At the edge of extinction, some decisions were never choices.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWTBzmxPH2
In the darkness, they learned what it meant to be one another.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqKRpwIPei
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDutDg1vph
The invasions were relentless, driving the tribe to the brink of collapse.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjAgwQOwDA
Survival of the fittest——cruel, but enduring.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNJ00gFkWu
And yet, from the ruins, they rose again, rebuilding the will to live.
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv0WTE3U8uD
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡViRzP9g7q7
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.
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqfEwiDvgd
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4JfUnTXRx
“...Honey...”32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWwLSC4i4c
He spoke softly, his voice barely audible.
“If I die… please eat me.”
The foreleg pressing against his wound trembled—32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8ApdN6sIi
perhaps from the strain,32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mShESxXJM
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,32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCQXS2PiYZ
and reached out with his other thick hoof.
Slowly, he touched his wife’s snout—32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3859kT9AqK
leaving behind a warm, red streak.
“You know this kind of wound… won’t heal.”
“Rather than be eaten by them,32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIZni3o4dh
I’d rather you live.”
Then, lifting his head, he shouted toward the center of the cave:
“If we must die,32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4KiuaYX0C
then let us nourish our own,32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyf8ZkF8R8
not feed our enemies!”
Silence fell.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQudCwI1tSM
Every breath in the cave stilled.
A few seconds later, another pig spoke up:32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAPxq03dgX
“Me too!”
Then a third:32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8Gh4mBhe9
“And me!”
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNjcuWAnY4
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsL7qgTM3I
After days of starvation, they finally had something to eat.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDVJGhp3GX
It should have been a joyful moment.
But for some reason, tears began to fall,32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9v9CtfAOU
soaking their fur, turning even the taste bitter.
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaiwNLLHan
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLJyPcAMZi
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.
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTR71wf2h8H
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehBrMXzqQw
That day was the darkest in their histor——32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xY71W9CT3
and the very first step toward their rebirth.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErayH8HVyZ
