Chapter 30 - Aelion

Ravenna's smile faded as she voiced her concern to Lumina, "But, Lumina, I have a concern. People will hurt him if they see him with me." Her worry was evident in her voice, her brow furrowing with anxiety.

As she agreed to take Aelion on her journey and named him, she felt a mix of emotions rise inside her.

She looked down at the Aelion, who gazed back up at her with innocent, trusting eyes. Ravenna's heart ached at the thought of him being harmed.

She crouched down to Aelion's level, gently stroking his head. "I want to take you with me," she whispered, "but humans won't understand. They might see you as a threat, a monster. And I can't bear the thought of you getting hurt because of me."

Aelion nuzzled her hand, his warmth and affection contrasting with her worries. Ravenna sighed, feeling torn between wanting to keep him safe and needing his companionship.

She stood up, crossing her arms and pacing a bit, deep in thought.

"What if they attack you?" she murmured, more to herself than to Aelion or Lumina. "What if they don't give you a chance to show them your true nature? It would be so dangerous."

Lumina's light flickered gently, a silent encouragement. Ravenna paused, looking up at the glowing orb. "Maybe," she said slowly, "maybe I can find a way to protect him. Maybe people will see he's not a threat if he's with me."

She took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing thoughts. "It's going to be complicated, Aelion," she admitted, her voice soft but determined. "But I can't leave you behind. We'll just have to be careful. I'll protect you, I promise."

Aelion gave a small, reassuring huff, as if understanding her words. Ravenna smiled, feeling more determined. "Alright," she said, her voice steadier. "Let's go together, Aelion. We'll face whatever comes, side by side."

As Aelion and Ravenna shared their inner thoughts, Ravenna's worries about protecting Aelion and Aelion's reassurance that he didn't care as long as he was with her were communicated silently.

From the outside, it looked like Ravenna was just murmuring, but the real conversation was happening deep within their hearts, due to Ravenna's Beast-Speak power.

Ravenna smiled, feeling the strength of their bond. From an outsider's perspective, it looked like she was just talking to herself, but inside, their hearts were having a deep, meaningful conversation.

Ravenna and Aelion walked side by side in the desert, the sun blazing overhead. The landscape stretched out endlessly, with rolling dunes of golden sand and the occasional jagged rock formation breaking the horizon.

Each step they took left a trail of footprints in the soft sand, only to be swept away by the gentle but relentless desert wind.

Ravenna squinted against the harsh sunlight, her mind racing with thoughts on how to protect Aelion from humans.

Aelion seemed unaffected by the heat. As a Firehorn, he had the power of flames and could manipulate fire, making him well-suited for the hot desert environment.

The desert was unforgiving, but it offered Ravenna for a while temporary solace and relief from the dangers of humans until she find the way for Aelion.

The sound of their footsteps was the only noise in the vast silence of the desert.

Ravenna occasionally glanced at Aelion, seeing his determined gaze and feeling a mixture of love and worry. He was willing to face any danger for her, but she couldn't shake the fear of what might happen if they encountered humans.

The sun cast long shadows as it began its descent, painting the sand with hues of orange and red.

Ravenna's thoughts swirled like the shifting dunes. "How can I keep him safe?" she wondered. The thought of Aelion being harmed because of her was unbearable for her.

But as the sun began to descend, Ravenna had other worries. They needed to find a place to rest.

In the desert, the temperature dropped sharply at night, becoming unbearably cold. Fortunately, temperature wasn't an issue for Ravenna or Aelion.

Ravenna's Asura armor provided both cold and heat resistance, and Aelion, as a Firehorn, was naturally adapted to extreme temperatures.

Still, they needed to rest. The long journey had left them both tired. Ravenna scanned the horizon for any sign of shelter.

The desert stretched out endlessly, but she hoped to find some natural formation or small cave where they could find refuge for the night.

As they continued walking, the sky shifted to hues of purple and pink, stars beginning to twinkle above.

Aelion trotted faithfully beside her, his presence a constant comfort for Ravenna. The bond they shared was growing stronger with each passing moment, yet Ravenna's mind kept drifting back to the need for protection and safety.

Finally, she spotted a small outcrop of rocks. It wasn't much, but it would provide some shelter from the cold desert wind. "Aelion, let's rest here for the night," she said, her voice calm but tired.

Aelion nodded, understanding her need for rest.