War of The Well

Chapter 9: Steel Claws {Aeolus}

Nature Isle was fun and all but we gotta get a move on! Been a while since we were on the metal isle, wonder what we'll find here. Feeling the serene wind on my face I lay on my back while Nightlight flies forward.

"We all agree we're never going back to Nature Isle, right? We're basically asking for them to arrest us" Dev asks.

"Yeah, we got all the orbs someone can find there anyways" I sigh.

"I thought Leif and Cobralily were sweet! I'd visit them again" Luna interjects.

"You can visit mushroom kid and moon bonedigger by yourself" Dev sighs.

I see the tall metallic spires in the distance.

"Do you think we'll see Ironclaw again?" I ask.

"Those kids were sweet, I'd hope so" Dev chuckles.

We glide down and land on a metal landing platform. We start wandering the opulent miner town. Metal Isle isn't too bad. With all the crystals and orbs they find they make a great trading partner for any Isle.

"Hey! Pspspspspspsps!" I overhear a girl call.

I turn and walk over to a very odd girl with chestnut hair and magenta eyes sitting in the bushes. Dev and Luna follow behind, clearly as perplexed as I am.

"Ah! Sorry! I was trying to get the attention of someone else!" The girl awkwardly informs us.

I track her gaze to a wandering Kitten. Didn't think there were many dragons like that here. The girl turns back to us still standing in front of her in confusion.

"Can I help you?" She asks.

"What is your name?" I ask.

"Psi, Psi Goldfleck" She introduces.

"And what are you doing?" Dev asks.

Psi nervously massages the back of her neck.

"This may sound weird but I'm a Kitten breeder. I find kittens all over the isles and take care of them. I also end up loaning most of them to psychic breeders" Psi explains.

I spot a particularly large Kitten come up behind Psi and snuggle her affectionately.

"Chungus! I told you to stay home!" She snaps.

She gets on Chungus' back and urges him to go home.

"Should we follow her?" I ask.

"We don't know anyone else here," Dev shrugs.

We get back on our dragon's backs and follow after her. We arrive at a large Dragon Dojo, like the one my brother turned into an Inn, filled with Kittens.

"Ah! Why did you follow me?" Psi exclaims at the sight of us.

"When someone says they're a Kitten breeder we're bound to be curious" I reply.

"We also need a place to stay here so maybe-" Luna adds.

"You can come in, just try not to make a mess. You 3 must be pretty tired" Psi sighs.

We all enter the Dojo. Chungus plops down on the floor playfully.

"Alright; Chungus is back, Diae is fine, Spirit is asleep again, Chief is eating someone else's food, Ginger is probably outside pretending to be a carrot again, and Lasagna is judging me from the banister. Everyone is accounted for!" Psi sighs.

I glance up to see a fat Kitten glaring down at us. So that's Lasagna.

"I don't think we've introduced ourselves. I'm Dev, these are my friends Luna and Aeolus"

Psi nods then starts petting all her Kittens. I thought having all these dragons is illegal. Well I guess there is a difference between lawfully wrong and morally wrong.

"Where is the guest room?" I ask.

"I can try to convince Diae to give up his bedroom so you can sleep there. It will take a lot of treat bribery but I can make it happen"

"I'm sorry your Kittens have their own bedrooms?" Dev asks in surprise.

"Don't you have a bedroom for your dragons?" Psi asks.

"I'm homeless," Dev replies flatly.

"What about you 2?" Psi nervously continues.

"My mom did reuse the nursery to house me and my brother's dragons on holiday. That was only one occasion. Typically Nightlight snuggles with me while we sleep" I explain.

Luna just simply shakes her head. Psi glances around the room awkwardly. A loud Kitten roar breaks the silence.

"I swear if Ginger got into the tool shed again I will claw someone!" Psi hisses.

She storms outside. Me, Dev, and Luna follow behind. Morningdew, Nightlight, and Coralstinger get awkwardly acquainted with the other Kittens.

"Ginger! I swear to Fertility!" Psi snaps.

We turn to face a Kitten covered in dirt with a Prajna berry in its mouth. The typical tanish brown coat of a Kitten appears a greenish orange on this one in particular. Prajna berries to recolor dragons. Guess Ginger got a little creative.

"How do you wash berry juice off of a dragon?"

"Pretty sure its permanent"

We all look at each other awkwardly. Ginger's playful meows being the only thing keeping things from being awkwardly silent.

"Orbs" I blurt out.

"We want them," Dev adds.

"Do you mean ores? I have a lot of those stashed away to buy treats"

"No like the magic orbs that keep the world from imploding" I correct.

"Isn't that a fairytale?"

"I've held an orb" Dev replies.

We all stand there awkwardly. Suddenly the isle starts shaking. We all cower in the safest place one should be during an islequake. Psi doesn't seem to mind it. I forgot about the constant islequakes that happen here!

"It's just the minors trying to get to this new relic they found!" Psi shouts at us.

Relic? ORB! The isle stops shaking. We get up and turn to Psi.

"Where can we access the mines?" I ask.

I glance over to the setting sun.

"I'll tell you tomorrow, make yourself at home!" Psi replies.

We head back inside to a grumpy Diae and a large room for us to stay in. Man, are these Kittens spoiled! We get ready for bed and all snuggle up in the large bed. Our dragons room with the other Kittens, much to the Kittens' dismay. Guess this place isn't the worst.