 00:13:03.360 deay destination as the sun crested the Eastern Ridge, a 196 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:06.440 hidden pool fed by a small waterfall, one of their 197 00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:10.519 secret places. They had discovered it together during their first year, 198 00:13:10.960 --> 00:13:14.159 and it had become sacred to them, a sanctuary where 199 00:13:14.200 --> 00:13:18.559 they could be completely themselves. Mira waded into the shallows, 200 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:22.639 letting the cold water swirl around her ankles. Coda followed, 201 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:26.480 watching her with an expression of quiet devotion. What are 202 00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:29.639 you thinking now, she asked, without turning around, that I 203 00:13:29.639 --> 00:13:31.240 want to spend the rest of my life with you. 204 00:13:32.200 --> 00:13:35.799 Mira went still. They had talked around this subject before, 205 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:38.879 circling it like prey. They weren't sure how to approach 206 00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:43.320 among their people. Formal bonding was a serious matter, approved 207 00:13:43.320 --> 00:13:46.600 by elders and witnessed by the entire clan. It wasn't 208 00:13:46.600 --> 00:13:50.679 something to be spoken of lightly. She turned to face him, Coda, 209 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:54.240 I know it's complicated. My father would have to approve 210 00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:58.480 Your father definitely, wouldn't. The elders would argue about whether 211 00:13:58.519 --> 00:14:03.200 it's appropriate, whether our families are compatible, whether our personalities 212 00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:07.879 compliment each other properly. Codas stepped closer, taking her hands 213 00:14:07.879 --> 00:14:10.240 in his. But I don't care about any of that. 214 00:14:10.840 --> 00:14:13.519 I care about you. I have cared about you since 215 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:16.000 the day we met, and every day since then has 216 00:14:16.039 --> 00:14:19.960 only made that feeling stronger. My father will never accept it. 217 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:24.240 He still blames you for everything, the exposure, the risks, 218 00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:28.360 the changes to our way of life. I know, and 219 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:30.919 your father has enough to worry about without adding family 220 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:34.919 drama to his burdens. I know that too, So what 221 00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:38.559 do we do? Coda was quiet for a moment. Water 222 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:42.759 rippling around their legs, sunlight filtering through the trees above them. 223 00:14:43.080 --> 00:14:45.399 We take it one day at a time, he finally said, 224 00:14:45.960 --> 00:14:49.159 the same way we've handled everything else, the same way 225 00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:51.840 Eli and I built our friendship, the same way we 226 00:14:51.879 --> 00:14:54.840 built the alliance with his family. We don't try to 227 00:14:54.840 --> 00:14:58.399 solve every problem at once. We just keep moving forward 228 00:14:58.679 --> 00:15:02.200 together and trust that the path will reveal itself. Stay 229 00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:05.799 tuned for more Backwoods Bigfoot stories. We'll be back after 230 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:11.519 these messages. Mira squeezed his hands. When did you become 231 00:15:11.559 --> 00:15:15.759 so wise? I learned from this female? I know? Very intelligent? 232 00:15:16.200 --> 00:15:21.279 Asked too many questions, drives her father crazy. She sounds wonderful, 233 00:15:21.960 --> 00:15:26.080 she is. Mira pulled him into an embrace, holding him 234 00:15:26.120 --> 00:15:29.600 tightly as the waterfall sang its endless song behind them. 235 00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:33.080 In that moment, surrounded by the beauty of their hidden sanctuary, 236 00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:37.399 the future didn't seem so frightening. Whatever challenges lay ahead, 237 00:15:37.720 --> 00:15:40.559 they would face them together. Later. As they made their 238 00:15:40.600 --> 00:15:43.360 way back to the caves, Miraa brought up something that 239 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:47.639 had been weighing on her mind the council meeting last week, 240 00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:52.600 the one about expanding the alliance. Coda nodded, what about it? 241 00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:57.480 Tyrek was particularly hostile, more than usual. He kept looking 242 00:15:57.480 --> 00:16:00.279 at me like I was part of the problem, because 243 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:03.679 you are, in his eyes, you support the Alliance. You've 244 00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:07.440 been to Eli's home, met his family, you represent everything. 245 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:10.919 Tyrek fears sasquatch, who are willing to bridge the gap 246 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:14.840 between our world and theirs. Sometimes I wonder if he's 247 00:16:14.919 --> 00:16:19.120 right to be afraid. Mira's voice was thoughtful, not fearful, 248 00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:22.960 not about the Alliance itself, but about how fast things 249 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:26.720 are changing. Three years ago, the idea of sasquatch regularly 250 00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:30.480 visiting a human home was unthinkable. Now, Eli's family has 251 00:16:30.519 --> 00:16:33.480 become part of our extended community. They know our names, 252 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:37.759 our relationships, our concerns. Sarah asks about my father's health. 253 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:42.039 Thomas discusses hunting patterns with Caboda. Eli and you are 254 00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:46.759 practically brothers. And this troubles you. It awes me the 255 00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:50.360 speed of it all. My grandmother lived her entire life 256 00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:53.120 without ever speaking to a human. I've had dinner in 257 00:16:53.159 --> 00:16:57.440 a human kitchen. Mira shook her head slowly. The world 258 00:16:57.480 --> 00:17:01.240 our children will Inherit will be unrecognizable to our ancestors. 259 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:05.599 Is that bad? I don't think so different? Isn't bad? 260 00:17:06.119 --> 00:17:09.200 You taught me that? She glanced at him with affection, 261 00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:12.960 Or maybe I taught you. I can't remember any more. 262 00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:17.759 Who convinced whom? Does it matter? No, we convinced each other. 263 00:17:18.200 --> 00:17:21.720 That's what partners do. They emerged from the forest near 264 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:25.319 the cave complex as the klan was waking. Young Sasquatch 265 00:17:25.400 --> 00:17:28.440 chased each other between the stone formations while their parents 266 00:17:28.440 --> 00:17:32.599 prepared the morning meal. Elders sat in small groups discussing 267 00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:37.240 whatever elders discussed, life continuing as it had for generations, 268 00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:42.039 with small but significant differences woven through Coda's mother, Asha, 269 00:17:42.119 --> 00:17:45.440 spotted them approaching and waved them over. You two were 270 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:48.680 out early. She observed, her tone carrying a hint of 271 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:52.240 motherly concern. We wanted to see the sunrise from the 272 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:57.519 western ridge, Coda said, it wasn't entirely a lie. Asha's 273 00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:01.720 eyes moved between them, reading something and their expressions. A 274 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:05.680 small smile crossed her face. Mirah, your father was asking 275 00:18:05.720 --> 00:18:10.599 about you earlier, something about neglected chores Mira's side, Of 276 00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:14.839 course he was. She touched Coda's arm briefly. I'll find 277 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:19.319 you later. Always, She headed off toward her family section 278 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:23.279 of the caves. Coda watched her go, that familiar warmth 279 00:18:23.319 --> 00:18:27.240 spreading through his chest. You love her, Asha said quietly. 280 00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:32.920 It wasn't a question, Yes, and she loves you. Yes. 281 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:36.599 Asha was quiet for a moment. Then she placed her 282 00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:39.400 hand on her son's shoulder. Your father and I were 283 00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:43.519 young once too. We faced our own obstacles, different clans, 284 00:18:43.960 --> 00:18:49.119 disapproving elders, practical concerns about territory and resources. None of 285 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:52.200 it mattered in the end. What mattered was that we 286 00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:55.240 chose each other, and we kept choosing each other every day, 287 00:18:55.559 --> 00:19:00.160 through every challenge. Did it get easier? No, but it 288 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:03.640 became more natural. Love is an easy, Coda. It's not 289 00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:07.400 supposed to be easy. Things don't make us grow. Easy 290 00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:10.960 things don't show us who we really are. She squeezed 291 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:15.680 his shoulder. You and Mira have something rare. Don't let anyone, 292 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:19.200 not her father, not the elders, not the complications of 293 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:22.440 this strange new world we're building, take that from you. 294 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:27.839 I won't, Coda promised. Good. Asha released him and smiled, 295 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:31.440 Now go help your father with the hunting assignments. Leadership 296 00:19:31.480 --> 00:19:35.359 doesn't pause for romance. Coda laughed and headed toward the 297 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:38.279 main cave, but he couldn't help glancing back once more 298 00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:42.240 in the direction Mira had gone. Three years together, a 299 00:19:42.279 --> 00:19:46.000 lifetime still to come. Whatever the future held, they would 300 00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:49.599 face it side by side. That evening, the clan gathered 301 00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:52.519 for the communal meal, as they did every night. Coda 302 00:19:52.599 --> 00:19:55.279 sat with his family, but his eyes kept drifting to 303 00:19:55.319 --> 00:19:59.599 where Mira sat with hers Garic. Her father was speaking 304 00:19:59.640 --> 00:20:04.200 in ten about something, his expression stern as always, but 305 00:20:04.359 --> 00:20:08.440 Mia caught Coda's gaze across the fire and smiled, a small, 306 00:20:08.519 --> 00:20:12.839 private smile meant only for him. In that smile was everything, 307 00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:18.839 their shared past, their uncertain future their unshakable present. Eli 308 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:21.839 had once tried to explain human concepts of love to Coda, 309 00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:26.759 poetry and songs and grand romantic gestures. But sitting here, 310 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:30.559 surrounded by his clan, watching the female he loved smile 311 00:20:30.599 --> 00:20:33.880 at him across a fire, Coda thought he understood something 312 00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:38.279 humans didn't. Love wasn't about grand gestures. It was about 313 00:20:38.279 --> 00:20:42.279 this two souls recognizing each other across a crowded space, 314 00:20:42.759 --> 00:20:46.599 finding home in another's eyes, knowing that whatever storms came, 315 00:20:47.079 --> 00:20:51.640 you wouldn't face them alone. MIA's smile widened slightly, as 316 00:20:51.640 --> 00:20:55.200 if she knew exactly what he was thinking. She probably did. 317 00:20:55.839 --> 00:20:58.160 After three years, they could read each other like the 318 00:20:58.200 --> 00:21:02.319 forest read the seasons, and that, Coda decided, was the 319 00:21:02.359 --> 00:21:07.079 greatest gift the world had ever given him. Chapter twenty nine, 320 00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:10.440 The dog Men's Dilemma. Far to the north, in a 321 00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:13.200 rocky den carved into the side of a steep ravine, 322 00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:17.240 Dask paced restlessly. The pack had been lying low since 323 00:21:17.279 --> 00:21:20.880 the battle at Broken Ridge, licking their wounds and reassessing 324 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:25.119 their strategy. They'd lost that fight badly, and it had 325 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:28.279 shaken Dask's confidence in a way he didn't like to admit. 326 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:31.799 Oshka watched him from where she lay near the den's entrance, 327 00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:35.599 her silver fur catching the moonlight. You'll wear a path 328 00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:39.599 in the stone, she said. Dask stopped pacing, but didn't sit. 329 00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:43.400 We can't stay here much longer. Game is scarce and 330 00:21:43.480 --> 00:21:48.599 winter is coming. We need territory hunting grounds. The Sasquatch 331 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:51.880 made their position clear. Braun said from the shadows that 332 00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:54.799 territory is theirs, and they're willing to fight for it. 333 00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:59.200 Then we fight, Ras said eagerly. The young dog man 334 00:21:59.240 --> 00:22:02.839 had been restless since Voorne's death. His pride had been wounded, 335 00:22:03.160 --> 00:22:07.079 and he wanted revenge. We fight, and we die, Braun countered. 336 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:11.079 They outnumber us three to one. We barely escape last time. 337 00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:15.960 So what's your solution, Ras snapped. Starve here, keep running 338 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:19.079 until there's nowhere left to run. Dask held up a 339 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:23.319 hand for silence. The strategic thinker had been quiet until now, 340 00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:27.839 observing the debate. There might be another way. All eyes 341 00:22:27.880 --> 00:22:32.519 turned to him. What way, Dask asked the humans. Dask said, 342 00:22:33.160 --> 00:22:38.680 they're expanding into Sasquatch territory, building structures, clearing land. If 343 00:22:38.680 --> 00:22:41.559 that continues, the Sasquatch will have to move or confront 344 00:22:41.559 --> 00:22:46.359 the humans. Either way it creates opportunity for us. Das 345 00:22:46.519 --> 00:22:49.799 considered this, you're suggesting we wait for the humans to 346 00:22:49.880 --> 00:22:53.039 drive out the Sasquatch or weaken them enough that we 347 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:56.920 can claim the territory ourselves. Das confirmed. The humans are 348 00:22:56.960 --> 00:23:00.519 doing what we couldn't do by direct confrontation. Why not 349 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:04.039 use that to our advantage? Because humans are dangerous to 350 00:23:04.119 --> 00:23:08.440 us too, Oshka pointed out they have weapons, vehicles, the 351 00:23:08.519 --> 00:23:12.000 ability to organize in large numbers. If we're not careful, 352 00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:14.400 we could end up in a worse situation than we're 353 00:23:14.400 --> 00:23:19.000 in now. True, Dask acknowledged, But humans are also predictable. 354 00:23:19.400 --> 00:23:23.400 They follow patterns, they sleep deeply at night, and they're noisy, 355 00:23:23.720 --> 00:23:27.039 easy to track. If we're smart, we can use them 356 00:23:27.039 --> 00:23:31.359 as tools without becoming their targets. Rask's ears perked forward. 357 00:23:32.039 --> 00:23:35.839 How we make the humans think the Sasquatch are a threat? 358 00:23:35.960 --> 00:23:40.559 Dask explained, Leave evidence near human settlements, damage property in 359 00:23:40.599 --> 00:23:44.680 ways that point toward the Sasquatch, create fear, make them 360 00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:48.279 bring in their authorities, their hunters. Let the humans do 361 00:23:48.359 --> 00:23:51.400 the hard work of driving out the Sasquatch. Then we 362 00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:55.440 move into the emptied territory. The plan was clever, Dask 363 00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:59.440 had to admit, but it was also risky. Manipulating humans 364 00:23:59.480 --> 00:24:03.720 even into directly, could backfire spectacularly. On the other hand, 365 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:07.279 staying where they were wasn't an option either. What about 366 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:11.279 the Sasquatch's human allies, Braun asked, We've seen them, the 367 00:24:11.319 --> 00:24:14.440 family that lives at the edge of Sasquatch territory. They 368 00:24:14.440 --> 00:24:17.880 seem to be working together. This was news that had 369 00:24:17.880 --> 00:24:22.640 troubled them all during their scouting. They'd observed something unprecedented, 370 00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:27.839 Sasquatch openly interacting with humans at a farmstead, not hunting them, 371 00:24:27.960 --> 00:24:32.279 not avoiding them, but communicating with them. It defied everything 372 00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:35.640 the dog men understood about the relationship between their kinds 373 00:24:35.680 --> 00:24:40.240 and humanity. That's what makes this complicated. Dask admitted. The 374 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:43.799 Sasquatch have protectors now, humans who know about them and 375 00:24:43.880 --> 00:24:46.839 choose to help them hide. We need to understand that 376 00:24:46.920 --> 00:24:50.519 alliance before we can work around it or through it. 377 00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:55.839 Ras suggested darkly. No, Dask's voice was firm. We do 378 00:24:55.920 --> 00:25:01.599 not attack humans directly. That brings consequences. We cannot control investigators, 379 00:25:01.799 --> 00:25:05.759 search parties, weapons we have no defense against. We work 380 00:25:05.799 --> 00:25:09.920 around the humans, not through them. Desk looked around at 381 00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:14.680 the pack. Oshka seemed skeptical but not opposed. Braun was 382 00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:19.160 cautious as always. Rask was eager, too eager, and the 383 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:23.000 others waited patiently for his decision. We try it, Dask 384 00:25:23.079 --> 00:25:27.720 finally said, but carefully. No direct confrontations with humans or 385 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:33.559 sasquatch unless absolutely necessary. We observe, we learn, We leave 386 00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:37.680 subtle evidence that points toward the Sasquatch, create doubt and 387 00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:41.960 fear among the wider human population. Let the situation develop. 388 00:25:42.599 --> 00:25:45.920 If it works, we get the territory we need. If 389 00:25:45.960 --> 00:25:49.720 it doesn't, we move on and try something else. And 390 00:25:49.799 --> 00:25:54.599 the Sasquatch, Rask asked, unexpectedly, do we warn them, let 391 00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:58.559 them know what's coming. Why would we do that, Braun asked, surprised, 392 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:02.440 because they're not our real enemies, Rask said, slowly, as 393 00:26:02.519 --> 00:26:05.400 if the thought was just forming. The humans are the 394 00:26:05.400 --> 00:26:09.720 ones taking all the land, destroying the forests. The Sasquatch 395 00:26:09.720 --> 00:26:13.759 are just trying to survive, same as us. Dask was 396 00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:17.640 surprised by this sentiment from the usually aggressive young dog man. 397 00:26:18.279 --> 00:26:22.880 You're suggesting an alliance, not an alliance, Ras clarified. But 398 00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:27.599 maybe a truce. We both need territory. Maybe there's a 399 00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:29.839 way to share it, or at least not kill each 400 00:26:29.880 --> 00:26:34.200 other over it while the humans take everything that soft thinking, 401 00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:37.839