Trout's Landing.

"You done?" Jeb asked Morty as his friend finally began to cease his vomiting.

"Yeah. Maybe." Morty said as he spat out some leftover bile.

"Great. As I was sayin'. Could you perhaps leave this bit out when we get back to everyone?"

"Which part?"

"All of it."

"Why?"

"'Cause things are already weird enough without addin' the fact I can teleport on top of everythin' else." Jeb explained.

"You say that as if it would somehow make this any weirder." Morty countered.

"Just... keep that bit to yourself alright?" Jeb asked.

"Sure. Don't know why though. Know what I'd do if I could teleport?"

"I doubt anythin' good." Jeb muttered as he and Morty made their way back to the lodge.

"You don't know! Maybe it would be for something good?!" Morty declared.

"So it wouldn't be about teleportin' into whorehouses, bars, or banks?"

"You know? I'm not even going to dignify that with a response." Morty huffed.

The two walked on in peaceful silence until they reached the lodge, where Morty was almost immediately set upon by the two ogres that shadowed his every move as they peppered him with questions."What took you so long?"

"What happened?"

"Are you hurt?"

"Yes! I'm fine! Just... a little altitude sickness is all." Morty lied as he glanced at Jeb as he made his way over to his father and the others who were busy setting things up.

"Geez, what happened?" Clive asked when he saw the state Jeb was in.

"I'm runnin' out of clothes is what happened. Mind if I go change?" Jeb asked.

The others nodded and Jeb departed towards his room for a change of clothes, and to check on Ruby and their eggs. Seemed like all she's been doing has been babysitting, eggsitting, whatever, the eggs. Not that he would blame her. He's found himself checking up on them more than once at night and even peeking in on them during the day.

He went through the still broken door and spotted Ruby dotting on the eggs as she watched over them while humming to herself while shifting the eggs this way and that so that they all got evenly heated from the orange fire. This was probably the only fire that was still going that wasn't his own balefire, Jeb thought as he kissed Ruby on the head before stripping off the bile soaked clothes.

As he did he peered down at the silken bodysuit that Anna had gifted him. At this point he wasn't even sure it was worth keeping. Both for the miles he's put into it lately, but as well as recent events. Hell, he half forgot he even had the damn thing on most of the time it was so light. But it was past time to at least attempt to take it off. So with a held breath, he changed a finger into a claw and slid it down the front. Freeing him from the silken confines for the first proper time in a while. It almost felt strange to feel anything against his skin again, Jeb thought as he kicked aside the silken garments and dug out some clothes from his pack.

He might have to see about turning his idea of trading with the dwarves into an actual plan if he was going through clothes at this rate, Jeb thought as he changed into the diminishing pile of clothes he had brought with him. Though he wasn't sure what to trade for. He wasn't sure if the dwarves would want the corrupted fish they were increasingly fishing up. If he was on better terms with Anna he could see about trading spidersilk. But after what happened he didn't really want to deal with that headache so soon.

The only other alternatives would be wood and stone. Both of which they needed for the burrows and other repairs and whatnot around the lodge though. Jeb looked down at the remnants of the silken garments as well as their gilded armaments. This alone might be enough for at least some clothes and tools for the kobolds would it, Jeb thought as he finished changing.

"Do you wanna come out for Thanksgivin'?" Jeb asked Ruby as he made his way over to her and rubbed her scaled head.

"What's that?" She asked as she idly adjusted the eggs.

"It's a family dinner sorta thing. Lots of food and family." Jeb explained briefly.

"Oh! Sound fun!" She exclaimed and made to stand before she turned her eyes back to the eggs with concern.

Noticing her hesitation Jeb kissed her on the head and spoke."You don't have to. It's fine if you wanna stay here with them. I'll bring you some food."

"I'm sorry." Ruby apologized as she resumed her watch over the eggs.

"Don't be. Some folk take every chance to show off their kids. Others barely let them see daylight."

"Still. You said it was a family feast. And we're family." She said sadly as she rubbed the eggs affectionately.

"You don't have to force yourself to do somethin' you don't wanna." Jeb consoled her.

She looked a little better. But not as much as Jeb hoped for. He sighed and scratched her head."How about I get some food and, if you want to feel involved, I can bring my pa inside to see 'em and the three, er, nine, of us can hang out for a minute?"

"That'd be nice!" She said with a bit more pep in her voice.

Jeb gave her one last kiss before heading out. Since his father came here he's been working up the courage to do this. Like he said to Ruby just a second ago, some folks want to take every chance to show off their kids and some don't. He and Ruby were the latter it seemed. Given everything though he was fine with that. Jeb stepped out into the air in a fresh(ish) change of clothes and saw the small affair as it gradually shifted into an entire ordeal.

Clive and Morty were roasting the manticore over some balefire with a spit while they both argued.

"You're turning it the wrong way."

"No I'm not. And it doesn't even matter which way you turn it."

"Yes you are! You gotta turn it the other way or it won't cook right!"

"Do I look stupid Morty?"

"Some days. Either way, it's not gonna cook with how you're turning it."

Clive sighed as Morty shoved him aside and began working the spit with what he thought was the right way while the little goblin maid assisted him by giving him various spices and herbs to season it with. Meanwhile, the others were setting up bowls of fruit, salad, and all the other fixings while Sam and Millie prepared the stuffing from the offal of the manticore. Which didn't seem to faze anyone other than Greg who seemed to have clocked out mentally already as salamanders surrounded him and glared at him with that look that all dogs give when they want your food.

The kobolds were far more hesitant though, but by now even they were being warmed up to the smell of food and the lack of an obvious threat as they inched their ways closer to the group. Which made the two halflings and even the goblin maid a little on edge. But the two ogres didn't seem at all threatened, though they seemed to shuffle a bit closer to Morty as the kobolds got closer.

But if the kobolds had any hard feelings towards Morty they didn't let it get in the way of observing him as he and Clive cooked the manticore. Meanwhile, the Trap Master and Chief were also joining in. The Chief was far more friendly and seemed quite excited to talk to the others, but the Trap Master kept a wary distance and kept his eyes on everyone. But even he was somewhat involved as he made his way over to Sam and started to talk to him about the manticore pelt.

If he closed his eyes he could almost picture this as being a fairly normal Thanksgiving, Jeb thought. But opening them obviously revealed that the voices belonged to creatures and people that just some months ago didn't exist in anything other than fiction and fantasy.

"Not fantasy anymore." Jeb muttered as he made his way over to his father.

"Feel better?" He asked as he finished mincing some liver.

"As good as I can get after bein' throwed up on." Jeb stated.

"Did you wash up?"

"With what?"

"You have a river don't'cha?" Sam asked and pointed to the nearby river.

"It's freezin'!"

"That just means you'll have to be quick. And thorough." Sam declared.

Jeb groaned and trudged off towards the river to wash up. He sighed as he knelt down by the pier and held his breath before dunking his head in for a couple seconds before coming back up and washing his hands off in the murky river water. As he was getting up though, he saw Sammy walking over with a frying pan and something sizzling inside it.

"What's that?"

"Well, we thought we'd try some fish." She stated and showed Jeb the frying pan that looked to contain some off blue liquid within it.

"That don't look like fish."

"It WAS some! It was a couple of weird blue trout. But the second we threw 'em in the pan they melted like butter!" She explained as she poured the eerie blue liquid into the river.

Where it remained for a moment before coalescing into two blobs of blue in the water before darting away into the murk. Sammy and Jeb just stared at the strange phenomenon before she finally spoke up.

"We probably shouldn't eat any of the fish should we?"

"I wouldn't recommend it." Jeb said as the two of them returned back to the cookout.

"I'm telling you, you gotta put an apple in for flavor!" Morty said as he tried to put an apple in the manticore's mouth as it roasted.

"And I said you should've done that BEFORE we put it on the fire!" Clive retorted.

"Well it's not my fault you started without us!"

"It kinda is actually." Sam pointed out.

"Not the point. The point is you gotta put an apple in its mouth!" Morty declared.

"You do know you don't do that until after it's off the spit right?" Jeb asked.

"But the apple adds flavor while it's cooking!"

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"How are you gonna get it into its mouth around the spit then, Mortimer?" Sammy asked.

"Well we woulda skewered it with the manticore obviously, Junior!" Morty said as if it was obvious.

Sam sighed as the bickering continued as he, Millie, and Kilpa prepared the stuffing and a few other dishes while the main meal was slowly roasting. At least they were until one of the kobolds started eye-balling Kilpa. Which turned into more as the single kobold whispered something to another, and then another, and another.

Before long there were more than a few reptilian eyes that had turned their focus from food to the awfully familiar halfling that was obviously trying very hard not to let the sudden rush of attention distract her, even if she held the kitchen knife a little tighter as a result for a possible pending fight.

"You look familiar." One of the skirmishers commented as the rest of the tribe started to turn their gazes towards the halfling woman.

"Yeah. I'm sure I do." She muttered as she kept her focus on preparing the food in front of her.

"You were there that day! You and those other adventurers!" The same skirmisher exclaimed.

Kilpa winced as a murmur ran through the tribe of kobolds as realization dawned on them all that one of those that killed their former draconic master and almost drove them extinct was among them! Jeb and Clive, sensing what was happening made to intervene before something happened. But before either of them could, it was the Chief that stepped forwards and spoke something that surprised them all.

"How did you slay our master?"

Surprise seemed to smack into everyone nearby at the question. Yet it was one that was so interesting that it seemed to consume the rest of them as they all turned and looked at the halfling woman with curious eyes and awaited her answer.

For her part, Kilpa was less than comfortable with the attention being almost solely on her as well as the topic of discussion."I'm sure you dinnae wanna 'ear tha'."

"Oh but I do! He was an Elder Dragon! Gifted by the Gods to be a steward for our world!" The Chief pressed.

"Again, I'm sure you dinnae wanna 'ear my opinions on tha'." Kilpa countered again.

"But how did you slay him? It should be next to impossible to kill an Elder Dragon!" The Chief continued unabatted.

"Kilpa, if you dont wanna-" Clive started before Kilpa held up a hand with a sigh.

"No. Cannae get outta it. Besides, didnae I promise you tha story?" She said with a weak smile.

Kilpa sighed as she glanced around and took stock of just how many pairs of eyes were now on her. Kobold, human, ogre, goblin, it was like they all stopped what they were doing to hear her tale. Not that she could blame them. Killing a dragon wasn't a simple feat let alone killing an ELDER dragon, she thought as she sat aside her ingredients and got comfortable for the tale.

"So. Ta begin with. In tha outside world, yer master was a right menace. 'E raided 'nd torched hundreds o' cities 'nd towns befer we came along! We mighta not been good folk from time ta time, but I'll take killin' tha' beast as one o' tha good deeds we did! E'en goin' after you lot was a part o' tha bounty tha' was placed on yer master!" Kilpa started.

"'Nd befer you start! I know! I regret wha' I did! Plenty o' contracts havn'y sat right since thinkin' back on 'em! But killin' tha' dragon was a good thin' is somethin' I'll take ta my grave!" She declared.

She turned to glare at anyone that might've said otherwise. But if any of the kobolds had any fond feelings or memories of their draconic master, none made to speak in his defence. Jeb didn't really care so long as the kobolds didn't. He wasn't going to hold onto someone else's grudge when they weren't.

When no-one came forward to rebuke her, Kilpa continued.

"Anyway. Tha chain o' islands tha' you lot called 'ome was tha site fer a colonial effort by various nations. Exotic furs 'nd animals, spices, there were e'en talk o' rare metals bein' found but I ne'er saw any tha' couldn'y be found elsewhere 'nd easier."

"Point bein'. Folk were settin' up shop on tha islands. After they made it so far inta them though is when tha dragon attacks began. First it were some scoutin' parties tha' ne'er returned. Nothin' ta write 'ome 'bout. It 'appens sometimes especially in places like these. E'en convoys er minor outposts got attacked. Again, not somethin' out o' tha ordinary fer tha area."

"At first, folk thought it might've been some o' tha tribal elves in tha area er e'en some o' tha fishfolk. Relations weren'y exactly friendly between them 'nd tha colonies. But then reports started comin' in tha' e'en their villages were gettin' hit. Eventually they all pointed ta tha same thin'. A dragon."

"Now at tha time we didnae know it were an ELDER dragon. Folk just figured it were some wyrm or drake tha' made a nest deeper inta tha islands. So a call went out fer adventurers ta slay tha beast so tha' folks would settle down."

"But it weren'y tha' easy. Dozens o' adventerin' groups went missin'. Some were thought ta've been lost ta tha jungles er e'en ta some o' tha large sea beasts that swam tha waterways. Some probably got jumped by tha local wildlife er e'en tha natives themselves. Probably got nabbed by you lot too I wager?" She said.

"Not as many as you would think. The jungle did a good enough job in that regard." The Trap Master spoke up.

"Well either way, tha more tha' didnae return, tha higher tha bounty got as folk got more 'nd more scared. It didnae help tha' tha dragon started gettin' bolder 'nd attackin' tha frontier towns as well. This went on fer years. Fear spread as efforts ta go further inta tha islands were already hard enough without worryin' tha' a dragon will swoop in 'nd destroy wha' lil was built. There were e'en talks o' abandonin' tha settlements. But some folk were born 'nd raised there 'nd didnae wanna leave their 'ome so easily. Then tha dragon attacked a major city. Thousands died er were captured durin' tha raid." She stated and turned to the Trap Master as if daring him to refute her story.

But he didn't. He merely nodded before speaking.

"I remember. I wasn't the Trap Master at that time but I was part of the raid."

"Aye. But it were tha kick in tha teeth tha scared all tha colonies enough ta appeal ta their overlords fer assistance. Some did, others didnae. Some were abandoned while others declared independance. After weeks o' chaos from tha attack 'nd sortin' thin's out. A plan was formed fer one last push ta get rid o' tha dragon. All tha cities and remaining colonies banded together 'nd put forth as much o' their wealth as they could in order ta bring in expert help."

"While we weren'y exactly 'experts'. We 'ad already made a name fer ourselves tha' made it so tha' tha bounty were pushed our way as well from tha Guild. By tha time tha' happened several others were makin' their way ta where tha dragon's lair was said ta be. From wha' we 'eard, most made it there 'nd passed along tha location fer others. But few managed ta make it back alive."

The Trap Master spoke up."We were well aware and prepared for invaders showing up."

"Aye you lot were. Several bands I'm sure still curse all those damn traps you made. We were well aware o' them though by tha time we made landfall at one o' tha remainin' port towns. It was there tha' Sprog 'nd Astrala came up with a plan instead o' just rushin' in like e'eryone else."

Everyone leaned in as Kilpa started to tell what their plan was.

"So. Dragon hide is damn near indestructible. You'd 'ave ta be damn lucky ta get past those scales 'nd e'en luckier ta live ta tell 'bout it! But Sprog came up with tha idea ta use poison ta kill er at least weaken tha beast."

"Our master would've known if he had been poisoned." The Chief declared.

"It weren'y like we just gave it ta 'im all at once! At first we tried ta hunt down where 'e got 'is food from. This is where we found some o' tha outer foragin' villages o' you lot. From there I snuck o'er 'nd poisoned tha food tha' were bein' brought back ta tha dragon's lair."

"That explains a few things." The Trap Master stated.

"Yes. After a couple of deliveries the master wouldn't eat anything until we had sampled it first. Quite a few of us died as a result." The Chief explained.

"As I said, you lot were part o' tha bounty 'nd at tha time we didnae care. But it were obvious tha' it weren'y workin' so we came up with a different plan."

"Which was?" Clive asked as he was now invested in the story.

Kilpa sighed.

"Ta smuggle some o' us inside."

She looked around as everyone was watching her and waiting for her to continue.

"At first we tried ta sneak me 'nd Sprog in via food deliveries. But tryin' ta be smuggled in with 'alf rotted meat weren'y appealin' ta anyone so we went a different route. After hearin' o' convoys bein' targeted along an overland route a few islands away, we got tha idea ta use a fake statue ta smuggle us in instead. So we had one made while Astrala conjured a golem driver fer a donkey wagon. From there, Sprog 'nd I hid within."

"What if he didn't take you back and instead just roasted the whole thing?" Morty asked as he quickly went back to roasting the manticore before it burned.

"Tha' were a chance we decided ta take. We didnae 'ave alot o' options ta go with. But luck were on our side. Sorta. Our wagon was targeted. Tha poor donkey was eaten. 'Nd we were taken back ta 'is lair."

"Tha plan from there was tha same as our original. We figured he'd 'ave ta eat. So we waited within tha statue fer hours before we risked comin' out. From there we found where tha beast kept its food. At least tha stuff it had decided was safe ta eat. We used some damn potent poisons 'nd toxins on tha food 'nd merely waited."

"Which wasn't a fun er easy thin' ta do. It took a whole week o' keepin' our 'eads down 'nd scavangin' fer food 'nd water while also poisonin' its food befer tha beast started ta weaken. Which was less than I figured it would be. Thought tha dragon would 'ave a stomach ta eat anythin'. But it seemed all tha' armor 'nd power 'ad ta make up fer somethin'. We 'alf expected ta either die er waitin' a week befer tha dragon realized its food was still poisoned befer tryin' ta sneak out with some loot fer our trouble. But when we noticed tha dragon was weakenin' we gave tha signal ta tha rest o' them 'nd tha assault began."

"We weren'y stupid though. Me 'nd Sprog made sure ta take out a decent number o' traps befer we did. Not all o' 'em. But enough ta make gettin' inside fer tha rest o' 'em easier. While they drew tha attention. Me 'nd Sprog made ta seal off any exits 'nd get rid o' any possible reinforcements."

"Like tha hatchery?" The Chief asked with a little heat in his voice and it almost made the rest of the kobolds remember who was talking.

"As I said. I regret alot o' jobs now tha' I'm lookin' back on 'em! At tha time though, you were all part o' tha bounty 'nd were fair game ta us!" Kilpa reiterated.

The kobolds still slanted their eyes venomously at her. But made no move to attack her and instead returned to being semi-relaxed. Which she took as a sign ta continue her story.

"Apparently all tha poison 'nd toxins did more than e'en we thought it would as tha rest o' 'em managed ta fell tha beast while we were still busy collapsin' tunnels."

"The rest I'm sure you know." Kilpa said as she gestured to tha kobolds.

"We fled, and were almost cut down before a golden light appeared in the stone wall and we escaped to this world from there." The Chief explained.

"To where I found you hidin' in my basement." Jeb finished.

"Are you going to give a play-by-play of what happened after that or is the story done?" Morty said as he continued to nurse the manticore.

"So that's it? You killed a dragon by poisonin'?" Jeb asked.

"Yeah. Like I said, guess it 'ad ta 'ave a weakness somewhere. Not like wha' we used were some common poisons either. 'Alf o' tha stuff put us in debt ta get 'nd tha other 'alf was just as dangerous ta e'en handle let alone collect!"

"What was it?" The Chief asked as curiosity overwhelmed him.

Kilpa tapped her fingers on the table as she tried to recall what all she used.

"Sea serpent venom. Toxic slime. Poisonous frog mucus. Jellyfish toxin. 'Nd some kind o' black root from tha Blade Plains."

"Sounds like a hell of a cocktail." Morty stated.

"Oh! 'Nd cockatrice blood! Tha' too!"

"Fascinating." The Chief muttered in awe at the sheer amount of toxins, poisons, and venoms that were used to weaken their former master. Pretty much all of it would be enough to kill anyone yet according to the halfling it took several doses of each over a period of a week just to weaken an elder dragon!

"Yeah. Fascinating. Is story time over now so we can eat?" Morty said.

As if a spell was broken, the tribe departed away from the halfling woman. Who sat there as if waiting for an axe to come down for her. When none appeared, she turned to the Chief.

"Tha's it? No callin' fer my blood er nothin'?"

The Chief merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Would it make a difference? Those that are dead wont come back. Killing you wouldn't solve anything."

The Trap Master spoke up then.

"You'll find no threat from us. As long as you're not one in return."

Kilpa wasn't sure how to take that. To just be brushed off after the looks of anger and fury they directed towards her just moments ago? If it were anyone else she'd think it were a trick. Not like they didn't have plenty of chances to take their revenge on her. Yet none did. Sure she was still getting some glares thrown her way. But other than that, nothing. No sudden rush from one of them trying to attack her. No calls for vengeance against her. Nothing. If anything it made her feel worse. Waiting for a punishment that she deserved and nothing would come.

"You alright?" Clive asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Not really. Kinda expectin' more ta be 'onest." She said.

"Like what?" He asked.

"Like a call fer my 'ead fer one." She stated.

"If we wanted vengeance against our enemies we would have no peace. We can't hold a grudge against the world. Especially as some of the world's ire was because of our master and so is to a degree justified." The Chief stated in return.

"But ta do nothin'?! I'm right 'ere! I'm one o' tha ones tha' put you in tha position tha' yer in!" Kilpa said.

"And?" The Trap Master asked as he and the rest of the kobolds went on their way.

"Nothin'? Really?" Kilpa asked almost in disbelief.

"Really. We can't afford to seek justice or vengeance or whatever it is you want to call it. Even if we had the numbers that we did. Why would we? I'm sure the grudges we could hold would be longer than anything even the dwarves have. But what would be the point? We kill you for killing us only for you to kill us for killing you? There isn't any sense in wanting to maintain that. We'll protect what we have. Not fight and kill for what was lost." The Chief declared.

Flabbergasted would be the only word appropriate as to what Kilpa felt at that moment. Even now she was so sure that a knife or something was going to come out of nowhere and take her being stunned as a chance to end her, or at least attempt to wound her. Yet none came. It was like expecting a wave to hit you only for it to retreat before it did.

She was knocked from her stupor as Clive handed her a plate.

"Here. Eat first, then throw yourself upon the sword."

She took the plate as Clive sat down beside her. She continued to look around as the rest of them gathered their own food and began to eat. She still turned her head from time to time expecting something that wasn't going to come apparently. But it truly did seem like the kobolds didn't care. Or at least they weren't going to try and kill her.

Jeb was just glad that this Thanksgiving didn't devolve into bloodshed. Kidnapping and threats of destruction aside. He saw that his father made to say a pray. But stopped when it was obvious that most of those gathered didn't care enough to wait and were already digging into their meals.

So Sam, Sammy, and Jeb muttered a quick little pray before they too dug in. Even Greg had returned to them enough to try and eat. Though Jeb wasn't sure how long that would last as the poor boy seemed jittery as a spooked rabbit. Maybe it was for the best that they skipped a couple of things. As nice as this is. It was obvious that some among them could only take being surrounded by ogres and kobolds for so long.

Guess it's time to get started then, Jeb thought as he loaded up a plate for Ruby as well and went over to his father.

"Could you come with me for a sec?"

"Why? What's wrong?" Sam asked.

"Nothin'. Just wanna show you somethin' important." Jeb said.

Sam looked a little concerned but grabbed his plate as well and followed Jeb as he led him into the building and into his room. Where Ruby and their eggs waited. She perked up upon seeing Jeb and Sam.

"Hello!"

"Oh, hello again." Sam returned the greeting with a head nod.

Jeb gave Ruby the plate of manticore and other fixings as he took a seat on the couch nearby and gestured for his father to do the same. Jeb then gestured to the onyx eggs that Sam was casting glances at from time to time as they ate the lean, if a little spicy, meat.

"So uh, meet your grandkids."

Sam stopped mid bite and turned to look at Jeb.

"Really? That's how you tell me you're a father now?"

"Well it's not exactly somethin' I really prepared alot for!"

"If we didn't show up would you even tell me?"

"I would've! Eventually." Jeb muttered before Sam smacked him upside the head.

"Haven't I taught you anythin' or does it all just bounce off that thick head of yours?"

"Hey! I get it from you!"

Sam huffed and the two returned to their meals as they both watched Ruby tend to the eggs. They sat like that in silence save for the sounds of eating for several long minutes before Sam turned to Jeb.

"You're scared aren't you?"

"I'm fuckin' terrified." Jeb admitted.

Sam chuckled.

"I was the same way when I found out I was goin' to be a father too. Especially given how, and by who, you were bein' conceived."

"Was it really that bad?" Jeb asked.

"It was. For months I didn't know if you were goin' to be born with tentacles or were just goin' to show up as somethin' out of a horror movie. Yet you didn't. You came into this world the same as any other babe. Bloody and cryin'."

"No tentacles then?"

"None that I saw. But the second I saw you, all that fear and doubt went away. From the first moment I put my eyes on you, you were my boy. And I'm grateful that you are, Jeb. Each and every day." Sam stated as he placed a hand on Jeb's shoulder.

Jeb gave his father a weak smile though.

"Thanks."

"Don't worry about bein' a father. It's not easy, but it isn't anythin' to be worried about. Most of it will come naturally or will be common sense. The rest is trial and error that everyone goes through. So don't sweat it too much until their born. Or hatched. Whatever. And if their anythin' like you. They'll be good kids." Sam declared.

Jeb just nodded his head as his father and Ruby continued to eat. Jeb sure hoped they didn't turn out like him though. Hell, HE didn't want to turn out like him! But this was a time for family and blessings. Everything else can be handled another day at another time. For now though, he was grateful to have this chance with family and friends.

But all good things must come to an end. It started to get late and the food was growing low and cold. Eventually Jeb's friends and family said their goodbyes, gave their hugs and well wishes and all that, before departing with leftovers, full bellies, and dirty dishes.

"That was nice." Jeb said as he and Ruby watched the cars and trucks depart.

"It was! We should do that again!" She declared.

"Next year. Or maybe when Christmas comes around."

"Christmas?"

"I'll tell you later. I'm tired, lets go take a nap by the fire." Jeb said as he picked up Ruby and brought her back to their room.

-----

Sammy watched the scenery swish by as they made their way back home. She missed seeing Jeb. Even if he was just as much of a pain in the ass as usual, she thought as she gazed out the window as they passed the bridge. She saw the same strange girl dressed in what looked like black gothic dress that she saw when they were coming here. No-one said anything about her though and so neither did she.

But that didn't matter to her. She saw her brother, had a good time, had some good food. Even if it sure as shit weren't no turkey. She turned her head towards where Greg was passed out. She wasn't sure if it was all the stress or from food. Probably both, she figured.

She sighed though as she checked on her own leftovers. Or what she told her father were leftovers. What was actually inside the little glass bowl she had was instead an ember. A eerie blue ember from the fire at Jeb's. Even when covered it still flickered and burned. Kilpa had called it witchfire. Sure the idea of witches wasn't exactly a good one, but she wanted something to remind her of Jeb. Not like she could bring along a fish, especially since half of what was being brought up looked like it'd take your hand for the trouble.

The fire though was pretty with the way it danced and glowed. She poked a finger in and could feel the small ember warm her finger, a warmth that traveled up her finger and into her core. Yup, this was a good reminder of her brother, she thought as they neared the checkpoint and her father was more than a little tense as they did. But was even more surprised, and even more tense, when they let them by without any issues.

But Sammy didn't care. She was thinking of where to put this little blue flame so that it wouldn't die. A candle would look pretty and she had a couple that would work. So thoughts continued in her head as they departed from the checkpoint and they separated from Clive as he returned home, then from Morty as they departed also.

Sammy and them found themselves home. Greg wasn't really in any condition to be heading back to his apartment and so her father agreed to let him stay the night. So Greg stumbled after Sammy as they made their way to her room, where he barely kicked off his shoes before planting himself on a pile of unicorn pillows next to her bed instead.

But Sammy was more focused on transplanting the blue ember to a candle and left Greg to snore away the events of today as she stared at the mesmerizing dancing blue fire that cast her darkened room into an eerie display and turned her pink princess room into something sinister looking from the glow as her stuffed animals also seemed to warp in the shadows of the strange fire.

Sammy didn't notice, or care if she did, as she just continued to stare at the balefire as it danced on her candle like a ballet dancer doing a performance just for her.