"What?"
The hall instantly erupted into chaos.
The murmurs of doubt and cautious optimism were replaced by shouts of alarm and fear. The elders looked at one another, their earlier confidence faltering.
Goruk clenched his fists, his previous words now hanging heavy in the air.
The chief rose from his throne, towering over the others. His voice boomed across the hall, silencing the panic in an instant.
"Everyone, don't panic. Go and prepare the defenses! Call back the guards from the borders and station them at the heart of the tribe. We will not be caught unprepared. If this half-breed seeks war, then war he shall have!"
Outside, the drumbeats of war began to echo throughout the swamp, signaling the beginning of a battle that would shape the fate of the Horned Lizard Tribe—or perhaps the entire region.
---
