Primitive Man

Chapter 165: Seaside village

"Patriarch sent us news telling us that we might have to increase our food production this year. It looks like there is a disease spreading across the farms, and the food situation is not looking good," the sailors muttered as they unloaded a load of fish back at the harbour. For some reason, they all looked scared as they witnessed something they couldn't even believe.

"But... should we really let him know about what we saw just now during these hard times? Should we discuss this with our leader?" another sailor questioned, his hands still shaking.

"Ugh~ I don't know but I think we should. What if that attacks another ship? It took us two years to build these ships so it would be depressing if that thing broke our ships,"

"I get it! I would just simply jump into the sea if that happens, but-" The man who was smiling paused for a moment and then asked a serious question. "Did you see that creature?"

"No! I only saw the top part, but If we stayed there that thing would have killed us,"

While the sailors were talking with each other, the leader appointed by Garnt, a rugged man with a stern countenance named Captain Magi, made his way to the bustling harbour. Magi was a sailor himself, so he was rather knowledgeable about the sea.

The sailors, still unnerved by what they had witnessed, gathered around him, their expressions a mix of anxiety and fear.

The sailors exchanged hesitant glances before recounting their encounter with the mysterious creature at sea. As they described the terrifying sight, Magi listened attentively, his expression shifting from skepticism to concern.

"Captain, do you think we should inform Patriarch about this? It might pose a threat to the village," one sailor asked, his eyes wide.

Magi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "No, he has enough on his plate dealing with the food crisis. We don't need to burden him with every little thing. I'll handle it. We'll take the necessary actions to ensure the safety of our ships and the village. What could possibly go wrong? This might be a big fish that will feed our whole village."

Satisfied with Magi's response, the sailors nodded, albeit still uneasy. As Magi left the harbour, he couldn't help but marvel at the progress the seaside village had made under Garnt's leadership. Fishing boats lined the docks, and the once modest village now bore signs of prosperity.

"These buildings! They were built so they could withstand the wind of the sea. I'm glad we were able to build all these things within a few years," As he strolled through the village, Magi couldn't help but express his satisfaction. "Garnt has done wonders here. The village has flourished under his guidance."

Magi, lost in thought, didn't notice the change in weather until a sudden chill ran down his spine. He sneezed, the coldness of the impending winter settling in.

"Ah, winter is near," he mused to himself, "but I'm confident Garnt will steer us through. We must focus on fortifying our defences and weathering the storm ahead."

With that, Captain Magi continued his rounds, a man determined to secure the village's future without knowing what kind of danger he would have to face in the near future, but for now, he was just admiring the seaside village showing his love for the sea.

***

Days turned into weeks, and the village slowly regained its composure after the relentless locust onslaught. The air, once filled with the sounds of battle, now carried a quieter tension as the villagers assessed the damage and worked towards recovery.

Garnt, standing in the midst of the partially scorched fields, spoke to the gathered villagers. "We've weathered the storm, but the aftermath is a bitter reminder of our vulnerability. The locusts are decreasing, thanks to our efforts, but the toll on our crops is undeniable."

Eva, the resourceful thinker, stepped forward to help everyone because she knew without her help things would be much worse for Garnt and his village.

[We can continue using nets and insecticides to prevent further damage. It worked during the onslaught; it can work now to protect the remaining crops. Also, our natural sprays are working fine, but it would be good if we could extract needed chemicals to make real insect repellents.]

Garnt nodded in agreement. "Good thinking, Eva. We need to safeguard what's left. Every stalk and leaf is vital."

Gundo, the one who provided the crucial firewood, voiced his concern. "What about the food problem, Garnt? The locusts might be dwindling, but our crops took a heavy hit. Winter is coming, and we can't afford to face it with empty stomachs."

Garnt, looking around at the worried faces, reassured them. "We won't let anyone starve. We'll have to rely on other means. Our hunters need to increase their efforts. Gather more game from the forests before the snow blankets everything."

As the village mobilized, Garnt continued, "Winter is almost upon us. The coldness is already creeping in. We must prepare for the hardships ahead. Work together, and we'll overcome this."

The following weeks saw the villagers adapting to their new reality. The locusts, though still present, were no longer the overwhelming force they once were. The fields, though scarred, showed signs of recovery, but he knew none of them would recover before the winter.

In a gathering around a communal fire, Garnt addressed the village. "Thanks to everyone's hard work, we're seeing progress. The locust numbers are decreasing, and our efforts are paying off. But we must remain vigilant. Winter is here, and the challenges persist."

Then with a smile he also announced that, their would be a huge carriage of fish coming toward their village from the seaside village. "I heard they have been lucky with their yield this time. It's almost like a blessing to us. We might lack vegetables, but we won't starve, so none of you have to worry."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they heard that Garnt had everything under control until they saw an injured person riding toward their village on a horse, equally wounded. Garnt stepped forward, his brow furrowed as he recognized the rider.

"What is a person that is in charge of food transporting doing here?" He asked obvious feeling rather bad about this whole situation.

The injured man dismounted, his voice strained as he delivered the grim news, "Patriarch, the fish carriage… it was attacked. We were ambushed near the river, outnumbered and outmatched. they stole our food and killed our people."

Gasps and whispers spread through the crowd, and Garnt's eyes narrowed with concern. "Attacked? But who would target a food convoy in times like these?" he questioned, looking around at the anxious faces knowing this wasn't looking good for them.

The wounded man hesitated before responding, "They were from Baktou's village. I saw them, Garnt. They took our food, and left us wounded. It was a deliberate act. They shouted how we were inferior to them. It almost looked like they wanted us to know that they knew what we were doing."

The shock rippled through the villagers, and Unami, standing next to Garnt, clenched her fists in anger. "Baktou! That traitor!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with betrayal. "He's trying to starve our people because he's too much of a coward to face us directly. He is not my brother, that animal!"

Garnt's face darkened as he absorbed the revelation. "Baktou... he's gone too far this time. Attacking our only source of food in such dire times! Until now he only tried to attack me but now he went too far." He turned to the wounded messenger, his eyes piercing. "Tell us everything. How did this happen? How did they know about the fish carriage?"

The messenger, wincing from pain, recounted the ambush and theft, emphasizing the uncanny resemblance of the attackers to Baktou's people. Unami's anger intensified, and she stomped on the ground. "We let him live, and he repays us with betrayal. We can't let him get away with this!"

Ayra, Rona, and Gundo were all unsure of the right move. Should they encourage war? Should they advise Garnt to take it easy? They were confused, much like most of the people in the village, as the last thing they wanted was to starve.

Garnt, gritting his teeth, addressed the villagers, "We won't let hunger creep into our homes. We've faced locusts, and now we'll face betrayal. Winter won't claim us."

He put on a brave face and made those promises to his villagers, but he obviously knew this was the biggest crisis in their village within these five years after the dinosaur attacked them.

"What are you doing? What do you want, Baktou? Damn it, should I really kill you?" Garnt questioned himself, and Eva answered his question without leaving him to make a wrong decision that he would regret later in his life.

[Garnt, he is not important now. There are many dark spots in this attack. How did they know we were shipping fish? Does that mean they were spying on us? If so, how did they know that the locusts would attack us? There are so many things that we need to think about, but I think the priority is making sure your people won't starve, so let's quickly get into it.]

She muttered and finally added the words that Garnt wanted to hear after his first heartbreak.

[Garnt, no matter what, I won't betray you. I will always be by your side as your one and only system. You and I have a bond that cannot be broken by anything now.]