The mammoths weren't a populous race, and there hadn't even been ten thousand of them at their peak. Over a thousand warriors had died in the draconian invasion, and another thousand in the volcanic eruption, leaving fewer than six thousand in all.
Surviving, finding a new territory to claim as their own, and searching for food would all be problems in the near future.
The mammoths no longer tried to attack the golden mammoth; his actions in saving them from the volcanic eruptions spoke for themselves.
The golden mammoth was, by now, in a very fatigued state. He didn't know just how long he had been swinging his sword to prevent the incursion of the lava. If not for his training, if he hadn't spent years swinging his sword ten thousand times each day, he wouldn't have had the stamina to continue on. Even so, he had expended much of it, and he was panting heavily as he and the rest of the herd moved on.
As the mammoth elder walked over, the golden mammoth hurriedly perked up. "Is there anything else, elder?"
The elder inclined his head. "Please lead us, herdleader."
"Herdleader?" The golden mammoth glanced to his left and right.
The mammoth elder explained, "As the successor to the herdleader, now that the former herdleader has perished, we need you more than ever."
Li Feng smirked as he glanced at the mammoths from afar. He didn't stand with the mammoth herd. Considering that he was an outsider, it was fortunate enough that he wasn't being attacked on sight.
After all, Li Feng was responsible for killing the former mammoth herdleader, and he was indirectly responsible for causing this entire disaster.
Of course, Li Feng didn't regret what he had done. In the end, the disaster had been caused by the mammoths' greed and attacking the draconian world.
The golden mammoth shook his head. "No, no, how could I? Elder, you're the most respected mammoth in our herd, and you're qualified and experienced. You should become the next herdleader! What's more, you were the one who trained the former herdleader. No one but you could be qualified to take on this role!"
The mammoth herdleader shook his head. "You are qualified. I'm growing old, and my mind is starting to deteriorate. I don't know how much longer I can live, and there's no one else in the herd but you suited to the role."
The golden mammoth shook his head. "No, no, I can't!"
The elder continued, "You can. You must! Your reputation in the herd is soaring, and you've saved all our lives. During the eruption, I was unable to accomplish anything. It was your bravery, your courage, that saved us all!"
The golden mammoth replied, "No, elder—I only did what any mammoth warrior would do!"
The elder replied, "And it's precisely for that reason that you're qualified to become the next herdleader! You have the strength, the wisdom, and the courage to lead us mammoths to a brighter future. With your blade, you struck us a path out of disaster!"
Given the elder's insistence, the golden mammoth found it hard to refuse him. He looked toward the other mammoths, hoping to get their input on the matter.
One mammoth volunteered, "I apologize for my callous remarks toward you earlier. We shouldn't have suspected you of being in cahoots with the humans!"
"It's only thanks to you and that human that we were able to survive."
"Why don't you become the herdleader? You're the most suitable person for that role out of all of us!"
"Right! If it weren't for you, we would all be encased in lava by now. Your combat ability and attitude make you the perfect choice to be herdleader."
"We apologize for what we said, all of us! You're the only one who can lead us out of trouble."
Li Feng watched on coldly. These mammoths really did have somewhat disgusting personalities. Now that the entire herd was trapped in such a troublesome situation, they naturally turned to the strongest mammoth around, whom they had just spurned not a few moments ago—the golden mammoth.
If it were Li Feng, he would hardly be willing to drop the matter for nothing but a few words.
"Herdleader!" one of the mammoths called out, and the others followed suit.
"Herdleader!"
"Herdleader!"
"Herdleader!"
The golden mammoth, however, seemed to be coming around to the idea. The sparkle in his eyes made it evident that he was honored by their behavior.
Li Feng watched on, conscious of his role as a spectator and a spectator only.
The golden mammoth finally accepted the nomination. "If everyone's in agreement, I'll take on the role temporarily, then."
The mammoth elder began, "Herdleader, our first priority is survival. What should the six thousand of us do?"
The golden mammoth replied, "Do you have any thoughts, Elder?"
The mammoth elder thought for a moment. "Many years ago, the herdleader and I had considered plans for such an eventuality—if we were suddenly invaded by other worlds, or if our territory was somehow destroyed. Back then, the herdleader prepared a second home for us all. We'll be able to take shelter there."
The golden mammoth's eyes brightened.
The elder unfurled a map. "Only I and the former herdleader know about this location. It's worse than our original territory, of course, but it'll help us get our footing. The herdleader left large quantities of frozen meat behind for times of need."
The golden mammoth replied, "Wonderful! Our former herdleader was truly a visionary."
He had resolved all the mammoths' immediate problems.
The elder sighed. "He was simply planning for the future. But now..."
.
In the end, the herdleader had grown so arrogant that he had made a mistake from which he would never recover, but he had been a wise and thoughtful leader before that.
The golden mammoth replied, "Actually, the former herdleader might not have perished."
"Really?" contemporary romance
"He was sent to an unknown world, from which he might be able to return."
The elder shook his head. "Is that really different from dying?"
The golden mammoth fell silent.
The elder emphasized, "Don't reveal this to anyone."
The golden mammoth seemed perplexed. "Why not, Elder?"
"The herd is willing to accept you as its new herdleader, so you shouldn't instill them with idle hope, hope that might not come to fruition."
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