123 Departing for Aeris

Early the next morning Jayde summoned Reiko into her pet space, Yinxin would be staying with the wyrmlings within the Protoss artifact. Teleporting to the cave, Jayde had a last look around, there was little to no chance she would ever return to this cave.

Once she arrived in Aeris, Isha would be removing the artifact anchor to the cave. Isha had to connect the Protoss artifact to the cave since the artifact was directly tied to Jayde soul she could transport to the artifact from any place on Doha, but she could only transfer from the artifact to a specific location that was anchored to the artifact.

Which made sense to Jayde, there always seemed to be a balance to the power of the artifact. It seemed as the creators had wanted to ensure that contractors couldn't use the power of the artifact to teleport to any place they wanted too.

Once Jayde arrived in Aeris, Isha would then connect the artifact to secure location for Jayde.

After a last look around, Jayde summoned Reiko, then she and Reiko entered the tunnel leading to the Dark Forest. She chuckled to herself remember the day she had discovered the ward, and how shocked she had been when her hand had disappeared.

Exiting the tunnel, Jayde and Reiko strolled to the open glade where they had fought the parasitic worm colony. Looking around Jayde was surprised at the difference in the area, the plants and trees looked vibrant, Jayde could feel that the energy was so much stronger than before.

The parasitic worms were still a huge problem, but Isha had assured Jayde that they still had a couple more years before it became a crisis. Jayde was hoping that she could find spells at the college that could help, even if the college in the Lower Realm didn't have the information she needed, she hoped that when she transferred to the Mid Realm she would find something.

Isha and Yinxin were also researching the spells available on the inter-dimensional market to see if there was anything they could buy.

Jayde looked over to Reiko and noticed that he had his nose up in the air, taking quick, deep sniffs. Alert Jayde look around her cautiously.

"Reiko, what's wrong?"

[Blood]

"Where? Can you track it?" Jayde said lowering her voice to a whisper.

Without answering Reiko took off at a fast trot, normally Jayde wouldn't be too worried about Reiko smelling blood after all this was the Dark Forest, but considering that it had been less than two days since her big battle with the Demonic Nematomorpha, Jayde didn't want to take any chances.

By the time Jayde caught up with Reiko, he had disappeared into the underbrush, not too far from the scene of the fight.

[Reiko?] Jayde called out to him telepathically.

[Ah Jayde, it a small cub and it is hurt badly,] Reiko said in a concerned voice.

Jayde was about to tell Reiko to leave the cub when he voice echoed in her mind.

[Jayde please save him,] he begged.

Signing deeply, Jayde parted the bush to have a look at this cub, she knew that she couldn't leave the cub now, Reiko was still so young and his heart was so soft, Jayde wanted him to keep his innocence for as long as possible, she didn't have the heart to force him to leave this cub.

Looking down Jayde saw the cutest cub. Although covered in blood Jayde could make out that the cub had purple leopard spots on it's back and legs, the purple leopard spots shaded to turquoise on the cub's paws, three sharp black claws graced each paw. It had a large fluffy tail. The cub's belly which wasn't soaked red with blood was pure white, the cub's ears were white with purple fur on the inside of the ear. Two turquoise horns arched backward from the cub's forehead. Large black pupils with turquoise rings starred up at Jayde grievously.

"Ah, don't be afraid little one, I am not going to hurt you," Jayde said gently as she leaned down to carefully lift the little guy out of the bush.

The cub let out a mournful wail but didn't fight as Jayde carried it over to the open glade.

Retrieving a couple of lily pods from her spatial ring, as well as a soft cloth Jayde gently cleaned the cub's wounds. It looked as though the cub had been in a terrible fight. After making sure all the wounds were cleaned properly, Jayde fed the cub one of her healing potions.

Isha not going to be happy with me wasting a healing potion on this cub, Jayde thought. Since they were so broke now, and it was still going to be a while before they could harvest any of their herbs, Isha had asked Jayde to be careful with her remaining potions.

Takara was so shocked at this gentle girl in front of him, where was that bloodthirsty warrior woman, who tried to kill him each time she saw him?

By the gods, his lord was omnipotent, knowing that this was the perfect form to get close to this woman, although Takara was still very embarrassed to be seen in this weak form, finally, he had succeeded.

Seeing that the cub's wounds were healing, Jayde gently stroked the little guy.

"Hey little guy, how did you get so badly mauled?" Jayde asked softly.

You try being in this weak body for two days in this forest, Takara complained, everything around him had taken one look at him and decided that he would make a delicious snack. It had been exhausting continuously running and hiding from all those low-level beasts.

His pride had taken such a beating having to turn tail and run from such feeble beasts, but Fahmjir had ordered Takara not to take on his Panthera form unless it was a life or death situation.

Ah, but being stroke feels nice, Takara thought. Hey, maybe being this weak wasn't such a bad idea.

[Reiko I don't recognize this beast, do you have any idea what it is?] Jayde asked.

[Jayde, if I am not mistaken I think this is a Sky Leopard Drake,] Reiko answered hesitatingly.

"Never heard of it," Jayde mumbled.

[You wouldn't have, and it shouldn't be here in the Lower Realm, its an Upper Realm beast.]

{What? What the hell is an Upper Realm beast doing here?]

"Hey little guy, how did you get here, and where's your mama?" Jayde said to the little guy.

Takara heard Jayde mumbling something, but he was so tired of the exhausting ordeal that he just wanted to stay cuddled up in her arms and sleep. It was so warm and comforting.

[Reiko, can you find out where his mother is?]

[I can try, but looking at his size he is very young, he might not understand me,] Reiko warned.

After a couple of minutes, Reiko pathed to Jayde: [The little guy's name is Takara, his mother was killed by some hunters, he is not sure how he ended up here, but he is all alone.]

Jayde could hear how upset Reiko was, he must be empathizing with the small cub, Jayde thought. Jayde was feeling torn about what to do, she knew there is no way now that Reiko was going to want to leave the cub behind, and Jayde couldn't bring an Upper Realm beast with her, how was she going to explain this little guy's presence if anyone asked.

Jayde discussed the problem with Reiko, but Reiko insisted that they bring Takara with them if they left the little cub behind he would surely die, and Sky Leopard Drakes weren't that common, so Reiko didn't think that there would be a risk of anyone recognizing the beast

Takara listened in on the discussion between Jayde and Reiko when Reiko had linked to his mind, he had formed a pathway between the two, using this pathway Takara pathed to Reiko that like all Sky Leopard Drakes he could alter his appearance slightly.

And with that, he changed into a common snow kitten. Jayde was so shocked when the cub in her arms changed into a pure white kitten, with sky blue tipped ears and large blue eyes.

"What the f*ck!" Jayde exclaimed.

Reiko quickly explained to Jayde that Sky Leopard Drakes had the ability to camouflage themselves, it was one of their strongest defense abilities, although Reiko was surprised that such a young cub could be so powerful.

Recognizing the snow kitten her memories, it was a common beast found in the Lower Realm, some girls enjoyed having them as pets, they were considered harmless. With this form, the little cub wouldn't raise anyone's suspicions.

Happy that she could at least keep the cub with her for now, Jayde spent the morning making a carry bag for the cub, so that she could carry it safely with her. Once it was ready she place a soft towel inside the bag, then lifted the cub and placed him in it.

Takara was so pleased that this human girl took such good care of him. Really humans aren't all that bad, he thought. Look how she doesn't want to tire me out by making me walk.

Snuggling into his comfy bed, Takara closed his eyes. While Takara was napping Jayde removed the saddle from her spatial ring, then placed it on Reiko, after making sure that everything was tight and secure, she then gave Reiko the go-ahead to leave.

Takara was jostled awake, peaking his head out of the carry bag, he was confused why Jayde was riding on the back of the shadowbeast, just then Reiko leaped into the sky, flapping his powerful wings he was soon soaring high.

Takara let out a horrified wail, OMG he was back in the sky. "Nooooo I wanna go back to the ground," he wailed in his kittenish voice, unfortunately, Jayde and Reiko couldn't speak snow kitten, and Takara was so petrified that he forgot that he could communicate telepathically with the two.

"I take it all back," Takara carried on wailing, "humans are worst."

--

Notes:

Sky Leopard Drake (Takara's 1st form) https://ibb.co/rfP0WVB

Snow Kitten (Takara 2nd new form) https://ibb.co/dGVqcgp

Quote of the day

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." -Ralph Waldo Emerson