Myria says "Gate? Like a teleport gate?"

"Similar, but a bit bigger."

Myria says "So where does it go?"

"I have no idea, but I really want to find out!"

Myria says "You and your damn curiosity!"

Asuna says "Dad, isn't going through an unknown gate dangerous?"

"It could be, yes. It could also lead to a way for me to get stronger. There is no way to know without going through it."

Myria says "Don't even think about trying to go through it alone!"

"I am absolutely going alone! I will not risk any of you going through an unknown gate!"

Myria says "Then why are you even going?!"

"If I can open it, then I have the best chance of surviving whatever is on the other side. Also, if the gate is only one way, then I am the only one who can return with my own power."

Myria says "If you are just going to run around alone, why did you bother bringing the rest of us with you on this trip?!"

"Because, with everything going on constantly I hardly get time to spend with everyone. I figured on this trip I would at least have the time while traveling from tribe to tribe."

Kechara says "I have really enjoyed this trip so far!"

Asuna says "Me too, me too!"

Ekard says "Me too, mama!"

Haku comes over and rubs against me to add his vote, Myria just storms off. I decide not to worry about her for now and just sit down and enjoy the feast with my kids. The lizard tribe doesn't hold back, they bring out a huge variety of food and decorations.

Several large bonfires are lit in the middle of the canyon and the smell of cooking food is everywhere. The lizard meat is being used as the core of the feast but they are also cooking many other dishes. Some of them are tasty, some not so much, and some are just weird to me.

There are a number of dishes made from insects and snakes, it is a desert after all. Despite my misgivings I make sure to at least try every dish offered and so do the kids. All in all, we have a fun time during the feast and I manage to relax and not worry about anything.

Then, after the feast, there is music and dancing that lasts for hours until Barcar stands up. Things quickly quiet down at his request and he then leads his people in swearing their loyalty to me. With that I have five tribes following me, almost a third of the total tribes.

If the monkey tribe joins then it will be exactly one third of the tribes. The best part is that I have yet to have to shed any blood, which is my biggest concern. Subduing the tribes by force, while possible, would practically guarantee the kingdom would collapse at my death.

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It would be fine in the short term, if I was only worried about fighting the demons. It is more complicated because I want the kingdom to survive my death so I have to use gentler methods. So far it is working out fairly well, but some of the tribes worry me, especially the cats.

My biggest worry is that they are going to expect special treatment because they are cats. In their minds they are superior and will expect me to think the same because I am a cat as well. That is the main reason I haven't made any attempts to recruit any of them yet.

Barcar sits down and says "So, what's next?"

"That is up to you."

At his puzzled look I start explaining the options available as part of my growing kingdom. Of course, I also tell him that he can remain here with his people and not change anything, if that is what they want. However, I can see the excitement in his eyes when I mention leaving the desert.

Barcar says "Can we really leave the desert?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't you be able to?"

Barcar says "Tradition. Each tribe has their area and ours, as lizards, is the desert. If we try to leave the desert other tribes will fight us to keep us out of their lands."

"If you want to leave, then leave. If any tribe has a problem with it, you tell them to come find me."

Barcar says "Then I will talk to my people. I am fairly sure everyone will want to leave. The desert has its beauty, but living here is a daily struggle."

"I don't doubt that. From the little I have seen of the desert I am surprised so many people can live here."

Barcar says "It is not easy, that is for sure. If we hadn't learned how to farm then our population wouldn't even be half what it is now."

"Your people know how to farm?"

Barcar says "Yes, but only in small amounts. We are limited by the amount of water available."

"Do you think your people could expand their farming with enough water?"

Barcar says "That wouldn't be a problem, some of my people have grown to love farming. Why?"

"To get the tribes to stop being nomadic a supply of food is needed. Farming is going to be very important in establishing the kingdom."

Barcar says "We will do what we can, but I doubt we can grow that much food."

"I don't expect you to grow all of it, but if you can teach others that would help immensely!"

Barcar says "That, we can definitely do!"

Barcar quickly gets up and starts moving around talking to groups of his tribe members. Each group he talks to has an obvious increase in their level of excitement. People from groups he has finished talking to get up and go to talk to other groups.

Just like that the information spreads throughout the tribe within the hour. All around me I can hear the excited conversations as the tribe members talk about leaving the desert. It would seem that Barcar was right about his people wanting to leave the desert.

In fact, an hour after he started he returns to tell me that everyone has agreed to leave. He has also sent runners to the other groups of his tribe living elsewhere in the desert. He plans to take everyone who wants to go and leave the desert as soon as they are gathered.

Those who don't want to go will also gather and take over the canyon once the others leave. It is the most livable area in the desert, hence why the leadership of the tribe lives here. All in all, Barcar is expecting at least ten thousand members of his tribe to move with him.

Of those only a couple of hundred are farmers, but I'm sure there will be volunteers. The rat tribe and ox tribe will probably have people willing to become farmers. The area around where the city is being built should be really good for farming.

It is getting fairly late by the time Barcar leaves, Ekard and Haku have been asleep for a while. I send everyone to bed, but I am not really tired so I sit by the fire and just relax. That is until I notice Myria heading my way, looking like she is ready to argue some more.

Myria says "We need to talk."