Chapter 802: The Wise Elder
By the time the golden mammoth returned to the herd, the elder had finished assigning every mammoth a task.
"Ah, the herdleader's back! Let's set off!" The mammoth herd began making its way toward their new destination.
The golden mammoth asked, "Elder, how far away are we headed?"
"It's not too far. A regular mammoth would be able to make the journey in three or four days, but for a large herd, we might take five or six days."
The golden mammoth relaxed. It wouldn't be a long trip, then.
The journey would be more dangerous the longer it was, especially for such a big herd. Many of the mammoths had packed enough food to eat for a week along the journey, so hunting wouldn't be a big issue.
The elder continued, "This is meant to be a shelter, so it certainly can't be too far from our original home. A shelter we would have to walk for two weeks to reach would simply be too far away."
"The herdleader truly was wise to have come up with such a plan," the golden mammoth sighed in relief.
However, the elder shook his head gravely. "We can't be too complacent."
"Are there still problems?"
The elder rolled his eyes. "You're still far too young. There are plenty of problems—not just the herd's lowered morale, but also crippling issues that could prove to be our downfall!"
"Crippling issues?"
"Our original territory was warm and cozy because of the presence of the eight volcanoes nearby, and the lifeforms and predators it attracted provided a steady source of food. While the herdleader and our warriors were still around, this was a significant positive—but now, with our herd on the move, and the need to protect the elderly, women, and children with us, the warriors shall have to exert themselves to defend us all."
"That's true," the golden mammoth replied seriously. The mammoth warriors had been able to hunt for food easily with all the lifeforms around, but those lifeforms would now serve to deter the mammoth herd from reaching their destination.
The lifeforms that had gathered around the volcanoes formed a ring around the region that blocked off easy access to the herd's shelter.
Now that the mammoth warriors were tied up because of their need to protect the rest of the herd, they were now juicy prey for such lifeforms. In particular, the elderly, women, and children, none of whom were able to fight well, were basically walking pieces of meat.
The mammoth swore, "Even if I have to give up my life, I'll protect the herd from harm."
The elder shook his head. "You're the herdleader, and you have to focus on yourself first. If the situation deteriorates too much, you may have to sacrifice the elderly mammoths."
The golden mammoth sucked in another deep breath. "In the end, I'm still too young. I'll have to rely on your expertise and experience, elder!"
"This isn't a test," the elder replied seriously. "For the sake of the future, you'll have to make hard decisions. For the good of the herd, you cannot afford to hesitate. Do you understand?"
The golden mammoth gritted his teeth.
The elder reached out with his trunk and stroked the mammoth's fur. He continued gently, "We elderly can't live for much longer, at any rate. We would be happy to give our lives for the young of the herd. After all, we'd just drag the rest of you down once we reach the shelter."
The golden mammoth's eyes brimmed with tears. "If such a situation really happens, I'll consider it..."
"No!" the elder shouted. "You can't just consider it. You have to be decisive!"
The golden mammoth didn't know how to respond.
The elder sighed. "I know you're a kind-hearted child, one who still needs training to become a better herdleader, but none of us—neither you nor I—have a choice."
The golden mammoth nodded.
The elder sighed and continued, "Kindness should be a good thing, but not in such dire times. Do you know why I believed you when you returned to our herd?"
The golden mammoth thought back to what had happened and suggested, "Elder, isn't it as you said? That if I had wanted to hurt the herd, I'd have done so already?"
The elder shook his head gravely. "No. I just made that up. The volcanoes were about to erupt, and I grabbed the simplest reason that came to mind that would convince the entire herd and stop them from arguing.
The herd was already vilifying you, but there was a crucial flaw in their thought process. I merely pointed out that if you truly were an enemy, you could have easily killed them all."
The elder rubbed at the fur on his face. "Naturally, the herd wouldn't be able to keep thinking of you as an enemy after that, not that they had time to do so—the volcanoes were really about to erupt by then."
The golden mammoth asked, "But elder, weren't you afraid that I really was in cahoots with the humans?"
The elder burst out in laughter. "I watched you grow up. Don't you think I know what kind of person you are?"
The golden mammoth lowered his head. "Thank you for your trust, Elder."
"The reason I said what I said was to convince the herd as quickly as possible and to get them moving, but what truly made them change their minds was your actions during the calamity. When the volcanoes erupted and a disaster struck, when the other mammoths all thought to run and flee, you were the one who stood at the very front and forged a new path for us all."
The mammoth elder caressed the golden mammoth's head. "Child, you have never disappointed me. Be more confident—you're our herdleader not just because we need you, but because we've recognized your strength and courage! Now, ignoring the problem of the lifeforms around us, we'll have to deal with the problem of food. Fortunately, many of the mammoths in the herd have brought some stockpiles of food with them, and the lifeforms around mean that we won't have to go too hungry."
The golden mammoth nodded.
The elder continued, "Did you hand over the proof of kingship, then?"
The golden mammoth's eyes bulged in shock. No one had seen him give away the proof of kingship, surely?
The elder smiled. "There surely had to be a reason that human was protecting our herd, and the only thing I could think of was the proof of kingship."
The golden mammoth lowered his head. "I apologize, elder. I selfishly gave away the proof of kingship. Please punish me!"
The elder shook his head. "It was a wise move. We couldn't have kept the proof given the calamity, and it was a good idea to give away the proof before it could stir up even more trouble for us. It's clear that he's a strong human. Far better to make reparations and curry goodwill," the elder concluded.
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