The invasions were relentless, driving the tribe to the brink of collapse.  

Survival of the fittest——cruel, but enduring.  

And yet, from the ruins, they rose again, rebuilding the will to live.

In a small cave, the few remaining pigs were packed tightly together.

After relentless attacks, casualties had steadily mounted.

The exhausted herd had no room to breathe, let alone recover.

The air reeked of blood and damp earth, and even their breathing felt heavy.

In one corner, a large pig was pressing down hard on another pig’s hind leg with his front hoof—

But upon closer look, there was… nothing left there at all.

“...Honey...”  

He spoke softly, his voice barely audible.

“If I die… please eat me.”

The foreleg pressing against his wound trembled—  

perhaps from the strain,  

or perhaps the weight of those words.

“What are you saying… You’ll be okay. You have to make it through!”

The wounded pig let out a faint smile, gasped a few breaths,  

and reached out with his other thick hoof.

Slowly, he touched his wife’s snout—  

leaving behind a warm, red streak.

“You know this kind of wound… won’t heal.”

“Rather than be eaten by them,  

I’d rather you live.”

Then, lifting his head, he shouted toward the center of the cave:

“If we must die,  

then let us nourish our own,  

not feed our enemies!”

Silence fell.  

Every breath in the cave stilled.

A few seconds later, another pig spoke up:  

“Me too!”

Then a third:  

“And me!”

After days of starvation, they finally had something to eat.  

It should have been a joyful moment.

But for some reason, tears began to fall,  

soaking their fur, turning even the taste bitter.

A slightly smaller pig gripped a stick between its front hooves, trying to lift it.

Clack—

The stick fell.

He didn’t make a sound, just bent down to pick it up again.

This time, he squeezed harder—

even lifted one hoof slightly.

Thud—

It dropped again.

He stared at the stick for a few seconds, his nose twitching.

I can’t rely on the warriors alone…

He picked the stick up once more, moving even more slowly this time.

His front hooves trembled from the tension.

As long as I have a weapon…

Maybe… I can protect myself too.

That day was the darkest in their histor——  

and the very first step toward their rebirth.