At the edge of extinction, some decisions were never choices.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2InNn7p14
In the darkness, they learned what it meant to be one another.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jifXu9c6F
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yL2cWPn2L
The invasions were relentless, driving the tribe to the brink of collapse.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwFDJNvtr3
Survival of the fittest——cruel, but enduring.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GCkUTGOHs
And yet, from the ruins, they rose again, rebuilding the will to live.
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9vc7TaGph
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmfbyJK2Do
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.
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkN7IZgLmRH
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7aIZkKPi4
“...Honey...”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXQSJCqQVt
He spoke softly, his voice barely audible.
“If I die… please eat me.”
The foreleg pressing against his wound trembled—23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeynGYlqqjC
perhaps from the strain,23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6dfoxTJA27
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,23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wonOHCR0W
and reached out with his other thick hoof.
Slowly, he touched his wife’s snout—23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5bhDkez3F
leaving behind a warm, red streak.
“You know this kind of wound… won’t heal.”
“Rather than be eaten by them,23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKoZgvFd5e
I’d rather you live.”
Then, lifting his head, he shouted toward the center of the cave:
“If we must die,23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEo0rLRRX3
then let us nourish our own,23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeceVLG514s
not feed our enemies!”
Silence fell.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMxuESFXRW
Every breath in the cave stilled.
A few seconds later, another pig spoke up:23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAiwghgBjS
“Me too!”
Then a third:23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPOaBKSeFk
“And me!”
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZ6MHnEjHB
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6SIFVgE11
After days of starvation, they finally had something to eat.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqNNeCtlkK
It should have been a joyful moment.
But for some reason, tears began to fall,23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84M8K4ONvt
soaking their fur, turning even the taste bitter.
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRNNV6lwGM
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBgvVunObC
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.
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIV1hEE78Q
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzFNDgeNGQ
That day was the darkest in their histor——23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnFdBNfurU
and the very first step toward their rebirth.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gOsgVN808
