Chapter 1027 Dispute of Losses (1)
An army of feline ferocity and pride, perched menacingly on the border of the Dwarves.
Knowing the reason behind the spite from the Tigerman Kingdom—offended by the thorny path their kind have to go through in order to be a part of the alliance, the Dwarves found themselves in a precarious situation.
One that couldn't be avoided due to the circumstances.
It was obvious that the Tigermen were instigating conflict, luring the Dwarves to attack.
Under the situation, the tension in the air grew and grew.
Naturally, the Dwarves didn't succumb to their provocation, knowing that it would not end well for them. Aside from being comparably weaker overall against the Tigerman who had their Elders Awakened, the first one to attack would be the loser.
Regardless of the instigator, the one to attack would lose in the eyes of the Silverstar Pack.
Dwarven generals—ordered to be on alert at the border attempted to engage in diplomacy, but the Tigerman welcomed them with evident condescension in their attitude. One of the War Chieftains receives them.
He rationalized their actions, saying that they needed more land for their people.
Contrary to the Dwarves, they still have the older generations.
It was a statement that acted as both a mockery and a blasphemous rationalization.
Even in comparison, the Tigerman Kingdom's territory is bigger than the Dwarven Kingdom.
So it was obvious that the War Chieftain's rationale is a complete and blatant lie.
Just at the rising light of dawn, the borderlands became a stage of tension. On the boundary line—pushed to wherever they liked, the Tigerman created strongholds to host their soldiers in case the Dwarves decided to attack.
A few overbearing Tigermen paced the border and roared a clear challenge to the Dwarves.
Speaking with a Dwarven accent, a dignified Dwarven figure came.
"How was the situation...?" the Dwarven general, clad in sturdy armor, stepped forward and swept his gaze across the borders. His beards, symbols of age and wisdom, bristled as he inquired about the situation to the Dwarven soldier beside him.
From the looks of it, the situation has gotten a lot worse.
Upon hearing this, the Dwarven soldier frowned, "It was getting worse by the day,"
"Our border has been pushed by them by about half a mile—covering the Iron Forest and a couple of other crucial locations. Moreover, their stronghold count is on the rise. As of now, there are about four strongholds, housing an estimated three thousand soldiers," he added, his voice filled with concern. n0VElb1n
Regardless of the taken border, the worst part is that they couldn't do anything.
If the Dwarves tried to stop them, a fight would definitely break out.
Keeping his eyes fixed forward, the Dwarven general let out a deep, vexed sigh.
Noticing the Dwarven general's frustration, the Dwarven soldier decided to bear some good news to at least lessen the burden, "We got confirmation from the Silverstar Pack's emissary, Lord Daniel that he was in the process of dealing with the situation. We could only hope that he could end this soon"
Despite the good news, the Dwarf General shook his head.
"If this keeps on, it will still be our loss, regardless if the Silverstar Pack intervened," He said.
It didn't take a genius to guess what the Tigerman was doing.
Understanding the situation, the Dwarf General was well aware that the Tigerman intended to keep on pushing the border as much as they could until the Silverstar Pack stepped in and stopped them. However, by the time they intervened, it would be too late to take back their lost territory.
Since it will be the Silverstar Pack's first meeting with the Elders, they couldn't do much.
Going as far as telling them to give back the taken territory would sour the new relationship.
Naturally, their transgression would be pardoned.
In the end, the Dwarven Kingdom would be the only one who would bear the complete loss.
Meanwhile, Klaigan City.
It has been a couple of days since Daniel confronted him regarding the border attack on the Dwarves. Drakar had been indulging in the luxuries of the new era, taking time for himself to relax and recuperate.
Not that he was injured, but his mind was fatigued from all those years of slumbering.
He was currently on the balcony, looking at the sunrise.
On his hand was a small cup of tea, its warm water and fragrance sizzled to the air.
Judging from his scarred body, it was odd to see that such a brute was able to appreciate the savor of a cup of tea in the bleak morning. But then again, with all the horrors he had survived,?the small things became even more important.
Even though the border was getting more tense, he was resting calmly in his abode.
Clank...
Putting down the cup of tea on the balustrade gently, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath of fresh air. A couple of seconds later, the wind blew weirdly, brushing against his deep red furs gently.
In response to this, he opened his eyelids and exposed his serene eyes again.
"My apologies for not holding a formal procession for you," He said.
Upon saying that, another voice replies to him from the back, "I don't mind. I didn't announce myself either, so there's no need for any procession. Anyway, I thought I'd let myself in. Can't I do that?"
Turning around, Drakar smiled, "Of course, you can. Our Kingdom will always welcome you"
Standing on the roof was a woman with exquisite beauty.
She stood atop the roof with her curly brown hair cascading like a silken waterfall, catching the light. Her hazel eyes hold the word in their gaze, radiating a blend of femininity and the epitome of unyielding strength.
Around her is an air that commands attention.
Just standing there alone depicts the primal power lying dormant with her.
Moreover, the flickering ember across her body alongside the small fire creature—sitting on her shoulders, and the unnatural silver star mark on her neck fully confirmed Drakar's guess that she was one of the Silverstar Pack members.
With a graceful movement, Adhara jumped down and landed before Drakar without a sound.
Her eyes kept staring at the Tigerman before her.
Unlike the ones that she saw along the way here, Drakar's power was evident, and there is also the fact that his furs are a very deep hue of red. Out of the fur colors possessed by the Tigerman, red is the rarest one.
Adhara could tell as there were only a few red-furred Tigermen she came crossed.
"Would you like some tea?" Drakar asked lightly.
Refusing to go with the flow of his conversation, Adhara tilted her head a little, pausing for a solid minute to increase the tension between them. Eventually, Drakar smiled and placed his hand over his chest, "My apologies, where are my manners?"
"I am Drakar, the Chieftain of the Red Claw Clan, pleased to meet you" He added.
Listening to this, Adhara raised one eyebrow.
'He's good with words, a mastermind' She pondered silently, observing Drakar meticulously.
"I am Adhara, the Female Alpha of the Silverstar Pack," Firming her stance, she introduced herself. "Drakar, do you know what was going on at the border? I came here out of sheer coincidence—because I was nearby, so I'm surprised to see it"
Upon hearing this, Drakar paused for a second.
It was clear that he was taking a careful step in uttering words to say to Adhara.
"Of course," Smiling widely, Drakar replied. "Some of the older generations had a small and minuscule conflict with the Dwarves in the past, a misunderstanding. I believe that with you here, the conflict would be resolved immediately, I can even bring you there myself"
"If that's the ca-"
"However, I propose that you follow me to meet with the Council of Elders. I believe meeting them is more important. Right this way..." Drakar cut Adhara's sentence short before he went on ahead and walked past her.
Listening to this, Adhara couldn't hide her frown anymore, 'He's buying time...'