Lonn
"- just glad we didn't end up like her."
Whispers filled the group of sparks that followed Drae. They had seen his cruelty, as Fiera was now leashed to him. The rope was attached to the knife between her hands, and with every pull it threatened to cut off one of her fingers.
"Just stay with me, Kari. We'll make it through this and find Dorin together."
"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Kari giggled behind Lonn's head. He had needed to carry her on his back since she couldn't walk with one foot. He sunk deep into the snow with each step, getting snow in his shoes, but he didn't dare get too far behind the rest of the group.
"I just wish it wasn't so cold."
Drae suddenly turned around. "My ears are better than you all think. Anyone here can leave at any time, but know that the only thing keeping you safe out here is my presence."
The sparks looked at each other with doubt, but none left the group. Lonn would have no idea where to go if he left right now, but if he found a path to a safer life for the two of them, he would take it immediately.
"You might think me to be some kind of monster, but you all have no idea how dangerous she is." Drae pulled on the leash and a scream followed. "If I had let her sloth free, none of us would have made it out of that room."
"How do you know that?" One of the sparks, Gral, walked to the front of their group. "I thought you said that it's been hundreds of years since you've even seen one."
"My hundreds of years is different from yours. I have seen a dozen generations go by in a year. The reason that only three elders are left is because of the last sloth's influence. If she goes to sleep, so will we, and it will be up to her as to whether we will ever wake up again."
. . .
Dorin
Dorin rested his overfilled body on the walls of the fish egg he was inside as gentle currents moved him back and forth. It was like he was being cradled to sleep, a feeling he could only barely remember from his childhood. The face of his mother had long ago been erased from his mind, a hole that had never been filled and probably never would be.
The eggs were of differing qualities, and most he couldn't even penetrate with his teeth. He was curious as to how such a soft material could at the same time be so sturdy. At the center was a red bubble that had a small creature which moved every now and then. Dorin's stomach quivered at the thought of devouring whatever lived inside.
'This pond holds more mysteries at every turn. That old man definitely has something to do with it.'
Various crustaceans, fish, and newts had wandered by, but to Dorin's surprise none of them joined in his feast. They seemed to rush away from the bundle of eggs if they got too close, as if fearful of something.
Suddenly the egg shook, and the creature inside the red bubble emerged. It was a baby version of the whiskered fish, but even so it was the same size as him. It turned its head curiously and its eyes flashed as a jolt of fear hit Dorin's mind.
'Why does this thing feel so scary?'
The creature swam towards him, curling around the walls of the egg. As it neared him, its whiskers reached out towards him, and Dorin knew that he couldn't let that happen. There was part of him that wanted to run, but he might never get another chance to eat something of substance.
Dorin had whiskers of his own, and he let them loose and twisted his body. His red spines caught the fish's whiskers, and pulled the fish towards him. He opened his mouth and the fish did the same. The pointy teeth threatened to poke out his eyes, but since he had control of the fish's whiskers, he pulled it to the side, and bit down on the fish's eye.
The fish squirmed, and one of its whiskers came loose to touch Dorin's body. His strength was sucked away through a simple touch, and Dorin knew he had to end this quickly. The fish was growing bigger with each moment, and Dorin bit down multiple times, making a complete mess of the fish's face.
The fish's whiskers went limp, and Dorin knew he had won. He took his time to devour the rest of the fish, as in this place everything seemed to fill him to the brim with minimal effort.
After he finished eating the creature, Dorin felt something change within him. A second set of spirals grew across his body, but this time they were gray.
Suddenly a force pulled him through the water, and the film of the egg covered his eyes and body. He felt his body change back into human form as he broke the surface, gasping for breath as the film covered his mouth.
"Welcome back, virtue. How did you like my domain?"