68 – Another Blood Spilled

"Are you serious? You really beat that Biruhud bird?" While continuing to walk with the members of the Redtooth tribe, Lara looked at Kat's face. "That fucking bird is the most aggressive beaked animal in human history!"

Since Kat was spoken to, I purposely didn't use the fast-forward feature. I had to keep an eye on Kat and give her orders to talk at the right time. So, other people are not offended because the girl is silent or gives short answers.

"I'm serious." Kat, walking beside the blonde girl, answered. Expressionless, of course. "But I didn't do it alone. There was a friend of mine who carried out the last execution, and the one who played the most part was this boy. He was the first to knock the bird down by biting its leg."

Rox barked as if he knew he was being praised. Kat smiled and stroked her pet's head.

I paused the gameplay and used the screenshot feature. The moment Kat smiled should always be immortalized.

"Hey, it turns out you can smile!" Lara shouted in an overexcited tone. "Come on, I want to see you smile again."

Kat just kept quiet and looked at Lara's face. Meanwhile, Lara continued to wait. They are like playing a sight-seeing game while walking. And it went on for a while.

Lin laughed at that. "It's useless, Lara. Kat is like that. And it's not wrong. We are all different."

Lara sighed. "But you're really pretty when you smile, Kat."

I agree.

"Let's rest here!" Tosa gave orders from the front line of the group.

Everyone stopped walking immediately. Most were sitting, but some were stretching, tying horses to trees, or lying down.

Kat, Lin, and Lara sat close together. They began to take out their respective provisions that had been distributed.

"What's the matter, Anne?" Lin, just taking out the leaf-wrapped pemmican from her sack, asked the little girl who had just come to the three women.

Instead of directly answering, Anne looked down in silence.

"Hey, what's with your face?" Lara frowned when she noticed that Anne's eyes looked so puffy. "Did you just cry?"

Still not responding, the red-haired girl approached Kat and sat down on her knees. Kat, who had just shared a bit of her pemmican to Rox, froze.

"I'm sorry if what I said yesterday offended you." Anne said in a hoarse voice.

"Wow, did I hear right? Anne wants to apologize?" Lara laughed sarcastically. "What did you eat last night?"

Anne just glanced at the blonde-haired girl. Lin motioned for Lara to be quiet. Lara just shrugged and started eating.

"I have a request." Anne took a deep breath, paused for a moment, then continued her words. "Can you persuade your friends to let my sister go?"

Lin and Lara exchanged glances while Kat acted, as usual, expressionless. Honestly, I feel sorry for Anne, even though the way she spoke yesterday was offensive. However, I can't just let Leva go. Apart from being a very crucial colonist in my colony, there are several other reasons that cannot be ignored.

I even paused the gameplay to express my reasons to Kat.

"Even if Leva leaves our tribe, where will she go?" Kat asked.

Anne flinched a little.

"Ah, that's going to be tricky." Lara spoke with her mouth full of pemmican. "Almost the entire population of our Tribe will not like it. She will be expelled as soon as she steps into the tribe area."

"Lara!" Lin gave Lara a stern look, but the girl only gave an innocent expression.

"It …." Anne gulped, not daring to look at Kat or the other women at all.

"You may not believe what I say. However, we really don't treat your sister like a slave. She is on par with the rest of our group." Kat continued. "And with us, she got a shelter, safety, and enough food."

Anne clenched her fists. "Then can I join your tribe?"

"I know you miss your big sister a lot, Anne. You two are very close." Lin chimed in with a cautious tone. "But, remember the consequences. If you run away to Kat's Tribe, then Kat's Tribe will get in trouble. Our Tribe will assume they kidnapped you, Anne. And don't forget your parents too. They've already lost their first child, don't let them lose you too."

And finally, Anne couldn't hold it anymore. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she seemed to be desperately trying to keep her mouth from groaning.

Lin approached the petite girl and held her by the shoulders. "Hey, in a few days we'll get to your big sister's new house. You can see her again."

Anne looked like she was about to speak, but she couldn't. Her mouth just opens and closes like a fish on land.

Kat put down her food and got to her feet. "What do your tribes do for vows?"

Kat's voice was loud enough to attract the attention of the others. Anne looked up to look at my colonist. The little girl's sobs had stopped, though her tears continued to flow.

Well, I didn't tell Kat to do that. Maybe there are emotions that are overflowing inside her. This time she was a little out of my control, but I didn't hate it at all. I'm actually proud to see Kat like this.

"I can't return your older sister to you, but I can make a promise to you." Kat continued with a firmer intonation. "I will guarantee that I will always take care of your older sister."

"The greatest oath in our Tribe is to slash your own forearm. It's up to you which one you choose." Lara muttered. "And your oath will be accepted if the person you make the promise accepts your blood."

"Lara!" Lin got up with wide eyes.

What? What kind of madness is this? I was about to stop Kat, who had taken her knife from the sack. However, seeing her steady movement without any hesitation, I stopped my intention. Even though her expression was still barely shows any emotion, I could feel her determination.

People began to rise and gather near the two women.

Anne wiped her tears, then looked up at her trembling hands. Without showing the slightest fear, Kat stuck the sharp part of her knife against her right forearm.