--------///----Eclina's POV----\\\--------

After a while, the maids left us so now it was just me and Espiral back at the fountain. And seeing the smile on Espiral's face, i knew i made the right decision in bringing some of the maids over to pet him. Im pretty sure i've brought him over to the petting appreciation side now, perfect. Though now i should probably give him some of the fish i caught and then bring up what i had in mind. I'll have to bring it up anyway, so doing it earlier is better then waiting for a while and only telling him right when we're about to leave.

So, i brought up some of the containers with fish and put them around Espiral. He clearly saw the fish and then started to dig in. Seeing that, i wasn't sure how i should bring up the fact that we had to leave sooner then expected. It wasn't like i could just say "One of those big rifts opened up so we have to just go", i didn't know how to start that conversation. But thinking about it, maybe i should tell Reina and everyone else at the same time so it doesn't have to be two seperate conversations about the same thing.

The more i thought along that line, the more i liked that idea. But then i'd have to find them first. Or just wait till everyone is back at the mansion... But that might take too long so i might as well just look for them. I knew that finding Reina and Mina would be the easiest since they had scents like Mama and Papa's, so i had to find the lizardman and the birdgirl. Endis was going to be with either Reina or Mina so i didn't even need to search for him.

After a bit of thinking, i decided to look for the birdgirl since she could either fly or ride on my back... But i had no clue where she could be so i had to rely on my nose to check for any traces of her scent in the mansion. I could already tell there weren't any here at the front, so i told Espiral i'd be back and headed on in. I didn't have much luck at the start, but as i went further in i started to find something. Since i already met and spent a bit of time with the birdgirl, i could tell her scent apart from the maids or other staff here.

I had to follow that scent for a bit more, but i eventually found enough of it to start searching around for her. And so i did. I headed out of the mansion and took off to the air to look for her. I used my air to make it easier to keep her scent, even though i was high in the air, and used it to help track where she went. Since my senses were perfect, it didn't take long for me to find her. She was at a place with a bunch of food stalls, looking at them probably trying to find something she wanted to eat.

She didn't notice i was above her so i had a thought of surprising her, but i couldn't do what papa did so my only option was to just go down to her and do it the normal way. So i slowly started to head down, making sure i wasn't noticed, and made it to an alley that was close to where she was. She wasn't the only person on the street so i spent a lot more time making sure not to be noticed, but it was paying off. I could feel myself smiling but i didn't supress it since i was going to keep smiling after surprising her.

So i walked out of the alley and dashed towards her. I made it to her and jumped onto my hind legs as i put my paws on her shoulder and did what papa did.

(Eclina) " Boo! "

(Ava) " Aah! "

Just like i thought, since she wasn't expecting for it, she got scared. Though i wasn't expecting for her wings to flutter and lift her up a bit off the ground. That was funny. Though the people around us didn't seem to think so since after she screamed, a bunch of people around us started to scream too. Then someone started to run and ran into someone else... Then it happened again and again... Hmm... Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all.

Though the birdgirl started to get her wits back and turned to see the same scene that i saw. She didn't seem to be amused either... She looked at me... Then back at them... And then back at me.

(Ava) " ... I think we should just go somewhere else... "

(Eclina) " Ok. Climb on my back, it'll be faster. "

(Ava) " Are you sure? I can fly on my own. "

(Eclina) " But im faster. "

(Ava) " Ok... But where are we going? "

(Eclina) " To get everyone... We have to talk. "

Thinking about what we were going to talk about, i lost the smile i had and just sighed. The birdgirl got on my back and i took off. The birdgirl didn't seem to be that guarded against me anymore, and i liked that. We even talked a little bit and she told me where the lizardman was... Though i couldn't carry him along with her so i settled with going over to him and just telling him to meet back up at the mansion. And so we did that.

It wasn't hard to find him, it wasn't like there were other lizardmen fishing at the port with two basilisk children by his side. I told him that i had to talk with everyone and he agreed to head over. Now all i had to do was find the others.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

(Ava) " What do you have to talk with everyone about anyway? "

(Eclina) " ... We have to go sooner then i thought... "

(Ava) " Really? Didn't you say you'd stay for a few more days? "

(Eclina) " I did... But something came up. I'll say what when everyone's together. "

(Ava) " Umm... Ok? "

And with that, she didn't say much else. I couldn't see her face but i felt like she had a confused expression, but that's just me. Now that i only needed Mina and the other two, i could rely on the aura's that felt close to papa and mama. Thanks to that, i knew the direction i had to go for them. I could tell the Mina and Reina were together, so that made it all easier. They were closer to the wall so i spent a few minutes heading over.

After i got there, i saw them coming out from somewhere with Endis so i ended up being right. I started to head down towards them to let them know. Though, they noticed me when i got halfway down.

(Reina) " Eclina? Ava? Why are you two here? "

(Eclina) " I have to talk to everyone. It's important. "

(Mina) " Well, we're free now so we could head over to the mansion. "

(Eclina) " Ok. I'll meet everyone there. "

I saw that they were curious, but i just kept the reason to myself and started to head back. The birdgirl didn't say much on the way back, though she started to pet my fur and that helped me a bit. That went away after getting back to the mansion. I could see the lizardman and the kids that were with him, he was waiting with Espiral by the fountain. When he turned to me, i ccould tell he was waiting for my reason. I was about to say wait, but then the birdgirl got off my bback and did it for me.

With that being done, they stayed with us and waited for the others to come back. And we didn't have to wait long. Maybe after ten minutes, everyone was here.

(Reina) " Hey, so... What is it that you have to talk about? "

Now that everyone was here, i could talk about it. But first i had to make sure anyone that wasn't meant to hear it, wouldn't. So i used my air tail and set up an area around us so the sound wouldn't get out. When everyone noticed what i was doing, they seemed to realize that this might be more important then they thought. Except for Espiral, he just seemed like he didn't understand, probably since i hadn't even told him i had to talk about something.

(Eclina) " ... I don't know a way to say it nicely so... I'll just say it... The big rift at Everstorm mt opened. "

After i said that, everyone seemed to freeze and process what i just said. Though i had some good news too so i had to give it to them too.

(Eclina) " But the dragons and two elders are going to handle it. "

That seemed to work since i could see the relaxing a bit, though the fact that it happened in the first place still seemed to affect them. They looked at me for an answer, which i wasn't sure if i could give it to them considering it was about Mr.Fenrir. It might've shown on my face since Endis started to persuade the others by saying it'd be fine. Though it didn't seem to be working. I decided to just say as much as i could for now and move on.

(Eclina) " I know why it happened...But i'm not allowed to say why. "

(Orven) " Is there a specific reason for your inability to tell us? Or are you simply unwilling? "

From the way he was looking and asking me, he didn't seem to accept the fact that i wasn't saying why. I mean, i couldn't exactly hold it against him either. I'd probably be the same if i was in his situation. But just because i couldn't blame him and understood the situation didn't mean i liked the distrusting look or tone in his voice.

(Reina) " Don't be like that Orven, if Eclina can't tell us then it means she can't tell us. Don't take it out on her. "

(Mina) " Exactly. Besides, she already told us about it now, she didn't have to do that. "

The help from Mina and Reina helped, since he didn't seem to hold it against me now. Though maybe he still held a bit against me but didn't show it, maybe e did or maybe he didn't. Atleast i didn't have to deal with that kind of treatment now.

(Ava) " Isn't there something else you want to tell us? You said you're going to be leaving earlier, didn't you? "

And then there was that. I didn't want to leave early but with the situation as it was, i couldn't keep taking breaks. I'd have to get to work and get as strong as i could before the next rift opened up.

(Espiral) " Are you sure sis? I know how much you were looking forward to this... Do you really want to leave sooner? "

(Eclina) " We don't have much of a choice. I don't want to go... But we have to head out. "

(Endis) " Where are you going anyway? Yoou keep saying you're gonna go somewhere but you haven't really said where. "

Oh... He's right.

(Eclina) " We're going to the Infernal island chain. "

(Mina) " Dragons keep?! Why are you heading over there? "

(Espiral) " Dragons keep? Is that what you call it? "

(Endis) " Well... It's literally the land of dragons so that name made more sense to everyone. No one really calls it "The infernal island chain", it's too long and Dragons keep has a better ring to it. "

Well that does make more sense, i couldn't really deny that. Though i atleast could say a little bit about why we were heading over there, i didn't want Mina and Reina to be too concerned.

(Eclina) " We're going to train with a dragon friend. "

That seemed to work for them, and although they seemed like they wanted to ask more questions, they didn't. Since something else came up There seemed to be a guard or some other kind of person at the gates. Me and Espiral noticed him since we were facing that way while everyone else was sitting on the rim of the fountain, so we pointed him out.

(Mina) " The captain? "

After recognizing him, Mina went over to him to find out what was going on. When she did that, i decided to stop using my air bubble so we could hear what they were talking about. Though even after hearing it, i didn't really understand any of it since they seemed to be talking about a "trial" or "complications", stuff i didn't really get since it was all human and biped terms.

(Endis) " Anyone want to bet about how bad it is? "

(Ava) " I don't think we're in the mood for a bet... "

(Reina) " She's got a point. "

(Endis) " Tch. You can't let bad news screw with you like this. You take it in the move on. "

(Reina) " Some people aren't as thick skinned as you are. "

(Endis) " ... Is that a compliment or an attack? "

(Reina) " Yes. "

(Endis) " Wait a min- "

As entertaining as that conversation was, it ended up getting cut short when another bunch of people in armor started to come down the street. Though these people didn't seem to be coming with good intentions since they were all armed.