Chapter 47: Contagious Flu Has Also Appeared in the Snow Wolf Clan

Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Contagious Flu Has Also Appeared in the Snow Wolf Clan

Meanwhile, an infectious flu had broken out within the Snow Wolf Clan. Half of the clan’s males had already collapsed, and almost all of the young females had fallen ill with fevers. The clan’s doctor was run off his feet all day, exhausting every possible method but still unable to find a cure.

Left with no other choice, the Snow Wolf Clan Leader, Soro, gathered several of the tribe’s elders for a discussion to find a solution. As Soro’s most highly regarded son, Loki naturally took part as well.

Sitting beside Soro, he offered his suggestion. "Father, if you ask me, the fact that they fell ill now just proves their physical weakness. We’re better off without frail males. We should just throw them out to fend for themselves."

A shrewd glint flashed in Loki’s eyes. Among those sick males were his two older brothers. As long as they were driven out of the tribe, the position of Clan Leader would undoubtedly be his.

"As for the young females, they can stay in the tribe and be quarantined to see if they can pull through on their own," Loki continued. "If they survive, it proves they have strong constitutions. Any children they bear for the tribe in the future will also be healthy and strong."

"Absolutely not." The Great Elder slammed his palm on the table, his expression stern. "Whether sick or healthy, those males are members of our Snow Wolf Clan. They have made countless contributions to the tribe. How can we just abandon them because they’re sick? Clan Leader, you cannot chill the hearts of the male clansmen who have bled for our tribe."

"But the tribe’s food reserves are running low," Loki argued. "Rather than keeping these sick clansmen around to waste food, we should send them away. That is the only way the young females in the tribe will survive."

The other elders were split, with some agreeing and others objecting. During this rainy season, the Snow Wolf Clan had only stockpiled food according to their usual standards, completely failing to anticipate that the rains would last this long. It had been pouring for more than half a month straight. Their stored prey was running out, and they had only managed to last this long by pinching pennies. If this continued, not only the sick clansmen, but even the healthy ones would starve to death.

Snow Wolf Clan Leader Soro neither agreed nor disagreed. Looking troubled, he simply said, "For now, let’s focus on finding a way to treat the fever. Our tribe hasn’t reached that desperate stage yet."

The other elders nodded in agreement. Ultimately, the discussion fizzled out without any decisions being made. However, someone leaked the contents of the meeting, causing a massive uproar within the Snow Wolf Clan.

"Did you hear? I heard Loki suggested driving the sick clansmen out."

"I think Loki’s decision is right. They don’t have any strength to work anyway since they’re sick. If they get thrown out, so be it."

"But even if they’re sick, they’re still our family! How can we just abandon our own kin because they fell ill?"

The clansmen were also divided, with some agreeing and others opposing. The two sides argued endlessly, neither willing to back down. But as time passed, the Snow Wolf Clan’s stockpiled prey continued to dwindle. To ensure their own survival, the clansmen who had initially refused to send their relatives away began to fall silent. Meanwhile, those who supported banishing the sick clamored even louder.

Just as the crowd was boiling over in a noisy debate, a small figure suddenly collapsed in the middle of the throng with a THUD.

"Amy!" Miche’s voice rang out from the crowd.

The other clansmen all turned to look in Amy’s direction.

Amy was now slumped in Miche’s arms. Her face was pale, her lips quivered, and her entire body trembled violently. She had unfortunately caught the infection from the others. Given her small stature and the fact that she hadn’t eaten much over the past couple of days due to the food shortage, the illness hit her far harder than it did the adult clansmen.

The clansmen who had still been holding out against sending their families away finally spoke up. They approached Soro and said, "Clan Leader, it’s not entirely impossible for us to send our family members away, but we have a condition. Now that Amy is sick, if Loki is willing to send his daughter away, then we will willingly send our own kin away too."

Seeing his own daughter collapse, Loki was burning with anxiety and held her tightly in his arms. Upon hearing the clansmen’s proposal, he pursed his lips, caught in a deep dilemma. Though he did not love Ophelia and had absolutely no feelings for her, he still cared for Amy, his little female cub. Yet, he wanted to become Clan Leader, which meant he couldn’t just ignore the wishes of his people.

"Father, let me think about it," Loki said, gritting his teeth.

Loki carried Amy back to the stone house. After a long while, she slowly woke up.

"Aunt Miche, am I going to die?" Amy asked timidly, her eyes red.

"No, Amy. You’ll definitely recover, and Loki won’t send you away," Miche comforted her patiently, a gentle smile gracing her face.

In reality, she had already cursed Amy countless times in her heart. Of all the places to collapse, the brat just had to pass out right in her arms! What if she caught the infection and fell sick too? Wouldn’t she be thrown out as well?

"Will Father really not throw me away?" Amy asked again. Although she had fainted earlier, she had remained semi-conscious and heard the clansmen talking. She didn’t want to be thrown away.

"He won’t. Don’t worry," Miche said, her words completely at odds with her true thoughts.

Receiving Miche’s promise, Amy finally closed her eyes in relief. Riddled with illness and already so weak, it didn’t take long for her to drift off to sleep. Lying on the stone bed, Amy was covered in a thick animal skin blanket, her small body almost entirely curled up beneath it. Her little face was flushed red, and her breathing was heavy, as if something was blocking her airways.

Miche gently shook Amy’s body and asked in a low voice, "Are you asleep?"

She waited a second or two. When Amy gave no reaction and simply continued sleeping, Miche finally felt safe enough to leave and look for Loki.

Loki was currently in his own stone house, sitting at a wooden table with his head propped on his hand. His expression was grim and his brows were tightly furrowed. The situation with Amy was giving him a massive headache. He was the one who had originally proposed driving the sick clansmen out. Now that Amy had fallen ill too, he truly found it hard to cast out his own daughter.

Miche took the initiative to sit beside Loki, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Loki, are you still stressing over Amy?" she asked in a tender voice.

"Yes. I really can’t bring myself to personally send Amy away." Loki raised his hand to grasp Miche’s, his voice exceptionally hoarse.

"Even though my heart aches for Amy too, Loki, you want to become Clan Leader. In a situation like this, you have to set an example," Miche coaxed. "Since you were the one who proposed this idea, you must take the lead in implementing it."

To show off her virtue, Miche had purposely brought Amy to her own stone house to look after her when the rainy season arrived. But now that Amy was sick with a contagious disease, she had absolutely no desire to live with the little brat. What on earth would she do if she got infected too?!