"Now that we are all gathered, all those in support of proceeding with the plan, raise your raise?" The Village Chief's voice resonated in the gathering, where key figures from the village had convened. Seated beside the Village Chieftess, he scanned the faces of those assembled. One by one, hands were raised in a show of support for the proposed plan.
Acknowledging their unified stance, the Village Chief lowered his hand, a silent cue for the others to do the same. "And now, those in favour of exploring alternative options, instead of proceeding as planned?" he asked, opening the floor for discussion.
Seeing that no one raised their hands, the Village Chief nodded in approval, a satisfied gleam in his eyes. He announced, "With everyone in agreement, now we can proceed. Each of you must make sure that your part in the plan is executed faultlessly, as we aim to resolve this issue within the next three to four days."
While Orion had stated that everything would likely be ready in two or three days, the Village Chief knew better than to ignore the possibility of unforeseen complications.
Therefore, in case Orion's plan faced disruptions, having an extra day seemed wise – it might even stretch to five days if necessary.
Nevertheless, until then, there remained the pressing matter that the Village would have to tap into its resources and purchase as much breast milk as possible from every lactating mother. Just contemplating the expenses was enough to send a throbbing headache pulsing through the Village Chief's mind.
Meanwhile, the key leaders exchanged understanding nods. Caretaker Shani pondered how to deliver the wooden pots Orion had crafted, while Caretaker Zola, who had been occupied with organizing materials, planned the quickest way to transport them to the Warrior's Garden without hindrance.
However, Stronghold Leader Drakar couldn't help but internally frown at the current situation. He had arrived early to speak with Orion in order to gauge his personality before formulating a plan. Unfortunately, the Village Chief's abrupt call for an emergency meeting had disrupted his intentions, leaving him little choice but to expedite his meeting with Orion.
If he wanted to leave the Village as fast as he could, then he stood to gain a lot by meeting Orion as quickly as possible, so he could understand if it were possible for him to leave the village in three or four days.
"Alright, that concludes today's discussion. Let it be clear in your minds that your assigned roles are not to be forgotten, and if any news reaches you from the tree nymphs, send it immediately to every one of us," The Village Chief added, rising from his wooden platform and proceeding toward the heavy curtains shrouding their view of the outside.
The Village Chieftess followed suit, trailing after him. "This meeting is dismissed," he stated, and with that, both figures exited the room.
Rising from their wooden seats, the key figures dispersed one by one. However, just as Stronghold Leader Drakar was on the brink of leaving, a solidly built figure with a muscled physique covered with scars stepped into his path.
"What do you want?" Stronghold Leader Drakar asked, his expression marked with a frown as he regarded Stronghold Leader Zogar.
Stronghold Leader Zogar retorted with a lifted eyebrow, "What do you mean, what do I want? Is it bad that I want to speak with my elder brother after several months?" He scrutinized his elder sibling before adding, "Or don't tell me that you have been avoiding me throughout this period for a reason?"
Stronghold Leader Drakar's expression softened, his furrowed brow relaxing as he let out a weary sigh. His hand reached out to clasp his brother's outstretched hand, gently lowering it from blocking his path. "I'm sorry," he began, "I've been engrossed in managing the borders and handling various matters, and this sudden predicament has only added to the load."
He took a step away, moving as though he were on an urgent assignment. "However, we can catch up later, brother, perhaps once this issue with the newborns is resolved," he added, parting the heavy curtains with a sweep of his hand and walking away.
Meanwhile, Stronghold Leader Zogar's brow arched in curiosity as he watched his elder brother walk away. Initially, he assumed his brother's focus was on fending off the waves of Vylkr vines attempting to breach the border. However, as the day unfolded and Stronghold Leader Drakar didn't spare him even a fleeting glance, Stronghold Leader Zogar began to suspect that he was being avoided on purpose.
Dismissing the thought with a wry smile, he let out a sigh. "Well, he'll come around eventually, once he realizes," he mused to himself.
With the agreement he had struck with Orion, Stronghold Leader Zogar knew he'd likely be among the first to benefit from Orion's creation. Understanding his brother's competitive nature, he expected Stronghold Leader Drakar would soon circle back to engage in conversation.
After all, it's not every day that two brothers get to be the leaders of the two strongholds, and for them not to be competitive was next to impossible, because if they weren't, then they wouldn't have attained such positions in the first place.
"Well, I better hope that he finds out about it on time."
"Alright, are you ready?" Orion asked, facing the tree nymph before him. Although they couldn't immediately get a needle, as there were none, all it took was for someone who could mould wood the same way his mother could mould clay to easily make one for him, since it was quite easy. Another was also provided for Saria; she was equipped with a needle, expressing her willingness to contribute.
Saria nodded eagerly and responded, "Yes, let's get started."
As much as she would have been content with watching Orion work, the monotony of guarding this place had started to chip away at her initial enjoyment. While occasional mischief with tree nymphs provided some relief, she found herself fascinated by Orion's unusual approach with the materials before him—a small knife, a ball of thread, and a small pointed wooden stick.
So, she decided to try to understand what he was attempting to do and also to see if she could replicate it herself, just to keep herself busy and perhaps learn something new during her long lifespan.