Just as the Cruithnean government promised, now that more than 200 people have voted against the Quarantine of Settlement One, the area will remain open to us all.

Whilst the diseased pets in the vicinity of Sector One are glad to remain free to roam, tensions are fast arising in Harena.
"Those foolish peasants, why would anyone vote to keep those pestulant creatures free to infect the rest of us. One thing's for sure, I won't stop at any cost to prevent them from setting one boil-ridden paw on my sands!" Brandhardt roared, paced up and down in anger, leaving vast imprints on the sun-scorched ground beneath him.

Several weeks had passed since the monumental meeting of the infected, but that did not mean there were inactive. After the meeting itself, there was a schism among the sickly; the majority joined Snaremane, the remainder opted to further wait out the situation. There had been multiple reports of the more violent creatures attacking settlers who had ventured out on their own, though no fatalities were reported in the incidents. Shops had been ransacked as well with supplies being stolen from some, primarily weapons, food, and healing items.

The threat of a quarantine was becoming more and more real as the danger rose. With time, many of the infected were becoming increasingly belligerent, much to Snaremane’s pleasure. Out of all of the sick, he was by far the most afflicted; his body was failing at a startling rate, but his mind was keener, sharper, and all the more twisted by a hate for the ‘invaders.’ The fact that he was still alive was attributed to his sheer force of will, his desire to see his plans of revenge and retribution come to fruition.

News of the cure had reached him, but he disregarded it as a trick, a trap to lull them all into a false sense of security, and managed to convince his followers of the same. None of the ferals allied with him went to receive the cure and if anything, it increased the occurrences of violence, some even led by the grizzled old Spike himself. Other raids were led by his new right hand, the Bast that had intervened at the meeting.

Keket, as was her name, proved herself to be an apt warrior, even with her sickness. It hardly slowed her or her savagery down. On many a night she was seen with Snaremane conversing about potential plans, potential strategies, potential raids, this or that. The majority of her plans hinged on acts of violence, as a display of power, efforts to instill fear in the settlers to try and scare them into leaving. And on more than one occasion, the Spike took her council and her strategies were acted on.

It was not disputed about who was in charge, though, as Snaremane was more definitely the alpha dog.

There was talk about a new assault, a joint effort of all of the allied infected, but there were still a few more supplies that needed gathering first, before that…

~

In the heart of Harena, though, the heart of the Sphinx had awoken from its slumber. Brandhardt, a mighty chimaera that had been sealed away by the ancient citizens of the city, was on the prowl. He was to be a guardian of the city in times of trouble, and this was certainly a time that he was needed. So far, his efforts to protect Harena from the attacks of the infected pets had been successful.

As a result of waking up in such chaotic times, though, he found himself incapable of feeling any pity for those who contracted this disease. They were the enemy, now, fighting against people who really had nothing to do with what was afflicting them. To the chimaera, there was nothing condonable about their actions. He vowed to put an end to any of the sick that stood against him, and fought for a quarantine against them, saying it would be a good buffer against their assaults.

(Thank you to lucifer)