The next day, Galthor called a meeting. It was attended by Brakthar and Karathra, and it was to discuss the future of the tribe. At least a one-month future.
"Chief, the villagers have also been given food again this morning, and you told them to come back in the evening. As well as tomorrow," Brakthar said. Then he followed up with a question. "Do you mean to feed them every day?"
Galthor nodded.
The population of those in his banner at the moment had a ratio of the old and young children being more than those in their prime. To get his followers, Galthor had to create something that was not easily found from others.
Food and security.
The barbarians were always treated like trash, even by others of their kind that the overlords elevated to watch over them.
"We will need to create a squad of hunters. I assume something like this is in place already? Before everything turned upside down."
Karathra hesitated. "Well... not really. Everyone has the right to hunt in the Abyssal land, and that's pretty much what everyone does until the right was revoked with the passing of the chief."
Galthor frowned. "Then what about the old people?"
"They work for those that hunted. Clean and cut the monsters up for a little bit of meat."
Galthor's frown deepened. "... nothing like retirement here?"
"From today onward, we are going to feed those old barbarians."
Karathra raised her brows. "All the food that was in the storage is gone. How are you going to keep feeding them?"
"We'll set up a hunting team. Tell me, apart from you and Brakthar, how many warriors are still under the Stronghide family?"
"The only warriors are a combined nine. Me and Brakthar are the only masters. The others are in the lower stages."
Galthor's eyes narrowed. "Then my priority will be to focus exclusively on how to bring back all the warriors. Arrange for the seven warriors to keep hunting monsters for the villagers."
She nodded. "You should know that your father focused on old people, the young, and the warriors to bring here to the Revolutionary base. He wanted to train warriors and at the same time give the old a final, peaceful resting place.
"And the young to be free of slavery. Some of the warriors in training have families in the old and young."
Galthor's eyes glinted. "Are you saying some of my people are not warriors, they are training to be, and yet they're not here?"
"After the news that the chief was dead hit, the others immediately sought to absorb our strength. The first thing they did was revoke the hunting rights and then lure the warriors away with irresistible offers.
"And since there was no food, most of the other warriors in training were arrested after they decided not to join other banners. They even wanted to take our promising warriors in training, and some did go with them.
"It was only later that I learned that those who were arrested were set up to steal food by the people from other banners!"
Galthor leaned back in his seat. "So... it was planned work. I see."
He needed his warriors and the warriors in training back. Only then could he build the village and solidify his banner. But most importantly, it would give him new followers.
"Our task today and in the coming days will focus on the recovery of the arrested warriors in training. But how can we get back our warriors? I know my threats would have only minimal impact. First, tell me about the masters."
Both Galthor and Brakthar looked at Karathra.
She shifted. "Well... all the essence Masters that the Stronghide has is a total of ten. Two are right here. Two are dead, as they followed the former chief. Of the remaining six, one is with the Kobolds and the other with the Xyrrh."
"And what of the remaining four?"
Karathra smiled. "They are with the self-proclaimed chief of the Stronghide, Skolvar Dustfang! He was also the one that took the bulk of our people with him!
"He had always had issues with the way your father did things, and only because your father had the undivided loyalty of the tribe did he not cause any trouble.
"But once he heard that he was dead, he instantly flipped and turned tail."
Galthor nodded. But right then he wasn't thinking of Skolvar Dustfang. He was thinking of something that confused him. "Karathra... how did my father get so many Masters? From what I know, nurturing Masters is not something that can be easily done. Even those with vast resources could not easily do it, they can only help.
"So how do we have ten?"
He had been thinking about it the moment she called the amount of Masters they had.