My name is Walter, and at my age, I've learned that wisdom isn't about having all the answers—it's about knowing which questions to ask.
The morning sun cast long shadows across the settlement as I made my way through the residential area, checking on how our community was taking shape.
My cultivation had done wonders for the aches that once plagued these old bones, but more importantly, it had given me the energy to do what I wanted to: guide others towards better decisions.
Near the construction site where Thomas's crew was expanding the housing, I spotted Kai arguing with two older workers about lumber selection.
The young man—barely twenty, with the kind of earnest intensity that reminded me of myself decades ago—was gesturing at a pile of timber that had been marked for the roof frame.
"These planks are too thin for the roof frame," Kai was saying. "If we use them as planned, they won't support the weight properly and could fail when we add the roofing."
One of the workers, a man named Harold who'd arrived just two weeks ago, scoffed. "Kid thinks he knows better."
"Experience matters," Kai replied, his tone respectful but unwavering, "but so does understanding the materials and the load requirements. These pieces need to be at least twice as thick to handle the weight of tiles and weather loads."
I watched Harold's face redden as the younger worker, Peterson, examined the timber more closely. "Actually," Peterson said slowly, "the kid might be onto something. This does look quite a bit thinner."
The exchange continued for several more minutes, with Kai patiently explaining his views while never dismissing the older men's experience.
That's exactly what I'd been looking for.
"Kai," I called out as the workers dispersed. "A word?"
He approached with the slightly wary expression most young people wore when summoned by their elders. "Yes, sir?"
"Interesting discussion you had there," I said, tapping my cane against the ground. "What's your name mean, son?"
"Kai? It means ocean," he replied, looking puzzled.
"Oceans have depth," I said slowly. "Surface currents that everyone can see, but also deep currents that affect everything above them. You see those deeper currents, don't you?"
"I... I try to think about how things connect. How one decision affects others down the line." He replied.
"That's a rare quality, and a valuable one." I gestured towards the plaza with my cane. "Walk with me, Kai. I'd like to discuss some things with you."
---
The morning teaching session with the settlement's children took place in the central plaza, where Janet had set up a makeshift classroom using logs and wooden boards.
15 children ranging from 8 to 16 sat in a rough circle, their attention varying wildly depending on the subject matter.
"Leadership," I began, settling onto my usual log with Kai standing nearby, "isn't about being the smartest, or the strongest, or even the most popular. Can anyone tell me what it is about?"
Isaac, Maria's 12-year-old, raised his hand eagerly. "Making good decisions?"
"Close, anyone else?"
A shy girl named Rebecca spoke up. "Helping people work together?"
"Closer." I tapped my cane approvingly. "Leadership is about helping others be their best selves. A good leader makes everyone around them more efficient."
Kai shifted slightly, and I caught his questioning look. This wasn't coincidental—these lessons were as much for him as for the children.
"But what if people don't listen?" asked Blake. "What if they think they know better?"
"Then you ask yourself two questions," I replied. "First: do they actually know better? Sometimes the answer is yes, a wise leader learns from others. Second: if they don't know better, how can you help them understand without making them feel stupid or ignored?"
I glanced at Kai, who was nodding thoughtfully. "Kai, you had an interesting conversation with some workers this morning. How did you handle it when they disagreed with you?"
He looked surprised to be called upon, but answered readily. "I tried to explain my reasoning without saying they were wrong. And I acknowledged their experience while explaining myself."
"And the result?"
"They listened, and we found a better solution together."
"Exactly." I turned back to the children. "Leadership isn't about winning arguments. It's about finding the best path forward for everyone."
The session ended some time later and the children dispersed to their next activities, Kai lingered behind.
"You're teaching them to think for themselves," he observed.
"What else would I teach them?"
"Some leaders prefer followers who don't question them."
I studied his face carefully. "What kind of leader do you think you'd want to be, Kai?"
He was quiet for a long moment. "The kind who makes good decisions even when they're difficult and who admits when he's wrong and learns from it."
"Good answer, come with me, we've got more people to see."
---
The agricultural areas lay spread across the eastern section of the settlement. I found Lily near the rabbit pens, watching a group of workers construct new housing for their growing population of the creatures.
"Walter," she greeted me with a smile that didn't quite hide her underlying tension. "Perfect timing. I wanted to talk to someone about our expansion plans."
"What kind of expansion?"
She gestured towards the cleared ground beyond the current farming area. "We could double our crop production if we extend the fields and I've been thinking about the bison, we could use them like horses or oxen for pulling carts and plows..."
"Tell me about the current state of our food production first," I said, settling onto a convenient boulder.
"We're producing more than we can consume," she admitted. "The combination of expanded farming, successful hunting, and now the meat farm means we are building up a surplus."
"And you want to expand further because...?"
Lily paused, clearly thinking through her reasoning. "Because our population is growing, and it feels like we should be doing more while we have the opportunity."
I nodded slowly. "Sounds reasonable, but let me ask you this—what happens if you expand too quickly?"
"What do you mean?"
"You've got limited workers for agricultural tasks. If you double the area, can you maintain the same quality of care for all of it? What happens if a crop disease hits the expanded fields? What about the resources needed for expansion—timber, tools, labour—could those be used elsewhere just as effectively?"
Her expression grew thoughtful. "I hadn't considered all of that."
"The idea with bison on the other hand would free up labour and could speed up production, you should definitely look into it."
Lily was quiet for several minutes, her gaze moving across the thriving agricultural areas. "So you think I shouldn't expand the crops?"
"I think you should ask yourself whether expansion serves the settlement's needs, or whether it's expansion for its own sake. You've achieved abundance already, there's no need to over extend yourself for no real gain."
Understanding dawned in her expression.
"Remember, sometimes doing nothing is the most productive thing you can do."
---
The afternoon brought a steady stream of visitors to my quarters, people seeking advice on matters both large and small.
This had become a daily pattern—the settlement's informal counselling sessions that helped keep minor problems from becoming major conflicts.
Janet brought me a problem involving two families who'd arrived in the same group but were now barely speaking to each other.
"It started with tool sharing," she explained. "The Hendersons borrowed some equipment from the Pratts and returned it damaged. Now both families are spreading stories about the other, and it's affecting other people too."
"What kind of stories?"
"The Hendersons say the Pratts are selfish and don't understand community cooperation. The Pratts say the Hendersons are careless and irresponsible. Both sides are trying to get other families to choose sides."
"Have you talked to both families directly?"
"I tried, but they're both convinced they're completely in the right. Each one wants me to make the other apologise."
I thought carefully about my response. "Arrange a meeting with both families together. Don't focus on who's right or wrong. Instead, ask them what kind of community they want their children to grow up in. Then ask them whether this conflict is helping achieve that vision."
"You think that will work?"
"It might. Sometimes people need to step back from the immediate problem and remember what's actually important to them."
After Janet left, I sat quietly for several minutes, thinking about the pattern I was beginning to recognise. This was the third conflict this week where a minor disagreement had escalated.
That wasn't normal—people generally wanted to get along, especially when their survival depended on cooperation.
Someone was stirring the pot, and I had growing suspicions about who.
---
The second day dawned clear and bright, perfect weather for what promised to be an eventful day. I was having breakfast when the lookouts spotted an approaching convoy.
"Large group coming from the east," I overheard the runner reporting. "Maybe 30 or 40 people with wagons and pack animals."
Large trading groups were rare, and their timing felt significant given everything else happening in the region.
"Get Walter, Lily, and Victor, have him bring his team. Someone else go inform AJ and the others at the Meat Farm but let them continue their work." Maria announced.
A short time later, our group stood at the settlement's eastern approach, watching an impressive convoy make its way across the grassland towards us.
The wagons were pulled by Stoneback Draught Beasts. As they drew closer, I recognised the banners and wagon configurations. "River Pact," I murmured to Maria. "We interacted with them briefly a few months ago."
"Are they friendly?" Kai asked.
"They were professional," Victor replied. "Focused on trade and information. But that was a smaller group, and the circumstances were different."
The convoy came to a halt about 50 metres from the palisade. A woman with an intricately braided beard dismounted from the lead wagon and approached with two companions.
"Greetings," she called out in a clear voice. "I'm Captain Thessa of the River Pact. We're seeking trade opportunities and temporary shelter."
Maria stepped forwards. "I'm Maria, you can consider me to be the leader of this settlement. You're welcome to trade, but temporary shelter for a group your size requires discussion."
"Of course. We understand the challenges of accommodating unexpected guests."
As the formal greetings continued, I found myself studying the convoy more carefully. 38 people by my count, with 12 wagons and twice as many pack animals. The wagons were well-maintained and looked to be heavily loaded.
But it was the peoples body language that concerned me. These weren't people on a routine trading mission. They almost seemed like refugees, constantly checking their surroundings and staying close to their weapons.
"Captain Thessa," I called out, stepping beside Maria. "What brings such a large River Pact group so far from your usual routes?"
Her expression tightened slightly. "Changing conditions have made some of our traditional territories... less hospitable."
"What kind of changing conditions?"
"The Obsidian Sect has been expanding their territorial claims. They've established checkpoints on several trade routes and are demanding tribute for passage."
Victor's hand drifted unconsciously towards his weapon. "What kind of tribute?"
"Information about settlements, resources, and defensive capabilities. Plus a percentage of all valuable goods." Thessa's voice hardened. "They're also recruiting aggressively, making offers that are difficult to refuse."
"And if you do refuse?" Maria asked.
"Let's just say they're very persuasive about the benefits of cooperation."
"How many settlements have joined them?" I asked.
"At least 4 that we know of. Possibly more." Thessa glanced back at her convoy. "We've been displaced from 3 different areas so far."
Kai spoke up quietly. "What exactly are you proposing?"
Thessa looked surprised that someone so young was included in the discussion, but answered seriously. "Formal trade partnership. We provide access to goods and information from across the region. You provide a secure base for our operations and perhaps recruitment opportunities for those interested in the trading life."
"How many people would be staying permanently?" Maria asked.
"Initially, perhaps 20. The others would continue travelling but use this as a regular stop."
I caught Maria's eye and saw my own concerns reflected there. 20 permanent additions to our population represented nearly a 10% percent increase. That kind of sudden growth could strain resources and disrupt social dynamics.
"We'll need time to discuss this among ourselves," Maria said. "In the meantime, you're welcome to trade and camp near the settlement."
"Understood."
As the River Pact convoy began setting up their temporary camp, we withdrew to Maria's quarters for private discussion.
"First impressions?" Maria asked once we were seated around her table.
"They're clearly running from the sect," Victor said immediately.
"The Obsidian Sect's expansion is more aggressive than I thought," I added.
"What's the risk if we say yes?" Kai asked.
I was pleased he was asking the right questions. "Several risks. First, we don't know these people well enough to trust them completely. 20 new residents could include troublemakers or spies. Second, association with the River Pact might make us a target for the Obsidian Sect."
"What about the benefits?" Lily asked.
"Access to some amount of intel, goods we can't produce ourselves, experienced people with valuable skills," Maria replied. "Plus potential allies if we face external threats."
So what do we do? This was the question on everyone's mind.