Rex enters the cabin where his friends were getting ready for bed, mattresses scattered everywhere with patched pillows and blankets, Rex lies down in the corner of the room next to Shiro who was immobilizing magi with his arms.
—Are you going to sleep yet?-Shiro asks.
—I'm tired.-Says Rex quietly.
—But you practically didn't do anything!-Says Magi being released by Shiro.
—He wants to sleep to dream about the girl!-Says Bellator.
—By the way.-Says Lepus closing the book, making everyone stop what they were doing to pay attention.—Where do you know her from? I read those fire panthers are royalty.- Says Lepus curious.
Rex didn't seem very interested in the conversation so he spoke very quickly.
—She was the princess of Taigarrr.-Says Rex.—Before the kingdom was destroyed.
—Wait, a princess?!-Says Lepus surprised.
—Is she a real princess? -Asks the little boy.
—What the hell were you before came to camp?-Magi asks.
—A lord?-Question Bellator
—No, but I'm friendly with one, although I don't know if I can say that now.-He says remembering what she said.
—Whaaaaaaaat? Do you know royalty? You? Wow, life in the forest ended you!-Says Nicolas.
—Well, I also know a lord!- Shiro says.—And he's really cool, he saved my life when I was in the north!- Shiro says shaking the tail.—He was my best friend until I met Rex!- He says excitedly.
—Interesting.- Rex says with an irritated tone.
—I doubt you!- Nicolas says.
—It's true, his name is Ikke! He is the son of the lord of Flora in the north, I met him when he was being attacked by villagers!- Says Shiro excitedly.
Rex widens his eyes.
"Ikke?!"
—Ok you will be attacked I believe!- Says Nicolas.
—That part seems true- Says Bellator.
—Who doesn't want to attack Shiro?!- Says Magi
—It is serious! Ikke is a human, but he's very kind and wasn't afraid of me and told the villagers to stop beating me!-He says smiling.
—I think they hit you very hard on the head! - Says caerula not believing.
Everyone starts laughing incredulously at Shiro's story.
—You believe me don't you Rex?!- Asks Shiro.
—Hmm. Of course.- Rex says turning around annoyed.
—Not even Rex believes it! - Caerula laughs.
—HE BELIEVES!- Shouts Shiro getting irritated and going to sleep.-I don't need to prove anything to you, good night!
Says Shiro lying down and falling asleep.
Rex didn't look excited, his smile normally presents on his face had practically disappeared overnight, since meeting the girl in the forest, Rex looked different, it worried his friends from the camp.
—Is Rex okay?- Venator asks with difficulty carrying the dragon egg that was too big for him to carry.
—I don't know.- Responds Cook, the big boy was carrying pots on his back, a large iron pot with water and bowls that rattle with his stop as he watched his friend in the forge.
—He's not smiling, and he didn't even say good morning to anyone…- Venator says, almost dropping the egg and catching it before it hit the ground.—Will he be okay, Cook?!
The boy turns his face to the pot seeing his reflection, Cook was just a human, unlike the rest there he had no powers and no strength to fight, but he knew there was something that only he knew how to do there.
—Well, how about we prepare a candy this time?- Asks Cook smiling at the little boy.
—Hello! Sweet!- Venator cheers and lifts the egg holding it over his head.
— Beware!- Says cook sees the egg fall backward but manages to hold it before it falls to the ground.
Venator puts the fox tail between his legs.
—I'm sorry.
—Okay, but be careful.- He says smiling at the little boy who is holding the egg very carefully.
The two go to the kitchen.
Everyone who passed near the forge looked at Rex and commented worriedly, a boy with hair covered with dreads looks at the forge after returning from a hunt, he is carrying a sack and goes to the forge.
—Here it is!- Says the boy, putting a bag that was bleeding and fidgeting on the table.
—Thanks.-Says Rex putting the dagger he forged in the water making the steam spread in the cave.
The boy wipes his hands on his apron and opens the bag his friend brought, a hand flies up trying to hit his neck, but Rex holds it like it's nothing. The hand felt like wood as if it had been plucked from a tree, but it shifted and seemed to have a life of its own.
—Did you kill the Bloody Willow?- Asks Rex watching the hand that tried to get rid of him.
—Of course not! The arm will grow back! I don't need to kill him!- Rex looks at him as if he didn't know that.
—I wish I had known this before.
—It's okay, if you didn't cut it from the root it will grow again!-Says the boy saw that Rex was shaken by that.
Rex gives a forced smile that makes his friend wonder what's wrong.
—Rex?
—Umbra. Did you get what I asked?- Asks a dark boy with red hair who raises both hands waiting for what he asked.
—Okay, it's here. Get away, Nerium!- Umbra says without looking at him, handing the boy a bottle with a green goo.
—What's wrong with you? What did I miss?!- Question umbra watching him.
—It's nothing.-He says conjuring a chest from his necklace, and throwing his arm inside it.
—You are visibly down, it's not normal for you to be like this!
— It's nothing.- He says taking his dagger out of the water and turning it on the fire.
—Rex - Says umbra frowning, but the friend ignores him.—Rex.- Rex ignores him again.—Rex IGNES LOOKS AT ME DISGRACE!- He says hitting the table making Rex get scared and hammer his hand, the hammer breaks, he looks at the hammer and shows it to Umbra.
—Now I'm without a hammer, it was my last!- Rex says looking nervous.
—What happened?! - He asks
—Do you really want to know what happened?
Rex asks like he's holding back.
—If I didn't want to I wouldn't have asked! Spit it out!-says umbra nervous because Rex is nervous with him.
—I'LL ANSWER THEN! - Shouts Rex making the daggers behind him swing in the wind and his hair fly, the knives and weapons in the forge seem to be coming to life.— I HAD HOPE! A UNIQUE HOPE! HOPE TO GET A LIFE AGAIN! A LIFE WITH NO FEAR! I WENT TO FLORA WHEN IT WAS STRONG, THERE COULD ALL LIVE WELL! NO FEAR AT ALL!
—Flora? That city of flowers? It's a human city...-Says umbra not understanding.
—SHIRO, CAERULA, MAGI, BELLATOR, NERIUM, LEPUS, COOK, NICOLAS, VENATOR, STITCHER, YOU, AND ME! ALL OF US FINALLY LIVING LIKE CHILDREN! BEING ABLE TO RUN WITHOUT HAVING THE FUCKING FEAR OF BEING KILLED EVERY DAY BECAUSE OF THESE DISGRACES OF DRAGONESS SOLDIERS THAT STAY USING THE FOREST PATHS!
—But…Flora…
—AND ALL OF THIS, THE VISION OF ALL OF US LIVING IN PEACE...SHE...she...simply disappeared. In a magic trick, she turned to dust.
He says putting his hands over his face.
—But Rex... from the beginning this plan wasn't a good idea, Flora is a realm of humans, they wouldn't accept us...
They would accept. In my head they would accept because I knew the shit of the lord over there!-He says angrily making all the weapons levitate and stay stuck in the ceiling, he seemed to try to hide his face too hard.-In my head he was a good guy! A good person who helped me, he would accept us since he was friends with my father, who was a monster! But...but... HE IS GUILTY OF MY FATHER NOT BEING HERE! HE IS GUILTY OF MY BROTHER NOT BEING HERE! HE IS GUILTY OF CHERRY AND FELES CANNOT REIGN! HE IS GUILTY OF TaigarrrR BEING IN RUINS NOW!
—…
Umbra approaches and pulls Rex into a hug, Rex hugs him like he needs someone to lean on, the weapons fall to the ground.
—I trusted them...We all trusted them...but...but...
—Are you sure about that? Of this information? - Asks umbra.
—Sure...Not exactly.-Says Rex leaning on the umbra's shoulder.—Cherry told me…
—And don't you think she could lie to you? You know, she's a girl after all.- Rex walks away from umbra and looks surprised to hear him talk about it.
—Treacherous isn't it? Does Chery have any reason to hate flora?
—She was betrothed to the lord's son…
—And I bet she didn't like him.-Says umbra crossing her arms.—I don't want to put a flea behind your ear, but think about it!
—She does not…
—She didn't like someone? Like someone she wouldn't be able to have unless the floras were killed by someone like that, an A-human?!-Says Umbra putting her hands on her hips.
—Do you think she just wants me to kill them? Why would she do that?
—How old is she?-Asks Umbra already convinced of her theory.
—Fourteen…
—There! She is almost of marriageable age! If floras find her even without a kingdom, a princess still has a status, doesn't she?
—But Cherry would never lie to me!
—You said the same about Heiwa, didn't you?-Umbra regrets what she said at the exact moment she sees Rex's expression.
Rex sits on the bench at the table.
—Sorry, I think I got carried away... Rex.-Rex motions for him to be quiet.
—That's right.-He says without showing his face.—I trusted Heiwa…Even though I've known Cherry since I was six…She's still a girl…Girls lie, they pretend, they can't be trusted.
Umbra watches him and throws her dreads back.
—Rex.
Rex looks at Umbra.
—Girls do everything to get what they want, to defend what they love, or simply to reach their goals, they don't mind using people.
—I know you're not serious...
—I am. They cannot be trusted! In NONE.-He says so hard that the table flies hitting the wall, Umbra leaves close before she flew as if she knew it would happen.
—Rex…
—Did you hear me.
—I... I wasn't talking about all...
—You were right... I need to think a little... Alone.
He says and umbra leaves the forge scratching his head. "Shit!" Umbra seemed angry and kicked rocks without looking where he was going, and ends up hitting Shiro's head, Umbra turns pale, Shiro was drawing on the river's edge and turns slowly to him as if controlling himself.
—Run.-He says obviously annoyed.
—Rex is sad, why don't you go cheer him up?!-Says Umbra, thinking quickly.
—Rex?-Shiro's expression changes completely, and his tail swinging showed his interest in what umbra said.
"I'm going to send him there, Rex takes his anger out on him and I'm free of guilt! "Thinks umbra smiling
".
—He is in the forge, almost crying!
Shiro gets up.
—I'm going there!-He says passing through the umbra.
"That's easy, easy!"
—Ha, Umbra! - Umbra turns around and Shiro sends a rock on his head making him fall back.—Throw your mother next time!
Shouts Shiro going to Rex, umbra looks at him "that's why I'm not sorry to send you to death Shiro!" he thinks looking at Shiro who was approaching the forge.