As the sun set on the wolf tribe's territory, Jamie found himself deep in thought. The confrontation with the Goblin Lord Grisha had been just the beginning, and he knew that difficult decisions lay ahead. His musings were interrupted by a curious voice from the crowd.
"My Lord, are you not going to do the contribution?" one of the wolves asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Jamie's eyes hardened as he replied, "No, I don't think the contribution should be done. Giving them ten of the pack's newborn children for slavery does not count as a contribution."
A ripple of unease passed through the assembled wolves. Another spoke up, fear evident in his voice, "If we don't do as they say, they will try to wipe us out by joining forces with other tribes."
Jamie stood tall, his voice firm and resolute. "I'm not going to allow the contribution even if we have to go to war with the Goblins and the monsters of other tribes."
"But... my Lord..." one of the wolves began to protest, but Fear quickly intervened.
"Stop," Fear said, his voice calm but authoritative. "Don't make this hard for the Lord. For now, believe in his decision."
The wolves exchanged nervous glances. One of them spoke up, voicing the collective concern, "We trust our Lord's decision, but we are not strong enough if other tribes are involved."
Jamie nodded, understanding their fears. "I'll look into it. For now, I think we should monitor the Goblin tribe. I don't know why, but I have a hunch that there's someone stronger involved and the Goblins are following orders."
Fear's ears perked up at this. "Should we send our shadow unit?" he asked promptly.
Jamie looked at him, confusion evident on his face. "Shadow unit? What's that?"
"The shadow unit consists of three wolves with shadow ability which lets them mix with others' shadows easily," Fear explained.
Jamie's eyes widened with interest. "I didn't know that we had wolves capable of merging with shadows."
"So should we dispatch them, my lord?" Fear asked, standing tall with his chest held high.
Jamie considered for a moment. "Before that, I'd like to test their ability myself and give them rankings."
Fear nodded. "Okay, I'll send the three wolves to you right away." With that, he left to fetch the shadow unit.
Jamie waited patiently, and soon the three wolves arrived. He decided to name them after judging their abilities. The wolves were eager to prove themselves, and Jamie instructed them to merge with his shadow. Among the three, only one managed to do so successfully. The other two were visibly disappointed in themselves.
Seeing their dejection, Jamie reassured them, "Don't be disappointed. All of you are fine soldiers, I can say that for sure."
One of the wolves responded gratefully, "Thanks, my lord. We now understand that in the future, we'll have to do much better than what we accomplished today."
Jamie named the successful wolf "Shadow," and gave the other two fine names as well. He then briefed them on their tasks, and they set off on their mission.
As the shadow unit departed, Fear returned. "Did you send them on their mission, my Lord?"
"Yes, I did," Jamie replied. "Now all we have to do is wait for the information they will provide."
"So are we just going to wait till they come?" Fear asked, a hint of impatience in his voice.
Jamie shook his head. "No, I've decided that the wolves of this pack need to be trained to be able to protect themselves from any danger." With that, he let out a powerful howl, calling for the attention of all the wolves in the tribe.
As the wolves gathered around, their eyes fixed on their leader, Jamie addressed them. "My people, listen to me carefully. I know that all of you are strong enough to defeat the Goblins, but if they ally with other tribes and come to attack, I think you all know what the outcome will be. So, it's time for you to reshape your strength and your abilities."
The response was immediate and enthusiastic. "My lord, we wish to become stronger!" "Me also!" "Count me in, my lord!" The wolves shouted, their voices filled with determination and excitement.
Jamie nodded, pleased with their eagerness. He quickly established a training ground, and the wolves began their rigorous training regimen. They started by striking dummies with their most powerful skills, honing their techniques and building their strength.
After two days of this basic training, Jamie decided it was time to take them to the dungeon. This time, however, he didn't aid them in the slightest, forcing them to rely on their own abilities and teamwork. The wolves trained intensively in the dungeon for four days, facing various challenges and obstacles.
The results of their training were impressive. After a week, the wolves had leveled up significantly, gaining much greater skills and strength. Seeing their progress, Jamie divided them into different categories. Some were assigned to hunting duties, others became acting soldiers for the tribe, and those who had evolved into higher wolves were assigned to a special raid group created by Jamie.
As the tribe settled into their new roles and continued their training, Jamie waited patiently for news from the shadow unit. A week and two days after their departure, Shadow and his team returned with information about the Goblin Lord.
"My lord," Shadow reported, his voice low and serious, "according to our observations, the Goblin Lord has good connections with the cockroach man tribe. He visited the Lord of the cockroach man tribe twice in these nine days."
Jamie's brow furrowed. "Are there any other Lords involved?"
Shadow shook his head, looking down. "No, my lord. The Goblin Lord only visited the cockroach man tribe."
Jamie nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "Job well done. You can rest now, for the time being."
Shadow looked up, his eyes filled with determination. "My lord, if you will allow me, I'd like to stay by your side rather than resting."
Jamie's expression softened. "I'd be more than glad to have you, but you should rest now at the moment."
Shadow nodded reluctantly. "Okay, I understand." With that, he and the other two wolves left to get some well-deserved rest.
As they departed, Fear approached Jamie. "So what's going to be our move, my Lord?"
Jamie's eyes narrowed as he considered their next steps. "For now, I'll wait till necessary."
Unbeknownst to Jamie and his tribe, their activities had not gone unnoticed. Soldiers from the cockroach man tribe had been watching them, observing their training and preparations. These soldiers reported everything to their superiors, and word quickly reached the Goblin Lord.
Grisha, the Goblin Lord, gritted his teeth in anger as he received the news. "That pesky little wolf lord thinks he and his people are strong enough to beat two tribes at the same time," he snarled. "But we'll show them what a slaughter looks like."
The alliance between the Goblin Lord and the Cockroach Lord was not just a matter of convenience. Both were sworn enemies of the Lizardman tribe, a fact that would soon play a crucial role in the unfolding events.
As news of the impending conflict spread, it reached the ears of the Lizardman King. Seeing an opportunity to potentially gain an ally against his longtime enemies, the Lizardman King made a bold decision. He sent an envoy to Jamie, inviting him for a meeting to discuss the possibility of fighting as one against their common foes.
As the various tribes prepared for war, tensions rising and alliances forming, they remained oblivious to a far greater threat looming on the horizon. Unbeknownst to the monster tribes, the humans of different continents had aligned with each other, united in their goal to eradicate all monster-kind. The humans, feeling threatened by the very existence of these powerful creatures, were preparing for a massive assault that would forever change the balance of power in their world.
Jamie, however, was not entirely in the dark about this impending danger. Before becoming the wolf Lord, he had taken precautions to stay informed about events beyond his immediate surroundings. He had placed a communication stone in Srides' room, allowing him to overhear conversations between Srides and her father.
Through these eavesdropped conversations, Jamie learned of Srides' efforts to stop the soldiers of different continents from attacking monsters. She argued passionately with her father, trying to convince him that the monsters weren't the threat the humans perceived them to be.
Despite this knowledge, Jamie chose to keep the information to himself. He didn't share the news of the coming human storm with his tribe or any of the other monster races. Instead, he waited silently, his mind working to formulate strategies and plans, hoping against hope that a solution could be found before it was too late.
As Jamie stood atop a hill overlooking his tribe's territory, his eyes scanning the horizon, he felt the weight of his responsibilities more heavily than ever. The challenges they faced were numerous and daunting - the threat from the Goblin and Cockroach tribes, the potential alliance with the Lizardmen, and the looming danger from the united human forces.
Yet, as he watched his tribe going about their daily activities, training hard and working together, he felt a surge of pride and determination. They had come so far in such a short time, growing stronger and more united with each passing day. Whatever challenges lay ahead, Jamie knew that they would face them together.
With a deep breath, Jamie turned his gaze to the setting sun. The future was uncertain, filled with both danger and opportunity. But as the Wolf Lord of this brave and resilient tribe, he was ready to lead them through the storms to come, no matter the cost.