The Warden of Time - A CoS story

🌫Chapter 8🌫

"Boreal! Verdant! Ardor!" My lamenting cries echoed throughout the barren, lonely lands. "Flake! Nimbus!" A thick fog had rolled in, leaving me suspended in one area as I desperately searched for company. Nobody was returning my calls.

I smelt the air, as well as crying out. There was nothing. I sat down, whimpering. "Is this it? Am I all alone now?" I stared at the red grass that Famine brought. I raised my head, looking around for any creatures once more, before looking back down at my talons. "I guess I am."

I couldn't stop the tears coming to my eyes and dripping down my face. I got up, ready to go back to the cave I had sheltered in during the eruption. Or should I go back to my old cave? 

It was decided. I'm going to try get back to my old cave. It would be a nice piece of nostalgia, and it would help me remember the wardens in case they did in fact, die in the disaster. I headed back to the redwoods, there appeared to be many charred and dead trees in the forest. I progressed the way that Flake was leading me, since he claimed to know where I had stayed.

I walked and walked. It felt weird being in the woods again, even though it hasn't even been that long. The cold air made me feel uneasy. It reminded me of Boreal. Was he dead? That is a question I really want answered. I started shivering. Famine was like a Winter morning, and I hated it.

It seemed that every plant and carcass rotted faster in famine, since I've seen several rotting plants, and the occasional rotting carcass, most likely from a creature that had perished in the eruption. I sniffed the air, and found that there was a nearby water source. I followed it, because I was thirsty.

And guess what? That water source was my den.

I was shocked, but happy at the same time. I had found the place I was looking for. I went inside the den, and laid down, feeling exhausted after my long journey. I didn't care that I was thirsty, or hungry, I was just glad to be back home.

But, then I heard a growl next to me.

Don't tell me that another creature had claimed this den while I was gone. It's mine! I got up and faced the creature, a glare on my face, but that venom melted away almost instantly when I saw an Aereis, a glimmer female, as well as a Gyroudus male. "Flake! Nimbus!" My mouth hung open in shock. They were HERE, together?!

"Hellion!" The two cried together. Flake and Nimbus got up and awkwardly tried to hug me. It was harder for Nimbus since she was tiny. "I'm so glad to see you got out alive." Flake smiled at me. "I'm glad you two are okay! I thought you died!" I said, exasperated. Nimbus sat on my head. "We made it out barely. We met in the same place and sorta just became friends. It was you we were worried about!" She said, spreading one of her shiny wings in Flake's direction.

"I almost died. But Boreal saved me." I gave a weak smile as I sat down again. "I genuinely believed I was the only one left." Flake sat down next to me while Nimbus got comfy on my head. "Same here! We thought everyone else had died since we couldn't smell any other creatures and nobody was answering our calls." The Gyro replied, his tail thumping against the ground in excitement.

Flake looked outside and shivered. "What's with the freaky grass and the cold weather anyways? I thought it was summer."

"Famine." I gave an awkward smile.

"Famine?" Nimbus seemed confused. "Yeah, it's a season, to me I guess." I tapped the ground nervously. Flake smiled at me again. "I like it! It makes sense, since all the plants are rotting."

"Do you think the land will recover?" The glimmer Aereis asked, stretching her wings. "Maybe." I replied, shivering from the cold. "Hopefully."

Flake suddenly shot up. "I smell something."

"What is it?" Nimbus asked, cocking her head.

"Something big." He replied, looking at the creature on my head.

"Another survivor?" I seemed hopeful.

"Let's go check it out!" Nimbus lifted herself into the air and shot out of the cave, me and Flake followed close behind. The Aereis was doing loops and circles above our heads while we smelt the air and searched. "I can smell it too." I told Flake.

"Look!" The Gyroudus pointed at an extremely large figure approaching us through the fog. I gasped.

"Boreal?"

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Apologies for this one being so... Bad. I had low motivation and I was also tired. Hopefully the next one isn't as bad XD