Chapter 228 Chapter228-Tracking
Early in the morning, the Cheetah Tribe did not face the anticipated counterattack from the Frost Raven Tribe.
Jonas found himself puzzled.
After much contemplation, he considered a possibility: the two formidable warriors who had killed Geoff might not have any real connection to the Frost Raven Tribe.
They could just be temporary visitors, perhaps leaving in a couple of days.
This thought rekindled his hope.
He decided to send scouts to the Frost Raven Tribe to gather intelligence.
If Howard and Kellman had indeed left, the Cheetah Tribe would seize the opportunity for vengeance and aim to annex the Frost Raven Tribe.
Despite the significant losses in the previous battle, including Geoff's death, it was still within an acceptable range for the Cheetah Tribe, which retained superior strength over neighboring tribes.
Moreover, most of the Frost Raven Tribe's warriors had perished, leaving only a few ineffectual survivors.
Jonas didn't regard them as a threat.
He believed the Cheetah Tribe could become the dominion of the continent, starting with the conquest of nearby tribes.
Buoyed by these thoughts, Jonas felt his spirits rise.
He was confident he could lead the tribe to glory.
Just then, a Cheetah Tribe warrior came to report: "Chief, while we were guarding against the Frost Raven Tribe last night, we were harassed by Night Demons. Three of our men were lost."
Jonas waved his hand dismissively, irritation on his face.
Just three men - the Cheetah Tribe had plenty more.
Besides, if they had died at the hands of Night Demons, such weaklings were of no use to him anyway.
The warrior, looking somewhat uneasy, stammered, "One of them was your son."
Jonas's eyes widened in shock, and he stood up abruptly from his tiger-skin throne.
"What did you say? Impossible, my son is invincible!" His voice trembled with disbelief.
"How could he possibly die, especially at the hands of those insignificant Night Demons?"
In truth, Jonas had never encountered a Night Demon.
He had always been well-protected, never venturing out of his house at night, surrounded by at least ten elite Cheetah Tribe warriors.
He was unaware of just how terrifying the elusive Night Demons could be.
Refusing to accept this reality, Jonas couldn't believe that his son had fallen to a Night Demon.
That disbelief persisted until two warriors carried in his son's body.
...
The Frost Raven Tribe's village was gradually regaining its vitality, but Laxa had no intention of staying any longer.
She was acutely aware that the Cheetah Tribe wouldn't just let things be.
With Howard and Kellman around, perhaps they wouldn't dare to invade again, but once they left, the significantly weakened Frost Raven Tribe would stand no chance against any enemy.
Other tribes wouldn't miss this golden opportunity either - staying meant either annihilation or assimilation.
Convincing Howard to stay longer wasn't feasible, so after weighing her options, Laxa decided to relocate.
She planned to journey with Howard and the others, seeking a suitable location to reestablish their village.
They would be under the protection of Howard and his companions on the road.
Kellman didn't mind the extra company; having more people could be beneficial.
It would make their journey safer, and the Frost Raven Tribe still had a significant food supply, something they needed.
After making this decision, Laxa ordered the villagers to halt the reconstruction of the village, as they would be leaving early the next morning.
Most villagers agreed with Laxa's decision, though a few were reluctant to leave the place they had lived for half their lives.
Eventually, even those hesitant to depart were persuaded by Laxa, understanding that staying equated to certain death.
They began packing their belongings, preparing to set off with Howard the next day.
Another night passed.
...
Apart from the occasional cries of Night Demons piercing the night, the evening passed uneventfully.
Howard welcomed the first light of morning with a sense of calm.
Shortly thereafter, a group of about several dozen people from the Frost Raven Tribe set out with the trio.
Kellman stated that he could only escort them for part of the way as their paths might diverge afterward, unless they also intended to head to Holy Light City.
The people of the Frost Raven Tribe, unaccustomed to town life, were unlikely to go in that direction.
As a token of gratitude for the escort, they provided Howard, Tina, and Kellman with an abundance of food, which the trio accepted without any reservations.
When Jonas received the news from his warriors that the Frost Raven Tribe's village was deserted, he was engulfed in rage, realizing they had fled.
Geoff and his own son had perished because of the Frost Raven Tribe - a fact he could not accept.
Although his son had died at the hands of Night Demons, Jonas felt there was some connection to the Frost Raven Tribe.
To mask his own command failure, he directed his anger and blame towards them.
He ordered his men to pursue the Frost Raven Tribe, instructing them not to engage if Howard and his companions were still with them, but merely to follow closely.
If Howard and his group were to leave, that would mark the end for the Frost Raven Tribe.
Despite heavy losses, the Cheetah Tribe still had around a hundred warriors.
Jonas believed they could stand a chance in battle against Howard and Kellman, should they choose to fight.
However, they couldn't leave their village unguarded.
Not only was the Frost Raven Tribe a target, but neighboring tribes were also eyeing the Cheetah Tribe with covetous intent.
The Cheetah Tribe was home to nearly a thousand civilians and slaves, who, although capable of being conscripted into battle, were not Jonas's first choice for combatants.
Their combat effectiveness was limited, as slaves and tribal citizens lacked the resolute will and robust physique characteristic of warriors.
Moreover, the slaves captured by the Cheetah Tribe were always at risk of rebelling.
Just as the Cheetah Tribe's warriors had easily massacred the villagers of the Frost Raven Tribe, it was a simple task for warriors to kill civilians.
The Frost Raven Tribe's caravan, laden with the elderly, the weak, and the wounded, moved slowly, allowing the Cheetah Tribe's scouts to easily track them down.
Jonas dispatched a few elite warriors to stealthily follow the Frost Raven Tribe, keeping their numbers small to avoid detection.
Another group of thirty to forty Cheetah Tribe warriors trailed further behind, ready to pounce at a moment's notice upon receiving a signal, prepared to annihilate the Frost Raven Tribe.
Jonas thought he was being discreet, but the Frost Raven Tribe soon became aware of their pursuers.
Their warriors, scouting the perimeter for protection, noticed traces of the enemy.
Quickly, the few remaining Frost Raven warriors informed Laxa of their discovery.
Knowing she could not fend off the Cheetah Tribe alone and would eventually have to rely on Howard and Kellman, Laxa immediately sought their assistance.
It was imperative to prevent the Cheetah Tribe from continuing their pursuit; otherwise, the Frost Raven Tribe faced certain doom.
The solution seemed simple: if Kellman and Howard were willing to lend their support again and drive away the Cheetah Tribe, the Frost Raven Tribe could secure their safety.
But what would compel Howard and Kellman to help the Frost Raven Tribe once more?
Before approaching the trio, Laxa had been pondering what the Frost Raven Tribe could offer in exchange for their assistance.
It didn't take long for her to come up with an idea.
Although the Frost Raven Tribe was generally indifferent to worldly wealth, over the years, they had amassed a considerable amount of gold coins and jewels due to various encounters.
Perhaps, by offering these treasures, she could persuade Howard and Kellman to help them again.
As Laxa had anticipated, when Tina and Kellman saw the two large chests of treasures she had brought, their eyes shone with intense desire.
The chests, filled with gold coins and jewels, glittered dazzlingly, as if countless stars were blinking within them.
The opulence exuded by these treasures was reminiscent of a royal family's treasure trove.
Both were astonished to discover that the Frost Raven Tribe possessed such wealth.
After all, what did warriors of the Frostwolf Mercenaries risk their lives for, if not for such riches?
Unfortunately, it was impractical to carry away so much treasure at a time like this.
Traveling with two chests of valuables was akin to courting death, firstly because of the threat of robbers, and secondly due to the sheer burden.
Nevertheless, even selecting just a few items from the chests would be a significant gain for Kellman and Tina.
Kellman immediately agreed to help and went to the rear of the caravan, ready to eliminate the pursuing Cheetah Tribe warriors.
Meanwhile, Tina happily sifted through the chests, choosing the most valuable items.
If they could safely reach their destination, she and Kellman would be set for life.
Dealing with the Cheetah Tribe warriors wasn't a challenge for Kellman, so Howard didn't accompany him.
Although Howard didn't exert himself, that didn't stop him from rummaging through the chests as well.
Not quite savvy with valuables, he asked Tina to help him pick a few easily transportable items.
Who knew when they might come in handy?
...
Jonas waited anxiously at the Cheetah Tribe for news from the front.
However, as time passed without any word, suspicion grew within him.
He decided to send out an additional thirty elite warriors from the Cheetah Tribe to investigate the situation and provide support if a battle ensued.
With this, the total number of his best warriors dispatched had reached seventy to eighty.
He calculated that even if Howard and Kellman intervened again, they would not have an easy time.
No matter how strong they were, their strength would eventually deplete.
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