Chapter Ninety: Migration
Old Rock was dead, and the news at once stirred up a tremendous uproar throughout the Skybird Tribe.
In truth, Old Rock was a well-known figure in the tribe. Though his strength was not outstanding and he ranked only in the middle among fourth-rank warriors, he was advanced in years and exceptionally rich in hunting experience. More often than not, he returned with a full haul, and he was always fond of giving away whatever exceeded his own share to other tribesmen. Added to that was his love of instructing the younger generation. It could be said that there were very few in the entire tribe who had not received some kindness from him. Thus, when the news spread and every sign pointed toward the Descender, the whole tribe boiled over, and every warrior was filled with righteous fury.
The old chieftain stood in silence before Old Rock’s corpse for a long while before asking, “Kenneth, what do you think?”
Kenneth glanced at Samira, who was already sobbing beyond speech at his side. He hesitated, just about to speak, when an elder suddenly cut in.
“This must have been done by that Descender. Chieftain, this place is already too dangerous for us now. Withdrawal is the Skybird Tribe’s only way out. Stop hesitating!”
“Be quiet! Old Rock has only just died, and already you are clamoring to flee. Hmph! Is Old Rock to have died for nothing? We must find that Descender and kill him to avenge Old Rock!”
“That’s right, revenge!”
“He’s only a fourth-rank wretch. We have to kill him!”
“We cannot let that Descender go!”
As he watched the crowd seethe with indignation, another elder spoke up. “Everyone, calm yourselves and hear me out.”
When the clamor gradually subsided, the elder felt deeply satisfied. “You have all read the tribal histories. Descenders possess all manner of strange and uncanny means. They must never be judged by our ordinary standards. Avenging Old Rock is important, certainly—but are you truly willing to stake the entire Skybird Tribe on it?”
The impassioned crowd fell silent for a time.
Yes—among small tribes struggling to survive in this world, death was an everyday thing. Were they really to gamble the whole tribe on this? To wager that the foreign Descender had no still stranger methods at his disposal?
A trace of sorrow flickered through the old chieftain’s eyes. He turned and slowly walked toward the stone house. Just before entering, he stopped and said, “Kenneth, strengthen the night watch. Also, inform everyone in the tribe: tomorrow we will hold a full tribal vote on whether we should... relocate as a whole tribe.”
Kenneth’s body jolted. Many of the warriors erupted in shock. Only the two elders standing amid the crowd allowed the faintest smile to touch their lips.
Once inside the room, the old chieftain could no longer hold back his expression. Covering his face with one hand, he murmured, “Farewell, old friend...”
The next morning, every member of the Skybird Tribe gathered in the open ground at the center of the settlement. After a night for the matter to ferment, the people had gone from their initial righteous anger to outright unease and panic. The two elders who had been bent on moving the tribe had played no small part in this, spreading far and wide tales of the foreign Descender’s savagery and eerie powers.
When the old chieftain arrived and saw the state of the crowd, disappointment once again showed on his face. So much so that during the discussions and the vote that followed, he spoke very little.
Only after opinions had more or less reached a consensus did one tribesman ask, “Then where exactly are we to move? If we leave this place, where are we supposed to live?”
The two elders who advocated withdrawal had long prepared for this question. One of them smiled and said, “The Fire Leopard Tribe is a great tribe renowned throughout the region. In fact, they sent people to our tribe long ago, hoping that we might relocate to their side, so that together we could resist the dangers of this world.”
“What? The Fire Leopard Tribe wants to absorb us? No, I absolutely refuse!”
“That’s impossible! Our Skybird Tribe will never accept such a thing!”
“If it comes to being swallowed up, we might as well fight that Descender to the death!”
The two elders were not surprised by the vehemence of the reaction. After the uproar gradually quieted, the other one said, “I understand your concerns. But this time, the Fire Leopard Tribe does not intend to annex us. They have united all the small and medium tribes near the Crystal Cluster Forest. Their hope is to join together, share what each has, and by gathering in one place, better withstand danger. They have promised that they will never force us to abandon the name of the Skybird Tribe. So long as we obey their command, they will grant us protection.”
After speaking, he glanced at the old chieftain and added, “The chieftain knows all this as well.”
A murmur rose among the people. If all they had to do was follow orders in exchange for protection, then perhaps it was not wholly unacceptable. Survival had never been easy for a small tribe. So long as the tribe’s name did not perish, everything else could be discussed.
The two elders exchanged glances, and in each other’s eyes they saw a trace of satisfaction.
By now, the direction of the discussion had entirely shifted. With the constant prompting of the two elders’ confidants, relocating to the Fire Leopard Tribe soon became a foregone conclusion.