Reborn As A Beastman With A System

With the recent crisis within the coalition resolved, the tribe had no immediate plans to engage in hostilities with neighboring tribes.

This relative peace brought the issue of food scarcity to the forefront of Logan\'s concerns once more. Feeding the tribe had always been a challenge, and now, with nearly two thousand beastmen added to their ranks, the urgency to secure food was greater than ever.

The solution, albeit desperate, was to form a band of raiders and resort to plundering.

Deep down, Logan harbored doubts about the viability of such raids. If raiding caravans were such an easy affair, surely the roads would swarm with bandits.

Nonetheless, raiding seemed the only feasible solution to prevent starvation among his people.

Determined, he came to the conclusion that forming a raider band was necessary.

At the edge of the cavalry training field, Logan perched on a wooden stake, watching the exercises. His mighty warg, Fenrir, lay at his feet, panting heavily from the day\'s exertions.

In the distance, he spotted Cardia and Tyton approaching, their own wargs trailing behind them, equally fatigued.

"Logan waved to Cardia and Tyton. "Come and sit!"

The pair bowed respectfully as they approached, then settled on the dusty ground with a casual ease.

"How do you feel about the training today?" Logan inquired with a welcoming smile.

Tyton exchanged a glance with Cardia, silently passing her the lead.

Cardia, energized despite the day\'s fatigue, turned to Logan and replied, "Chief, since the beastmen cavalry faced off against the coalition forces, there\'s been a remarkable change. The confrontation was brutal, but it\'s honed their skills in both riding and combat significantly. They\'ve become more adept, more resilient."

"Indeed, they\'ve shown potential, but they\'re still far from the seasoned warriors of the First Cavalry Brigade," Logan remarked thoughtfully. He understood that true expertise in cavalry skills couldn\'t be rushed, it developed most rapidly through the trials of war.

"That\'s the nature of the military, the more battle-hardened the troops, the more formidable the force is," he added.

"I understand, they still need time to mature," Cardia acknowledged, her tone reflective.

"But time is a luxury we don\'t have," Logan replied, shaking his head solemnly.

Cardia blinked in surprise, her expression puzzled, while Tyton looked at Logan with a mix of confusion and concern.

"Are you both aware of our tribe\'s food shortage?" Logan inquired, his gaze shifting between the two.

They nodded, though Tyton\'s brow furrowed deeply. He was aware of the dire food situation, yet he couldn\'t grasp why Logan had chosen this moment to incorporate four additional beastman tribes, exacerbating the crisis.

"Doesn\'t this accelerate our food dilemma?" Tyton thought, perplexed by Logan\'s strategy.

"The tribe is in dire need of food," Logan explained, his voice firm. "That\'s why I\'ve decided to transform the chief\'s guard into beastman cavalry and assemble a band of raiders. It\'s our most viable option to provide for our people."

He rested his hand on Fenrir\'s side, feeling the warg\'s labored breathing.

Cardia and Tyton stared at him, their mouths agape.

"Form a band of raiders to go out and rob?" Cardia echoed, her tone a mixture of shock and disbelief.

The idea was audacious, especially for their size. While larger tribes with populations exceeding ten thousand might covertly form raiding parties, since their scale and strength offered some impunity, such a move was risky for a smaller tribe like theirs.

Tyton couldn\'t help but wonder about the audacity behind Logan\'s plan. Larger tribes could afford the consequences of discovery because of their sheer numbers and might, which deterred retaliation from ordinary trading caravans and settlements. However, for the Silvermane tribe, the risk was significantly higher.

"Yet, the potential ramifications for our tribe cannot be overlooked. If the Silver Mane is discovered, a sizable mercenary force could easily overwhelm us," Logan acknowledged gravely.

"I\'ve weighed the risks of forming this raiding band. There\'s no need for further concern; this is our sole path to salvation. Be ready, equipment will soon arrive from the forge and the workshop. Ensure all guards receive their gear and make any necessary adjustments immediately," Logan instructed, his tone brooking no argument.

"In two days, we venture to Kasros Canyon," he announced decisively.

"So soon?" Cardia responded, a hint of urgency in her voice.

"And you\'re leading the expedition yourself? But you are the chief! Is that prudent?" she added, her surprise evident.

Tyton shared her astonishment. It was one thing to organize a raid, but for Logan to lead it personally?

"This is a matter of life and death for our tribe. I cannot trust this mission to anyone else," Logan stated firmly.

"But if you go, the tribe..." Cardia started, concerned about the risks of leaving the tribe without its leader, who was both its backbone and its beacon of hope.

However, Logan cut her off mid-sentence. "The safety of the tribe is not your burden to bear. Remember, my uncles and my grandfather remain here. The tribe will be in capable hands."

Understanding that Logan\'s decision was final, Cardia resigned herself to the reality, choosing not to press further.

As Logan mulled over their preparations, a beastman warrior approached at a brisk pace.

"Chief, Lord Begon requests your presence at the council hall," the warrior reported with a respectful salute.

"Is there an issue?" Logan queried, puzzled. Normally, his Uncle Begon would come directly to him for urgent matters.

"It involves the Duskin tribe," the warrior added, adding a layer of intrigue to the summons.

Hearing the mention of the Duskin tribe, Logan quickly stood from his perch on the wooden stake, his interest piqued. "Could it be the envoy for Mamuti\'s redemption?" he pondered aloud.

"I must attend to this, excuse me," he said briskly to Cardia and Tyton before swiftly departing the cavalry training ground.

As he approached the council hall, Logan\'s stride slowed, his gaze drawn to a massive warg reclining quietly beneath the steps. The beast was significantly larger than his own warg, Fenrir, nearly as imposing as an adult elephant.

The warg lifted its head, meeting Logan\'s eyes with a look that shimmered with an almost human-like alertness. Green eyes locked onto him, stirring a sense of awe.

In that moment, Logan realized this was no ordinary warg, it was a rare fifth-level warg, a classification he had never personally encountered. Known for their elusive nature, high-level wargs were predominantly wild, with those raised within tribes seldom reaching such a high rank.

With a mix of curiosity and respect, Logan ascended the steps to the council hall, leaving the impressive creature behind.

Inside, conversation halted as he entered. Standing were two figures: one was unmistakably his uncle, Begon. The other, a strong presence of similar age, caught Logan off guard when he mentally accessed the visitor\'s credentials, a sixth-level warrior, an exceptional rank revealing the visitor\'s considerable prowess.

As Logan approached, the stranger offered a respectful nod and introduced himself, "Kule, envoy from Duskin, at your service, Chief Silvermane."