Oria dashed through the thick greenery, making it difficult for Ether to catch up. She sunk her claws into their trunks, then used her powerful legs to launch her to the next one.
Which amazed Ether, he did not know she was fit to march on despite being mostly wounded. As his eyes carefully scanned the trees below, he noticed there was a slim, black figure inside.
It had one large arm with a single large claw attached to it. All it did was stare up at the overhead visitors, who would seemingly avoid detecting it from how fast they were going.
"Hey, Oria! Wait up!" Ether yelled.
She used her momentum to launch herself over the treeline, high enough for Ether to quickly fly beneath and catch her on the Sky Beast. Oria pleasantly chirped, blushing orange while panting.
"What did you... n - need me for?" she said between heavy breaths.
Ether ordered the beast to hover. "There was a strange thing in there. I don't know what it was. Big, slim, appeared to be a shadow. But it had one large arm with one large claw. That couldn't have been a Feral, right?"
"Huh??" Oria ceased her chirps. "Oh, I think I know why you called me. Because you were afraid that I might get hurt, so you tried making this story? That's very cute."
"No. I mean that I literally saw a Distorted, I'm sure," Ether insisted.
Oria got up, stretching her arms and legs out as her cheeks returned to their usual tan color. "That was a good break. Follow me, again!"
Just like that, Oria leapt off the Sky Beast. Her claws were ready to dig into the nearest tree, which they did successfully. She continued to slide down briefly before moving onto the next tree.
While she continued to rampage through her home, Oria heard a faint pitter-patter. Causing her to slow down and listen closer. Ether noticed this.
She smiled, revealing her murderous teeth. Despite being a Feral, Oria had nothing against Threshers. And she built a name for herself within a family living inside Etek Dur.
Making out what those footsteps belonged to was not difficult for her. She instantly recognized it as an adventurous Yonie, most likely travelling with his mate close by.
"Change of plans," Oria yelled while glancing up at Ether. "We're following Thresher!"
Before Ether could even protest against it, she took off in the same direction she heard the stepping. It didn't take long until she found who those steps belonged to.
And not too far from there, a giant pond was open for anybody and everybody to use. Some used it for fresh water, others to clean, and some others to stay alive.
It was a basic agreement for all Variants inside Etek Dur to not attack anyone they encounter at a body of water. Which helped enforce Eterra's dominance over all other miniature packs inside.
Just as the Thresher couple arrived to the pond, Oria made a leap for the water. She laughed wildly, instantly frightening the Yonie while activating a Yomie's overprotective senses.
Ether came closer to the pond as well, making sure to keep a close eye on Oria and the Threshers there with her. But what he saw next surprised him.
The Yonie turned to face his partner, then lifted both arms. "Navi! Noshta enietro. Est Oria! (Navi! Don't attack. It's Oria!)"
In response, Oria reappeared on the surface. She smiled up at the couple, who did the same for her. Oria climbed out, readying herself to prove she was not a threat.
When she got up, Navi slowly leaned forward. Shielding her Yonie just in case Oria meant harm to him. But instead of hurting the little one, Oria rubbed his cheeks with her hands.
"Hey, little one. You're from Numy, right? Tell your mother I said 'hi' and once again, thanks for the berry juice I had before I left," Oria was all smiles. "And you, Navi. I'm happy to see Numy is safe."
"I'm happy to see you're safe. Last I heard from you was so long ago. What happened?" Navi's joy was present in her voice.
Oria pointed at the blue sky, where Ether and the beast were. "See that up there? Not the big white thing, the tiny thing on it? That's a Thresher, also. And he is my best friend. And also a Thresher."
The Yonie whistled once while opening his arms. "Yonie? Yomie? Which??"
"I don't know. According to his mom, he's a mixed bag. Threshers get weird when one of them reproduces with an outsider, is that true?" Oria asked.
Navi nodded. "Females and males have things exclusive to them. I don't think meshing a Thresher and let's say a Thawed would be great. We would have a difficult time telling what they are."
Ether crossed his arms, impatiently waiting for the conversation to end. That's when Oria caught on, she was getting carried away with the locals instead of coming back to Eterra.
"Well, Navi and little..?" Oria paused.
"Oshvi!" Oshvi replied.
"Yes, Oshvi. I'll swing by at some point with gifts for the little ones. Maybe I'll bring some oversized shirts for them again. Goodbye!" Oria concluded.
Oria quickly turned to the waters then darted through it. Her swimming was faster than Ether was expecting, which continued to amaze him. She was not even fully healed and she was out-performing a beast designed to fly.
Regardless, they continued darting across Etek Dur for several minutes. Going through territory belonging to other packs, forgotten Cemtrin nests, and tiny holes in the ground for Stram.
Until several large trees came into view, and instantly Ether knew they arrived to their destination. Several platforms hung from the trees, making it seem like a vertical city.
Ferals roared out to each other, many scaled them and leapt onto another structure to complete duties there. Oria sighed, stopping dead on the spot.
"I guess we're here. Want me to fly you over?" Ether called out.
Oria glanced over the beast. "I think my sisters are going to nibble away at my ears again. I've been gone for so long. Maybe they have cubs now! That would mean I would have to reproduce as well!!"
Ether flew the beast closer. "It's okay. That's how Ferals do their thing. Come on, let's bring you to your sisters and see if the alphas are around."