Joseph VI

"This is b-b-bad," Daven muttered under his breath as they entered the courtyard.

"Perhaps the man was mistaken," Joseph replied without breaking pace. "We don't know the truth for certain."

Daven was puffing as he struggled to match Joseph's longer strides. "Wh-what do we do if he was t-telling the truth?"

Joseph paused to open the wooden doors of the dining hall. He was still mulling over the situation himself. In all honesty, he had no idea what the recent tidings would entail for the future of the tribe. For now, he could only confirm whether the rumours were true or not. One step at a time. The Head Ranger will have a better idea of what's going on out there. Joseph turned back to Daven as he pulled the doors open. "We'll decide later. Come now, we had best see to this matter ourselves."

The dining hall stretched out before them; a long, drafty building large enough to hold most of the Lookout Hill's population at once. To the right, a service counter separated the rest of the room from the kitchen, where cooks labored three times a day to keep everyone fed with delicious meals. To the left were long wooden tables and benches, arranged to house about a dozen people each. The room was starting to fill up as survivors straggled in from their duties, attracted by the heavenly aroma emanating from the kitchen. Joseph guessed they were serving venison stew tonight, thick with carrots, peppers, and potatoes. He was tempted to eat his own dinner but there were other matters to be attended to first.

Joseph made his way toward the other end of the hall, Daven following at his side. They were headed toward a group of laughing men, who seemed like they were about to start a drinking game. Joseph interrupted before they were too drunk to comprehend his message. "Good evening, friends."

The men scrambled to their feet and saluted him but Joseph waved them down. "Carry on with your drinks and your dinner. Skyler, a moment of your time?"

The Head Ranger nodded, pushed his chair back, excused himself from the table, and joined Joseph. The noisy dining hall was too loud for them to have a proper conversation, so Joseph motioned for Skyler and Daven to follow him into the nearest corridor. The hallway was empty aside from them. Daven closed the door to the dining hall behind them.

Joseph got straight to the point. "We heard a strange report from one of your rangers."

"She m-mentioned seeing another tribe d-down the coast," Daven added.

"Ah," Skyler mused. "I wouldn't call them a tribe persay, but she spoke the truth. I was there as well. As a matter of fact, I was just about to come see you after I was done eating, my lords."

"Before or after you were well and drunk?" Joseph asked. Skyler flushed red with embarrassment. He was decent at his job, but also a slob and a terrible alcoholic. Telling him not to drink was like telling anybody else not to breath. Joseph would have promoted someone else to the position of Head Ranger if they weren't all incompetent commanders. Those men and women were better at following instructions than giving them, so he had no choice but to stick with Skyler. Joseph was just glad that Daven was his second-in-command. Although somewhat shy, the man was more resourceful and hardworking than he let on.

"It d-doesn't matter," Daven interjected before Joseph lost his temper. "You're h-here now. Tell us what you s-saw."

Skyler exhaled nervously. "Right. So two others and myself just returned from our patrol a few hours ago. We were ranging very far down the coast, near the old burned jungle. Lord Joseph should be familiar with the area."

"Aye, that was my first base before it burned down. I lived there for months. Go on."

"Well, just as we were heading home, we noticed a similarly sized party by the jungle. It was hard to tell from the distance, but I'd wager there were three or four of them."

Daven raised an eyebrow. "Where did that other ranger g-get the notion that there was a whole tribe?"

"They didn't behave like any normal ragtag group of survivors. Not like I've ever seen," Skyler muttered, shaking his head. "Usually when we find small tribes, they're half-naked, starving, and using stone tools to scrape by. These men were different."

"How so?" Joseph prompted with growing dread. "I want all the details you can remember. Don't leave anything out."

"For one, they were organized. Those men were mounted on matching war parasaurs with red and black tabards. Those creatures are already nothing to scoff at in the wild, but the ones we saw were well-trained and well-armored. They listened to their riders' commands and moved as one unit, travelling in formation down the coast; a patrol not unlike our own."

"That's concerning. It seems as if these people are experienced in taming and training wild animals."

"That's not the worst of it," Skyler insisted. "The men were all armored in steel, and not the dinty scavenged kind either. Good castle-forged gear. They had swords sheathed to their hips as well, and lances holstered on their mounts' saddles. I would even say their equipment was better than our own."

Daven was visibly frightened. "D-did they h-h-have any recognizable belongings? Heraldry?"

"Their leader had a red banner with a roaring black tyrannosaurus draped from the top of his lance."

"A roaring tyrannosaurus, black against red," Joseph muttered, exchanging looks with Daven. He had never heard of such a symbol. "Did they see you?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I tried to get my group out of sight quickly. Those other men looked disciplined and ready for combat, especially compared to my motley assembly of rangers. We were dressed in hides and furs, mounted on an elk, a horse, and a mountain ram. Clearly no match for them."

Joseph started pacing down the hallway. The others followed him as he walked. "What could they be doing?" He pondered out loud.

"Perhaps they were scouting," Daven suggested."Or r-rescuing castaways like us."

"It's likely, my lords. I'll tell my rangers to stay on high alert."

"I don't like this one bit," Joseph sighed. "But thank you for the report, Skyler. Go back to your meal, Daven and I will discuss this alone."

Skyler bowed and made his way back to the dining hall. Joseph and Daven headed off in the opposite direction, down the stone corridor and back into the courtyard. They emerged into a frigid dusk, with swarms of snowflakes billowing against a dark purple sky. Joseph's breath misted into the air when he spoke. "What do you think about this, Daven? Could it be the tribe that you and Alys encountered all those months ago?"

"C-could be," Daven muttered. "But that group bore no symbol."

"Fair point. An angry red banner with a roaring tyrannosaurus rex would be hard to forget."

Daven looked concerned. "This tribe s-sounds aggressive. What should we do?"

"Nothing yet," Joseph declared as they crossed the courtyard. "We'll wait and see what happens."

"N-not that I mean to question your w-will, but is that the best course of action?"

"Speak your mind, Daven."

"If we hold b-back, we give them the power to strike first. If they want to h-harm us, they can do so easily."

Joseph nodded. "I don't mean to sit idly by and let them invade our territory as they please. We'll prepare for an attack but we won't actively seek to fight them. For now, it's best to stay on the defensive. I'll write to Otto asking for more weapons and armour, and we'll train more men and women to fight."

"But w-will that be enough?" Daven asked.

"Don't forget, we have an entirely new advantage over them. Let's go check on Alysanne's progress."

They made their way over to a small building in the corner of the courtyard, guarded by a thick double door. Joseph and Daven each grabbed a handle and pulled the doors open. Inside, the room was divided into two parts; a utility area contained feeding buckets, long poles, and saddle pieces; further back, a cage with criss-crossed reinforced wooden bars, large enough for a human to stick their hand through. Alys was already in the room, her back turned to the entrance. She was gently talking to something behind the cage bars. Joseph admired the creature — a massive predatory argentavis, with crimson-tipped wings and creamy gold-grey chest plumage. The monster shrieked at the sight of him and beat its massive wings against the cage bars, but Alys managed to pacify it with a few shouts, and by pulling a dark hood over its head.

She turned to greet them. "Come to check up on me?"

"Aye, it's been a few days since I've visited," Joseph admitted. "How's the bird?"

"I call him Crimson now," Alys smiled. "He's getting better at following orders."

"What's the h-hood for?" Daven pointed at the black cloth covering the bird's head.

"To keep him calm," Alys explained. "Argentavis rely on their sight to hunt. When it goes away, like during the night, they stand still so they don't attract unwanted attention. Same rules apply here."

"That's smart," Joseph mused. "Where did you learn that?"

"Willam's book. I read the entry about the argentavis while your men were bringing Crimson back to the Lookout Keep and building his cage."

The argentavis screeched at the sound of his name. Alys laughed and turned back to the cage. Before Joseph could stop her, she reached inside and touched the bird. Joseph expected the beast to rend her arm to shreds; he had seen the monster snap and claw at his men, even in a half-drunken state, while they transported it back to the Lookout Hill on a wagon. Through sheer willpower, the vicious bird of prey had refused to allow even the powerful influence of narcotics to fully hold him down. In the end, Joseph had ordered his men to bind the bird to the wagon using ropes and leather straps. It was a miracle that nobody had gotten injured during the long journey. Even as Joseph watched, the massive predator shrieked and cawed underneath the black hood. . . until Alys brushed his bright plumage. Then the bird relaxed, and even gave a happy chirp.

Daven sighed in relief. "Alys y-you should be more c-careful around that thing. Who knows what it c-could do to you."

"I'll be perfectly fine, Daven. I've been training Crimson for weeks. He would never hurt me at this point. Strangers like you though. . ." She withdrew her hand and whistled. The argentavis immediately sprang at the cage bars, shrieking and flapping its huge wings. Daven stumbled awaying, spitting curses, while Alys doubled over laughing.

"N-not funny!" Daven protested.

"You should have seen your face!" Alys grinned.

"It was fairly funny," Joseph agreed with a chuckle.

Daven fumed, but even he cracked a tiny smile. "You've proven your point, Alys."

"I told you," she smirked. "After another week of training I'm going to let him out of the cage."

Joseph nodded in agreement. If the rumours about the other tribe were true, they would need air power as quickly as possible. "And when will your first flight be?" he prompted.

"We'll have to see," Alys sighed. "I'd estimate two weeks from now. Perhaps sooner if Crimson behaves properly."

"Good to know. Keep training that bird as we may need it soon. We just received news of another tribe near our territory. Until we receive more information, we'll need to stay alert."

"I could speed the training up if you need Crimson right away," Alys offered.

"No need," Joseph brushed her off. "Carry on as normal, you seem to have things under control here. I'll be in my quarters if you need me. Daven, I won't need your company for the rest of the night, so feel free to stay and enjoy yourselves."

Joseph left the two to their own devices and made his way to the dining hall, where small swarms of survivors were still mulling about. He grabbed a wooden tray and bowl, then lined up at the counter. "M'lord's late for dinner," the head chef observed when Joseph got to him. "Sad to say, all the choicest bits have been taken."

"I'll manage with the leftovers," Joseph smiled. "Your cooking is just too good."

"Bah, hungry survivors will eat anything you put in front of them. Go help yourself, my lord."

Joseph ladelled venison stew into his wooden bowl and grabbed a loaf of bread. The soup was almost cold, and only tiny scraps of meat floated amidst the carrots, peppers, and potatoes, but Joseph was content nonetheless. He carried the tray through a corridor, back to the main castle, and into the room that he shared with Daven. Patches the otter scampered up to greet him, standing as tall as he could to rest his tiny paws on Joseph's thighs. The otter chirped and cocked his head. Joseph smiled, set his tray down on a table, and tore off a chunk of bread for the otter. He returned to his meal, relaxing for the first time that day. The vegetables were soft and savoury from their long simmering and although the meat was all but gone, its flavour lingered in the soup stock. Joseph dipped his bread into the soup to soften up its stiff crust. He was halfway through his meal when someone knocked on his door.

"Enter," he called out. Joseph glanced at the visitor and his eyes widened in shock.

Otto Weiss stood by the door with a faint smile on his face. "Good to see you again, old friend."

Joseph leapt to his feet and pulled Otto into an embrace. He could scarcely believe his own eyes. He had not seen his old friend since he left to establish the Lookout Hill, months and months ago. "What are you doing here, Otto?"

The Wolf Lord's smile died. He motioned toward the nearest chair. "May I sit?"

Joseph dragged two chairs up to the table and the old friends seated themselves across from one another. Otto sighed. "I wish I could have visited more often, but these days I can scarcely get out of my own room, let alone the base. Anyway, I came to warn you."

"Is this about the tribe that was spotted near our old base?"

"Aye. So you heard about it from your men too?"

Joseph nodded. "Just today. When did you learn of this?"

"Two days ago from my scouts. I came as soon as I was able to. I would've sent a messenger, but I felt this needed to be done in person."

"I was just about to send a messenger to your base," Joseph mused. "We need more weapons and armour. Since the Lookout Hill is the closest of our three castles to the old base, I was going to take the responsibility of guarding that coastline."

Otto barely hesitated before dismissing Joseph's offer. "I've been thinking these past few weeks. Do you remember the reason we moved up north?"

"How could I forget. Those night-demons destroyed our first base and slaughtered our friends."

Otto nodded solemnly. "We were weak then. But look at our tribe now—" he waved at the thick castle walls all around them. "I checked the reports just this morning. Between the Wolf's Den, the Lookout Hill, and Ice Harbour, we have well over a hundred survivors. We've got wolves, and elks, and hyenas. Even a near fully-grown tyrannosaurus rex. We have power now."

"What are you suggesting?" Joseph asked hesitantly.

"I have no doubt that your rangers complain about how far their patrols stretch down the coast. I know mine do every day. We're exhausting our resources by covering the entire coastline from our bases in the north. What we need is a safe haven in the south, and now that our tribe is strong enough, we can retake what was lost to us before."

Joseph nodded. "It would certainly make life easier for the rangers if we set up a base there."

"It will also provide a buffer against that other tribe encroaching on our territory. We'll station a militia in that base and arm them with our best gear. But those men and women are only half the story. I need a strong commander to hold that fort. I know you've only just moved to the Lookout Hill, and I'm grateful for the good work you've done here but now, more than ever, I need you in the south."

Joseph paused to consider everything Otto had said. "Who will take over the Lookout Hill?"

"You've spent more time with Daven than I have. Do you think he's ready?"

"The man's a little shy, but yes. He'll make a fine leader one day."

Otto smiled. "That's settled. And now, yourself?"

Joseph thought of the happy life that had been torn away from him by the night demons. He thought of how Alys had nearly been enslaved by another tribe and forced to bend to their will. And he thought of all the survivors who might suffer those same terrible fates if nobody protected them from the dangers of the Island. The choice was easy then. "Aye, I'll do it. The base will be mine."

Author's Note:

Girlbook, That giant eagle is almost ready for action!

Rocket man 099, Thanks for the reviews! Happy New Years!

DinoNerd89, Wow you read my mind! It's almost like you predicted the content of the next chapter, I'm excited to see how it pans out. Thanks for another kind review and I'm looking forward to hearing from you again!

Raimon, Glad to hear that Alys got redeemed in your eyes, and thanks for your input as always!

Caleb R. Watson, Things are definitely cooling down now and more or less peaceful between the original 5. Besides, what unites people better than an outside threat?

The Ghost of King Endercreeper, Huh did I read the new name right? Sounds like theres lots of history between that change, everything ok? Aside from that, I'm glad to hear the rocky mountain descriptions were pleasing to you. That was actually the vibe I was aiming for, and I drew upon my own experiences visiting that place to describe the scenary. Also thanks for the review about character development as always, your input is always refreshing to hear. Can't wait to hear from you again in the future!

Changeling man, thanks for the review! Their relationship will definitely be a little rocky in the coming months!

Thanks for taking the time to check out my first fanfiction, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I will try my best to upload as regularly as possible. Feel free to comment, ask question or criticize my story, review is always welcome. And if you like what you saw, make sure to check out the other ARK: Survival Evolved fanfictions out there. Have a great rest of your day or night.

-DaRumpyBurr