The beavers didn’t seem to know that Three Squeaks could overhear everything they were saying. Or perhaps it was simply that they were past the point of caring. There was a lot of grumbling and indignation, certainly, but also a general consensus that everything that had happened was bad luck and not the results of their actions. And maybe that was true, in a way. But even if Three Squeaks had done nothing, their society would have collapsed within a year or two. Their population wouldn’t have kept up with their territorial expansion- it was already far behind- and through only their own actions they would have wiped out their own food source.

Perhaps they thought it worth it, to have a powerful leader who could protect them. From a short-term perspective, they might have been right. If they were not strong enough they could be wiped out in a single attack. Which was what made the current situation so problematic for them, as they had ultimately failed from both long and short term perspectives.

Maybe their chief had further plans for what he was going to do with their completely oversized artificial floodplain, but Three Squeaks had seen no indication of any work to that regard.

Ultimately, Three Squeaks didn’t think these beavers could achieve such power again- it would require a good bit of luck to get past the initial stages of overzealous feeding without something in the local area taking offense. Even so, they would have to be monitored. They were practically neighbors with the coalition- just a few days' journey outside the borders.

“Come on, keep up! What did you eat all that natural energy for if you can’t handle a little march!”

Three Squeaks wasn’t a naturally cruel person, so he didn’t want to push people beyond their capabilities… but too many of them were dragging their feet. Perhaps they’d been too nice, so far.

“We’re not meant to go so far on land,” one complained.

“Then you probably shouldn’t have tried to erase a river,” Three Squeaks pointed out. “You can always go back and die, though.” Why did some people have to be… like that? It likely wasn’t a beaver thing, because while there had been many lions that were quite awful, there was the whole Kapok Coalition that was quite reasonable. Some people wanted to race for power, but Three Squeaks knew that the end of the path was sudden and swift. He didn’t want to have to compete, but it was hard not to when others only cared about power.

The Lower Plains Coalition was establishing a broader power base, which ultimately would lead to more powerful individuals over time. They’d been lucky to have guidance, of course, but Three Squeaks still lamented that thinking individuals still tried to devour everything around them when they found an opportunity, without thinking about the next step. On the other hand, it would be worse to have someone that would think about it and do it anyway, intending to devour the world one piece at a time.

Three Squeaks and the others were safe from the birds of the air and the beasts of the forest that might want to devour them outside of their lodges. They were responsible for getting them to their destination. Beyond that… well, he supposed they would have to give the beavers a chance to make new lodges. This was going to be a lot of time in one place instead of roaming the planet, but that was also part of why it might take forever.

If he just rushed past everything, maybe he could travel around the world, but not through it.

-----

Though he wasn’t at all positively inclined towards the beavers, Three Squeaks still felt obligated to inform them about planting. “Your actions may take seasons to come to fruition,” Three Squeaks said, “But it will allow you to guarantee sufficient resources. And don’t forget that you are strong enough to dig up stumps. Their root balls might be useful as a good chunk of your dams. Or they might not, but if there are stumps everywhere and no trees you’ll spend all day getting to your food and materials.”

“Some… mush… room… very… tasty…” Meep explained. “Grow… on… stump,” he showed them an example. “Some… tasty… and… deadly.” He held up another. “Also… grow… on… stump.”

“I think you should probably pick one or two kinds that they can deal with,” Three Squeaks said. “And have them assume they shouldn’t eat any others.”

“Variety… is… lost,” Meep hung his head.

“I think they’ll deal with that.”

While they were quite willing to teach the beavers things like that, Three Squeaks had no intention to teach them about cultivation. They had not shown any indications they would use it responsibly. There was hardly anything they could hurt by thinking more about planting. Even if they ultimately just hoped for the natural cycles to manage it, he would have done what he could.

He hoped to meet some other beavers elsewhere. Because they managed to build some interesting things all on their own. And without hands! Quite an impressive achievement. If only they had done something useful with all that effort instead of making the world worse.

-----

After helping the beavers settle in, establishing at least a few basic dens they could all shelter in, they were left to their own devices. They could move elsewhere if they wanted to, but Big Howl and the lemurs would be keeping them out of their territory. And there might be others that wouldn’t want new competition to move in.

At least the lemurs were receptive to learning. They had a whole forest that needed replanting- though perhaps not all the way to keep some separation from their rivals. The formerly flooded area at least had small sprouts growing rapidly, but it would take more than a few years- or maybe even more than a few decades- for everything to become even close to how it had been. It wasn’t even clear how much damage was caused downstream by the beavers blocking the river- who knows how many creatures depended on it? While there would be some flow from other tributaries, the beavers had still cut off the main body for quite a distance.

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“I wish we could stay forever to teach you reading and deeper cultivation,” Three Squeaks said. “But we can’t. However, if you have some brave fellows willing to travel away from trees… if you can reach the coalition, you will be able to learn much.”

Big Howl shook his head. “Perhaps we might, as we grow stronger, but for the moment what you have already taught us is enough to grow for quite some time.”

It was just basic cultivation, but Anton was especially fond of combining that with other activities- like all that replanting they were going to have to do. Thus, he’d also imbued Three Squeaks with that same sense of responsibility… and efficient use of time. Three Squeaks did wonder what was happening with Anton, actually. He’d gone off for some important event months before.

-----

Once every harmful insight had begun its transfer to the upper realms, Anton was much happier discussing cultivation with Taalay and Heath and any other Anchoring cultivator around Vrelt. Due to the imbalance of power the war created- much of the Trigold Cluster’s allies had been focused on a vague ‘half’ of Vrelt- the planet itself was due for a significant change. Many sects were interested in moving into better locations, though each sect could be a significant task.

Simply moving people could be accomplished with the Alliance’s fleets. After the end of the war, fewer and fewer stayed locally, but there were still a modest amount helping ferry people about. They were more efficient than local airships that would take several times longer to reach their destinations.

Some things weren’t as simple to move as people. Sects that were tied to a particular geographic feature generally had no choice but to remain where they were, though there were a number of decent mountaintops or volcanoes that had opened up. Those that had particular buildings important to them couldn’t easily move them, but if they were willing to have one of similar function instead of being tied to the building as a concept then there were possibilities available.

Either way, Vrelt took a significant population hit, especially among their cultivators. Allowing them to easily redistribute would make their later growth easier.

Talking with powerful people about cultivation was more or less the end of Anton’s contributions, but there were some who were providing something more important for the future. People like Aerona, cultivators who focused not on the martial side of things but a sort of growth that could maintain peace. Vrelt had stood united against the Trigold Cluster, partially out of some sort of honor but also out of fear. Yet the remains of the sects caused squabbles for resources almost immediately.

That was something that the Alliance didn’t want to encourage. While different sects were valuable for what they could contribute, allowing different people to engage with methods that were most effective for them, the wrong kind of competition might simply turn the planet against itself. As the Trigold Cluster would most likely be invading in greater force at the turn of the next cycle- by then they would have certainty that their people were destroyed- they needed to have a lasting unity. A century wasn’t good enough, and even four centuries might not be enough.

Of course, the rest of the Alliance didn’t even have that history yet- but they were devoted to working between planets and systems to maximize benefits for everyone. While benefits still tended to trickle towards those with the most power, Anton wouldn’t let it get out of hand- and the vast majority of those in the Assimilation stage had shared those same ideals from the beginning.

-----

“So what is your next plan?” Anton asked, looking between Devon and Aerona. It was clear to him that whatever they were going to do would happen together, as much as possible.

“Well, first, I plan to get an arm,” Devon admitted. “I don’t strictly need it… but having a functional one would be convenient. I don’t think I need anything particularly special, though. I don’t use weapons or fists to fight, so my hands are just extra.”

“After his rehabilitation, he plans to come with me to Nidec. We’ll be focusing more on the diplomacy there, since after the situation here the task is being taken very seriously. Though I don’t think we should fly fleets into their system… we were underprepared for something we knew was coming here.”

“As it turns out,” Anton said. “Living longer only means you’re around to make more mistakes. Sometimes, they’re bigger and sometimes smaller, but there are always more.”

Aerona nodded. “I believed it made sense at the time, having fewer ships nearby for the sake of not messing up our diplomatic efforts. But I also realize now that some of the concern was due to the expense of keeping fleets supplied. While a valid concern…” she shook her head. “The Alliance can’t afford to be so careless with our borders. Or anything concerning invaders from the upper realms.”

“Indeed,” Anton nodded. “Returning to Nidec… they were a bit more willing to engage in diplomacy, were they not?”

“At least on the surface,” Aerona agreed. “It hasn’t gone far, however. We weren’t part of the alliance when Ekict happened, but the fallout from that means the Alliance isn’t willing to accept people from Nidec moving freely among us, and they’re rightly cautious about letting us live among them.” Aerona spread her hands wide. “So we’re down to slow diplomacy and potential spying,” she looked at Devon.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to reveal anything,” Devon admitted. “But it will be easier without their whole planet covered in a barrier. I wish I didn’t have to, but we can’t know if there’s something else like Vrelt or they’re just… reasonably cautious.”

“I look forward to hearing your results,” Anton said. “I, of course, don’t intend to show myself anywhere where we are not seen as allies. Because while I would rather not be, I am more aware that my presence makes some feel more threatened than comforted.”

“They’ll get over it eventually,” Devon grinned. “Anyone on the fence will be glad to have you when the cycle comes around and there are more invasions.”

“If I make it that long,” Anton agreed.

“If you don’t, we have a problem,” Devon said. “Because I don’t believe you’d die unless something killed you. Even if your lifespan wasn’t sufficient, I’d expect you to be stubborn enough to ignore it.”

“True,” Anton said. “But I’ve already been stubbornly still existing for my whole cultivation career. That said, my lifespan isn’t as much of an issue as it once was. But either way… I’d prefer to reach that point with a world that didn’t need me. And if I happen to be around as extra backup?” Anton shrugged. “I certainly don’t mind.”