Kodiak blinked, completely taken aback by what he'd just heard. His eyes shifted toward the chief, his face a mix of confusion and disbelief.
"What... what does that mean?" he finally asked, struggling to comprehend the situation.
The young chief, Logan, leaned back, his expression calm but determined. "I'm planning to buy another 500 war wolves," he said simply. "The army may have canceled its expansion, but the wolf cavalry unit still needs to grow."
The words hit Kodiak like a hammer. His mouth dropped open, unable to mask his horror. 'Five hundred more wolves?' That was an enormous investment, one that could cripple a tribe of lesser means.
Around the room, the reaction was much the same. Kro and Bagen, the only ones already in the know, remained quiet, but everyone else exchanged shocked glances. The sheer cost 'thousands of gold coins' was almost unimaginable.
Kodiak could hardly believe it. 'Is the chief really this wealthy?' 'His thoughts raced, but he wasn't alone in his surprise. Astali, sitting nearby, was equally stunned. The Silvermane Tribe had grown rapidly in recent years, supporting an expanding population while making shrewd business deals in Canyon City. The rumors that Logan had a large and lucrative enterprise seemed all too true now.
But Astali wasn't troubled. In fact, she felt a surge of pride. The stronger the Silvermane Tribe became, the better it was for everyone, including her people, the snakefolk who had joined the tribe's ranks. Wealth and power were good for all.
But Kodiak couldn't hold back any longer. "Chief," he said, his voice filled with concern, "the animal pen can't handle so many. We just bought 220 wolves last month. Isn't it a bit... hasty to buy so many more now?" He hesitated before adding, "The pens are already under pressure, and 500 more? It's a massive burden."
Logan gazed at him with an unwavering expression. "Do you know why I'm doing this?" he asked.
Kodiak shook his head, bewildered. 'How could I know? Maybe because you're just too rich to care?' he thought but dared not say it aloud. No one was truly surprised anymore at how deep the chief's coffers seemed to run.
"I watched the Wolf Riders yesterday," Logan began, his tone even but laced with disappointment. "I set up a test; one man against fifty wolf riders. And you know what? Not a single rider managed to bring down one opponent."
A ripple of discomfort spread through the room. Kro and Bagen, responsible for the riders' training, flushed with embarrassment, their eyes unable to meet anyone's gaze.
Lot, Logan' uncle, quietly observed the scene. 'So that's why he was so focused on expanding the army.' The failed test must have infuriated him, but now the plan was clear, if the riders were this weak, drastic measures were needed.
Kodiak, still confused, couldn't help but wonder, 'What does any of this have to do with the animal pens or buying more wolves?' The wolf cavalry was lacking, sure, but how did purchasing another 500 wolves fix that? Find your next adventure on m_v l|e-novelhall.net
"The wolf cavalry," Logan continued, his eyes sharp, "is failing for a few reasons. Some warriors aren't training hard enough, yes, but the main problem is that the training period is too short. We're trying to do too much, too fast. Wolf cavalry isn't like regular infantry. It takes time to train an elite rider, months, even years."
He paused, letting his words sink in. "That's why I need more wolves. If we start training now, they'll be ready by next year. I can't wait until we're under threat to start building a cavalry. We need to be prepared 'before' the enemy comes."
The logic was clear now. Around the room, nods of understanding replaced the initial shock. 'Yes, cavalry training was complex, far more so than infantry.' Logan was thinking ahead, and though his plans were ambitious, they were necessary.
Kodiak, though, still had reservations. "But Chief," he said cautiously, "with the current number of dragon rats in the pens, we can't feed that many wolves. Five hundred is just... too many. We could reduce the number, perhaps?"
Logan didn't hesitate. "Then we'll increase the scale of the pens," he said, his voice firm. "If we don't have enough manpower, we'll recruit more. If the space isn't big enough, we'll expand. And if the food supply is insufficient, we'll breed more dragon rats."
He leaned forward, his eyes locking onto Kodiak's. "The five hundred wolves 'must' be bought," he said with finality, leaving no room for doubt. "And we're not stopping there. We'll also be purchasing war pigs and kodo beasts. The army needs to prepare for wild boar cavalry and minotaur cavalry."
The weight of Logan' words hung in the air, heavy with ambition and the promise of great things to come. The Silvermane Tribe was on the cusp of something far greater than anyone had anticipated. The chief's vision stretched beyond the present, toward a future where their tribe would not just survive but thrive' unstoppable and unmatched.
"If there are any vegetarian air cavalry beasts, you might want to buy some of those too," Logan said with a wry smile, as if the sheer scale of his plans weren't already overwhelming.
The room had fallen into a stunned silence. Logan looked around, then fixed his gaze on Kodiak. "In short," the chief said firmly, "these are tasks that must be completed. Kodiak, do you understand?"
Kodiak's mind raced, still grappling with the enormity of what had just been laid out. 'Five hundred wolf cavalry. Wild boar cavalry. Minotaur cavalry.' The sheer cost and logistics alone were staggering, and here was Logan, making it sound as if it were just another day's work.
Everyone in the room, save for Kro and Bagen, was visibly shocked. Even seasoned warriors knew that cavalry was the most expensive and resource-draining force to maintain. And yet, Logan planned to build not one, but 'three different types of cavalry at the same time.'
Kodiak hesitated. 'Such a massive undertaking...' He knew better than to argue, especially when the chief was this resolute. Beside him, Lot, Logan' uncle, looked like he wanted to step in, perhaps to soften the pressure on Kodiak. But seeing the unyielding determination in his nephew's eyes, Lot wisely held back.
He recognized that Logan had given this considerable thought, and nothing he said would change the outcome.
After a long pause, Kodiak exhaled, bowing his head respectfully. "Yes, Lord Chief," he said, his voice steady though his mind still reeled from the implications.
Logan gave a small nod, his expression softening slightly. He knew Kodiak understood now. This wasn't just some grand ambition; it was a strategic necessity. Kodiak, too, realized this. He would do what he could to manage the logistics. Luckily, there would be time before all the new wolves arrived, and in the meantime, they could increase the breeding of dragon rats for meat.
He even considered using some of the fish the snakefolk caught to help fill the gap, if needed.
The logic was clear now. Around the room, nods of understanding replaced the initial shock. 'Yes, cavalry training was complex, far more so than infantry.' Logan was thinking ahead, and though his plans were ambitious, they were necessary.
Kodiak, though, still had reservations. "But Chief," he said cautiously, "with the current number of dragon rats in the pens, we can't feed that many wolves. Five hundred is just... too many. We could reduce the number, perhaps?"
Logan didn't hesitate. "Then we'll increase the scale of the pens," he said, his voice firm. "If we don't have enough manpower, we'll recruit more. If the space isn't big enough, we'll expand. And if the food supply is insufficient, we'll breed more dragon rats."
He leaned forward, his eyes locking onto Kodiak's. "The five hundred wolves 'must' be bought," he said with finality, leaving no room for doubt. "And we're not stopping there. We'll also be purchasing war pigs and kodo beasts. The army needs to prepare for wild boar cavalry and minotaur cavalry."
The weight of Logan' words hung in the air, heavy with ambition and the promise of great things to come. The Silvermane Tribe was on the cusp of something far greater than anyone had anticipated. The chief's vision stretched beyond the present, toward a future where their tribe would not just survive but thrive' unstoppable and unmatched.
"If there are any vegetarian air cavalry beasts, you might want to buy some of those too," Logan said with a wry smile, as if the sheer scale of his plans weren't already overwhelming.
The room had fallen into a stunned silence. Logan looked around, then fixed his gaze on Kodiak. "In short," the chief said firmly, "these are tasks that must be completed. Kodiak, do you understand?"
Kodiak's mind raced, still grappling with the enormity of what had just been laid out. 'Five hundred wolf cavalry. Wild boar cavalry. Minotaur cavalry.' The sheer cost and logistics alone were staggering, and here was Logan, making it sound as if it were just another day's work.
Everyone in the room, save for Kro and Bagen, was visibly shocked. Even seasoned warriors knew that cavalry was the most expensive and resource-draining force to maintain. And yet, Logan planned to build not one, but 'three different types of cavalry at the same time.'
Kodiak hesitated. 'Such a massive undertaking...' He knew better than to argue, especially when the chief was this resolute. Beside him, Lot, Logan' uncle, looked like he wanted to step in, perhaps to soften the pressure on Kodiak. But seeing the unyielding determination in his nephew's eyes, Lot wisely held back.
He recognized that Logan had given this considerable thought, and nothing he said would change the outcome.
After a long pause, Kodiak exhaled, bowing his head respectfully. "Yes, Lord Chief," he said, his voice steady though his mind still reeled from the implications.
Logan gave a small nod, his expression softening slightly. He knew Kodiak understood now. This wasn't just some grand ambition; it was a strategic necessity. Kodiak, too, realized this. He would do what he could to manage the logistics. Luckily, there would be time before all the new wolves arrived, and in the meantime, they could increase the breeding of dragon rats for meat.
He even considered using some of the fish the snakefolk caught to help fill the gap, if needed.
As for the war pigs and kodo beasts, that was less of a worry. They fed on grass, and the wasteland had no shortage of that. The real challenge would be feeding the wolves.
"Very good," Logan said, cutting into Kodiak's thoughts. "Make contact with the monster merchants immediately. I want the wargs, war pigs, and kodo beasts purchased and brought back as soon as possible."
Kodiak bowed again. "Yes, Lord Chief."
With the cavalry issue settled, Logan turned his attention to Kovos, who had been quietly observing the exchange. "I heard from uncle Begon that thousands of acres of sweet potatoes and potatoes are ready for harvest?" he asked with a slight smile, his tone easing as he shifted to a new topic.
"Yes, Chief," Kovos replied quickly, straightening as he spoke. "We started digging today."
Logan nodded approvingly. He had expected as much, knowing his uncle had likely already passed the word along to get things moving. "Good work. How many do you expect to harvest?"
Kovos took a moment to gather his thoughts. "There are a total of 1,160 acres, Chief, 750 acres of sweet potatoes and 410 acres of potatoes. Based on the early yields from last month, I estimate we'll get around 20 million kilograms in total."
The room grew quiet again, but this time it was a silence of anticipation rather than shock. Everyone knew that the real test of these new crops was about to unfold. Last month, they had harvested just ten acres, and the yield had been impressive, 20,000 kilograms per acre for sweet potatoes and 15,000 for potatoes. But ten acres was a small sample.
This harvest, from over a thousand acres, would reveal whether the tribe had truly stumbled upon a game-changing resource.
Begon and the others exchanged hopeful glances. If the yield from those ten acres could be replicated on a larger scale, the Silvermane Tribe would have an almost limitless supply of food. Sweet potatoes and potatoes might not be the most glamorous crops, but their high yield and nutritional value could sustain the tribe for generations.
Astali, sitting quietly in the corner, was also curious. She had tasted both sweet potatoes and potatoes before. They were unlike any crops she had encountered, and though she found them tolerable, they weren't nearly as appealing as the fish her people preferred. But from what she'd heard, these crops were invaluable due to their incredible yield.
And more interestingly, they were unique to the Silvermane Tribe, ancient crops discovered by the young chief in a forgotten relic, according to the rumors.
All eyes were now on Kovos. After a moment, he cleared his throat and spoke again, "Based on what we've seen so far, I think the total output should be close to 20 million kilograms, Chief."
Logan leaned back, a satisfied smile creeping onto his face. 'Twenty million kilograms.' It was more than enough to secure the tribe's future and perhaps even its dominance.
"Well done," he said, his voice carrying the weight of both praise and expectation. "Make sure the harvest proceeds smoothly. This will be a major turning point for our tribe."
Everyone nodded in agreement. It was clear that the Silvermane Tribe was on the brink of something big, its cavalry was growing, its food supplies were secure, and under Logan' leadership, it seemed nothing was out of reach.