19 A Grateful Trada

Trada was covered in deep lacerations from head to toe and missing nearly a third of her body's scales. Her massive body looked like it would fall over with the slightest push, but the look in her eyes showed her ferocity and determination. The only reason that Trada stopped and waited for the ceremony was because she noticed that to Oli's side was her precious child, still untouched.

Now that everyone noticed her arrival, she slowly stepped up to the tombstone and proceeded to bow as she spoke, "I can't thank you enough for what you've done. I know it was for the sake of your son, but I thank you all the same. For giving everything to save my beloved egg, I shall give what I can to your son as my sign of gratitude."

She lifted her head up with watery eyes. Turning to the side, she locked eyes with Ania and continued, "And thank you as well, for raising your boy to be so noble. Without him and your husband, I would've surely died along with my child. And for causing you such sorrow, I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I cannot bring him back from the dead, but I will definitely offer what I can for his help."

A void gem within her choker then activated and released a small mound of gold and treasured items, causing all of the gorillas eye's open in shock. To finish she bowed her head lightly towards Oli and said, "Little one, come see me when you have the chance, and make sure to bring my egg."

With that, she turned and trudged back to her cave. Oli almost offered to pass her the egg right then and there but realized that she may not even have the strength to carry it.

Instead, he just glanced at the egg with care in his eyes, reflecting again on his decision to protect the egg.

Ania, Rathe, and Vloz were thrown for a loop by Trada's words and actions. They could tell that Trada was a king level cultivator, but her humility far surpassed that of regular kings. And her gift to them was far too valuable to be from someone without a powerful territory of their own. Nothing seemed to make sense, other than her being grateful to Oli and Dioro for protecting her child.

Soon the burial ceremony came to a close. Ania and Oli departed first, with the egg in hand, to go make a nest for the night. Now that Oli was a maturing ape, he didn't usually share a nest his mother, but this time he insisted.

Rathe officially introduced Vloz to the clan and made official use of his authority as clan chief to make him an honorary clan member and the chief's consultant, despite the rejections of some of the gorillas. It didn't take long for everyone to go their separate ways, leaving Rathe and Vloz behind to store the gold in their void choker's and chat.

"Yo Vloz, didn't I tell you that I'd keep our promise?" Rathe poked fun.

"Well… This isn't exactly how I envisioned it, but I guess you're right. We still need to find a territory though. The hardest part comes after that when we build up a new city of our own," Vloz lost himself in thought.

"Hey, quit the daydreaming already. Me and Dioro already had a territory in mind. It's a ways away and we were on our way there when this all started. Knowing your speed, you could probably make it there and back within a single moon."

"Whoa, I'm not going there alone and that's final. I'm not some errand boy you can boss around anymore, Rathe," Vloz saw through Rathe's schemes.

"Oh, come on Vloz! How about I tag along? It'll be like old times! I can see it now, the mighty Rathe enters the territory on his noble steed…"

"Shut up already!" Vloz clawed at Rathe's arm, who dodged it. "Even if we left, what about the clan? Don't you always have to leave them in the care of a perennial?"

"That's simple, Vloz. We still need to gather all of the cores from those baboons and divvy them up accordingly. With that, some of the other gorillas may be able enter the divine class, including Ania. If we give them one moon of training here, I'm sure we'll have at least two or three perennials who could protect the clan while I'm away claiming the territory. Wouldn't that work?" Rathe said as he scratched his head.

Vloz let out a deep breath and said softly, "I guess you're right about that. Plus, that would bring the clan less conflict if we took care of any issues before hand."

Rathe smiled and yelled, "Great! Then let's go gather the cores! No time like the present."

"Rathe can't you wait till—"

Vloz tried to calm Rathe but was too late to stop the ape from climbing on his back.

When Vloz hadn't yet moved, Rathe slapped Vloz in the rear and shouted, "Get a move on! Let's make it fast so I can get my beauty sleep."

In response to the slap, Vloz whipped the back of Rathe's head with his tail and knocked him off before speeding off into the distance without the gorilla.

"Hey, no fair Vloz! Get back here!" Rathe pouted.