*Bryna's POV*
I asked Thomas to shelter behind me, I explained I had damage resistance in my half shifted form. It didn't matter to him. I wasn't a shield. I sighed and accepted that I'd need to be more proactive to keep the boys safe. Daelyn borrowed my bow so he had an extra punch to his attacks. Soon, enough, it was my go again. So, I used Hail of Thorns again, killing the remainder.
I pulled my knife. "Would you like to eat wolf or goblin?"
"I don't think either of those taste particularly good, but I guess wolf." Thomas said.
"I would agree with Thomas. The wolves seem a little more appetizing." Daelyn said.
I got to work skinning the wolves and said, "Guess I'll stay half shifted. I can carry more this way. We need to get ya'll some bags."
"Thomas has a bag, just not here." Thomas said.
"Well fat load of good that does, doesn't it?" Daelyn said.
"It's fine. By the way, wolf is just a different kind of lean meat to deer." I said. "One of you wanna loot the goblins for valuables?"
"I'm on it." Daelyn said. He found a Chine of Opening, a gold-looking bracelet, and forty silver.
"Well, if you're gonna be a spy, Daelyn, I think you should keep that chime. It's thin enough to fit anywhere, or even to be hidden in your mane." I said. "What do you think, Thomas?"
"He could use it as decoration." Thomas said.
"Alright. I'll keep it." Daelyn agreed.
After I'd skinned all nine wolves, I carved the best of the meat off the thickest of wolves. "We'll leave the rest here. Their companions can eat them. Let's move off from here a bit, then I'll make a bonfire."
"Sounds like a solid plan." Thomas said.
After rolling the pelts up, I frowned. "Should we bring extra for your mom? Well, guess not. It'd weight us down."
"Yeah, let's worry bout getting there first." Thomas agreed.
I pouted, since evem though I wanted to be prepared to greet his mom, we wouldn't be food wise. But we could find food later. Plus the boys were pretty beat up. "You guys are gonna have to rest soon."
"Now sounds amazing." Daelyn said.
"No, we need a hidey hole." Thonas said.
"Come on." I said, continuing on the path with all my prep work done.
After we got two hours away from our kills, I still hadn't spotted any place for us to hole up for a short time. Fine. I went to the cavern wall and began using my claws on it. Finding it to be soft, I passed Thomas my pack and began digging in earnest. After twenty minutes, I had a hole in the wall that was three feet deep by four feet high. Another forty minutes and I'd deepened the hole sufficiently enough for us all to get in. I'd made it taller and broader on the inside. Then I made the bonfire and got the stuff from Thomas to cook. I felt like I was starving by this point.
"I am going to cook." Thomas decided, and took over.
Fine by me. I didn't really know how to cook. I smooched Thomas' cheek and said, "You're the best, Thomas."
"Yes, I am." He agreed. Unbothered by the smooch.
Based on limited supplies, he used flat stones that he cleaned off as a skillet. From my pack, he retrieved some seasonings. Soon our makeshift cave was smelling amazing. I made sure I was blocking the entrance since I wasn't hurt at all. Honestly, them protecting me made me feel like a princess from a children's book. It both made me happy and frustrated me. Daelyn was leaned back against the wall, casually waiting for the meals to be ready.
I really wanted to harass him, but decided against it. "Bout when do you think your folks'll realize you aren't where you should be?"
"Oh, they should be realizing that.. probably about now." Daelyn said.
"Will you be getting into trouble, or me?" I asked.
"Oh, probably just me." Daelyn said.
"You look like a pillow." I said.
"I know I'm nice and soft. But I'm no ones pillow." He said.
"You will be if you get married." I said.
"Well, I do suppose that's true." He relented.
Thomas got done cooking and served us on the plates I'd brought. I passed out water to the boys. We were chowing down when Daelyn tilted his head slightly.
"Sienna's in my head." He said.
"Whatcha telling her?" I asked.
"What we're doing. That we're on a mission." Daelyn answered. A red swirling portal appeared and a small compact was flung at Daelyn. He caught it, and the portal closed. The compact began buzzing. He opened it with a cheerful, "Hello."
Sarial's image appeared. "Where have you gone to, little brother?" She said in a tired tone.
"Oh, no where special or anything." Daelyn said.
"Home, Daelyn." James, his father, said.
"Can't really do that at the moment." Daelyn replied.
"And why is that?" James said.
"Oh, that's the easy part. I am in the Underdark." Daelyn answered.
"Why are you in the Underdark?" James said.
"I'm on a mission." Daelyn replied.
"Daelyn, a straight answer, why." James insisted.
"Well, I heard there may be a damsel in distress down here." Daelyn said. "And you know, with how noble I am I de- it's... it's Thomas' mom."
"And you plan to do what, precisely?" James asked.
"Well, that's easy. Rescue her." Daelyn said simply.
"Do you have supplies? Do you have a plan? Do you even know what you're getting into?" James quizzed him.
"Yes, sorta and nope." Daelyn answered.
"The Underdark isn't a good place to play, Daelyn. You and your friends should head back." Sarial said.
"I do not remember using the word 'play'." Daelyn said. "By this point, we are more seasoned than most adventurers in Dueling Rivers. We will not leave his mother down here any longer just because no one else will do anything about it."
"You could have taken Dia with you." Sarial said, frustrated. "Or asked one of us."
"You all have plenty of other things to do." Daelyn said. "You've all made that clear by leaving his mother down here for years."
"I've only heard that his mother is dead." Sarial said. "There's never been any indication otherwise."
"Did you ever ask him? Did you look for clues?" Daelyn countered.
"No. I didn't want to hurt him by bringing the matter up. He's just a kid." Sarial said. "When Lana was wanting to adopt him, he never said otherwise."
"Don't be harsh towards your sister, Daelyn. She had babies. And a town to be responsible for." I said, frowning.
"Daelyn, you seem to have met a new friend." James said.
"Well, that's the thing. You've actually already met her." Daelyn said.
"Daelyn you have this tendency to skirt around answers." James commented.
"Learned from the best." Daelyn retorted.
"I'm proud and infuriated at the same time." James said in a slow, yet menacing manner.
"We have every intention of finishing our mission." Daelyn said. "If you would like it to go faster, then you may join us. As long as that's alright with my compatriots."
"You make that sound like you and Thomas didn't get ate up by wolves." I tsked.
"All the more reason for back up." Daelyn responded.
"Bryna, you're going to have them hunt you.." Thomas said.
"Huh? Why?" I asked. "I didn't beat Daelyn up this time."
"Because until right now, no one explained who you were." James said.
"What 'dyou me- oooh. You can see me." I realized. "Ahm, yeah. I'm Bryna."
"Yes. We managed to deduce that." James said dryly.
"Um, anyways.. They were fine. And I packed food and stuff." I said awkwardly.
"And I'm cookin'." Thomas said.
"None of this fills me with confidence to let you continue your.. 'mission.'" James said.
"I'm sure the boys have learned better than to not shield themselves behind me, so it should be fine. Besides, I can call Daddy if we need help." I said.
"And why would you call Bibs?" James asked.
"If we needed help, Daddy is the best person to call. Acause he'll tell Tilton." I said.
"Dirthin, if you would, take a few people and ask Bibs where they are." James said.
"On it." Dirthin responded.
"Bah. If you go North of the mansion there's a rock with directions on it. Twelve steps from there is a hole. Jump down it and you'll be in the same area as us, but there's a buncha wolves and goblins I scared that way." I said.
"Thank you Bryna, for making this far easier." James said.
"We'll be moving shortly, So I guess you got six hours to catch up." I said.
"Dirthin, use the doors." James instructed.
"Thank you for the assistance. We will see you all shortly." Daelyn said.
"There going there to bring you home, not help you." James said.
"Then catch us if you can." Daelyn said.
"Have you never heard the term to not 'bait' a lion? I realize that there aren't as many leonin in this continent as there once was but they are all still a fierce race, ki-cat." I said.
"Love you all, bye." Daelyn said, closing the device. He looked at me and said "Look, I got us back up. We should probably sleep before they get here."
"Haah. Can they travel ten hours in six?" I asked.
"Pretty close to it." Daelyn said.
"Are we staying put?" I asked.
"To sleep, yes." Daelyn said.
"I will do first watch." Thomas said.
"How about you both eat some cake and I'll do the whole watch. My deathless nature can cover us." I said, taking the cakes out. It'd heal them faster and help them be ready to go faster.
"Thomas does like cake." He said. "But Thomas also wants to help."
"Thomas cooked. I can't cook well." I said.
"Then Thomas will sleep." Thomas agreed.
I gave him the cake slice and offered the other to Daelyn. He was already laying down.
"What flavor is it?" He asked.
"I dunno. I'm allergic to egg." I said.
"Then where did you get it? If you say Kaz's then he woulda told you the flavor." He said.
Thomas was already chowing down on it, so I answered. "Tilton made it."
Thomas looked at me, then finished the cake.
"Oh, just give me the damn thing." Daelyn said.
I handed it over. They didn't need to know what the cake would do, or that it was eggless cake. When Tilton had made me cookies a few years ago, I had known they had egg in it, but I'd ate them anyways. The resulting allergic reaction had quite upset him. He worked at making eggless pastries that still tasted good. Tilton was always quite good at baking. He used to make us elven bread, which tasted delicious with a slight hint of honey. Back then, I had no allergies. And boy did Tilton ever fuss at me for not turning down his treat. But I'd eat poison for him, happily.
Well, I can't be poisoned in this life anyways. The boys fell asleep after their treat. I woke them four hours later once their wounds had all cleared up. The effects of the cake let them have a full rest in a shorter time. Truthfully, I should have slept, too. But I was making myself stay up. I'd sleep the next time. We packed up what we needed to, ourselves mostly, and headed out. I carved a message in the wall for Dirthin, just saying, 'Hi, we got bored and went ahead, see you soon.' And we set out.
"You're nephews and nieces are very cute." I said, thinking of them since his Uncle was on the way.
"It amazes me everyday how well Uncle Dirthin does." Daelyn said.
"Why is that?" I asked.
"He just never seemed to have the father instinct? Uncle all the way." Daelyn said.
"It's hard to father someone when you aren't a parent." I said. "I suppose Bibs does fine, I'm an odd case."
"Well, at least you admit it." Daelyn said.
"Hm. Well, you got to go out and explore because of my oddness." I pointed out.
"True, true. I suppose I must thank you for being able to get me put of the house." Daelyn said.
"Since I'm twelve I should probably start thinking ahead." I said, mostly to myself. "You might should apologize for being so lippy to your dad."
"Oh, I am sure I will be punished thoroughly." Daelyn said.
"I'll miss you." I replied, seriously.
"I will miss you all as well, it may be a very long time before we meet again." Daelyn said.
I jumped at him, then hugged him. "You're gonna be even taller when I see you next."
"I'm sure I'll put even my Uncle to shame." Daelyn said.
"Well, that's a strange scent." I commented, "But I also smell water."
"Fresh water? Could use a drink." Thomas said.
"Oh, right. Here." I said, taking out some water for them. "There's juice, too. Want something to eat?"
Thomas laughed and said, "You're gonna make my mom jealous."
"How so?" I asked.
"Bringing water, juice, snacks.. Thomas is well taken care of." He said.
"You're still a cutie." I said.
"Can't help it." Thomas said.
I gave the boys some snacks, since we were talking about it. "It smells like mineral water. A few miles ahead. I think I can hear water running."
"Should be some interesting things up ahead since there's water." Thomas said.
I paused and approached the wall of the cavern, I scratched another note into the wall. 'There's water up ahead, be careful, something smells odd. We'll try to handle it. If we can't we'll double back. Promise.' I made a bonfire beneath the note on the wall. We continued on after I left the note. We'd walked for a few hours already, so it was the time we shoulda woke up now. Not that it mattered much. We reached the water within the next few minutes. Remembering tales of things lurking in water, I reminded us all to have our hoods up to protect our identities.
I checked it for all sorts of negative things before allowing our empty bottles to be filled with it. Tilton had taught me to be thorough in such inspections, after all. I explained to the boys the process and what I was looking for as I checked it over. Even if they knew this stuff by chance, it was still good to see it in action. We had a way to go left and a way to go right. Right was sloped downwards. Once we'd decided to head to the right, I carved another note. This time into the floor, with another bonfire. 'Water is safe to drink. No trouble yet. Headed to right. Stay safe.'
After around thirty minutes more of walking, we reached a humongous and pitch black cavern. Oddly, in the distance there was a soft blue glow in the bottom area. I could smell mushrooms and all kinds of things. But I couldn't identify many of the scents. I went to the wall after we decided to head to the blue glow, and I wrote yet another note, making another bonfire. 'Heading to blue glow. Lotsa different scents in this area. Be careful. See you soon.'
With that, we started on a path down. I can tell you, we should have been more cautious. We weren't. We heard something behind us, by a distance. Glancing back, I saw Dirthin had reached us. Daelyn bumped into me, as I'd paused to look, Thomas tried to warn us about something, but it was too late. Daelyn and I had slipped off the side and were sliding downwards fast. I yelped in surprise and held onto Daelyn, noting Thomas had elected to follow us.
We landed amongst bones. Many of them. But we were unhurt. I coughed from the dust we'd kicked up. Daelyn thumped my back to help, I guess. I looked around, pricking my ears up, trying to catch anything moving. I began sniffing around, too. Nothing very fresh smelling. Something rotten smelling. I sneezed, standing with Daelyn's help. Much to my annoyance, I'd sprang my ankle.
Thomas arrived seconds later, "Everyone ok?"
"Yeah. I'm ok, you?" I asked Daelyn.
"I think I broke a rib." He said, showing us an old bone. "Yep. Definitely a rib."
"Saw your Uncle." I said. "Are we still llaying chase?"
"Depends on the situation we find ourselves in." Daelyn said.
"Well, I guess let's keep heading towards that light. It should be that way. Fix your hood." I said, doing it for him.
"Thank you, Mother. Let's move on." He said, amused.
"Hate smelling dead and rotting things." I said, while we started moving. "I thought cats land on their feet."
"We do, when not tangled with dogs." Daelyn said.
"I will lick you." I threatened.
"You don't wanna mess with this rough tongue." He said.
"Is it rough?" I asked, curiously.
"Yes, yes it is." He said.
"Interesting." I said. I started smelling foliage. "There're plants that way." I pointed slightly left of where we were headed. I was doing all I could to hide my ankles discomfort. Just like a girl to sprain her damned ankle.
We rounded a corner of sorts, and the area seemed to open up. Plant life was growing everywhere, the light blue glow lit up the area like a dream. Ahead, there was a near silent waterfall that fell into a perfectly round pool. And at that pool, perched to the side was a golden dragon staring into said pool. It was like she was made of stone.
Thomas cocked his head and said, "Shhh."
I sniffed the air, smelling all sorts of things around us, including reptile, now. Then I glanced back over my shoulder at the large man approaching us, I nudged Daelyn and tilted my head towards Dirthin.
He approached his uncle and whispered, "Uncle. Thomas says there's something weird happening and we should be quiet."
"I will deal with you later." He said. He leaned down and touched his boots, which retracted to reveal his feet, so that he'd be quiet.
I wanted to head forward. I needed to be closer to know what was going on. Why was she stuck down here. Yes, I could see now that she was indeed a young adult, but I couldn't understand what was going on with her. I paused to offer Daelyn my longbow. Daelyn took it, and readied himself. I left the arrows with him, too. I signaled him to watch our backs, then Dirthin approached Thomas, asking him quietly what's going on.
I stopped worrying about it per se, and instead crept forward by a bit. I would have down shifted to my human form, but people were present aside from my group, so I wasn't comfortable doing so. Though, Dirthin's people hadn't quite reached us yet. A few had gone the same way he and we had, others were choosing a safer route.
The pain in my ankle was almost unignorable. I was sure someone as seasoned as Dirthin would see right away that it was injured, though. My eyes stayed on the pool. How was a waterfall that quiet? Even a brook is louder. Actually, in my half shifter form, everything was louder, heightened senses and all, but not this waterfall. So what was affecting the sound to this area? I could only assume it'd be whatever had so captivated Thomas' mother. Or potentially enslaved. I couldn't imagine a great deal had changed down here, too. Though, maybe I should expect that?
Thomas explained to Dirhthin that the dragon is his mom, and soon, Dirthin was behind me, approaching the pool with the same caution. Though, he had the experience down here that I sorely lacked. Once we were close enough to the pool to look into the waters, we saw a sickly grey colored enormous tadpole creature with three tentacles and a tail, with a gaping maw with shark-like teeth and three eyes, lined up towards the mouth.
Dirthin tapped my shoulder and signaled me to head back. I listened, we both headed back towards the rest, and I touched the ring to contact Bibs. I had no idea what that was, and wanted advice. It wasn't an out loud communication, anyways.
I ended the communication and approached Dirthin, speaking quietly, "Daddy says it's an aboleth and they hold grudges."
"Can't hold much of a grudge if it's dead." He said.
I shook my head, "It comes back and hunts you even if it's killed."
"Well then, let's see if it's worth fighting every once in a while." Dirthin retorted.
I took of my cloak and offered it to him. "Here. I'm sure you could take it, but I'd hate for it to crop up if your babies are with you. Plus, I rarely take this form."
"Fair point. Thank you." Dirthin said, donning the cloak.
"Thomas, Daddy said archery is fine." I said to the Thomas while signaling Daelyn to remain vigilante, "But he said to stay back, so do you want to try out shooting?"
"I can try. Thomas has not done great with Archery, but I can try." Thomas said.
I smiled at him and said, "Well, it's a humongous target. We'll go over there to not be in the way." I pointed to the other side.
"Alright." Thomas said, his confidence boosted.
Daddy hadn't said if this thing can control us, but I'd worry about that later. For now, the three of us young ones edged along to the side. We were almost a hundred fifty feet from the pool, when we saw Dirthin get Enlarged. A spell that increases your size from regular to large or even huge. Dirthin then walked to the edge of the water, reached in, and yanked the aboleth out. He dragged it away from the water, then readied his blade.
I ordered my friends to shoot, and noted that the dragon had eyed Dirthin, then laid down. I told the boys to keep at it, while Dirthin began to attack it. Sooner than I'd expected, it was dead. I walked with Thomas to his mother and took some cake and sandwich stuff out of my pack for her. She'd watched us approach, appearing exhausted.
She decided to polymorph into a human form. She was a beautiful lady with long silky blonde hair and blue eyes, that matched Thomas. She approached Thomas and slid his hood back. "My, you have gotten tall." She said.
"Hi, Mom." Thomas managed. Then he broke down with emotion, sobbing. And holding onto his mother.
I felt a little awkward, but I offered the treats again and said, "The cake will help you recover, Thomas' Mama. Tilton made it."
"Thank you... Not really sure what to call you." She said.
"I'm Bryna. Thomas' pack mate." I smiled, "He's missed you sorely."
"And I have missed him." She said, giving Thomas a squeeze. She accepted the food offered. "I need to head up. I'd very muchly like to see the sun."
I offered her some juice, too, which she accepted, nodding in agreement. I petted Thomas' back and then turned towards Daelyn and his Uncle. We'd be heading back with them anyways. I sniffed the air, memorizing the scent of the aboleth and the area around. Dirthin was his usual size again, and he returned my cloak.
"Dunno how much good that cloak will do me, since the rest of me is, well, a little noticeable." Dirthin said.
"Reasonable doubt is all it needed to give you. Could buy you enough time to do what's needed, I'd reckon." I said. "Asides, if it's the sort that can come back that probably means killin' it's like banishing it. So, you'd just have to follow it to it's home plane to kill it proper. We had to do that once a long time ago. Ah, we as in Bibs, Tilton and I."
"Right." He said. He looked at Daelyn. "Home. Now."
"Yessir." Daelyn responded, handing me my longbow and arrows back.
With that, we made the trek back. I made sure to feed the boys again, and offered juice to Dirthin, too. I didn't care bout his men, but being friendly I offered them sweets. Thomas' face was all poofy. I froze a cloth and offered it to him. He accepted it, using it on his face to help the puffiness.
He turned to his mom and said, "She's been a good substitute while you were away."
"Well, it would seem you've been well taken care of in my.. absense." She said. "Where is your father?"
"Dad's been missing for a while." Thomas said.
"Adding kill your father to the list of things to do when I get back up top." She said.
"Daddy helped Thomas' daddy to disappear acause he made some bad people mad and they threatened Thomas." I explained to Thomas' mom.
"So he fled instead of dealing with the situation." She said.
"I dunno. It was a common place tactic to take the heat off, but it has been seven years." I shrugged.
"Thomas didn't know that. But it makes sense." He said.
"You didn't seem bothered about him, so I just focused on our training so we could help you're mama." I said.
"Thomas is fine with that." He said.
"I guess I should go ahead and let Tilton know." I said.
"About what?" Thomas asked.
"Your Daddy. I never explained it to him, neither. Heehee, his face is gonna be so mad." I giggled.
"Oh, yeah." Thomas agreed.
"Tilton did look after Thomas a bit, but me and Thomas have been together a while now. I have to bully him sometimes acause he's such a cutie." I told his mom.
"A cutie, hm?" She asked. "Have you ever seen Thomas without his.. facade?"
"Nope. But Thomas could be a three headed multi eyed fish by this point and he'd still be my best friend." I said.
She smiled and said, "Well, he's certainly not that." She looked at Thomas, "I like this one."
"I like her, too. She's very smart, very strong." He said.
"Thomas taught me to punch!" I told her.
"She's good. But Thomas is very good." Thomas boasted.
I laughed and said, "The hard part is using the fist over the claws. But in a real fight, I just use my claws. Thomas is a good cook, too."
"I missed your cooking, Mom." Thomas said.
"You missed my burnt eggs?" She asked.
"I missed.. you?" Thomas said.
As they interacted, I was itching, in a way, to down shift. But I still felt uncomfortable doing so in present company. Just when I started thinking up a plan I caught a scent. I wasn't quite sure what it was, but then I started hearing it. "Incoming." I warned.
Dirthin's people started getting ready. Thomas and Daelyn, used to such warnings, took in my reactions and prepared themselves accordingly. I warned that there were multiples. And explained about my howl in a low voice, should we need it.
"From what direction?" Dirthin questioned me.
I nodded to the front and said, "Smell them coming from that way, hear something... goopy.. from behi.. oh..." My attention, along with several others, had directed upwards.
Something resembling a melted displacer beast now hung from the cavern ceiling above us. It possessed massive fangs, like a spiders and teeth like a bat's. It looked like a browned loogie with tentacles, four of which had long spikes on them. It's surprise ruined, if that was it's intent, it screamed at us with thunderous half wail. I yelped, covering my ears at the assault.
Thomas' Mom's reaction, was "Nope." And she did her breath attack. My ears were ringing, as I looked back up at the thing. I didn't need my ears to shoot the thing with my bow, so I did. Daelyn pulled my unused bow from me and also shot the damned thing. A couple of lightning bolts were fired by the two mages with us, but not before one of their people were entangled by a tentacle. The other guy, slashed at the tentacle while the lightning bolts hit. The thing lived still. But barely. Two more arrows, and it dropped dead.