An army of feline ferocity and pride, perched nacingly 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 Tigern 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 welcod 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 statent 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 beca 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 Tigern paced the border and roared a clear challenge to the Dwarves.
Speaking with a Dwarven accent, a dignified Dwarven figure ca.
"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.
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 so 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 ti they intervened, it would be too late to take back their lost territory.
Since it will be the Silverstar Pack's first eting 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.
"General! Where are you going?" the Dwarven soldier exclaid.
Seeing that the Dwarven General went ahead to the border himself with the War Chieftain fixed in his sight, the Dwarven soldier signaled to the others to back him up. About a group of twenty Dwarves were imdiately assembled and chased after him.
Each of them rode a mutated war bear, boasting with muscles and claws.
Noticing the approaching party of Dwarves, a playful smile played on the War Chieftain's lips.
"These short cragdwellers are quite persistent,"
"Hahah~ No matter how much they tried to talk, it wouldn't be of any use"
"Chieftain, when can we kill them already?"
As the other Tigerman vocalized their untad opinions, the War Chieftain waved his hands dismissively and turned his body toward the advancing Dwarf general. He crossed his arms assertively, depicting his dominance and asserting his upper hand in the situation.
"I thought I made myself clear already," the War Chieftain mused nonchalantly.
Halting at a good distance away, the Dwarf general frowned.
Calming his boiling nerves due to the mocking Tigern behind the War Chieftain, the Dwarf general poised his gaze straight, "What will it take to stop this? If you want, I can help talk to the Silverstar Pack and help your kingdom get better treatnt"
"Hmm...? I already told you, we're only asking you for so land" the War Chieftain replied.
Despite his seemingly genuine answer, he had a smirk on his face.
Upon hearing this, the Dwarf general clenched both of his fists in utter frustration, "If that is what you wanted, then you can have a discussion with our King. Why do you need to create strongholds along the border like this?"
"Strongholds? What strongholds?" the War Chieftain asked back, pretending to be oblivious.
Glancing over his shoulder, he jokingly ca to a realization, "Ah—I think you're getting us wrong, those are not strongholds, it's hos for us old people. I hope you can understand, that most of us lived in war encampnts, so this style fits us better than regular hos"
Other Tigern laughed at the War Chieftain's joke.
It was clear that they were making fun of the Dwarves, not taking them seriously.
Contrary, the Dwarves, including the Dwarf general had their expressions soured when they absorbed the words. Anger flared within them, pushed to their limits by the mockery, and it was only a matter of ti before their patience would burst.
Noticing their change in expression, the War Chieftain tilted his head.
Giving no warning at all, his expression contorted into a savage one as he eyes the Dwarves.
"What? Are you going to do sothing...?" He asked in a low, baritone voice.
A golden, steaming aura began emanating from his body, dense enough to put him at the very pinnacle of the eighth-rank realm. Such power for a re War Chieftain was nothing short of jaw-dropping since there were many others like him.
But that just shows the disparity in power that the older generation had.
Moreover, it was worth ntioning that their martial arts were also different than the regular.
Better than the martial arts the Tigerman of the new era trained in.
"Do you really think that we're pushovers?" the Dwarf general uttered, his expression also twisted into a savage one. His patience is running thin. "We are under an allied agreent. But if it cos to it, we will not stand and watch you invade our territory openly"
"For soone who has it good, you have no say in this" the War Chieftain replied brazenly.
Upon hearing this, the Dwarf general turned around.
Knowing that it would only escalate if he stayed here any longer, he decided that the best course of action right now was to go back, "Move any further, and we will not tolerate any further. Our King will surely understand if we retaliate"
"Hah! Better yet, tell your naless King to co here. I'll see what he could do"
Reluctantly, the Dwarves head back again.
Another attempt at diplomacy failed, and the solution of a battle beca more enticing.
...
anwhile, 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 ti 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 beca 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 welco 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 epito 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 confird Drakar's guess that she was one of the Silverstar Pack mbers.
With a graceful movent, 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 Tigern she ca crossed.
"Would you like so 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 et you" He added.
Listening to this, Adhara raised one eyebrow.
'He's good with words, a mastermind' She pondered silently, observing Drakar ticulously.
"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 ca 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. "So 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 imdiately, I can even bring you there myself"
"If that's the ca-"
"However, I propose that you follow to et with the Council of Elders. I believe eting 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 ti...'
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