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T.E.A.R. Case Brief 433 - T.E.A.R. Vs. James of the Lemming Isle

30-11-2048

Reviewed by Professor Anna Kerkorian Q.C.

Facts: James was charged with two separate crimes. The alleged murder of his mentor Haytham Durai in his home world; and interference of an official experiment for personal misuse. Whilst we could not attest to the alleged murder, the plaintiff himself admitted to both crimes without provocation in the company of myself, Maj-Gen Brightman, Dr. Dixon and Dr. Addison. Oddclaw and Captain Jarogniew acted as his defence, pleading insanity whilst upholding his guilty verdict.

Issue: Did James commit interference with a government-sanctioned experiment for personal use?

Holding: Without regard to potential harm nor consideration to impedement of our people's return, James knowingly siphoned energy without consent from the gravity well of Meridian-5 using unauthorised devices of his own creation.

Majority Opinion Reasoning: Documents in his room along with data from the experiment of Subject Seventeen, confirmed his intentions in wanting to siphon energy from the well to bring the city of Lea Monde ("Subject Eighteen") to this current place. His testimony unprompted also confirms that.

Rule: Banishment

Application: By authority of Dr. Dixon as head of the research station, we agreed that James should be banished back to his home for abusing his status as a guest researcher to the point of endangering our safety. It was also agreed that, for the alleged murder he admitted to, he should return to his home and face trial by his own peers.

"So, that's it then?" asked Kruz shrugging.

"Our business is done." Thomas offered his hand to shake his. "Thank you for your cooperation sir Underwood."

"Hey-ey," he shook back with a grin, "just sir Kruz'll do."

"We are sorry again," Oddclaw bowed, "for all the trouble we have caused you."

"Awww don't worry about it," he winked to him, "we were just glad to see another world, least my husband definitely was."

"I have had quite the adventure of a lifetime," Fayne curtsied with a smile beside him, "thank you for your magnanimouszh hoszhpitality. I have alwayszh dreamed of venturing to another world."

"Well that's off your bucket list now," the kremling patted Fayne, "now we just got all the other things, like that bath-house one-"

"D-DON'T, not here!"

"Khah hahahaha! Ahhhh."

"When you step back inside," Thomas pointed to the depths, "we'll give the go-ahead to start the process that'll send you home."

"Before that uhhh, Oddclaw, can I talk with you for a moment?"

"Oh, yes of course."

Taking him aside as they went to a separate room of the old storage bay, the paladin took a deep breath and scrubbed his snout with his gauntlet whilst looking back to see Thomas speak with Fayne.

"Kinda wish we could stay longer," he muttered.

"Why not stay longer then?" asked the raptor.

"Duty calls," he shrugged, "gotta protect the home, Lea Monde needs Baldwin back too."

"A tribe must have its guards," he nodded, "I un-derstand."

"Kheheh...are you a guard too?"

"No, I am an ambass-sidor."

"Oh right yeah they did mention that, how'd you even get that job?"

"I was the only one to speak like the humen," Oddclaw shrugged with a nervous smirk.

"Ahhh..." Kruz smiled wide as he tapped his chin, "do me a favour."

"Yes?"

"Give me your angriest face."

"...why?" Oddclaw squinted.

"Just humour me, I like seeing people's true faces, think of something that makes you real angry."

"Uh...a-alright, um..."

He summoned up what recent events in his mind could muster enough anger in his heart. Inevitably this went back to James, remembering the scent of something that had pervaded him, infected him. It wasn't enough however, confusion took him more than rage as he pondered on James' banishment. Then he remembered Moonclaw's words, how his mother understood. A flash went through his mind of a raptor's face, someone he never wanted to see again, and there it came through. He held that face in his mind, long enough for his snarl to appear with a creak of his jaws and grinding teeth. His eyes pinched tight as Kruz stepped back from the raptor's glowering fury, stroking his neck in consideration as he nodded.

"Alright, that's good."

"Hmph," Oddclaw sighed, "why did you want to see that?"

"You can tell a lot by the way people express their anger. One of my friends, she raises chocobos and taught me a lot about someone's body language."

"And...what did you learn?"

"Enough to know that even stuff in the past you're holding yourself back on, being responsible, hiding your claws and never showing your full teeth. Not because it doesn't matter anymore, but because you have a future without that. With your family."

"Yes. I do." The raptor smiled wholesome with his full teeth. "Was that all you need?"

"Just gimme a goodbye hug and we're all set."

Kruz swept his arms out as Oddclaw grinned leaping into his embrace, surprising the kremling with such friendliness as he hugged him tight as he could. Kruz shivered from the hot scent of raptor musk, a faint rememberance but different enough as he sighed with a gentle pat.

"Take care of yourself Oddclaw."

"Thank you," the raptor gave one last squeeze, "you take care too, Kruz."

"Kheh...gods you're adorable. Alright time to ship out!"

He headed back to Fayne overhearing his talk with the major-general, Oddclaw following after with a slight blush on his cheeks.

"Szho in the end the church managed to keep itszhelf out of all political engagement."

"That's impressive," Thomas nodded, "we're not quite at that stage yet in my country, church and state are pretty tied together at least last I checked."

"How long have you been away from home?"

"God, must be...twenty-seven years, so many things might have changed when we get back, or I hope they have."

"Goodnesszh." Fayne shook his head gripping his staff tighter. "I cannot imagine leaving my homeworld for szho long, will you not fear the culture szhock?"

"Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if aliens had already landed back home and established Antarctica as their new colony."

"Alienszh?"

"Like, creatures from space."

"Ahhh you mean the godszh!"

"No no, not gods," Thomas waved his finger, "mortal beings, from other stars out in the beyond of space."

"Aaaaaah," the bishop nodded, "but can your godszh not interact with them?"

"Our gods are a debatable existence, we don't know if they actually exist or not, we've never personally met or spoken to them."

"But you believe in them yeszh?"

"Not personally no. I gave up on them a long time ago."

"That iszh unfortunate. May Faram blesszh thee regardlesszh." He crossed his hand over himself in three strokes forming the Kildean symbol. "I wiszh for you a szhafe and fortunate journey home."

"Thank you, father Fayne." Thomas bowed before stepping back. "Is that all you need?"

"YEAH WE'RE GOOD!" Baldwin shouted from the old cellar in the backroom wall. "Can we hurry up I really need a fucking drink!"

"BALDWIN FOR GOODNESSZH SZHAKE!" Fayne shouted back. "We are on the brink of diplomaszhy could you contain yourszhelf for ONE moment?!"

"NOPE, I'm runnin' outta vodka cuzh all I got iszh vinegar down here, fuck am I gonna do with that?!"

"BOIL YOUR HEAD IN IT FOR ALL I CARE, I am terribly szhorry," he turned back to Thomas mid-rant, "my brother may be a guardian but hiszh candour be greatly lacking."

"Hahaha it's fine," the soldier waved his hand, "we have alcohol on the base if you want it as a parting gif-"

"No need!" Kruz pulled out a bottle of white from his satchel. "got some given to me as a going-away present, that guy uhhh Kevin his name was, he made some as a going-away gift."

"Oh FUCK yeah!" Baldwin clapped his hands. "hand that szhit over!"

"Why don't you come over and get it?!"

"Aw come on bro you know I can't leave thiszh plaszhe!"

"Khahaha I'm joking, you wanna drop Odd?"

"No thank you," Oddclaw raised his hand, "I do not like al-kuhol, it tastes like poison."

"...wow." Kruz blinked. "You are definitely not like him at all."

"Who?"

"UHH, B-baldwin, guy loves to knock a few back."

"I'll knock you back if you don't gimme that boozhe now!" the Blood-Sin shouted from the cellar. "Come oooon I'm dying here!"

"You're not fooling anyone bonehead."

"HEY, that'szh offenszhive!"

"Alright alright, we better head on down, babe you coming?"

"Well of courszhe I am," Fayne snorted, "much aszh I enjoyed the adventure, I do misszh the open fire at the cathedral and curling up to a good book."

"And maybe curl up with this big krook," Kruz pinched his butt.

"A-AAAH, KRUZH FOR GODSZH' SZHAKE!"

"KHAAH, hahahaha, ohhhh."

He waved to Thomas and Oddclaw as they walked back, Fayne taking off his translating collar to hand back before they departed into the depths of Lea Monde. Brightman gave the call on his radio to go ahead with the sending back, as soon the T.E.A.R. base came to life with a surge of energy that channelled through the moon and down upon the Skylands. The raptor and commander watched the ancient cellar gleam with intense light, distorting energies that shuddered throughout the halls of the undercity and permeated the entirety of its existence. Fayne, Kruz and Baldwin all stood inside the entrance to the cellar, sitting down on old crates wrought with vinegar.

"//Szho what were you talking about with Oddie?//" Baldwin asked in Ivalician.

"//I just wanted to confirm something,//" Kruz smiled leaning back. "//He's definitely James' son.//"

"//You can tell, truly?//" Fayne squinted.

"//He's got the same look when he's angry, got that cute little creep in his teeth. The eyes are a giveaway but there's also that orange dab he's got on his left that's kinda weird but yanno, also the smell.//"

"//Kruzh that iszh terribly rude.//"

"//No no, I mean his musk is different, it's got more earthy tones different from James.//"

"//That'szh really fucking weird,//" Baldwin crossed his arms, "//thiszh like a molly thing or-//"

"//No, Baldwin,//" Fayne glowered at his brother, "//that iszh but a Kruzh thing, you did not tell him about hiszh father did you?//"

"//No no, no,//" Kruz shook his head, "//I remember what you said about not getting involved in other families.//"

"//Good,//" Baldwin nodded, "//he'szh got hiszh own problemszh without needing to hear about the dad he never met.//"

"//What do you mean never met?//" Kruz raised his brow.

"//Heart-szheer, remember?//" The guardian tapped his chest. "//I got a look into all hiszh problemszh, not many of them but the few he'szh got he can handle himszhelf.//"

"//Well put dear brother,//" Fayne nodded clutching his arm, "//and I thank you for the warning with the Monkhood szhigil.//"

"//Juszht cuzh I wanna szhcrew around doeszhn't mean I can't get szheriouszh, you know that after twenty yearszh.//"

"//I know, and I am proud of you for embraszhing your role.//"

"//More like it embraszhed me but, yeah.//" Baldwin rubbed his hands before pulling out a white bottle. "//NOW, who wantszh to get pisszhed?!//"

"//HEY!//" Kruz fumbled in his satchel. "//YOU, you damn thief gimme that back!//"

"//Szhorry!//" Baldwin twisted off the top. "//Daddy needszh hiszh milk!//"

"//Don't drink it all for fuck's sake!//" he lurched forward to grab.

"//Pleaszhe we have plenty at home!//" cried Fayne trying to push him back.

"//That's NOT the point they gave it to me Baldwin!//"

"//Guardian ruleszh!//" Baldwin started drinking. "//Mmmmhhh szhit that'szh good!//"

"//YOU CAN'T EVEN GET DRUNK ANYMORE YOU'RE DEAD!//"

"//And that'szh why I can drink ALLLL thiszh and not get szhirroszhiszh, I'm doing you a favour Kruzh!//"

"//GAAAARGH!//"

The kremling and the bangaas soon disappeared from the world, the catacombs of Lea Monde following back to its roots as the Skylands reclaimed their depths of thick sheer rock buried and filled to the brink of its structure. The shambling corpses and wretched fossils all fell at once without the Dark's invoking presence, falling on the sands and drowning below the waters of the ancient sea as soldiers keeping guard at the bay storage entrance relieved their duties seeing the small horde of undead become rotting bones soon washed back into the ocean.

"Well," Oddclaw sighed, "I am going home, what about you?"

"I'm still trying," Thomas smirked glibly, "wish me luck, talk to you again?"

"Of course, anytime you need me Thomas."

They parted ways, Oddclaw given a short lift up the coast to be dropped outside his home before the humans returned back to base. Unbeknownst to them was a pair of eyes watching from the shadow of the Skylands' tunnel to the Land Before, gently clicking his tail back and forth.

"Portal technology?" snarled Riptor.

"Yep," Radium nodded, "sent something back, I couldn't see what it was but it was big enough to be under a mountain, like some kinda cave system."

"But why would they send it away?"

"It didn't belong here." He clicked his teeth. "The composition was different to that of the mountain, something got brought through."

"Brought through...and sent back?" She tapped her claws along the dirt. "So, it was them that brought us here."

"You think so?" The jade-black raptor swished his tail pondering. "Yeah, actually the energy I sensed was similar to our arrival, maybe not as strong but-"

"And you said they sent this back?"

"Yep, then all of the undead just suddenly...died, again?" He winced clenching his cheek. "Is that what you call it, what do you say for something that died again?"

"I don't know anyways," she waved her hand, "what of this weapon you mentioned before?"

"Something they carried out of there, said they would drop it at the Death Nest."

"What did it look like?"

"Long, some kind of blade with two handles sorta circle-shaped, iron. Said they wanted to dump it in the Firesea but apparently it had been put in there before and just wouldn't melt."

"Wouldn't...melt." She licked her lips swishing her tail. "Death Nest you said?"

"Yeah," he turned to walk away, "I don't know where that is-"

"Sulphide knows about it, he went there in his reconnaissance. Thank you for your excellent report, you are dismissed."

"Thank you Riptor-"

"Wait." She slipped her tail round to block him. "How was Oddclaw?"

"Huh?" He looked back to her.

"Was he well? Did he say anything?"

"I...I mean he was talking about the Death Nest before, and more recent he was talking with humans, but that's about it."

"What was their interaction like?"

"I mean, the human he talked to had a lot of authority, had a uniform on and was commanding troops but he talked with Oddclaw very relaxed."

"Did he look well?"

"Why do you wan-"

"JUST tell me, did he LOOK, well?" She slitted her eyes with a growing sneer.

"He looked...fine," Radium darted his eyes to the side and lowered his head, "he was, well, he looked perfect, not a single fresh wound on him."

"Good. Good." She pulled her tail back. "Now you are dismissed."

He barked with a clack of his claws and trotted off into the forest on the western cliff. Riptor sat outside of her den, the old tree where the roots dug through the roof as she savoured the cool evening breeze. Or rather she tried to, her thoughts churning constant with dreams that scattered across her mind and whispered things unseen. The sun glanced over her scales through the trees as she sighed with a tap of her feet, but even the warmth of the tropic heat could not stop her thoughts from drifting.

"Everything well?"

"Hmm?" She looked up to see a familiar face grinning at her. "Oh yes, everything's fine."

"You seem a little distracted," he sat down beside, "something wrong?"

"Nnnngh...no, it's nothing."

"Come now Riptor, I know that look, you can't hide from me."

"Hmhmhm...I suppose not." The ultraraptor licked her teeth and slumped against the grass. "It's Oddclaw, again, I know you don't like me talking about him but I just cannot stop thinking about why he exists. Why does he have that body, WHY is he consorting with humans, what is he doing running around helping non-raptors?!"

"He is quite an anomaly yes," her friend twitched his tail, "but why would he concern you again?"

"His hunting skill is unmatched, he is clearly very fertile, he is able to negotiate with other creatures outside of his own tribe, what else would I want?! If he could just be part of us, we would be stronger, you know it's the truth!"

"You do not trust your own?" the pale raptor drifted his eyes towards the plains.

"Of course I trust them, they are practically family," she shook her head, "but...that is the thing. They are already family. I need-"

"A family of your own?"

"...no." Riptor sighed. "That...well, no. I don't feel that way that others would, to have a mate and to raise their young."

"Well consider why we have families," the jaundiced raptor nuzzled her cheek, "to stave off the dreads of loneliness, to strengthen our pack and most important...to ensure that your bloodline succeeds."

"Exactly. I'm so glad you understand finally."

"Of course I do, you are like a mother to me."

She gave an odd look to him and his churlish grin, stiffening slightly as she shifted herself against the tree's earthen base.

"So you realise what I'm saying? You're not upset by this?"

"I have long come to accept what your true desire is. I now know that it is not love that drives you, but a hope for your future."

"Yes exactly!" Riptor gasped sitting up. "Oddclaw has shown many qualities that would make him a fine breeder, his strength despite his stature, his intelligence to reason with non-raptors, his fertility even in a womb as old and dusted as his mate's-"

"Combined with your even greater intelligence," the jaundiced raptor nodded, "plus the strength to slay the gods, I daresay your children would become rulers of this land!"

"There would be nothing to stop us," she grinned with a swell in her breast, "my children would become leaders, taking our pack to greater heights, for all raptors!"

"Maybe more than that." He smiled leaning in close. "What if they become Gods , Riptor?"

"What?!"

"Gods of this world. Gods who possess the strength and intelligence of the God-Slayer herself, think! Nothing could stop us, not humans, not deities, not even death itself."

Riptor's eyes widened with approaching glee, her claws tightening with a feverish anticipation that caused her body to shake with maddening frenzy as her tail twitched even harder.

"God-slayer...becometh God. That...that is an idea, but...how will I convince Oddclaw when that stubborn old mate of his already ruined my plan to even get close?!"

"And you could do so much better than her," he whispered.

"Of COURSE I can, I'm still in the prime of my youth, I could make twenty eggs alone!"

"A whole army of Riptors to lead your kind into a new age, a greater age where all would submit beneath the superior hunter."

"Yes...the ultimate hunter." She licked over her lips. "My strength, my cunning-"

"With Oddclaw's exceptional agility and charisma," added the pale raptor leaning forth, "none could stop you, none could even hope to destroy you, not humans, not even gods."

"Ohhh yes...I'm glad you understand," Riptor nodded to him, "I have tried to explain this to you befor-...before, back on the ship."

"Hmm?"

She pushed herself back with a suspicious look as her steel fronds stiffened like daggers.

"Are you Sulphide?"

"Wh-what?!" he chuckled.

"Answer me."

"Riptor come now you're being foolish-"

"NO, say it, say what I need to hear, the tube you were in, we agreed on this."

"Hmhmhmhm...R-N-oh-three," he rolled his eyes as she sighed relaxing, "did you doubt yourself, the great god-slayer herself?"

"We made an agreement," Riptor snarled sitting back down, "after the alien ship and the voices I heard-"

"Well I am not a voice, I am here now in front of you."

"And yet I would never expect you to suggest-"

"And why not? I was only frightened because I thought you were turning weak with some pathetic notion like love for a strange foreign beast."

"I have no love for him," she snorted with her head aloof, "I can tell you that."

"Then we are agreed," he nodded purring, "Oddclaw is but a tool, he will serve only one purpose to you, and once you are done with him, send him back."

"Is that how you agree with me?"

"You know I was not willing to go with your plan before, because I feared your obsession would ruin you. But now, if we consider this as just merely obtaining an item of interest, with no flimsy pretence of emotion, I am much more agreeable to that."

"I see." Riptor curled her tail with clinking links. "You were afraid of me getting too attached?"

"Precisely." He nuzzled her cheek. "I am sorry Riptor, I should have trusted you better."

"Hm. Nothing to be sorry for." She licked him back with a growing yawn. "Your words I always...appreciate dear Sulphide."

"Good." He watched her close her eyes. "Next time we speak, let us think of a plan to start our new empire."

"Riptor?"

She heard someone else's voice when her eyes shut.

"Riptor? Riptor."

She blinked them open a second later, hissing towards the face of Sunscreech who stood over her.

"Yes?"

"May I ask you something?"

"Does it have to be me?" she roused herself up and sat her back at the cave entrance. "You could have asked Sulphide."

"I could not find him."

"He was JUST here talking to me, don't be an idiot."

"...what?" He looked around sniffing the air. "I did not see him, cannot even smell him here."

"But he was just speaking with me, I...ugh, never mind I'm too tired I must have slept longer than I thought, what do you want?"

"I wanted to ask about Oddclaw." He tapped his feet with nervous tic. "I heard you and Radium speaking of hi-"

"AH, I was just speaking about him with Sulphide yes!" She propped up her body with a cheerful chirrup. "What do you want to ask?"

"Why do you care about him? Did your scouts see him?"

"We have encountered him yes, we are making a new outpost back on your home continent to keep observations on the humans who have arrived here."

"The...the what?"

"Oh, the hairless warmbloods, I suppose you would call them-"

"WH-what?!" Sunscreech hissed reeling back. "They are still here, but...but, their stone mountain was destroyed back when I was a child!"

"It was?" She cocked her head. "Where?!"

"Near the Deep Mountain, Oddclaw's...father, destroyed it, killed the humans with stonefire as our tribe slaughtered them in our escape."

"His...father?" Riptor tapped at her screwbolt chest. "I vaguely recall you mentioning him, did he not have the same body as Oddclaw?"

"Yes," Sunscreech snarled, "Oddclaw wields stonefire too, typical of him, but why are you interested?"

"Why would you care, you disowned him did you not?"

"He-..." the one-eyed raptor shook his head with a snort, "I am just curious."

"Well..." Riptor tapped her claws together, "perhaps you can find out yourself if you are so curious."

"What?"

"You still remember the lay of the land back home, do you Sunscreech?"

"Like I never left," he sighed looking up to the sky.

"Then why not help me with something?" she cooed leaning in. "I need Oddclaw, he knows about the humans that have arrived elsewhere and other things I need."

"He will not come with me, he despises me and I despise him."

"Oh no, I don't need you to come to him."

The raptor widened her grin with piercing golden eyes.

"I just need HIM...to come to us."

"I'M GONNA WIIIIN!"

"NO YER NOT, I'M FASTER THAN YOU!"

"PFFT NEITHER OF YOU CAN CATCH ME!"

Three raptors ran across the beach, two feral and one anthro pounding their claws into the fresh heat of sands on a glorious balmy noon. The sound of the waves rushed through their ears as the tender breeze whistled through the trees. Skyfang was catching up to her brothers, Seaclaw pumping his legs as fast as he could with Oddtooth out in front in a perfect step, his long grey body skimming the beach like a silver bullet that they struggled to keep up with. Skyfang soon overtook her little brother, the small anthro hammering his legs into the golden sands trying his hardest with a forceful screech as the sword in its scabbard jangled by his hip, closely attached with vines against his grass-woven kilt.

"NNNNYYYAAAAAARRGH!"

"COME ON THEACLAW YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!"

"I'M, NNNNNNGH!"

They finally reached the eastern end of the shore, stopping just short of the small hill where grass became scrub in a gentle overhang towards the sea. Skyfang was just in first, Oddtooth nipping behind her with Seaclaw left gasping a few feet in back.

"I WIN I WIN I WIN, I'M THE FASTEEEEST!"

"By a TOOTH, I could have won!"

"Yeah but you DIDN'T!" She licked at his bucked teeth making him flinch. "But that was great, Seaclaw you were MUCH faster than before!"

"TH-thaa...thaaaaank...HNYUGH!" He fell into the sand face down as they cackled. "Mmhh whnnuh shtay hrrr nhhw."

"Alright we can retht." Oddtooth slumped down beside him as his sister joined. "When ith Highwave coming to thee you?"

"Mmmbluh!" Seaclaw lifted his head freckled with sand. "When the sun's at its PEAK!"

"Can we see her again?!" Skyfang thumped her tail. "I wanna say hi!"

"Okay, but I'm gonna go swim with her soon."

"Alright, but be careful," Oddtooth nuzzled him, "I don't know how you can even thwim out tho far, what'th even there?"

"Mmmm, nothiiiing," he propped his head with his hands, "just lots an' lots an' LOTS of water."

"So why even go out there?" his sister yawned. "If it's all just water what's even there?!"

"Uhhh, there's rocks," Seaclaw tapped his cheek, "mmmm, s-stonefish, an' big fish, an' small fish-"

"Islands with trees?"

"OOOH yeah, there's some out there, b-but I-i never been to any, nope!"

"Huh, okay." She rolled on her back. "Probably not a lot of trees out there if it's just a little island."

"What about the one out north?" Oddtooth sniffed at the breeze. "That hath a lot of treeth!"

"Oh yeah, we should ask father to take us!"

"Um, how, we can't thwim."

"I seen the hairless come on, things!" the little brother sat up waving his arms. "They got these stones, that float over the sea!"

"Hmmm...would they let uth on them?"

"Yah, they're our friends right?!"

"I like the stoneflyers they have," purred Skyfang, "how high do you think they go?!"

"I dunno, but they were fun, I wanna go see the shining mountain again!"

"Mmmm me too, they had GOOD food, and it was all firefood!"

"I mithh firefood," the big brother sighed lolling his tongue, "mmmm I hope we go hunting with father thoon to eat more of it."

"Y-yah..." Seaclaw sighed with a sudden droop.

"Hey, brother you alright?" Oddtooth rolled up beside him.

"Um...I was thinkin' about Stonetree...cuz Leafhair's been banished."

"Oh..." his siblings looked away, "well, he'll be fine, he'th very thtrong!"

"Yeah he could break a TREE if he wanted!" Skyfang shouted. "He'll be fine Seaclaw, don't worry!"

"O-okay," the boy fidgeted with his claws.

Far from the beach two pairs of eyes watched the children with vested interest, their tails slinking against the grass of a reaching ledge on the west side of the great shore.

"There," Riptor pointed, "that one."

"He has...children?" gasped Sunscreech squinting at the three.

"The one with the strange body shall make a good hostage."

"He will not come with us?" he turned to her.

"No, he knows me already and Oddclaw has been warned against me."

"Then why bring me here?"

"Because you are family," she nodded sagely, "he will trust you."

"I was banished!" he snapped.

"Yes but he made no mention of you, the boy will not know you, why would they speak of you again?"

The old wounded raptor puffed his cheeks and shook his head conceding to her point.

"What do I do?"

"I will lure him once he is alone," she looked back to a small lump in the rush, "thanks to the help of our little friend."

"What if he just kills it?"

"He shows a great kindness to others outside his pack, he won't resist. just do what I told you before, and lead him back to our outpost."

"Yes, Riptor."

They settled down to wait, watching the three raptors lay about in the sun before the siblings got up once more to chase each other, darting around in circles trying to bite each other's tails before the sun started rising to its zenith.

"OH, wait!" Oddtooth skidded to a halt. "I-i forgot, we were going to help uncle Barkclaw!"

"What?!" Skyfang squinted.

"Remember, he needed our help finding the thmallwingth high HIGH up in the treeth."

"Ohhhhh, awwww!" She kicked the sand. "I wanted to see Highwave again."

"You can see her when I get back!" Seaclaw grinned patting her neck. "We'll be back sunset!"

"Okay, be careful baby brother!" Skyfang licked his head with a long slurp that made him push her off.

"Ewwww!"

"Heehehahaha!"

"Hurry back thoon!" Oddtooth snuffled his cheek. "We'll be here thunthet."

"Okayyyy, bye-bye!"

The two ferals headed off as Seaclaw waited, sitting himself down in the sand and staring out to sea with expectant joy as his tail fwapped from side to side. The sound of the waves soothed him to a gentle lull as he sang in the raptor's tongue, sometimes practicing a flicker of words in English that to any human would sound terrifying, like a raven calling their name. But to a raptor it just sounded silly, like a fly was caught in his throat before he heard something cry out from the west. A shriek of something small, something helpless that he did not recognise.

He said nothing as he slipped into his hunting mode, taking cautious steps across the sands before he picked up speed into a rushing charge heading up towards the rising cliff. The screams continued at a constant pitch, the scent of fear on the wind as Seaclaw heard something else.

"STOP crying you little whelp...ugh, I hate when they wriggle, it's like trying to eat a smallwing."

Approaching a plateau he saw another raptor, one of such a twisted countenance that he was frightening to behold. It wasn't the single eye that scared Seaclaw, he had seen plenty of those. It wasn't the scars completely covering his face, for he had quite a few of his own. It was the shards where his arms used to be, rotting jagged bone that caught the light in sharp yellow points. The raptor adult slathered over a small red pig-faced creature laying on its back that Seaclaw recognised as one of the bokoblins from the Mohberrin village. Even more did he recognise it as a newborn child laid out on a cloth blanket, shrieking from the predator above it.

"HEY! L-let him go!"

"...or what?" He turned his head to face him. "Will you feed me next with your pathetic life?"

"No, I'll kill you!" Seaclaw pulled his blade free with a shining gleam. "You, y-you leave him alone, NOW!"

"Wha-at?" The stranger cackled with a snort. "A hatchling with a stick, underfed who thinks he can stop me from my hunt?"

"You're not hunting, th-that's just, he can't even walk, that's cruel!"

"I found him, he is MY food."

"N-NO YOU DIDN'T!" The boy swung his blade sharp with a brazen shriek. "I-i know where he's from, he's too small to get here!"

"Says the little wombsmear who walked all the way up here." The old raptor licked his fangs and turned his body proper. "Then again...you are quite bigger, and a lot less noisy than this runt!"

He lunged for the boy who rolled out his path, bracing his sword against himself in a guard waiting for the next attack as the raptor struck out with fangs that Seaclaw clashed against, the sharp ringing of steel against tooth resounding amongst the feeble cries of the newborn bokoblin. Stepping away from the infant, the young raptor dodged a vicious strike of the adult's teeth that snapped for his head, swerving to slash against the old beast's thigh who leapt aside just out of reach to make a turning bite for Seaclaw's back. The boy ducked and rolled as the beastly head crunched the air above him, swinging a fist hard to punch his jaw before thrusting with his sword that the stranger parried in a sweeping side-strike of his head to let the blade glide over his scales.

"Not bad, child," the old one hissed, "but you have yet to learn as much as I have."

"I don't care!" Seaclaw shouted. "I'm not letting you hurt him!"

"Then you die FIRST!"

The raptor made a flying leap, striking both of his long-clawed feet towards the youth who dove underneath and rolled onto his back to slash under the tail and cut a long thin trail of red that left a crimson trail behind him. The old beast never flinched, gritting his teeth to whack Seaclaw hard across the face with his wounded tail, knocking the boy down and quickly turning to leap upon him for the killing bite. The child blocked him with his sword between the jaws, twisting his head away with a painful angle that forced the beast to stop and snort before Seaclaw punched his twitching eye. The elder shrieked with surprise pulling back as the boy leapt up and made a sweeping cut crossing to the other side of the raptor, scarring over the head before he made a second cleaving strike against the rotted bony arms.

"A-AAARGH! YOU, FILTHY SHIT!"

Bittering with rage at the shocking pain to his limb, the old raptor rushed forth with a lunging champ as Seaclaw swerved to the right, countering with a diagonal cut then a second then a third that each time was dodged by the beast before the child lunged with a sudden thrust that scraped against his shoulder. He stomped his foot against the whistling pain that raked through his collarbone, jumping forth with a savage kangaroo kick that slashed Seaclaw's head as he shrieked, blood scraping down his scalp as tears welled in his eyes that he shook off quick as he could. He sliced for the elder's head with short controlled strikes, keeping his sword tight against his body to block anything the beast would try as the old raptor leapt for a second slashing cut. The boy parried quick using his sword to knock the sickle claws aside and push his own body away in a dragging grind of feet against the dirt, the cries of the newborn ringing above the breeze of the ocean shore.

The elder swung his body in a turning strike with his tail to try and knock the boy down, his sword blocking to take the hit before the beast came rushing in a hard slam of his head against Seaclaw's chest to send him on his back with a thickening bruise. The boy pulled himself up clutching his stomach, sucking his breath and tightening his ribs with sword still out and his teeth clenching sharp, waiting for the next strike that came in the form of a swooping bite the stranger made by zigzagging his head to crunch at Seaclaw's thigh. The child jumped onto the feral's head, kicking his claws over the scalp and slashing down the length of his spine with a roar that made the elder shiver from the gouging line of blood the boy made through his back before leaping off.

"GRAAAARGH, YOU, DISGUSTING RUNT!"

"Give up yet?!" Seaclaw painted a half-circle at his feet with scarlet blade. "If you do, I won't kill you!"

"ENOUGH OF THIS, YOU WILL NOT HUMILIATE ME, NOW YOU DIE!"

With brazen lunge of his wicked teeth he went for the boy's legs who surprised him with a backflip, kicking twice in his face with raking little claws before jabbing at the elder's face to make him back off sharp out of range, giving Seaclaw space to come striking forth in a four-way slash that he dodged thrice and suffered one grazing cut to his neck. The young raptor made almost a star pattern in his slicing gleam, not frantic nor desperate but hoping to overwhelm the old beast with fast and blinding steel, cutting five different ways in controlled vicious cleaves that forced the feral back before he saw his chance. One swing carelessly dragged against the grass slow enough for the adult to snap his jaws down against the flat of the blade and wrench it hard as he could from Seaclaw's grip. The boy stood his ground digging his heels in as he punched straight into the ruined eye, trying to wrench his claws inside and scratch whatever nerve endings were left to force him to release his sword with a gasping shriek.

The child followed with a roundhouse kick, knocking down the old beast before launching upon his face with a fatal plunge that the feral parried with a slap of his tail, striking the sword off-target to send it swinging upwards giving time for the elder to launch up on his feet and headbutt the boy sharp in his skull. Seaclaw cried out with a burning migraine, groaning with a clench in his neck as he tried to shake the pain out his head before seeing the feral lunge for his throat, swerving his body hard in a far-lean to grab the dirt and blind his opponent with a scattering of dust. The feral fiend snorted with irritant rasp as the boy pulled back his fist and whalloped with a vicious haymaker that dulled his vision to a blurry seam.

"NNNGH! Hhheh, dirty trick."

"Not as...d-dirty as killing a hatchling," Seaclaw panted, "just out of the egg, yer nothin' but an EGG THIEF!"

"Wh-WHAT?!" He shrieked with a piercing eye before shaking his head with a stifling thought. "Then...what do YOU want with the damn thing if not to eat it?!"

"I'll take him back HOME, to his family, AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME!"

Rushing towards the feral raptor, Seaclaw spun on his foot in mid-charge to delay his speed and trick the enemy into dodging too soon before the ruthless cleave of his blade came crashing down to graze the tip along his leg, kissing the skin with a sleek cut of burgundy dripping out in flecks. The elder clenched his teeth and swung his body fast in a hard strike of his tail, bashing the boy across his head when he tried to duck the first swipe before being clobbered by the second hit that backslapped him hard with a stumbling. The sobbing from the infant started to peter out, Seaclaw turning worried enough that he was distracted partly for the adult to lunge above him for the killing strike. He blocked both feet with his sword as the deathly scythes skimmed off his blade and the full weight of the feral crunched down on top of him, legs splayed out either side as the boy stabbed the inside of his enemy's thigh, twisting the tip just against the bone as the adult screeched from the stickying welt carving in his leg. He stumbled with a shudder enough for Seaclaw to drive a vengeful fist into his jaw, knocking him hard before the child made a flying kick with both of his smaller feet, screaming with fury as he threw his whole body against to slam his foe to the dirt.

"GUUUH! Guh...u-uuugh, you, p-pathetic shit."

"You give up?!" He shouted raising his blade to the raptor's eye. "I'll rip yer other eye out if you don't."

"Hm. Hhhheheheheh...hhhhahahahaha!" The old beast shook his head. "Well you're not afraid to show your teeth, unlike some!"

"You giving up?!"

"Yeees yes, I submit." He backed off and lowered his head with a limp. "You can have the runt for yourself."

"What?" Seaclaw looked to the whimpering babe. "No, I told you I'm taking him back home!"

"What?!"

"He's just born, he can't even walk!"

"So, he is easy!"

"Th-that's not GOOD!" he stomped his foot. "You don't hunt them that little, it's not fair!"

"Life is not fair!" barked the stranger swishing his tail. "You mean to tell me you are going to let this wretch die by itself without its mother because you feel sorry for it?!"

"No." The boy looked to the fidgeting child. "I don't wanna kill him, he...he doesn't know anything, h-he just came out an egg, father, an' mother told me, you only hunt something that can run from you, that's why it's hunting! This...th-this is just killing. I don't like it."

"And where will you find his home??" the old beast purred tapping his feet. "Unless you can find his mother he will surely not survive."

"I know where his mother is!"

"What?!"

Seaclaw stepped over to the infant keeping his sword pointed to the raptor.

"I know where his tribe live, they live in the Land Before, father took me there."

"Are you serious?! You are going to carry him all the way back?!"

"Nah. You are." The boy smiled swishing his blade. "You have to do it now, or else, I'll kill you."

"...so instead of death you chose to humiliate me." The broken beast snorted turning his head away. "And how will I even carry him, the little runt figets like a crawler burning in the sun."

"I know!" He pulled out from his satchel a coil of vines and a growing smirk. "I wuz gonna use them for climbing trees, but I'll tie him to your back!"

"WHAT?! N-no you will not!"

"THEN YOU DIE!" he shrieked jabbing forth to brush the beast's snout. "You help me take him back, an' I leave you alone, forever."

"Really?" He pulled his head back. "I certainly will make sure of that."

"I beat you in a fight, I can beat you again!"

"That is all you want?" He turned himself round and offered his back. "To take this stupid hatchling back?"

"Yap!" The boy sheathed his blade and stepped over to the bokoblin. "He gets back home, I go home, an' we never see each other again!"

"Well, since you say it like that, fine. But only if you never speak of this to anyone, I have my pride still to keep."

"Mmmm...good, yah, okay I promise!"

"Very well."

The newborn fidgeted as the elder said, whimpering from being handled until Seaclaw soothed him with sweet purring sounds and gentle strokes along the fat baby belly. Eventually the infant settled as Seaclaw carefully wrapped him in the cloth he had been lying on, bundling him not too tight before he placed him on the feral raptor's back and tied him down carefully with vines wrapping around their bodies.

"There!" He clapped his hands after securing the ropes. "Oh, I'm Seaclaw. What they call you?"

"I..." the elder looked away, "Shaderunner."

"Okay, Shaderunner, I have to tell my friend I can't play with her today, so-"

"I will wait here." He sat himself down in the grass. "Now that you have trapped this wretched thing on my back."

"Good! I'll be back!"

Racing off down to the shore Seaclaw turned into a speck as Sunscreech sighed with a snort looking back to the newborn.

"Well done child," the raptor watched the infant sniffing the air, "Riptor was right, you make good bait."

"U-UHH, EHH!"

"Yeees yes, you will be home soon when he returns. Just try not to shit on my back."

"Nnnnhhhh?!"

The little piggy snout sniffed the air as he looked up to the clouds, somewhat more relaxed by the comforting snugness of his blanket and the lack of a scary face grinning upon him. The raptor watched the young Seaclaw setting down a few stones on the beach, shaped into a pattern.

"I never would have thought he would even find a mate...much less did I expect he would even have children that looked like him...heh."

He purred with a gentle relief.

"Good to see his son is less of a coward than he was, ready to kill the moment he set eyes on me."

"HEYYYYY!"

The sound of Seaclaw alerted him as the boy came racing back with boisterous grin.

"OKAY, let's go!"

"You are oddly excited to be forcing me into this."

"Well, you lost, an' the sooner we go, the sooner you leave!"

"That is true. What of your family, will you not tell them?"

"Mmmm..." he looked back towards the forest, "they...no."

Seaclaw shook his head with a deep breath.

"Father will understand, why I have to do this. This way!"

The boy strolled off to the northwest with Sunscreech following, the small bokoblin rustling on his back as they travelled through the plains heading straight to the Skylands.

"Soooo, where are you from?" he asked Sunscreech.

"Far away," he hissed, "that is all you need to know."

"Okay...you have family?"

"Why do you care?"

"I'm just being nice!" Seaclaw stomped his foot.

"You were ready to kill me before!"

"Yaaaah and now I'm not, cuz yer helping me!"

"I am NOT helping," the old raptor swished his tail, "I am being forced to do this because of you."

"Yah, so be nice!" He put a hand to his blade. "If you wanna not do this then I'll kill you now."

"...hah. Hhhhahahahahaha!"

"H-huh, what?!"

"Who taught you to act like this?!" Sunscreech cackled. "You speak like a guard for such a little pest!"

"My mother taught me!" said the child walking backwards to face him. "Father too!"

"You said mother first, why?"

"Well...mother an' father taught me to hunt, but mother taught me to be fierce."

"Is your father not fierce?"

"He's the best hunter ever!" Seaclaw stiffened his face with a hand on heart. "He can fight an' hunt anything, even without killing it!"

"HAH!" The feral barked scratching his claws. "So your father is weak?"

"Nah, he's stronger than anyone, he fought stonebeasts an' starbeasts bigger than all of us!"

"So what DOES your father teach you, if not to be fierce?"

"To be kind." He pointed at the infant. "To those who need it."

"And those who do not?"

"Then I fight them. We fight them, my family an' me, like the starbeasts that took me an' my friend Rumble."

"Your...friend?"

The boy stopped himself, turning away with a flinch in his eye as Sunscreech curled his lip with a curious glint. They said nothing further, the newborn on his back struggling less as the clouds moving overhead soothed him with the gentle shift of the raptor's body underneath acting like a cradle that swung him to and fro, sending him to a peaceful sleep.

Deep within the mountain, there lied a creature stirring. A small shrew that had lived in the Skylands all its life, suited to the deep cracks and high altitudes by its strengthened lungs and thicker fur of sleek silver hue that went whistling around the outer cliff for darting insects and tasty morsels. A worm or a beetle large enough to face it in equal combat would meet its end upon this brink, pounced upon by the rodent that cracked shells with its piercing fangs and wrapped dead slimy bodies round its neck to carry back to its lair. It had no family, not yet at least, but a pregnant mate curled up in their nest down in the darkened depths of the dry cool mountain cave, larger than it looked from the outside where plenty of beasts scuttled through the murk. He called to her with his latest kill, a worm that she gladly ate one half of whilst he ate the other, starting at opposite ends with loving rattish eyes towards each other as they chewed and gulped every segment of the worm down to fill their belllies, beneath the roots of hardened plants as the sun glimmered down through its slanted rays into the bare red-stone cave.

There was nothing better in life for them, a peaceful home safe from predators with all the food they would need, but not to the point it was easy for them against the larger insects that could still face them in battle. The only thing that was out of place, was a large rectangular object made of leather and paper. It had gathered some dust since it fell from above, with some of the creatures in the mountain curiously skittering over its face to feel out its contents. The taste of salts lured them brief before they realised how inedible it was and so for the remainder since its coming, they largely left it be except to crawl over it curiously. Then it began to shudder.

Something twitched within the paper as an energy burned through the cave, trembling with a force that made stones turn loose from the walls and scatter across the floor whilst the bugs fled quick as they could, the rodent and his mate hiding in their nest within a gap near the roots. The book burst open with a piercing light, blinding the sun itself as the rodents screeched with fright and shielded themselves from the vortex that filled the room with a tremendous strength. Someone screamed from the abyss, voices calling out from the beyond as the wind picked up into a brief storm that clouded their vision, tearing across their eyes as the rodents clutched each other tight. The book burst into flames the moment something flew out, crunching against the wall as a black mass far greater than any of the beasts in the cave.

"NNNNGH, O-OWWW! Wh-what, what the-HEY!"

A young male voice reached out to the book, his hand rubbing his head of dark smooth scale and a blue crest of hair.

"Wh-what...what the heck? D-dad? Guys?!"

The book pages burned to charring fingers, curling up like dead beetles and leaving behind the husk of its tome. He crawled over and picked it up, watching the pages start to melt.

"What...where am I?"

He looked up to the sun through the crack.

"This...this place smells...different."