"My people, I stand before you today as a declaration to something great, something better than what we have now. You all have seen what I can do given the small leadership I now have, now imagine what it would be like if I had full leadership. Imagine the life I can create for you all" Ostia said out loud as everyone listened closely to him, occasionally nodding their heads to show their agreement.
Meanwhile Omadi was still in his position listening as his face changed, angry at first but the more Osita talked the more defeated he looked.
Suddenly he saw everyone looking at him as Osita walked towards him, tapping his shoulder before turning to look at everyone, " Our beloved leader had an announcement for you everyone"
Omadi heard the words as his old aged hand clenched but he put on a smile, looking at Osita behind him. "You all have heard Osita and seen how capable of a leader he could be, I have gotten old so it’s time I hand over the position to someone know who is capable and lead our people for the better"
Omadi said as he took Osita’s hand to show him handing over the power. Osita with a bright smile on his face brought down his posture to Omadi ear as he said "very well done elder"
Omadi smiled as he turned around walking back into his tent. Meanwhile a sharp look flashed in the eyes of Osita as he looked at the elder retreating back as he thought to himself "Now I have my soldiers"
After Osita was handed the power, the village took a huge turn, men whether they are of age or not are recruited by Osita who took on the job of handing them the new weapons and training them on its usage.
The women for some reason had it better, Omadi noticed that while Osita looked at everyone with a hidden disdain, the same can’t be said for his wife.
So Omadi attributed the women’s better treatment to Osita’s wife interfering or something similar. This still doesn’t mean that the women were treated better as they became something of a motivation to Osita men who promise them a woman if they do and behave well.
One month after Osita became the village head, he led his now partially trained men out to take over other villages, which went well but as they easily won, adding more people to their settlements.
But that was just the beginning as Osita continued taking over villages, soon this led a lot of other tribes to come together to fight back and hold on to their own territory and land.
Meanwhile while this was happening, Osita became a rare sight to be seen until he no longer appeared out in the open but Omadi still noticed this was happening.
The men who were used for war now looked malnourished, thin, dry and weak but nothing changed as more men were being added, forsaking the already weak ones.
But lately, Osita men have been halted in the progress by the allied tribe, which Omadi was involved in as he relayed messages to the allied tribe so they are ready whenever Osita men are moving towards them or want to take action.
Back to the current time, Omadi stood up as he walked out of the tent to look towards where a huge building was built, which was now Osita home.
"I wonder what you are planning but whatever it is, I don’t want to be here when you are ready to execute it" Omadi thought to himself.
Somewhere near the human settlement in the trees, four apelings dressed uniquely with light green fur can be seen comfortably lying in the trees as they took turns looking at the settlement for any changes.
These four apelings were members of the zephyr clan who had been sent out as scouts, there were a lot of them so they were divided. These four apelings got the settlement Osita was in charge of.
What the apelings found the most weird was how till now they haven’t laid eyes on the head of this settlement yet they can clearly see that someone was in charge and from the village development this person was very capable.
Housing structures can be seen slowly taking place in the village, if one thing the apelings noticed was there were too many humans so that means too many mouths to feed and this settlement was facing that.
At first it wasn’t a problem as the apelings saw how the village was taking over other tribes taking everything but since they have been facing resistance from the allied tribe, their food source is now cut off so everyone looked weak and hungry.
The four apelings perched high in the trees exchanged whispers amongst themselves, their keen eyes scanning the settlement below.
"I don’t like the looks of this," murmured Tula, the eldest of the group, her fur ruffling with concern. "There’s something off about this settlement. Too many humans, not enough food. and yet their leader still remains hidden"
"I agree," chimed in Kobi, the youngest, his voice barely a whisper. "It’s strange that we haven’t spotted their leader yet. Whoever’s in charge must be keeping a low profile, makes me think that they know they are being watched."
"But they’re still expanding," observed Nala, her amber eyes narrowed as she watched the construction in the village. "Even without a visible leader, they seem to have a clear way forward. We should add this to our upcoming report"
Before they could make any further plans, a rustling in the bushes below caught their attention. Instantly, the apelings fell silent, their ears perked for any sign of danger.
Out from the underbrush emerged a group of human night guards, their faces drawn and weary. They glanced nervously around before settling under a nearby tree, unaware of the watching apelings above.
"Do you think they’ve spotted us?" whispered Tula, her heart pounding in her chest.
Kobi shook his head. "I don’t think so. They look too preoccupied with their own troubles."
Nala narrowed her eyes, studying the scouts intently. "We should listen in, see if we can gather any information."
The four apelings listened intently as the human guards exchanged hushed words.
"It’s getting worse," one of them muttered, his voice tinged with desperation. "We can’t keep going . We need to find a way out."
Another scout nodded grimly. "I heard rumors that some of the men are planning to desert. They can’t take much more of this."
One guard spoke up, "Why are you all so eager to leave, just a few days of hunger already have you all quitting. Osita the great leader is clearing bringing a new change in our lives, did you see the houses being built and new clothes made by the women, who else can offer something like that to us except him"
The other guard looked at him with anger in their face, "All that means nothing if we are dead, look at the weapons handed to us to fight. The more we use it the weaker we get, i bet we all have a few more use before we become weak and then tossed aside like the others before us"
"Can’t you think or are you just stupid, If we add another group of humans to the ones we have now. there will barely be water for us to drink so yes we all have had enough" One of the guards angrily stood up pointing at the guard defending Osita.
"Lets head back, there is nothing here" One guard stood up as they all sourlily walked back to the bush they came from.
Kobi spoke up this time, "Are this weak humans we are supposed to keep an eye on"
"The elder agreed we do this so they must have their reason, besides if the leader of this settlement is as good as we think. Then something is bound to happen sooner or later, now all we can do is stay and pay close attention to any changes’’ Tula calmly said.
Kobi’s eyes gleamed with mischief. "I have an idea. What if we create some disturbances in the village? Nothing too serious, just enough to keep them to push their already disturbed nerve, hahaha"
Nala knocked Kobi head who was now holding it in pain, "Idiot, we have been clearly ordered to only watch not interfere, but I still kinda like the idea of messing with them"
Tula not minding the two mischievous apelings turned her attention back to the village, "What is going to happen next"
The month went by as nothing had changed. The humans were still starving yet Osita men were still making a move on the other tribes which hasn’t been going well as The other tribes are always prepared for them whenever they make a move.
The apelings scouts who all have been sent out, always have to gather at the end of the month where they all share information before one zephyr member is sent back to the kingdom to relay the gathered information.