Neve managed to drag his feet to the village center.
It was a stressful walk, each step bringing a dull ache through his lower stomach. The pain was making everything harder. But he forced himself to keep moving. He knew he was going to have to deal with pain like this repeatedly if he was truly pregnant. He could not afford to be lazy about it now.
He got there and immediately felt the weight of dozens of eyes on him.
The tribe was split into two distinct groups. The tiger tribe on one side. The leopard tribe on the other. And everyone from both tribes was staring at him like they wanted to drill holes through his body with their eyes alone.
It was hostile. It was thick with resentment.
Neve understood why. He had not just stolen their chief. He had also taken Popi, one of the strongest members of the tiger tribe. He had taken away their resources and their status. From their perspective, Neve was the enemy.
