I stumbled away from my god map. Tears ran down my face as images of the Kru dying raced through my mind. I stumbled to the balcony and collapsed onto the railing. I sat there for a good hour. Crying for the ones who had died because I couldn't save them.

I should have known we would face some form of attack. There was a reason the population was so low. It didn't make sense though. The raiders had gained three Kru. But they had also lost more than half their number. They even had to abandon one of their canoes.

I was about to go back to the study and check something when I heard hoots in the forest. I had never explored the area but knew it was filled with various animals.

I jumped off the balcony into the forest. I followed the sound of the hoots. When I got there my eyes welled up with tears. The ten Kru who had died were hugging each other. They seemed happy to be reunited. At once they all turned and looked at me and I felt the confusion in their gaze.

Then their eyes lit up with recognition and they all bowed down. I collapsed to the floor when they did this. I began crying once again softly sobbing out “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

This did not sit well with the Kru as they rushed over to me and tried to comfort me. I still didn't understand their language but knew that would come with time.

I stopped crying when Ren’s mother offered me a fruit that looked like a mix between a pear and a strawberry. She looked relieved and I wondered why. Then I realized why they had been celebrating. They weren't happy to be reunited. They were happy that their children weren’t dead. I smiled at them and just sat there. Enjoying no longer being alone.

Ren’s POV

The Raiders were bad. I had watched them kill my tribe. I saw my own mother die on one of their axes. So that was why when I got the chance I would kill them all. Not a single one would survive. The wrath of God would be brought down on them.

It took two days for us to reach their base. When we got there I was dumbfounded. Over 300 Kru walked around a coastal encampment. I had never seen so many!

Once the canoes landed Stone and Rock were pulled away from me. I didn’t see where they went but reminded myself to find and save them. I was dragged to a small hut where I was thrown inside.

Inside the hut were around a dozen other pups. They all seemed scared and I realized that I was the oldest. Or at least the largest. Pups were independent by age 1 but didn't reach adulthood until age 4.

So these pups surrounding me while being able to eat solid food, were still reliant on their parents. So being the charismatic prophet that I was, I began to inspire them.

“My friends. We will all be okay. Just calm down.” Saying to calm down didn't seem to do anything as they ignored me and kept crying. I cursed them under my breath as I searched the room for anything useful.

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There was a small rock which I could throw at a raider but other than that I had nothing. I cursed the raiders for what they had done. I couldn’t do anything so I found a spot away from the others and sat down.

Then I had a genius idea! If they were not inspired by me, perhaps my god could inspire them! My god is a very good god. They will all fall to their knees and pray when I speak of his holy work!

“My fellow Kru, we have no reason to be afraid. For our god is watching over us! If we keep faith and band together. We shall take our freedom back from the raiders! Then we will devote our lives to the god. Lie-nes God of the isles.”

I thought for a minute that it had worked but once again they just kept crying. I dejectedly sat down, flabbergasted that no one else felt better after hearing about Lie-nes.

As I was about to give up and go to sleep a small runt of a pup walked over. He was the size of a 2-week-old but seemed mature. He spoke quietly but his words held conviction. In him, I saw the future of the Kru. “Can your god help me get more food?”

Linus’s POV

I stared at my god map searching for Ren. There was a small part of the map I could see that expanded out from my shrine. I didn't know what the Raiders planned to do with Ren but I needed him back. No longer would my tribe be seen as a pacifist Tribe. For we would prepare for war.

I quickly moved to give Chief an order to mobilize the tribe when I noticed he wasn't in the camp. I found that strange as everyone else was there. I decided to wait as he was probably getting food and couldn’t give orders. But as the sun set I found him on the opposite side of the island. He was on a beach making a bed out of leaves and moss. Beside him was a single stone ax.

I was confused by this as he was the only one in the new camp. I quickly checked back in on the camp with a shrine and found a different Kru was giving orders. He was missing an eye from the battle but otherwise, he looked like all the others. I named him Riker and turned away.

If I had to guess, Chief (although he didn’t seem to be the chief anymore) was in exile. I was once again hit by a wave of despair as I realized the others had cast him out. I sent a trickle of divine energy into Chief's wounds hoping it would help.

Before giving him divine energy he had been dejected and morose. But once I gave him the trickle he looked shocked and stared up into the sky. His shock disappeared as he went back to work but he looked a bit happier. I felt relieved although I had no idea why he was happier.

Although I didn’t like the change in leadership I couldn’t fault Riker. He looked overwhelmed having to deal with the Chief's job. Riker had moved the canoes away from the sight of the battle, placing them on the beach at the opposite end of the island.

A few weeks passed with the tribe slowly recovering. I had sent Riker the idea to make spears with flint points so now the tribe was at least armed. A stash of spears was stored in the camp and at the beach.

The Kru put the spears to good use hunting some sort of wild pig. The new hunting methods led to much more food surplus. And with pregnancies only lasting a month already four more pups were on the way. The population would slowly recover.

The Kru now had a good food supply and a secure island. Their population would only grow more and more. I should have felt happy but I was still worried about Ren. I knew he was alive but couldn’t tell where he was or what was happening. I couldn’t even sense Rock and Stone but hoped they were alive.

The only thing I could do now was help my own people. Hopefully, when the Sprite came they would help me strategize. So I sat back turned up the speed and watched the world go by.