About an hour later, a caravan of roughly thirty people had formed, with many joining immediately the moment they realized the offer was genuine. They packed the flesh fruits and water they had earned through hard labor and prepared themselves to depart.
Furthermore, after witnessing Teresa kill Elias, many had developed faith in her and the two beside her, especially after seeing them openly challenge and negotiate with the rulers of the Settlement.
Naturally, not everyone chose to follow.
Some remained hesitant and unwilling despite suffering beneath the Settlement's cruelty. In the end, they chose temporary safety and stability over freedom. Unfortunately, the harsh reality was that such peace was never meant to last forever...
The caravan gradually arranged itself into order. A small portion of them brought their beasts along, while many no longer had any. Either the creatures granted to them had died long ago or disappeared somewhere within the Garden.
