Chapter 61: Influence!

The high priest, his scalp more visible through the thinning thatch of hair and his skin marked by the speckled testimony of many suns, offered a slow, contemplative nod.

"The fledgling bird I recently nurtured returned bearing a single grass seed," he revealed, his voice carrying the weight of implication.

"It's a seed of green twig grass," he continued, his eyes narrowing slightly, "a variety that flourishes solely across the vast plains."

"Indeed, it's puzzling," the high priest interjected with a sage tone, "since the bird lacks the strength to venture so far. You are aware of this."

"So, the stories told by the caravans visiting our tribe ring with truth," he mused aloud, stroking his sparse beard.

"The desert, it appears, shall soon transform into sprawling plains. No longer will our people be shackled to this meager oasis," he prophesied, his voice echoing a note of hope.