Chapter 10: Eavesdrop on Others

I took a moment to myself. If I hadn't been so energetic, I probably wouldn't have been so risky. It was just so dreadful following through the line-up. I whistled and a string of low temperature flares flowed through the room. It wrapped around the bedpost.

I could hear whispers outside the door. To that, I quickly snapped my fingers and the fire ceased. The air was replaced with a light smog.

"What do you think you are doing here." Uncle approached our door and raspy spoke.

"I want to speak to her."

"She's a young adult. Why are you getting involved now?" Uncle spoke short and curtly.

I felt the anger in his answer, "I thought she was dead?"

"Your mistake hunter."

"Someday people will release how much of a snake you are."

"I will let you in on a secret that I've come to realize that is how you rise in the ranks."

"There is not just one way to do everything."

"You are mistaken. I see that you clearly like to make those." Theo cleared his throat, "also, Sapphire is resting. Please come back another time hunter."

I heard a pair stomping away and Theo voiced out again, "or not."

The doorknob open. I quickly turned to my side facing the door and shut my eyes.

He shut the door and placed his hand on my forehead, "try not to forget to release the fog as well. I am going to rest now. You should honestly try too."

I grabbed his hand and sincerely held it, "you always know."

"That's because you are a child."

"You called me an adult earlier."

"You are a young adult. Did you forget that you ran off earlier and nearly was permanently in trouble." He let go of me and threw off his coat, "also, it is very unbecoming to eavesdrop on others."

"Yes uncle."

He threw his tunic on top of his coat on the desk. Finished climbing to the top of the bunk, his head dropped, and his snores began.

I sighed a laugh, "you're still acting like an old man. Of course, I can't sleep. This is my first time on a ship like this."

Rolling my eyes, I sat up. I waited until his snoring intervals shortened. I threw on my hood, that shadowed my face. Grabbing Theo's coat, I glimpsed at his sigil for his official status. Putting it over my rundown clothes, I reached for the door. I left the room, silently and quickly, I had hoped. I wanted to get on the spar deck, just to auditorily monitor. I grinned. Kish told me something that I actually have in common with my father.

I reached the end of the hallways. There was a spiral staircase. Before heading head, I glanced at the signage. Mid-cabin. Laughter rung in the staircase. I breathed out slowly and felt that it was clearly coming up from below me. I moved to the side of the hallway. I saw one of the elves that disapproved of me heading upward. I let them pass, and I quickly started going downstairs. I passed nearly five entrances and went further than I had expected. The air brought me noise and I quickly panicked. Next entrance and I'll wait it out.

I reached the bottom and glanced up the staircase. This is neat. Opening the last door, I wave of odor phased me. I reached the animal compartment I see. They had already smelled me, and the noise level steadily increased. I shoved the door closed and tapped my first on my thigh.

What am I supposed to do here? I remember at the academy; a hunter's apprentice told me that animals are like children. I have children. Showing my friendliness, I sat down to make some eye contact level and steadily kept my voice at one octave. I repeatedly told me them to quiet down. I know my cabin level was far up, but I didn't look at the signage at any of the entrances I passed. I nonsense worried about waking others up, and what the consequences are for roaming around.

At the corning of my eye, I noticed one animal's noise stayed steady. I turned my head and on the opposite of the room, there was one injured dog. The injuries were sustained by human-made weapons. The animal's body shrink away from me and made a low broken agonist sound.

There were only a handful of moments in my life where I have regretted my abilities. Animal abuse is traitorous. If only I could have been a healer.

Two simple thoughts swarmed into my consciousness. My background thought was when will all of these animals stop making noise? The quick, repeated, sharp thought were the monsters who could harm a poor, giant hound.

I crawled to the bright red haired, wounded animal. Putting my knuckles to his nose, he sniffed and gargled. I placed my forehead on his. "I'm sorry that I can't help you much."

The animals on harness or in cages quieted down. I noticed only a handful of animals were able to walk liberally. I glanced near the wall and saw many bronze lanterns near the roof of the floor. I whistled. The flints in the ones I saw lit up. Not even a moment later, the rest of the lanterns that were in the room ignited too. Fascinating. This automatic strategy is perfect. I adore goblin's intellect for structural processes.

Only than did I noticed how large this hold is. There were many rows of cages behind the initial ones I saw. There weren't just mongrels dwelling on this floor. Snakes. Hyenas. Cubs. Owls. Mini dragons. Oversized rabbits and spiders. Bats. And much more. There were even water type creatures in the tanks on the side.

Two of the five canines without restrained slowly approached me, nuzzling their snout on my legs. The others still showed animosity toward me. At least its not to the point of me being a snack, but still to the point that I am not the owner of any of them. I thought all companions stay with their owners in their own sleeping quarters, regardless of being in a new environment.

I sat up straighter and looked at the wounded animal's nametag. Seirios. He squealed from the movement and the remaining three mongrels took steps towards us.

I squealed too, "I'm sorry Seirios. I didn't mean to hurt you more."

I felt his whimpering through his stomach, and the other animals lunged forward. Surprised, I ended up getting protected. The tip of the red hairs shone a bright orange, and a growl came out of the standing animal in front of me. I glanced back down, and Seirios was no longer there. The two cuddling ones stood to my side, guttural gruff. Seirios stood tall, as I saw how his back legs grew weak.

"Seirios, you don't know me." I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him to sitting position, "I can protect myself. But, thank you so much." I glanced at the other two, "you guys can relax too." I moved in between the standoff and tilted my head at the hostile ones.

"You're just trying to protect your friend, huh?" I gave a great smile and flexed my ears back, "I just want to help him."

The one in the middle opened his jaw wide and I took a reflexable step back.

Seirios cried. I turned around and his wound ruptured.

I took a step away from all of them and the three annoyedly moved toward me.

I gasped, "I need to go over there. I see a cabinet. I think that there could be necessities that could help your friend." This time I lowered my voice, and pronounced each word, "Let. Me. Go."

They moved toward their friends and nuzzled each other. All of them were laid back on the cold ground. I rummaged through six separate containers. The last metal box had a dressing.

I looked at them. I need a bit of time. I threw the dressing on a cage. "I'm sorry. Let me borrow this." I said to a bearded dragon. I waved my fingers over the wrap multiple times, increasing and reducing the heat given. Don't burn. Sterilize. The first wrap I got burned black. The third one: perfect. I quickly went to the beast and wrapped it around his abdomen. I couldn't tighten it enough to help. I grabbed the ends of the dressing and melted it together.

As soon as I completed my makeshift, I heard talking from the outside the room. I quickly panicked. I thought of hiding. I thought of listening in the shadows. I know I don't want to get caught.