<h4>Chapter 23: The Hole Chapter 23</h4>


    Georgios and Nero gather fruits and vegetables from bushes and trees While Nikos and I go by a creek collecting rocks.


    "Nikos have you found anyrge rocks to sharpen off of?" I ask while holding a good-sized 6-inch rock fit for sharpening. Nikos holds out a 2-foot rock with a smile and nods. I approach the rock and start hammering them into each other until a sharp 3-inch de remains.


    "Why is it so small?"


    "Nikos we are only using this to cut up Georgios''s cloak and maybe Nero''srge de made from two rocks won''t be sharp enough to smoothly do it." He nods and we begin to walk back to the agoge.


    "Damon, are you sure we should go back so soon? We should collect food as well since we finished so back." Nikos questions and his points hit their mark as he is right.


    "You''re right Nikos. It would just be honestziness to go back so soon." Nikos and I both begin to search for food ourselves eventually finding a whole bunch of olives. Nikos eats them while we continue searching with a trend of him and I eating them all as we go. Once we found a substantial amount to bring to the group we started walking back.


    Georgios and Nero arrive at the same time as us with two armfuls of fruits and vegetables allowing us to feast leisurely. The barracks being quiet and hospitable bringing us a delighted peace. Many people not being present: likely ying games or still searching for something they want.


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    "Hey can we have some? I understand one of you is the Bomonike and all but still don''t you all want to share?" A boy and three others stand with their faces showing visible sweat and lookingpletely down with hands behind their backs, all being rtively small. Georgios and Nero offer soft gazes and I can''t help but feel inwardly conflicted. Sharing would help with the respect of the ss but also would make our little group worse off. Maybe it''s best to teach them how to find better and work more cohesively.


    "Nah we are good" Nikos the honorable Bomonike answers and eats a fistful of berries.


    "Well that''s a shame we really wanted to be civil." The 4 boys turn into bandits as they put their hands forward showing short hand-crafted spears via sticks and sharp rocks.


    "What should we do guys?" Nero asks now standing with his knees turning inward. Georgios and Nikos also stand but in abat stance showing readiness.


    "Is this really how it''s going to be? Thest day of being in this ce for a year and the four of you want to fight spears vs fists?" I ask the boys trying to offer a soft posture. Two of them begin to pull back their spears while the lead makes a quick nce at them. They both bring them back up quickly and all begin to close in.


    "Yes, because we are scared. We are already hungry and we all know we will struggle to capture food in the wild.... If you give us the food we will let you all off easy!"


    Hmmm, perhaps but it would be embarrassing to be submitting like this. It''s tough to put a spin on being good-willed with des approaching my throat.


    "Through the hole!" Georgios yells and climbs to our hole quickly with Nero following.


    "I''ll hold them off, Damon!" Nikos yells but I stand side by side. Our only choice now is to fight now. Georgios must not have thought about it but Nikos is way too wide to travel easily through our little makeshift hole that so far has allowed us to escape at night.


    Nikos and I turn back to back. I pick up my bed of reeds as a shield and Nikos follows. The four boys target Nikos perhaps for the glory of taking down the Bomonike. Nikos groans as his old bed begins to crumble in his arms as their dull spears wreak havoc. I Thrust my body with my shield ramming into the boy causing him to fall and lose his spear. His hand reaches for the spear and another boy begins his release on a blow to my now exposed face...


    <i>BOOM</i>


    Georgioses out of nowhere and throws a punch at the potential killer allowing me to stomp my feet on the boy''s hand. Nikos has bodied both of the other boys into the ground with the notable appearance of Nero ready to help him.


    "Nikos, Damon I''m sorry for my quick leave. I thought the both of you could also make quick leave allowing everyone to go unharmed... When I remembered how long it took both of you in months past, Nero and I sprinted to help."


    "Don''t worry Georgios, it was a genius move! You just did an ambush!" I pat Georgios on the back and he smiles.


    "Genius? I almost got my arms broken?" Nikos shows his sore arms and Georgios''s face switches to a frown. "... Maybe I''m being too much of a conniving and scared Thebian... You ced a nice punch on that dude Georgios." Nikos looks down at the boy with his jaw wide open on the ground. Georgios smiles at Nikos and the two bros hug it out with Nero just standing making sure none of the assaulters get back up.


    "Damon, what should we do with them?" Nero asks as the assaulters plead their case of innocence.


    "We take their Stone Age spears and break them. That is all." I stick my hand out to a fallen boy giving a show of peace. They ept and eventually, they all stand in front of us. The one that reached for their spear likely obtained a broken hand as he holds it with it beingpletely swollen already.


    "Thank you for the mercy!" They all cry and I look over to see that we have food left over. I throw branches of grapes at them and they all run off screaming about how thankful they are. Nikos notably eyes me with his eyebrows inward but his gaze turns back normal.


    "Huh, even I would''ve struggled to have been so kind Damon!"


    "I wasn''t kind to them Georgios... It was strategic; they would have attacked us at night if we let them go without food. If we tied him to the bed we would have likely looked like the perpetrators. Plus those grapes didn''t taste as good as the olives." Georgios can''t hold back a gasp and Nikos chuckles.


    "You''re right those grapes did taste a little funky." Nikos immediately starts gorging himself again with Georgios giving an ample sigh.


    "Guys remember we have to cut the cloth now." Nero reminds us and we begin to lounger around carefully taking turns cutting out cloth from our cloaks. Eventually, we cut enough cloth for us to hide in our garments. Their color will supply a nice contrast to the green ground or brown paths.


    "Goodnight guys."


    Nikosys down and we all follow. Eventually, we rest all of our minds at ease.


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    "Wake up paides! It''s time!" Our new Eiren yells waking us all up. We all wake up and when we walk outside in a line the sun barely being seeable. What awaits us is a dozen carriages ready for our departure. "March towards a carriage and one more thing... Take off your loincloth, you boys are going nude!"