The Lost Tower - Protect

A loud crashing sound cuts across the desert, rocks and sand trembling, peskitts dive under rocks for their burrows as even the mountains seem to shudder. The wind picks up even more than it had, while streaks of corruption grasp at the sky. For a moment the desert is still save for the sand grains whipping across the dunes, then, another roar that shakes the cores of even the oldest rocks.

Crunch warily raises their head, their glasses long since scratched and smudged by the sand of the desert, only remaining on the bridge of their nose for the protection of their eyes from the increasingly inclement winds. Behind them, their husband, Trout, tries their best to calm the two young Bellacostans travelling with them. A very young sprout their leaf still soft with new growth, the reason Crunch and Trout had even gone across the desert in the first place, whimpers in fear, clutching Trout’s thick mane in an attempt to find somewhere safer.

Crunch and Trout had left their lovely mountain home a mere two months ago, trekking across the desert to visit Florespar to grow their little family. The colony of Bellacostans that had settled in the mountains between Snowhurst and Brouzet had a high retention rate of citizens, but there had been an odd dearth of new hatchlings in the past few months.

Crunch, who adored helping raise young geodes ever since he had helped out as an older member of the nursery he had grown up in, had volunteered to go across the desert and cross the short distance of sea to find a new sprout (or geode, or bloom, he wasn’t picky, he just wanted to share his love with somelon.) Trout, who also loved new life with the tenacity of any self-respecting ursuki had jumped at the opportunity so quickly, further reassuring Crunch that their hornfasting ceremony the month previous had been a perfect way to pledge themselves to each other forever.

Along the way, the two had met a young bloom named Zheyna who wanted to start her own postal service. Despite the clear self-reliance, Zheyna was still extraordinarily young, and neither Crunch nor Trout could bear to force her to grow up on her own. Though they had convinced her by explaining that their colony needed a way to communicate with the outside world, they had both been mentally planning to build a whole new room of their den that could comfortably accommodate the headstrong bloom the whole trip.

Once they had reached the foundling building in Florespar, Zheyna had immediately clicked with a very young sprout with soft pale fur and a vibrant green runic. While they were there, Vespilet had pulled Crunch aside.

“I am so glad to see you again Crunch! I’m so glad that you found someone after you did so much to help me meet and marry Romulon.”

“I’m so glad that you two are happy together, and Bread is adorable! You really have done so much for the orphans here.” Crunch rubbed his bridge horns against hers in a common vespire greeting.

“Oh, I do wish that you lived closer, but I am glad that you have visited us to bring one of our kids to your colony. Speaking of such, Charmie.” Vespilet gave a strained smile while gesturing towards the little sprout, now reaching for Zheyna’s newly grown, but still downy, wings. “He is very quiet and anxious. I fear that he may have some prescience.”

Crunch grimaced. Such a gift tended to hurt its receiver more than help, especially for such a young ursuki.

“Yeah,” Vespilet correctly interpreted Crunch’s response. “I am so glad you came actually, if you two took him back, I hope that living in a growing, but safe, community would let him use his gift often enough to avoid exacerbating his anxiety.”

“Of course! He’ll fit right in!” Crunch grinned “And even if he doesn’t, we’ll love him anyway.” Trout, who had been keeping watch over Zheyna and Charmie turned towards the two vespires, a soft grin distorting the deep scars over the right side of his face.

“We will. He will never suffer rejection from my claws I can promise that.”

Vespilet dipped her head in relief and gratitude.

“May you have a safe journey back then.” She said before turning back to taking care of her charges.

If only that had been the case. The four of them had made it about halfway across the desert on their way home before a congregation of corruption had slashed open reality, releasing The Tower upon Bellacoste. Now forced to run from hiding place to hiding place, knights occasionally whipping by overhead, Crunch, Trout, and the hatchlings have nearly made it to the foothills of the mountains, the vespire eyeing a narrow crevice up ahead that lead to a faster path of travel but was well known for being difficult to traverse even for some vespires.

Unfortunately, even with the combined efforts of various knights and mages, the thrashing of The Tower is closer now than ever before. The cragged and rocky hide of the snake-like beast was nearly close enough to see detail on, and Crunch knew that taking off would be a death sentence for Trout, who was injured anyway, and Zheyna, for though she was a strong flier, she was still very young and not at the level to withstand the whipping winds and trashing corruption that would inevitably draw The Tower’s attention.

Yet staying where they were was also impossible. Not only was it dangerous to be in the desert with the fight going on, but Charmie needed a lush area to be in, his leaf had started wilting two nights before.

Crunch quickly explained their idea to Trout, before picking Charmie up by his scruff. Crunch threw their wings out, shielding Zheyna from the worst of the wind and sand swirling around them, before running as fast as they could, praying that the pouflon knights above them would keep The Tower busy just long enough to slip into the cave system. Though far more dangerous than what Crunch would have preferred, even the smallest crawlspaces and fastest underground river could at least be survived better than needing to be purified at such a young age.

In the mad scramble that followed, it was nigh impossible to pay attention to everything going on, Crunch living only individual moments instead of one connected experience.

A knight, their wings corrupted beyond flight crashing into the sand behind them, their red mane and tail leaving a bloody slash in the air, rose petals landing on the ground beside Trout.

Crunch wrapping their tail over Zheyna’s eyes as a bright orange striped pouf swoops overhead, driving a sword bigger than Charmie and dripping black void in between The Tower’s scaled plates.

Blood spurting from the wound and hitting the ground, the dark red droplets spattering over top the pale pink petals the knight from earlier had shed.

Charmie holding in his wails of fear with incredible restraint for such a young sprout. Crunch making a mental note to praise him later when they are safe.

The crack in the rock, barely large enough for Trout to squeeze through getting closer.

Zheyna stumbling over a rock. Trout keeping her stable with a well-placed nudge.

Finally, the dark damp of being underground, more familiar to Crunch than the sky. Home free, merely four days more of walking through the caverns till they have made it back to the colony.

Suddenly overcome with relief, Crunch places Charmie down before whirling around and throwing their forepaws over Trouts shoulders, the adrenaline crash causing tears to slide down under their glasses, matting their whiskers and Trout’s bun at the same time.

They are safe for now, but Crunch would go through any amount of danger to protect the two hatchlings on the floor of the cave beside them. Perfect spots of light in the ever-winding cave of life.