The Kiwanja Tribe was a realm that was both vastly different and yet similar to the Tiānkōng Empire. In matters of differences, Kiwanja had been built down below on earth as opposed to Tiānkōng being built high up in the mountains. Kiwanja had a passion for athletics and Olympic games whereas Tiānkōng's passion as you already know, was for knowledge and learning. Kiwanja preferred to live in a more feral way, closer to nature while Tiānkōng lived more civilized and regal like. But both realms considered honor to be the most valuable virtue, both were highly skilled in combat, and both had been left scarred by the violence and brutality of the Great War.

The former chief of the tribe had devoted his entire life to rebuilding all that had been destroyed and ransacked by the war. Tending to the needs of his ill and injured men, rebuilding their ruined homes, slaving away in the hot sun in order to make the land fertile again. It took many years, but his efforts were rewarded with all that was lost being restored. This in turn caused him to be greatly beloved and adored by all within the tribe. Even the animals of the savannas and the jungles respected him for he had always been wise to follow the scared laws. He ordered his people to never over hunt and to only kill in order to eaten or to avoid being eaten. He also ordered that every creature, animal or man be treated with respect and the no one's life be considered less important than another. He even made peace with the giants of the realm, allowing them to farm on his land and serve as healers to his people. It wasn't any wonder why he was so loved.

So of course the tribe was devastated when they're beloved chief was killed on a hunting trip. He was the greatest leader they ever had, there was no one before him more wise, loyal, or kind. But saddest of all, was that the chief had died when his only child was just three years old. She had already lost her mother to the complications of childbirth, now she had no father to raise her.

Wendy was the child's name and she was the future of the tribe. Someday she was to become Chieftess of the Kiwanja Tribe. However she was far too young to succeed her father, so until she reached the proper age, her father's brother Faust rule as chief and he would also serve as the girl's guardian. Although Faust was not exactly the nurturing type, in fact he barely wanted anything to do with his niece. So he just turned the orphaned toddler over to Grandeeney, a gentle giantess who was Wendy's nurse and the former chief's faithful healer. Now at first Grandeeney was no certain if she had the capacity to raise a human child, but it was not long before she came to love Wendy as if she was her own flesh and blood.

And under Grandeeney's love and care, Wendy grew into cheerful, sweet, and kind girl with a love of the wild. She never felt more at home then when she was up in the trees or in the tall grass, inhaling the smell of the flowers and the dirt. She loved swinging on vines, splashing in the watering hole, and listening to the birds sing. Wendy had a special connection with the plants and the animals, and she much preferred to spend time with them rather than focus on becoming the next leader of the tribe.

Of course it wasn't that she didn't understand how important her role was, and she did respect it. And sometimes she really wanted to learn. But truthfully she was very insecure about being an heir and didn't believe she would ever be up to the task. Especially whenever she heard anyone speak of her father's great legacy. It seemed too much for her to live up to.

The only person who knew of this was a boy from the tribe called Romeo. He was Wendy's only friend and the two would often sneak away from their chores and duties to play and run about in the jungles and savannas. But he was also the only one who could understand how nervous and scared becoming a leader made her feel. He didn't view her as the heir to a great tribe or a silly and irresponsible child. He viewed her as who she really was. A girl who just wanted to live a simple life in nature.

"Hi Romeo!" Wendy excitedly greeted him one morning as he was plowing the fields along with the other farm hands.

"Hey Wendy!" He greeted back.

"How long before you're finished in the fields?"

"Another hour I think."

"Well when you're done, I wanna show you this really cool place I found yesterday."

"How come you always get to choose where we go? Why can't I ever choose?"

"Well you never ask or make any suggestions. But okay, you can choose this time. Where do you want us to go?"

"Uh...Actually I don't know."

Wendy smirked at him.

"And this is why I normally choose the places."

"You know you're lucky Wendy, you don't have to spending all day farming in the hot sun and the dirt. You get to go anywhere you want to, and that's how you know about all these places."

"I'm the lucky one? Please, I may not have to farm all day but I still have to spend hours learning about the boring laws and history of Kiwanja. And soon I'll have to learn how to fight and hunt too."

"So? We all have to learn how to fight and hunt."

"But I don't want to hunt and fight. I don't want to kill people and animals."

"Wendy it's how we live. It's how the animals live. It's not evil, it's just natural order. Besides, I could never be a vegetarian, you know how much I love boar meat."

"I know but it doesn't mean I have to like it, right?"

"I don't know. I'm not exactly an expert on this subject."

Romeo then put down the bag of seeds and put away the plow. 

"Alright let's go see this cool place you're talking about." He said.

"I thought you had to finish plowing the fields."

"My father is still out hunting. He'll never know I was gone."

"Okay."

The two children hurried off from the village and Wendy led Romeo into the jungle where they climbed a tree so tall that you'd swear it could touch the sky. When they reached the top, there was an incredible view of Kiwanja. The sun, the tall grass, the trees, the birds flying through the sky, the antelope prancing in herds, the elephants bathing themselves in a waterfall, the people in the village. It had to be the best view either one of them had ever seen.

"Wendy this is amazing." He said. "I can see my hut from here."

"Wouldn't it be great if we never had to come down from here?" Wendy asked. "If I never had to go back and keep learning all those dumb lessons and doing all that dumb training? Why can't they just let my uncle remain as chief?"

"Beats me. Adults can be so weird sometimes."

"Hey, do you wanna play tree top tag?"

"Don't I always?"

Tree top tag was a game Wendy invented from watching the monkeys leap from branch to branch. One person would chase the other as they swung on vines and jumped on to branches. Many adults considered it a very dangerous game and they would always tell Wendy and Romeo not to play it. But like most regular children, Wendy and Romeo would disobey the wise words of their elders and do whatever they thought was more fun.

"Can't catch me!" Wendy taunted as she landed on a firm branch.

"We'll see about that!" Romeo replied, grabbing a vine and swinging after her. 

Wendy quickly jumped to another branch, and another, and another. Determined not to let Romeo win the game by touching her.

"You've never been able to catch me Romeo!" She boasted. "Between the two of us, I was always the fastest! I always beat you at races! At herd chasing! And especially at tree top taaaahhhh!"

Suddenly the next branch Wendy landed on snapped and she was sent falling toward the ground. Luckily though, someone managed to catch Wendy just before she hit the hard earth. A strapping young man with serious green eyes ,and war paint tattoos on his chest and over one eye. Considered very handsome to women, noble to men, but annoying and slightly scary to Wendy and Romeo.

He was Jellal, the strongest warrior in the tribe, Romeo's older brother, and Wendy's bodyguard. When Wendy was a baby, the young Jellal had competed in many Olympic games, races, and fights, using not only his strength but his quick-wit and craftiness to become victorious. An astounding talent for athletics and combat despite being only seven years old at the time, and his  reward was to have a place as the former chief's most prized and loyal warrior once he entered manhood. But after the chief died, Grandeeney requested that he be trained to become Wendy's protector instead. The boy happily obliged.

Now while Wendy did trust Jellal and Romeo did love him as any brother should, they hated how serious he could be with them sometimes. Always pestering them to do their chores and finish their lessons and training. Always berating them on how foolish and dangerous their games could be. Out right spoiling their fun at times. 

"So this is where you two weasels sneaked off to." He said looking at Wendy with disapproval and then turning his gaze up to his younger brother who was trying to hide in trees. "Romeo I can see you up there! Come down at once!"

Romeo sighed and proceeded to slide down the tree trunk.

"You're really in for it this time!" Jellal scolded. "When father returned from the hunt to find you gone, he almost had a panic attack! How many times have we told you not to leave the hut without telling us?"

"Why are you asking me? You seem to already know the answer. You're always the one who brings it up." Romeo snarked.

"And you." Jellal turned back to Wendy. "You know not to play tree top tag. What were you thinking? You could have been killed. You both could have been killed!"

"We were just having a little fun." Wendy said innocently.

"Well tell me this, is dying from a falling impact fun? What if I had not gotten here in time? You would be dead! And you would have broken poor Grandeeny's heart!"

"You're not going to tell her about this are you?"

"Oh yes I am! And I'm telling Father too!" Jellal said glancing at Romeo.

"Oh Jellal, why do you have to be such a killjoy!" Romeo complained.

"Why do you always have to make Father ill with stress? Now you promised me that you'd try to be more mature this season. You promised me that you'd help with the farming."

"And I am, I was just taking a little break."

"And you promised me you wouldn't do anything dangerous! Like wandering off without a word and jumping about in the trees! I swear you're going to send Father to an early grave!"

He then took both children by the hands and escorted them each back home where they would be reprimanded by their parent and guardian.