Chapter 10

"Kept you waiting, didn't I, 'Fierce Fang'?"

The place where Garam and Shemul met was a small open square in the mountains, a playground where they used to play together when they were young. The scratch marks on the tree trunk at the side of the square, used for measuring their heights, brought back fond memories.

"Shemul, you don't have to be so formal just because we're here."

"That's not possible. The great warrior 'Fierce Fang' Fagur Garguz Garam, who is now also the chieftain, cannot be treated lightly, even if I am your child and a descendant of the Fang Clan."

Garam looked pitifully at Shemul, who said this with a serious face.

"Don't be so harsh, sister..."

"It's a joke, brother."

Finally, Shemul's expression softened.

"So, brother. You didn't bring me here just to deepen our sibling bond, did you? What's going on?"

"Hmm... Before that, about the human child you brought..."

"He is my guest. If he does anything wrong, I will take responsibility."

Before Garam could say anything, Shemul preempted him.

"Hmm... Well, if you're that determined, I have nothing to say..."

"But, what is it?"

"Hmm. The thing is..."

It seemed to be something very difficult to say, as Garam only mumbled and didn't try to speak at all.

"Brother, can you just say it clearly?"

"Alright!"

While saying this, Garam turned his face away.

"Actually, among our people, there are rumors that you brought the human child because... you fell in love with him."

"Huh?"

A strange sound came from Shemul's mouth. Then, in the next moment, she was furious.

"Who's spreading such baseless rumors? Pshuka again?! Or Kragakka?!"

Mentioning the names of the two known gossips in the village, Garam gestured for his sister, who looked ready to punch someone, to calm down.

"Calm down! I've already taken care of them..."

"Really. You didn't believe such rumors, did you, brother?"

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't believe such rumors!"

"I hope so..."

"But, you do have some responsibility, you know?"

Even as he himself was staggering from hunger and fatigue, seeing Shemul take such good care of a human child, whom he should hate, anyone would suspect something.

"When we rescued you from the fortress, your attachment to the human child was abnormal. And, a girl who never had any rumors about her living with a human male in her tent..."

"I already explained! He shared his meager food with me when I was captured! Are you telling me to be ungrateful and not repay the kindness of a rabbit given in hunger?!"

"But, you're a young woman..."

Before Garam could push further, Shemul snapped.

"Enough! I'm ending this conversation! If you have nothing else to say, I'm leaving!"

Faced with his sister's fierce stance, Garam had no choice but to raise the white flag.

Besides, the real topic he wanted to discuss was yet to come. Seeing Garam's serious expression, Shemul also tightened her resolve, sensing that something serious was about to be said.

"Our scout who was sent to the fortress where you were held has returned. He says that a new human army entered the fortress yesterday."

"An army?!"

"Yes. About eight hundred, mostly armed soldiers. They couldn't all fit in the fortress, so they are camping around it."

"Eight hundred soldiers?!"

In this area, the only ones opposing the humans in that fortress are us, the Zoan. The new soldiers are almost certainly sent to exterminate us.

"I expected them to try to hunt us down, but I underestimated their seriousness."

"How many of our people can fight now?"

"Less than fifty."

This was also Garam's fault.

When the village was burned, we lost the food we had stored for the winter. As winter deepens, it will become even harder to obtain food. If this continues, within a month, we will have eaten everything edible around our hideout, and all that will be left is to wait for the entire clan to die of hunger or cold.

Judging this, Garam divided the young people of the clan into several groups and sent them to find places to survive the winter.

Those who were thought to be unable to endure the long journey, such as the elderly, children, and families with them, were left behind to survive on the food available around the current hideout. To make up for the shortfall, the minimum number of warriors needed to protect the hideout were sent to gather food. They planned to survive until spring by bringing back food in turns.

However, Garam never expected that the humans would send such a large army into the harsh winter mountains of the Zoan. He regretted misjudging their determination to eradicate the Zoan, but it was too late.

It would be impossible to gather the people now. They are scattered over a wide area to avoid overlapping food-gathering areas.

"Are we going to face an army of eight hundred humans with just fifty of our people?"

When spoken aloud, the hopelessness of the situation became even more apparent, and Shemul looked up at the sky.

"Brother, can't we run?"

"Where to?"

"Anywhere. It's fine if we, the warriors, die. But at least the elderly and children..."

"We can't run without food."

The people left in the village were those judged unable to endure a long journey.

Even if they tried to run, how far could the elderly and children get? A winter mountain escape without sufficient food would be suicidal.

"At least, can't we ask other clans to take in the elderly and children?"

Even as she said this, Shemul knew it was unlikely. Every clan is being pursued by humans and is struggling to take care of their own. There is no room to accept others.

"I'll try with the Claw Clan and the Mane Clan, but don't expect much."

Thinking of how the once powerful Fang Clan, one of the twelve Zoan clans, has come to this, Shemul felt ashamed before her ancestors. Not only could they not reclaim their lost ancestral lands, but the fate of the clan was now hanging by a thread.

"Here, I have a favor to ask of you."

"What is it, brother?"

"I want you to be the envoy to the Claw Clan."

"Brother!!"

Shemul was enraged. She understood his intention. He was sending her away under the pretense of being an envoy. Shemul, as the child of the great beast god, would be welcomed with open arms by any clan.

"I refuse! I will stay and fight with everyone!"

"No. This is an order as chieftain!"

"I refuse! I am the child of the great beast god! No chieftain can force me to obey!"

Faced with Shemul's stubborn refusal, Garam looked utterly frustrated.

"Please, listen to me, Shemul. I'm not saying this out of sibling affection alone. You are the child of the great beast god. When the Zoan people rise up, the only one who can unite different clans and lead them is you."

"To abandon my own clan and run away to be a leader? Don't make me laugh. If I must be a leader, my death will be enough! The child of the great beast god will fight without fear against eight hundred human soldiers alongside fifty of our people, and die gloriously. Hearing this, other clans will be inspired!"

Garam gave up on persuading her. Since childhood, once Shemul made up her mind, she never backed down.

"Then, I have nothing more to say. You are the proud 'Noble Fang' above all others."

"Sorry for being stubborn, brother."

"If you fight, I will use you without mercy, 'Noble Fang'."

"That's what I want, 'Fierce Fang'."

Exchanging defiant smiles, Garam turned and walked away.

"The humans have just entered the fortress. They won't move for a few days."

Even if the humans attack the mountains, they will first rest their soldiers and recover from fatigue.

"But, we don't have much time. Tonight, I will gather the clan members to discuss our next steps. You should come too."

◆◇◆◇◆

"We will retake the village immediately!"

This was shouted by a young and bloodthirsty Zoan.

In the largest tent of the hideout, which served as the chieftain's tent. The tent was enormous, not just for the chieftain's living space but also for clan meetings and rituals, more like a large dome.

Inside the dome, the largest room was divided into several smaller rooms by cloth, and the main members of the clan gathered around a large bonfire.

"There are the remains of our clan members still left there! We can't leave them there for even a day! We will retake the village, mourn them, and welcome the soldiers in the fortress with their souls!"

Many of the clan members agreed with the young Zoan. They were all young Zoan, who, despite not being allowed to participate in such meetings, were now present due to the loss of many adult warriors.

"Gajeta, it's good to retake the village. But, how will you do it?"

An older Zoan, a seasoned warrior with a well-built body and worn weapons, asked.

"By this blood, flesh, and blade!"

The young Zoan, Gajeta, raised his clenched fist, and many of the young Zoan cheered. However, the older, more experienced warriors remained skeptical.

"If it were that easy, we wouldn't be struggling."

"They have built strong fences around the village and are hiding like turtles. Every time we attack, they don't come out but rain arrows on us."

The older Zoan pressed the blood-soaked bandage on his shoulder. All the adult warriors present had various injuries.

But Gajeta, thinking they were cowards, sneered.

"A true Zoan warrior fears no human arrows! We can cut them down with our blades! We can crush the fences! We will drag out every human hiding in their wooden houses and give them the punishment they deserve for invading our land! We will send them back to the swamp of hell's excrement!"

The young Zoan cheered.

Conversely, some of the older warriors gritted their teeth.

"Chieftain 'Fierce Fang' Fagur Garguz Garam, what are your thoughts?"

An elder, thinking that only the chieftain's authority could control the young, directed the question to Garam. All the Zoan present turned their attention to him.

Garam, who had been listening to the debate with his eyes closed and arms crossed, slowly opened his eyes.

As the strongest and bravest warrior in the village, Garam, who always led the charge in battles against humans and bore the name 'Fierce Fang,' had previously shown a stance close to Gajeta. Therefore, the young Zoan, centered around Gajeta, waited eagerly for Garam's words.

"...We wait for now."

However, the words that came from Garam were not what they expected. Gajeta stood up from the disappointed young Zoan.

"Chieftain 'Fierce Fang,' what are we waiting for?!"

"For the return of the envoys sent to the Claw Clan and the Mane Clan."

Gajeta was enraged.

"Garam! Have you abandoned the pride of the Fang Clan? Asking for help from other clans is what cowards do!"

Even though he was once close to the young, Garam was now the chieftain. The adult warriors were furious at Gajeta for addressing Garam so casually.

"Gajeta! Are you trying to disrespect the chieftain?!"

"Young whelp, don't get too cocky!"

Gajeta's followers rebelled, and the Zoan in the room were split into two, glaring at each other. The atmosphere was tense, with bared teeth and threats.

Suddenly, a powerful roar echoed.

The roar, as if a lightning bolt had struck, stunned all the Zoan present.

The sturdy frame of the dome, built to withstand strong northern winds, trembled from the aftereffects of the roar, which came from Garam.

"Fellow Zoan! Is your enemy the humans? Or the Zoan? If anyone wants to draw their blade against a fellow Zoan, I, 'Fierce Fang' Fagur Garguz Garam, will face them all!"

At Garam's roar, the Zoan who were glaring at each other lowered their weapons and sat down. However, everyone felt the deep rift between the young and the old.

Garam spoke as if to counsel them.

"Gajeta, the envoys sent to the Claw Clan and the Mane Clan are not for reinforcements but to ask them to take in the elderly and children who cannot fight."

"But, Chieftain 'Fierce Fang.' No matter the response, we will retake the village. Why wait for the envoys to attack the humans? It seems to me that you are waiting for other clans to send reinforcements out of pity after hearing our plight!"

Gajeta, though not addressing Garam casually this time, still harbored clear dissatisfaction.

"If I were certain we could retake the village, I would raise the battle cry and lead the charge without hesitation. But, if we fail, and lose more warriors, we won't be able to protect the elderly and children."

"Hah! Thinking about losing before the battle even starts, the name 'Fierce Fang' weeps. Are you a coward?!"

The adult warriors, who had been holding back out of respect for Garam, were about to rise again, but Garam held them back with his arm.

"Yes, I have become a coward."

Garam's honest words surprised not only Gajeta but also the adult Zoan.

"Until recently, I could just charge at the humans without thinking. I just had to swing my sword.

But now, I am the chieftain. The lives of the entire clan depend on my judgment. What is there to fear if not this?"

Garam's words were met with a silence so deep it felt like the room was filled with water.

An elder, seeing the right moment, clapped his hands.

"Everyone, I think it's best to follow the chieftain's will. What do you think?"

This time, no one objected.

2014/6/15 Typo corrections