After a round of questions and answers, the interrogation finally came to an end.
"Alright, now go introduce yourselves," Martins said, dismissing the newcomers.
"Got it," Snow replied.
From the start, everyone had been curious about the white monkey. It was impossible not to notice him.
"My name is Snow. I'm the son of Scar, the one who your—our—Chief defeated," Snow introduced himself. After him, Qin, Aníbal, Quitéria, and the Elder of the Right followed with their introductions. The other Elders and Jack stayed behind.
"Great. Snow and Qin will be with Joe. Aníbal, you'll go with Cornelius. Quitéria and the Elder of the Right will be under Abbe. That's it. Dismissed," Martins concluded.
With that, everyone dispersed to resume their duties. The newcomers joined their assigned groups, and normalcy returned to the tribe.
"Hey, you look like you've aged since you left with the Chief," Marcos teased with a sarcastic tone.
"Hmpf, normally I'd mock you back and say it's you who looks old, but honestly... I think I've aged too much for adventures like this. These things are for the younger ones now," Martins admitted.
"What kind of attitude is that? You don't even sound like yourself," Marcos said, surprised.
"Maybe it's age. We're not young anymore, Marcos. I know it won't be long before I'm an Elder. The same applies to you—don't think you'll stay strong forever. Sooner or later, we'll be the ones sitting with the Elders," Martins said.
"One day, we listen to the Elders; the next, we are the Elders, huh?" Marcos reflected.
"Well, at least we're living far better than the Elders of our time," Martins joked.
"Hahaha, true," Marcos laughed.
After a good rest, Alex stepped out of his new home. He quickly called for his group leaders, counselors, and select members, including Max, Aurélio, and the newcomers.
"So, has Martins updated you all on everything?" Alex asked.
"Yes, but I still can't believe you encountered an animal much larger than the pilus that can talk," Abbe said incredulously.
"Don't worry—we didn't believe it either. Even after hearing it, it's hard to accept," Max added.
"Well, regardless, it's true. But that's not why I called you all here," Alex said, getting to the point.
"It's time. Now that we have more hands and resources available, we're going to build the raft. Not just any raft—one that can carry all of us and everything we possess across the waters!" Alex announced, his voice filled with determination.
His words sparked excitement among those present. This was more than just a project; it was a milestone in their journey.