Big Osseod nudged the littler ones forward as panic began to rise in their frantic squeaks. The croaks were closing in, several hopping figures approaching from the undergrowth. Riding atop the largest of them—towering even over Big Osseod—were creatures clutching rounded sticks.

The stick-clutching creatures, known to Osseod as mid-small ogres—the Onikabo—were pointing strange objects at them. Osseod knew what this meant. Signal. Signal badness!

"Big Osseod, Osseods! Follow!" Saptal-Sapkin urged. Osseod followed Saptal-Sapkin. Sapshorla-Sapkin held the littler Osseods in her arms. She protected them, like KiAera. Osseod had to protect the Osseods and the Sapkins. But Osseod could not fight a hundred Boargrunts.

Big Osseod sniffed the air and pointed its snout toward a gaping formation in the massive rock—a cave. "There. There. Sapkin, Osseods need to enter!"

The group bounded toward the cave, but Beta Osseod veered sharply before entering. A Boargrunt hair shot through the air and struck Beta Osseod. No! Where was Beta Osseod going? Beta Osseod was hurt but kept moving forward.

Big Osseod trusted Beta. Beta was strong. Big Osseod had to protect the team. The cave entrance closed as the Sapkins raised glowing arms, weaving plants and wood to block the way. Was Osseod safe now?

꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱

KiAera realized she needed a reformation of the Chimera Crew, particularly toward vetting new members, particularly those like the Dimetfern—Predators. Despite its quickness to yield, the synapsid happened to want to eat her. She gave it a look, not too disdainful but firm and stern.

The Dimetfern blinked at her. "Merecritt good?" it asked.

KiAera nodded. "Yes, I'm good," she said, her tail flame flickering.

The Dimetfern tilted its head. "Merecritt good," it repeated. "Dimetfern good?" it asked, its gaze hopeful.

KiAera hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes, you're good too," she said, her tone softening.

The Dimetfern let out a low hiss, its tail whipping through the air.

"Merecritt good," it said. "Dimetfern good. Dimetfern stay."

"I will not force you. But are you sure?" KiAera asked. "To stay here?"

The Dimetfern nodded. "Yes, Dimetfern stay. Merecritt good. Dimetfern stay."

KiAera looked at the Dimetfern, unsure what to make of the turn of events. On one hand, she was glad they had resolved their conflict without further violence; on the other hand, she wasn't sure how to react to the Dimetfern's sudden acceptance to stay. She had to admit that she got overzealous, asking to recruit it.

The Dimetfern looked at her expectantly. "Merecritt good, Dimetfern stay," it repeated.

KiAera sighed, her ears drooping slightly. "I guess it's fine if you stay," she retained her gaze on it. "Just don't cause any trouble, okay?"

The Dimetfern nodded, its tail whipping through the air. "Dimetfern good, Merecritt good," it said.

KiAera felt the tension in her shoulders ease as she gazed at the Dimetfern. 'Maybe this could work out,' she thought.

KiAera shook her head. "I'm afraid not," she replied. "I'm KiAera."

'Perhaps, Dime would be a fitting nickname for this fella?'

The Dimetfern nodded. "KiAera good," it said. "Dimetfern good, Merecritt good."

KiAera smiled slightly. "Yes, we're all good," she folded her ears behind her back.

"Now then," she said, her gaze becoming serious. "I need to ask you a few questions. Can you tell me why you attacked me?"

The Dimetfern tilted its head, its reptilian gaze unreadable. "Merecritt good," it said. "Dimetfern attack Merecritt for food?"

KiAera frowned slightly. "No, you shouldn't attack anyone," she said, her tone firm. "That's not how we do things here. I'm not going to hurt you, but you should also not hurt others."

The Dimetfern blinked at her. "Dimetfern not understand," it said. "Merecritt attack Dimetfern for food?"

KiAera sighed. "Look, let's just agree that we shouldn't attack each other, okay?" she asked, exasperated. "We can find other ways to get food."

The Dimetfern nodded. "Merecritt good, Dimetfern good," it repeated. "Dimetfern not attack Merecritt. Merecritt not attack Dimetfern."

໒꒰ྀིっ˕ -｡꒱ྀི১૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა૮꒰⸝⸝★ ̫ <⸝⸝꒱ა

New Relationship: Dimetfern!

Connection Created!

Bond Level: Hostile Stranger -> Acquaintance!

໒꒰ྀིっ˕ -｡꒱ྀི১૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა૮꒰⸝⸝★ ̫ <⸝⸝꒱ა

KiAera breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad we're on the same page," she said.

The Dimetfern nodded, its tail sail swaying by the breeze.

KiAera smiled slightly. "Good. I'm glad we can work together."

She felt a warm glow in her chest at the thought of having a new ally. The Dimetfern might be strange and a bit hard to understand, but she was willing to give it a chance.

'I wonder what the others will think about this,' she mused.

Her fur bristled upon assessing how the Dimetfern had attacked her without provocation. Yet she remained curious about why it had yielded after a mere exchange of blows. She considered whether it was the strength of her aura or a display of fear.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

However, above all else, she wondered about what if she wasn't here at the Crystal Shelter? If Amber and GamaGen were the only ones here... along with the Liorex egg.

KiAera's mind wandered to scenarios of what could have unfolded. Would the Dimetfern have reacted differently if she hadn't been there? Would Amber and GamaGen have been able to fend off the attack? Would they have been able to stop it without her help?

She shuddered at the thought. Amber was no match for the Dimetfern, and GamaGen was no fighter. She was uncertain of the effectiveness of GamaGen's aura of intimidation and its abilities for self-defense.

The possibilities made KiAera uneasy, and she resolved herself to keep a close eye on the Dimetfern in case it tried anything else. She didn't trust it yet, but she hoped that over time they could build a mutual understanding and respect.

However, she would do her utmost to protect the home she'd come to think of as hers and was glad that she had been there to help her companions.

With a sigh, she whispered to herself, "Well, let bygones be bygones. It surrendered and backed down after we clashed. It's no longer an enemy…for the time being."

Her gaze lingered on the Dimetfern who, at the moment, surveyed the interior of her crystal home.

"Welcome to the Crystal Shelter, Dimetfern," she flicked her tail, standing next to the creature.

The Dimetfern let out a low hiss, its fern-sail swaying slightly in the wind. "Dimetfern protect new home," it said. "Dimetfern protect Merecritt."

KiAera nodded. "Thank you," she said, her voice softening. "I appreciate your help."

The Dimetfern stared at her, its reptilian gaze unreadable.

"Dimetfern not hurt Merecritt?" it asked. "Merecritt no hurt Dimetfern?"

KiAera smiled slightly, her tail flame flickering. "Yes," she said, "We won't hurt each other, right?"

The Dimetfern nodded. "Dimetfern no hurt Merecritt," it said. "Merecritt no hurt Dimetfern. Dimetfern protect home, Merecritt protect home."

KiAera breathed a sigh of relief, the tension in her shoulders easing. She had a new ally, and a powerful one at that. She didn't trust the Dimetfern fully, but she was willing to give it a chance.

"It's a deal," she said.

"LeeLee! KiKi-Aera," Amber called out to her, her head poking out from the entrance of one of the Crystal Shelter's rooms.

"Yeah, Amber?" she turned towards where Amber stood.

"Dimetfern's dangerous? KiKi-Aera make friends with it?" she tilted her head to the side.

KiAera sighed. "I'm not sure," she said, her ears shrugging slightly. "But I think it's better to have it on our side than against us."

"It attacked you," Amber said, her eyes narrowed at the Dimetfern. "We not trust Dimetfern?"

KiAera shook her head. "No, we can trust it," she said. "And we need to try and understand it."

Amber sighed, her feathers ruffling. "Amber not like Dimetfern," she said. "Amber protect KiKi-Aera and LeeLee egg."

KiAera smiled slightly. "I know you will," she said. "But we need to give the Dimetfern a chance."

Amber's gaze remained wary. "Amber protect egg and KiKi-Aera," she pouted.

KiAera nodded. "And I'll ensure you're protected as well. We're all in this together, remember?"

"Dimetfern good." The Dimetfern hissed softly. "Dimetfern protect."

"See?" KiAera said, looking at Amber. "We can trust it."

"KiKi-Aera too trusting," Amber grumbled, but she didn't argue further. "Amber protect KiKi-Aera if Dimetfern try to attack us again."

KiAera patted Amber on the head, feeling the softness of her feathers beneath her touch. "I know you will."

Amber huffed, but she leaned into the touch. "Amber protect KiKi-Aera," she said, her tone fierce. "Amber never let anything hurt KiKi-Aera."

"Thank you, Amber."

KiAera looked over at the Dimetfern with new eyes, the scales of the synapsid's body gleaming in the light. "It's going to take some getting used to, but I think we can learn to cooperate."

The Dimetfern nodded, its reptilian eyes unblinking. "Dimetfern help protect Merecritt home."

KiAera reflected on GamaGen's words, considering the implications of dominance and submission among Zeozons. She concluded that establishing dominance may be necessary to gain the trust of a potential ally. However, she also recognized that mercy and compassion were essential traits to maintain a healthy relationship between allies.

KiAera hoped that the Dimetfern understood the importance of these principles as well, and that they could forge a lasting bond based on mutual respect and cooperation.

Smiling, she padded towards the Dimetfern and nudged the Dimetrodon creature with her elbow.

"Come on. Let me show you around our home," KiAera said to it, gesturing towards various areas of the Crystal Shelter. "This is the main lounge room, where we usually gather to relax and talk. There's the kitchen over there, where we prepare food. And that's the sleeping area, where we rest after a long day."

The Dimetfern nodded eagerly, following KiAera as she showed it around. KiAera noticed the reptilian monster paying close attention to everything she said, its gaze intense and inquisitive. She couldn't help but smile slightly at its eagerness, sensing a genuine desire to learn and explore.

Her attention shifted towards Amber who warily approached them, her feathers puffed up defensively.

KiAera chuckled. "Dime won't harm us, Amber," she assured the LeapLeap, patting the fluffy ratite on the head. "I believe we can trust it, and I hope you can come to accept it as part of our crew."

Amber huffed slightly, but she relaxed under KiAera's touch, allowing KiAera to pet her feathers.

KiAera turned to the Dimetfern, noticing that it observed them intently.

"Amber, meet Dimetfern," KiAera introduced Amber to the synapsid monster. "Dimetfern, this is Amber. She's one of my best friends and closest companions."

Amber regarded the Dimetfern suspiciously, but she nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

"LeeLee," Amber greeted the Dimetfern curtly, her feathers still puffed up. "LeeLee protect KiKi-Aera."

The Dimetfern nodded. "Dimetfern protect Merecritt home," it said, its tail swishing slightly.

KiAera smiled encouragingly at both creatures, sensing that a tentative truce had formed between them. She hoped that this would mark the beginning of a positive relationship between the Dimetfern and Amber, and that they would learn to work together as allies rather than enemies.

The sound of hurried, tiny steps entering the building caused her head and ears to perk upwards attentively.

꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱

★ Companion Detected!

Creature: Osseod

Species: Osseod

★ Evolution Stage: [Fledgling] (F)

★ Variant Grade: [Common]

★ Attribute Influence: [Ore]

★ Alignment: [Praieon]

★ Descriptor: [Odd Crystal Mite-Mouse]

Accumulated Particles (APeX): [663 Units]

꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱

KiAera turned, her heart dropping upon seeing an Osseod—a tattered Beta Osseod, in fact—teary eyed at the Crystal Shelter's entrance.

"Beta Osseod!" Amber cried out in concern.

KiAera rushed toward the Osseod and knelt before it.

The poor thing trembled violently, tears streaming down its crystalline face.

"What happened?" KiAera asked urgently, her eyes wide with worry.

The Osseod whimpered, struggling to speak through its sobs. "O-Osseods attacked... Boargrunt... Boargrunt attack Osseods... Osseods ask help... KiKi-Aera help Osseods and Sapkins..."

KiAera frowned deeply, anger simmering within her. "Boargrunts? Boargrunts attacked you?" she growled, baring her fangs. "Where are they now?"

The Osseod sniffled. "UvoSath Forest... near river... Osseods hide in cave... Boargrunts outside..." it whimpered.

KiAera stood up swiftly, her resolve hardening. "Take me to them," she ordered firmly. "We must help the other Osseods and the Sapkins immediately."

The Osseod bobbed its head obediently. "Y-yes... follow Osseod..." it stammered, turning to lead KiAera outside of the Crystal Shelter.

Amber followed closely behind, her feathers bristling.

KiAera glanced back at the Dimetfern who stared at them attentively. "What are you willing to do?" she asked it, raising a brow.

The Dimetfern straightened, its expression solemn. "Dimetfern help Merecritt fight Boargrunts," it declared without hesitation.

KiAera smiled slightly, pleased with Dimetfern's willingness to assist them.

She nodded at the synapsid monster gratefully before facing GamaGen.

"Please stay here and protect the Liorex egg," she instructed the sagely book. "We'll be back soon." Her grip tightened on her spear she sheathed, the same with her crystal knife.

GamaGen bowed its cover respectfully. | 'Be careful, Miss KiAera. Boargrunts are formidable foes, and you mustn't underestimate them.' |

KiAera nodded, squaring her shoulders resolutely. "Don't worry, we will be," she promised, leading Amber and Dimetfern out of the Crystal Shelter.

She could only hope her small force was enough to deal with those Boargrunts.