At the edge of extinction, some decisions were never choices.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOnVuYSUvB
In the darkness, they learned what it meant to be one another.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVH2zxSBrP
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tDrhBOrlF
The invasions were relentless, driving the tribe to the brink of collapse.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtnjOERMju
Survival of the fittest——cruel, but enduring.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSt8nweJRN
And yet, from the ruins, they rose again, rebuilding the will to live.
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsz6qh7XDbI
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRO8nJpIOx
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.
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMsVLyniiC
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UED0lG4hA
“...Honey...”12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5SZmvBF8L
He spoke softly, his voice barely audible.
“If I die… please eat me.”
The foreleg pressing against his wound trembled—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgldPWjo7Ca
perhaps from the strain,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWEFRvWhjY
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,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4vHH9W4bR
and reached out with his other thick hoof.
Slowly, he touched his wife’s snout—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZvcPdXOpI
leaving behind a warm, red streak.
“You know this kind of wound… won’t heal.”
“Rather than be eaten by them,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmIZwKxt0M
I’d rather you live.”
Then, lifting his head, he shouted toward the center of the cave:
“If we must die,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeNOnxJV8o
then let us nourish our own,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyiqjQsVlOR
not feed our enemies!”
Silence fell.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNrQir3ABJ
Every breath in the cave stilled.
A few seconds later, another pig spoke up:12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlthcP2iFc
“Me too!”
Then a third:12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUb3n7dt4II
“And me!”
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29H7HZoBCK
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdg36ZTegJd
After days of starvation, they finally had something to eat.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQCTtM8Utn
It should have been a joyful moment.
But for some reason, tears began to fall,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXgarOUdfz
soaking their fur, turning even the taste bitter.
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJKZn2e2lk
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOtOeoTVj7
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.
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWbEW9I7Ig
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrzmQ967hJ
That day was the darkest in their histor——12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNc6GRj3AyY
and the very first step toward their rebirth.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIlbizBeuJ
