They left the clearing at around midday, heading west to where Cyfrin had said the prison was. Liraz switched between fluttering ahead of them and sitting on either Rogue or Kira’s back. Laila stayed up in the air, a speck in the sky above them. Occasionally, her shadow would pass over them as she crossed between them and the sun. Maximon stayed below the earth, burrowing just as quickly as they were walking.

Kira mostly stayed on the ground with Rogue, despite the ache her wings gave her. Sometimes she glided through the treetops, spotting swamps or cliffs before Rogue could go over them and telling him what lay ahead.

“So what was the thing Cyfrin was talking about, on the village of Periculo?” Kira asked, walking beside the large leopard.

Rogue laughed. “It was nothing, honestly—he was just making a big deal out of it. Basically, when I was little, my family came across a lion pride that was suffering from severe draught. They were very kind despite that fact, and let us stay a while. I was a wandering little kitten, and once when I was playing with a few of the lion cubs and my siblings, I found a large river that just disappeared into the ground. We filled up the hole where it disappeared and then dug a path for the water to go all the way to the middle of the territory. From then on, we were always welcome in the Periculo Pride, or Periculo Village as the other creatures call it.”

“Why call it Periculo Pride?” Kira asked.

“Us cats are more solitary creatures,” Rogue explained. “We don’t generally live in large ‘villages’ like the other creatures do. Every family of cats has their own designated territory, and when one of them gets tired of it, they go make their own family and claim their own territory. There’s plenty for everyone. The only cats who live in villages are the ones in the jungle. I used to be there, but my family is one of the few wandering families, which means that we travel periodically from place to place at certain times of the year. We’re well known throughout the territories…or at least, we were when I was last there.” Rogue suddenly looked sad. “That was three eclipses ago, though.”

“Three eclipses?” Kira stopped in her tracks and looked at Rogue, feeling astounded and extremely pitiful.

Rogue hung his head and continued walking. “Yeah. I didn’t get in as many arena fights as you did, though.”

Kira trotted to catch up with him, unsure of what to say. “I’m…so sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Rogue promised, giving her a lopsided grin when she was silent. “Come on, stop giving me that worried look. I’m here and it’s over, and I survived! Yay me! I’m sure that my family will welcome me back with open arms when I return after we defeat this Black Dragon.”

Kira smiled. “When. That’s a nice word.”

“We will get rid of him,” Rogue said, sounding perfectly positive. “I believe in you, Kira.”

“Thanks,” Kira said, feeling like she didn’t deserve the praise. “I guess we’ll see after we rescue Deya.”

They walked for a few more minutes in companionable silence, watching Liraz zip back in forth between trees in front of them.

“So who is this ‘Deya’ exactly?” Rogue finally asked, giving Kira a weird look. “She is your friend, you said? Why did you ask Cyfrin if that prison can hold Dragons?”

Kira was silent for a long moment, deducting how to answer.

“Deya is…a Dragon,” she said slowly, keeping her eyes on the mossy ground and the caterpillars inching by.

“Whoa,” Rogue said. “You have some…connections.”

The tense atmosphere dissolved between them as Kira cracked up. “I guess I do,” she said, smiling broadly. “Deya helped me after the Black Dragon destroyed my village and my family. She gave me my wings, actually.” Kira stretched her feathery appendages admiringly.

“Wait, really?” Rogue asked, eyes widening. “She gave you those?”

“Did you seriously think I always had them?” Kira raised an eyebrow at him.

“I mean…” Rogue sounded slightly flustered. “Yeah, kinda.”

“Well, I didn’t,” Kira said. “Her magic tears gave me wings, and my powers as well.”

“Sheesh.” Rogue shook his head. “You’re powerful enough. If that Dragon gave you your light powers, I wouldn’t want to be the one to make her mad.”

“Yeah.” Kira gazed into the trees. “It makes me wonder what was powerful enough to capture her.”

“That’s…scary,” Rogue commented. “But I’ll fight by your side, no matter what. Whatever your plan is, or what it’s going to be, you can count on me to help.”

“Thanks, Rogue,” Kira said, surprised. No one had ever said those words to her, and with that much conviction. His loyalty was clear, and Kira knew what he said was true.

“Hey,” Laila intoned, diving in between them and flaring her wings to stop her fall, landing neatly on the ground. “There’s a huge river ahead, and a bunch of rodents are guarding it with sticks. Just thought you might want to know.” She took off again.

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“Kira! Rogue!” Liraz was flying towards them at a very high speed, looking panicked and excited. “There are a bunch of furry little animals with poky wood things yelling fiercely at each other! They look so adorable! Can we keep a few?”

Kira and Rogue exchanged glances and sighed as one.

“No, Liraz,” Kira said dryly. “We are not adopting the rodents.”

Liraz pouted. “Why not?”

“They are creatures, just like us,” Kira said sternly. “Let’s go talk to them, I guess.”

They walked for another minute as the trees slowly thinned out. Kira could hear running water and a strong fish smell, and after a few seconds, the Nexus came into view.

Liraz and Laila were right: there was a small army of mice, weasels, and opossums gathered at the edge of the Nexus, shouting and yelling at seemingly nothing.

They emerged uncertainly from the trees.

“Should we cross?” Kira asked, not quite sure what to do.

“I think we should try,” Rogue said, looking thoughtful.

Maximon emerged from below them, shaking his body to rid the scales of dirt and flicking his tongue at the rodents.

“Those snackss—er, rodents—look rather angry,” he hissed. “But we can cross quickly, and if they attack us, it would be easy to take them out.”

“But only as a last resort,” Kira added quickly. “Remember, guys, we’re trying to not kill creatures.”

“Sorry,” Maximon said humbly. “It’s a hard habit to break, but for your sake, Kira, I will try.”

“Same,” Rogue said.

They all glanced up at Laila, circling above them.

Kira sighed. “I think she will, too. She just acts tough to save face.”

“She’s mean,” Liraz observed.

“Only because you make her rise to anger,” Maximon said scornfully.

They looked back at the shores of the Nexus. Kira took a deep breath, then opened her wings and glided across.

“OI!” a squirrel screamed at the top of his lungs. “WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?”

“Um, just passing through!” Kira reassured, but it was too late. His shouting had got the attention of the rest of the rodents, and they were running towards her. Kira glanced over her shoulder at her friends, but they weren’t even halfway across.

“IT’S A FOX!” a mouse squeaked, also at the top of his voice. Kira’s ears rang and her eyes watered.

“WHAT’S YOUR NAME, FOX?” a weasel demanded.

“It’s Kira,” she said. Should I shout as well, or can they hear well? Why are they yelling?

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE RODENT LANDS, OH KIRA THE WEIRD-LOOKING FOX?” the weasel demanded. Kira decided that he looked like the leader of the group.

“I’m just passing through—and hey, I’m not weird!” Kira protested.

He paid her no heed. “AND WHY ARE YOU PASSING THROUGH, OH KIRA THE WEIRD-LOOKING FOX?”

The other rodents all nodded and said “HEAR, HEAR!” in agreement.

“PERHAPS SHE IS A THEIF, COMING TO STEAL ALL OF OUR FOOD!” an opossum suggested. The animals gasped in offense and glared at her, yelling death threats to the skies.

“WHAT IF SHE’S HERE TO EAT US ALIVE?” a marsupial-looking creature suggested, wringing her tiny paws. The rodents shouted louder.

“I’M HERE TO RESCUE MY FRIEND!” Kira yelled. Her words were greeted with instant silence, ringing through the air.

“FELLOWS, THE FOX HAS NOBLE INTENTIONS!” the weasel finally announced after several moments of silence. All the rodents cheered.

“ARE YOU IN NEED OF ANY ASSISTANCE, KIRA THE WEIRD-LOOKING FOX?” the weasel asked.

“I think I’m good,” Kira said, wincing at the sheer volume of each of their statements.

“OI!” The same squirrel who had spotted Kira came sprinting over, waving a pointed stick over his head. “MORE NEWCOMERS! ONE OF THEM IS A SNAKE!”

“SNAKE! SNAKE! SNAKE!” the other rodents squeaked in revulsion.

“WAIT!” Kira howled. “Those are my friends!”

There was a pause.

“THE WEIRD FOX HAS COMRADES!” the weasel trumpeted. “WE WILL CHECK THEM OUT AND NOT HURT THEM, FOR THEY ARE HELPING HER WITH HER NOBLE QUEST!”

The rodents cheered once again.

Oh, Great Dragons above, Kira sighed inwardly. These animals were clearly not very intelligent.

“What the fritz is going on?” Rogue asked, looking confused and amused at the same time.

“These rodents appear to be guarding the Nexus,” Maximon observed.

“They’re so adorable,” Liraz said, eyes wide.

“WHO ARE YOU?” the weasel hollered.

All of Kira’s friends looked at her, confused.

“The leopard is Rogue,” Kira introduced. “The bat is Liraz. The snake—”

“SNAKE! SNAKE! SNAKE!” the rodents yelled.

“The snake’s name is Maximon,” Kira finished.

Her friends waved to the enthusiastic crowd of tiny animals.

“ARE YOU ALL ASSISTING WITH KIRA THE WEIRD-LOOKING FOX’S NOBLE QUEST TO SAVE HER FRIEND?” the weasel asked.

“Yes, we are,” Maximon answered. His tongue flickered hungrily, and Kira gave him a warning glance. He tried to look innocent, but Kira had her eye on him.

“Why are you guys here?” Kira questioned. “I don’t remember ever being told that there was an army guarding the border to the Rodent Lands.”

“IT’S A VERY RECENT DEVELOPMENT,” the weasel explained. “WE ARE THE MORALLY INTELLIGENT CREATURES OF ENTRY, OR M. I. C. E. FOR SHORT. WE GUARD THE ENTRANCE TO OUR HOME WITH VIGILANCE, AND PROTECT OTHER RODENTS IN DANGER.”

“Wow!” Liraz said. “So like, you’re the self-elected guardians of the Rodent Lands? Wicked!”

“What’s your name, then?” Rogue tilted his head at the weasel.

“MY NAME IS RANGER!” The weasel puffed out his chest importantly. “YOU ALL MAY PASS THROUGH, INCLUDING THE SNAKE. IF YOU EVER NEED US, SEND WORD!”

“Wow,” Kira said, a little stunned that they had gained Ranger’s loyalty that quickly, and yet doubting that they would ever need his help. “Why would you help us?”

“US RIGHTEOUS CREATURES STICK WITH ONE ANOTHER,” Ranger said. “SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO FIND OTHERS LIKE US. SO WE LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER.”

“Oh,” was all Kira could say. “Until next time, I guess.”

“FAREWELL!!!” the rodents screeched. Kira and her friends covered their ears and walked away into the forest. And when Kira looked back, she could still see the rodent army waving their sticks and shouting to the world their oaths and vows that they would do their best to keep.