Chapter 5: Gotta love the lore

AN: from now on, I'm just gonna write the meows as what she's actually saying, because they talk a lot from now on. Sorry if it's confusing, if there are complaints I'll change it back.

Actually, before I get into the grilling, let's just, uh, confirm something. "Mum," I purr, looking as cute as possible with puppy dog eyes. "Promise I'm not ugly?" She puts me down on the bed of grass, flopping next to exasperated by my question. "You aren't ugly. How could you be ugly when you're father and I are so beautiful?"

'Nice! I've confirmed that I can indeed talk to mum, and you know what? She's right. I'm gonna be so dashing when I grow up that the ladies will flock to me. Now, time for questions.' But just I'm opening my mouth, about to bombard my poor stressed first time mother with questions, she seems to decide she's had enough of this talkative child. She gets up and walks over to where my siblings are wandering around (much better then I am at walking) and starts throwing them over to where I'm sitting. I manage to dodge my dragon sister who's big enough that I'd be squished otherwise, but sadly the largest tiger child, probably my eldest brother, lands on me instead. He starts trying to grab my wing, but in a fit of pure desperation I move it out of the way with a sensation I've never felt in my life. Kinda like moving my shoulders if I had to compare it to something?

When mum gets back, she manages to calm down my siblings, before lying down herself next to us and growling softly. "Let me tell you about this worlds beginnings. There was no life on this world, Agreif, in the past. It was a ball of molten fire, and whenever it rained the water wouldn't even make it to the ground. However one day, a rock fell from the sky. That rock was the spark of life, and people say it contained the purest mana ever. the heat of the fire couldn't burn the mana, and so it fell onto the ground. The mana empowered the fire, however not for very long. After the fire used up its mana, it no longer burned, and the rain could fall onto the earth. This created land and the ocean. However, the fire left it's mark, and the water that made up the ocean was undrinkable by most. The first mana started spreading, creating life in it's wake. First the plants, able to use the sun to survive in a world with nothing else. From the plants there became air, and in the ocean, that air gave birth to new life. That life in the ocean came up to land, and from there, animals came to exist. There were many places where animals moved to, and in each particular place, those animals changed in different ways. Some became bigger, some smaller, some nocturnal. Finally, some started to walk on two legs. That is the origin of the humanoids."

I was enraptured. The story was slightly similar to earths, and yet so different. It seemed magical, reassuring me that I am indeed in a different world; a fantasy one at that. I was slightly disappointed that I wasn't humanoid, but... humanoid? Not just human? "Mum, what are humanoids? Are we humanoids" I decide to give voice to my doubts, instead of stewing in them. "Humanoids are all the races that both can stand on two legs and are intelligent enough to have a full ego and morality. You are not humanoid yet, but one day you will be, just you wait. Now, would you like to go to sleep?" I was indeed feeling drowsy, but I'm not done with my questioning yet, so I can't sleep. "What races are humanoids?" I need to know.

"Well, there are many types of humanoid. The most common is humans. They reproduce and spread quickly, despite having a short lifespan. There are also Elves, dwarves, Beast-types, harpies, mermaid aquatic-types, giants and snow giants, Fae, dryads, demons... To many to count! It's hard to figure out what counts as a separate race, because some humanoids don't fit under any category. Like us for example; some may call us beastmen, but other's would consider us intelligent monsters. And you are a hybrid, so there isn't ay category for you. Well, that's enough for today. Go to sleep you annoying child."

That's... a lot to take in at one time. My head is spinning from the info dump, and scientifically none of this should really even be possible, but I'll ponder over it all when I wake up. I really wish there was a notebook for me to take down some notes in at this moment. Ah well, I'm going to bed now. Night Mum.

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I woke up gasping for air, wondering if I was actually dreaming this whole time and I'm actually just dead, floating around, or perhaps in the hospital. Nope, that isn't even close. I seem to have somehow managed to end up at the bottom of a doggy pile, with my siblings toppling themselves over me. 'Heavy.' It's hard to breathe and I'm hungry, so I'm gonna intimidate these squirts real quick. "Oi! Get off me you punks!" My voice sounds distinctly non-threatening, but hopefully this is enough. "Shut up tiny." A deeper, gravelly voice responded to me, followed by swift slap from a thick, scaly tail. My own eldest sister appears to have gravely betrayed me, this is an outrage. They are preying on the weakest member of the litter and I will not accept it.

Time to change tactics. I am now the youngest child, meaning I should do what every youngest child does best; act spoiled. "MUUUUUM! I'M BEING BULLIED! UWAAAAAAAA" haha, suck on that you juvenile brats, you'll never beat me. The kids on top of me are starting to get a bit rowdy now, trying to claw at me to be quiet, shaking the pile and ironically making me sound even more pitiful. Footsteps get closer and the kids go suspiciously silent as my tearful eyes start to clear. Warm hands grabbed me by the armpits of my front legs, and as I'm dangling in the air I notice that the person holding me is not in fact mum, but rather my father. Out of nervousness, I move my wings, and they start to flap. Tiny flaps, yes, but progress is progress and dad certainly notices.

His stiff, stoic expression slowly melts away as his eyes bend and he coos at me in a low, velvety tone. "Has little Nicole already learnt how to flap her wings? Wow, how amazing. You're doing such a good job baby! Daddy will teach baby and her sister how to fly, so stop crying okay? They're not bullying you, they're showing you affection. Do you not like your siblings?"

I'm pretty sure my eyes popped out of their tiny little sockets hear this big buff dragon speak like that. I stopped moving my wings out of sheer shock, but quickly start up again; competition is brutal here, I need to get strong and quick. On the other hand, my father is now cradling me in his arms and sitting down by my siblings. "Nicole, you're the youngest here, so make sure you keep up with them enough that you can play together. Your big mean sister over there is gonna be a tough opponent but I believe in you!" Dad... isn't that a bit too biased? I feel bad for Xenia. Shifting my gaze over to her though, she doesn't seem very bothered, so maybe it doesn't matter. Either way, I've now come to the conclusion that I am my fathers favourite, as he is weak against small and weak beings! Classic hero, haha. But...

*grrrrr*

Yep, still hungry! I want milk! Mum, come get me, dad sucks at this.