The adorable sounds of the two newborn Spinosaurus babies filled the room with their little whimpers, making the atmosphere warm and lively.
Fenrir, still sitting cross-legged in the center of the room, called to them gently, extending her hands.
"Aqua, Crimson, come here!" she exclaimed enthusiastically, her smile as bright as the morning sun.
The two Spino babies started moving, their steps clumsy and wobbly. Their short tails wagged as they made their way toward Fenrir.
I watched from afar, sitting in a corner of the room. In my hands lay an open book about rare monsters, though I hadn't made much progress in reading it, constantly distracted by the twins' squeaks as they played with Fenrir.
Not far from Fenrir, Linnie sat beside her, smiling as her eyes sparkled while witnessing the heartwarming moment.
When the Spino babies got close enough, Fenrir effortlessly lifted them. She cradled Aqua in her right arm and Crimson in her left, her face brimming with pure affection.
"Aww, look at how sweet you are," she murmured softly, burying her face between their little bodies.
Linnie giggled quietly, covering her mouth with her hand. Fenrir turned to her, her smile widening. "Linnie, do you want to hold them too? They're so cute!"
"Are you sure that's okay?" Linnie raised an eyebrow, hesitating for a moment.
"Of course, little one," Fenrir said with a wide, reassuring smile.
"Well… if you say so."
Carefully, Fenrir handed Aqua to her. "Here, hold him with both hands. He won't bite, I promise."
"Ah… he's quite big for a baby!" Linnie exclaimed as she carefully took Aqua from Fenrir.
At first, Aqua squirmed, but after receiving gentle strokes from Linnie, he calmed down. Instead of resisting, he nestled into her embrace, his little head tilting with a relaxed purr.
This behavior seemed to awaken something in Linnie, as the girl tightened her embrace. Her expression softened, resembling a mother cradling her child.
I smiled at the sight. The presence of Aqua and Crimson made the room much livelier.
Fenrir had been spending more time indoors, choosing to play with them instead of venturing out. I also preferred reading here rather than in the library. Even Loki allowed me to skip responsibilities, provided I let him join in playing with the little ones.
I clearly remembered Loki's excitement when he first saw them hatch. I understood his delight and curiosity at witnessing rare creatures like Spinosaurus babies in his castle.
"I guess I'll let them play a little longer," I thought, turning my gaze back to the pages I hadn't finished reading.
The room was filled again with laughter and the Spinos' endearing whimpers as they played with their "mama" and "aunt." Occasionally, the sound of pages turning accompanied their lively noises.
After a while, I decided playtime had been long enough. I closed my book with a loud clap, the sound echoing through the room and catching their attention.
Fenrir turned to me, still holding Crimson. "Yata, finished reading?"
I nodded, standing up. "Yes. Are you ready?"
Fenrir grinned. "Come here. Let's get started."
I approached as Linnie handed Aqua back to Fenrir.
Today, we planned to form a familiar contract between me and the two Spino babies I was raising. Fenrir, with her knowledge of familiar contracts, would guide me through it.
I hadn't asked Loki or Linnie for help because Fenrir had forbidden me to do so. She insisted on guiding me herself, which I found odd but decided to trust her this time.
"Sit here," Fenrir said, pointing to the empty space in front of her. I followed her instructions, sitting cross-legged.
"First, place your hands on their heads," she said, her tone unusually serious.
I looked at the Spino babies for a moment before gently placing my hands on Aqua and Crimson's heads.
Fenrir began chanting in a low, resonant voice, her words filled with deep conviction:
"Fylgja og faðir, blessa þessa tengsl, með jörð og himinn sem vottur.
Sérhver orka, sérhver andi, tengir saman þessa sálir að eilífu.
Váfir lítill, dýr í upphafi, vaxa með sambandi þínu."
I repeated each word after her, trying to mimic her tone and rhythm. As the final words left my lips, a magic circle began to form beneath us.
A pale blue light glowed softly, enveloping Aqua and Crimson. They stopped moving, their small eyes fixed on me. Moments later, the magic circle vanished, and I felt a warm sensation on the backs of my hands.
Lifting my hands, I saw two new tattoos—one resembling a water wave and the other a small flame. "These are the marks of your familiar contract," Fenrir explained with a satisfied tone.
I tilted my head, puzzled. "I don't feel anything."
Linnie smiled. "Not yet. Right now, they're still babies, so there's no energy or senses to share. But as they grow, you'll start to feel it."
"Really?"
"Yes, especially since they aren't ordinary monsters. Spinosaurus are rare and among the strongest monsters in this region. You'll notice the difference as they mature."
Fenrir nodded, adding, "Not just that. Eventually, you'll be able to share power, senses, communication, and even magic with them. If you have runes, you might even use them together."
I paused, processing all this information. "Wow, that's amazing."
Linnie chimed in, "If you want to learn more, you can look it up in the library or ask Father directly."
Hearing this, I remembered Loki was the Magic King of Utgard. Her suggestion made me consider asking him to teach me.
"If you stay another year or two, Father will definitely teach you more, Yata. He might even offer more treats for you, Fenrys," Linnie said enthusiastically, though there was a hint of worry in her voice.
I smiled faintly, shaking my head.
Linnie's expression turned crestfallen, as if she already knew what I was about to say.
"We probably won't stay much longer," I said softly. "We've decided to continue our journey soon."
Fenrir nodded in agreement. "Yes, but we'll remain here for a few more weeks," she added, trying to console Linnie.
The girl lowered her head, her shoulders drooping. "I… I'll miss you," she whispered.
Fenrir pulled her into a comforting embrace. "Don't worry," she said gently. "We're still here for now."
Linnie returned the hug, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Okay," she murmured, barely audible.
The room fell into a tranquil silence, punctuated only by the soft breaths of the sleeping Spino babies cradled in Fenrir's arms. I watched the three of them, feeling a bond slowly growing between us all, even though I knew our journey wouldn't end here.
We still had goals to achieve, places to explore, but for now, I allowed this rare moment of peace to fill our hearts.