PoV Elder Becker Shepherd
Chatter filled the room around the Silvermoon tower, the Elders' table. Elders of various tribes filled the room, although now, it was but one tribe. The Bunny-kin in recent days had started to open their doors, much to the plight of the Dragonic. They even began educating General Wizards from other tribes, opening their doors to more tribes. As a Dog-kin myself and after a brutal period in our tribes history about a century ago, we struggled to retain our fifth to third place position in the Tribal hierarchy.
Aligning ourselves with the Bunny-kin is easily arguable to be the second strongest in the Beast-kin Nation. With this recent move, it was starting to become harder to argue that they were second and not first. In fact, with Silvermoon City or whatever they actually legally call it, but no one calls it that. It was starting to seem that they were much more accepting of other tribes now.
Still, it was sobering to see myself with five other Elders of other races in Silvermoon Tower, surrounded by Bunny-kin Elders. Even the Master Loveknot of the Silvermoon Tower was present, although no one knew his true feelings on the integration of more species into the Bunny-kin tribe.
Beside me, much to my chagrin, was a Cat-kin Elder who did not show a single emotion on her face. The Cat-kin and many tiger-kin were on the border and were unhappy about ending the war the way it had. That was until Chelsea Loveknot, Supreme Commander of the Elite Army and Logistics Army, reported the reasons for their withdrawal. It was simple.
If they pushed their luck, they would die for it. The Empire was a massive beast, and we caught them somehow with luck and their pants around their waist. The explanation had been thorough, and we had new problems with the new territory. Ones that many tribes now realized with all that new land.
Whose Tribes owned that land?
The Dragonic?
The Bunny-kin?
The Dog-kin or Cat-kin?
Border City was there too for a tribe to take, with many humans inside living there with their own problems, too. And everyone wanted a piece of the prize. The Bunny-kin rightfully already took so much in the last year of the campaign that no one thought it would last such a short time. In fact, most of the 'campaign' was peace negotiations.
It was still awe-inspiring that we took such a massive land grab from the Empire in such a short amount of time. I would not have thought this was a pipe dream. Our tribe could use that land to increase our farms and plant more for survival. Our land has been decreasing in the amount of food that grows, and it would help revitalize and recover our numbers from that hardship.
"Alright, everyone," A bunny-kin Elder stood up. "I am Elder Blacksoul of the Blacksoul family of the Bunny-kin Silver tower. Today we gathered because the Dragonic and many tribes are starting to get restless," He began, and I could not help but nod along with the other elders. I had just been thinking about that, and we looked at him, wondering if he would say more. "Today, I received information from Supreme Commander Chelsea Loveknot, and she has made some fine points I think I should share with you all."
"Oh?" I heard a couple of quiet exclamations, and people were focused. After everything that happened in the ridiculously short war. People listened to her words now, and I was intrigued by what she had said.
"First, Chelsea Loveknot is refusing to let all soldiers return to their tribes. This is seconded by War Chief Isabelle," Elder Blacksouls said, his black ears twitching and looking at everyone's slight surprise.
I had to be astonished. If Chelsea Loveknot did that alone, I would not be, but getting the War Chiefs to agree and back up those orders made me wonder where the War Chiefs' loyalties lie.
"This brings me to the second point, " she said. Elder Blacksoul's words silenced us, and we waited, wondering what she said. I could feel the tension in the room as we waited for his next words. "The Empire may seem to have surrendered at this point, but there are still humans surrounding us. To the north is the Kingdom of Arlin, to the south the Praries, and to the east the Empire and the Kingdom of Chip. There is still the theorcracy and the Dwarves to think about," Elder Blacksouls said, and I was stunned. "This means that at this time, we need to actually build fortresses and borders to defend against potential incursions, with the Empire being the first we should be wary of." I could not help it.
I was stunned.
The Beast-kin Nation never kept a standing army. Why should we?
A border defense? Where would all the strongest warriors be? Who would breed the willing females? Where were the strong females to be bred to make the next line of offspring? Without the warriors to breed the next line, what would happen to our tribes? To allow failures to breed our women? To allow failures to sire more children. I felt disgust just thinking about it.
"That is outrageous!' A bunny-kin Elder yelled out, clearly annoyed, and Blacksouls nodded.
"I agree with you," Elder Blacksouls said without a second thought, silencing the room that at some point started murmuring together. I was about to join when Elder Blacksouls agreed with our thoughts. "This brings me to the third point that she sent, and one that I cannot help but bring to your attention, and one that I think needs considering," Blacksouls sighed loudly, and I could not help but think he was playing with us a little with theatrics.
"Well, what is it?" The Cat-kin elder asked clearly impatient, and I felt a similar sentiment.
"Well, it is rotational movement. We send out warriors for a year and bring them back, replacing them one for one, that way they can continue to breed and sire strong children," Blacksouls said, and I pursed my lips. "She is also saying that we can allow breeding at the fortresses we build, lifting a ban on pregnancy at the fronts, and only put the ban back down when we are in active war. But I understand her arguments. We just pissed off a lot of human nations potentially, and we need to keep our guard up."
Silence took control of the room, and I could not help but stand for a moment, getting everyone's attention. "Excuse me, Elder, do you mind if I speak for a moment?" I asked, and Blacksouls nodded and sat down.
"Go ahead, the table is yours," Elder Blacksouls said, and I sighed in relief. It was still astounding how much the Bunny-kin were willing to let us be Elders in the tribe. I had thought I would lose a lot more power than I actually had, and I took a moment to compose my thoughts.
"Right now, our Treasury is bleeding gold, silver, and copper. I am surprised at the rate the gold is flowing, which seems off point. But there are many things since joining the Elders Council of this strong tribe that seem all tied to one woman, Chelsea Loveknot, and I have to ask, can we not get her here to speak on all of these things?" I asked, confused. "The war has been over for several months, and she has all these projects ongoing and barely any Elder oversight. We are building a city in the north!" I announced, and I saw several elders wince, but I was not done. "Can we not at least get more than letters half explaining everything? I am worried that a bad harvest will bankrupt this glorious tribe I just entered!" I finished, and I sat down, and I could see many elders looking almost fearful.
But there was another thing, they were contemplating. Especially the Bunny-kin ones. The New Elders who just joined were more fearful, while the Bunny-kin were looking toward her father.
"Very well," Elder Loveknot said, standing up and looking around the room, "We shall recall Supreme Commander Loveknot to return to the tribe at her earliest possible time. I will not withdraw her from important duties to explain herself, but I will also stress that we will view unnecessary delays with extreme prejudice. Does this alleviate you?"
I was stunned at Elder Loveknot's words, and I nodded. "Thank you," I said, still stunned that I felt that I even had a word of power that could make Elder Loveknot move just from one statement. Maybe this was a true union of tribes?
"Now, time to move onto what implementing these things might mean," Elder Blacksouls stood up to continue the meeting and my mind focused as I listened to his words.
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