Today happens to be such a day, as Tula, Kobi and Nala left their position leaving behind Puchi to stay and keep a lot out on the settlement.
The three apelings surrounded by winds, traversed from tree to tree as they made their way to the meeting point, soon they got to an abnormally tall tree with wide ranges of branches and leaves, the tree climbed up the huge tree and soon got through an opening only to be met with a cite of a small building and apeling of Zephyr clan walking to the space from different sites.
As Tula, Kobi, and Nala entered the meeting space, they were greeted by familiar faces from other branches of the Zephyr clan. The atmosphere was tense, with whispers and murmurs filling the air.
"Have you heard anything new?" one apeling asked eagerly as they spotted Tula and her companions.
The reason most apelings were eager to hear from the three was because among the other scouts area, the settlement they were in charge of was the most unique and a change in their scout area means changes in others scout area.
Nala shook her head. "Nothing significant, the leader is still nowhere to be seen and the humans there seem to be struggling, but there’s been no major developments except for the houses and buildings slowly taking shape"
Tula added, "Osita’s men are still attempting to expand their territory, but they’re facing resistance from neighboring tribes. It’s not going well for them."
One apeling spoke up this time, "I know why it hasn’t been going well for there, you see some humans from your scout area always manage to exchange information from the back everytime it seems that Osita men were attacking"
Kobi couldn’t resist adding, "We heard something similar from the humans about there being a rumor of a group planning on making there escape so they might be the one Involved"
Tula then spoke up, "While there hasn’t been any significant changes yet, I feel that soon that will change and we will finally get a look at the leader and whatever plans he is cooking up"
Some apelings nodded in agreement, while others looked uncertain. Before the discussion could continue, a hushed voice interrupted them. "Quiet, everyone. The elder is about to speak."
All eyes turned to the front of the meeting space, where the elder of the Zephyr clan stood and made his presence known by taking off the hoodie covering his face. His presence commanded respect, and the chatter died down instantly.
"My fellow clan members," the elder began, his voice steady and wise, "I know many of you are eager to take action or for an action to take place, but we must remember our purpose here. We are observers, not instigators. Our duty is to gather information and report back to our kingdom."
He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. "However, I understand the frustration many of you feel. The situation with the humans is dire, and it’s natural to want to help. But we must trust in our leaders and have faith that they will guide us in the right direction."
There was a solemn silence as the apelings absorbed the elder’s words. Despite their desire to intervene, they knew they had to obey their orders and trust in the wisdom of their leaders.
"Assemble your reports," the elder instructed finally. "We will send one of our own back to the kingdom with the latest information. Until then, continue your observations diligently, but remember to stay hidden and avoid unnecessary risks."
It took a day for the Zephyr messenger to get back to the kingdom. Once the Zephyr member returned to the kingdom and delivered the news, there was a flurry of activity among the council members. They gathered in the grand chamber, their expressions serious as they discussed the latest developments.
The one leading this council meeting was Zephyr as he was the one closest to the place, his other siblings are already out with their own people completing the mission given to them, as for the others who were here with him in the council meeting as they supposed next leaders of the five cursed clan after they retire.
As for his father, Last he heard of him was that he was already on his way back, so in a day or two. He will gladly hand this position back to his father as he was already tired of it just from the conversation they are having right now.
"We cannot ignore the escalating situation any longer," The Ember council member declared, slamming their fist on the table. "Osita’s actions while not of an issue or problem to us is something I believe will soon spiral out of our control"
Another Ripple member nodded in agreement. "I believe it’s time we intervene, but cautiously. We cannot afford to be seen as aggressors or meddlers in human affairs but at least we will in some ways mess up whatever this mysterious human leader is planning"
Zephyr took this time to speak up, "Why does it seem like everyone is already expecting this mysterious human leader by the name Osita to do something bad"
The council fell into Quietness, as they began considering Zephyr’s question carefully. They exchanged glances, weighing their words before responding.
"It’s not just a matter of expectation," the Terra council member spoke up, their voice measured. "It’s a matter of observing patterns and understanding the potential consequences of Osita’s actions. His aggressive expansionism and disregard for other people’s territories indicate a reckless ambition and goal that we the apelings will sooner or later come across."
The Ember council member added, "Moreover, Osita’s actions threaten the delicate balance of power among the human settlements. If he continues unchecked, he will have all the humans under his control which is something we for sure don’t want because someone with that type of ambition won’t stop until he has the whole eastern region under him."
Zephyr nodded, "Indeed one of the things we are most in advantage of right now is how divided the humans are, having the come together under one banner is something that shouldn’t happen unless we are ready to deal with whatever comes after that"
"We must reach out to those allied tribes,’’ the only other Zephyr member suggested. "Perhaps we can strengthen those alliances to counterbalance Osita’s aggression and halt his progress"
Ripple members raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Do we truly believe the Human tribes will trust us, after all this time? We have kept our distance, observing from afar. Why would they suddenly welcome our help now?"
Zephyr spoke up, "Reaching out is indeed a good advice but this is something we can decide for ourselves, It will be up to father when he comes back but I have a feeling he will agree to it so before them start training a group of apleings on ways best to approach the humans, make reasonable simulations on how it can possibly go till then we much proceed carefully"
"Push the human problem aside for now, How are our people doing? Has there been any changes like an apeling fight or showing off their new weapons or treasures" Zephyr asked to lighten the mood.
The Terra council member spoke up, "Nothing of yet, matter of fact since the announcement for a new academy meant for the normal apelings, the people have been all time high and active. You know your highness we Terra clan are the best when it comes to building but the apelings declined our request to help saying they want to build it up themselves. I don’t think they have time to look at whatever weapons or treasure they picked up with all this excitement"
The ripple clan member spoke with praise in her voice, "The king is truly amazing for coming up with such an idea, I have never seen our people so eager to move and do something for themselves"
Zephyr nodded thoughtfully, acknowledging the Terra council member’s observation before turning his attention to the Ripple clan member. "Indeed, it’s heartening to see such enthusiasm among our people. Empowering them with opportunities for self-improvement and growth is key to fostering a prosperous community," he remarked, his voice resonating with pride.
The Ember council member chimed in, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "Speaking of collaboration, have there been any discussions among the clans regarding the academy’s construction? Despite the apelings’ insistence on independence, perhaps our expertise could still be of use in certain aspects," he suggested, eager to contribute.
Zephyr nodded in agreement. "A valid point. Even though it was an academy meant for normal apelings with the exception of the clan members, it is important that the royal family and other clan members are somehow involved in building the foundation of the school. I’ll convene a meeting with representatives from each clan to explore potential avenues for collaboration. Our goal is to support the apelings in realizing their aspirations while ensuring the academy reflects their and our values and aspirations,"