Chapter 18: Returning

Rydel stirred while sleeping and hugged the source of heat on his chest. He was regaining his consciousness but didn't want to awaken. He carelessly appreciated the furry form on top of him while something tickled his nose. Rydel groaned and refused to open his eyes, he gently swatted above his head. An annoyed bark sounded and the tickling came back at full force.

Rydel accepted reality and opened his eyes to encounter two tails swaying just above his face.

"You are finally awake! I didn't take you for a sleepyhead. Though kids should occasionally take a nap, a week is a bit too much." Akemi said.

They were on the cloud, it molded to their figures with the perfect hardness. Rydel was reclined with Naveena on top of him while Akemi eyed them with gentle eyes from her pillow-tails.

"I have prepared a farewell gift. I imbued your necklace with a tracking spell and made a matching pair for Naveena. This way you can always feel each other's presence." Akemi explained.

Rydel looked down and didn't notice any differences on his necklace, he was probably too weak to peer into the enchantment.

"Thank you, Lady Akemi." Rydel said.

"Now, I don't like farewells but you have stayed too long in my realm. It's time for you to continue your life." Akemi said and didn't wait for their responses before waving her tails. They both disappeared in an instant.

***

Akemi's expression was wiped in an instant, replaced with indifference and coldness. Even her aura changed, radiating an aura of majesty.

She became pale and threw up a pool of black blood. This blood squirmed and tried to attack her back. Alas, it was useless, she didn't even move, her aura was enough to evaporate a threat of this level.

The moon changed from a smooth silver to red-veined. Fruit trees grew on the surface at great speed, before being fully exterminated by the moonlight.

"The backlash of holding my injury back delayed my recovery for a few couples of hundreds of years more." Akemi indifferently said.

It was a worthy trade. Their clan had the ancient tradition to pair their cubs with young talented people that acted as protectors. Lunar Fennec Foxes were mainly supporters in their infancy and didn't have many means of defense until later on.

She couldn't trust her daughter with someone that could be bought for assassinations. She was weakened, a sin in large clans. She wasn't powerless though, but her daughter was the perfect target for political ploys.

Here, on the edge of the Galaxy, none would recognize her and she'd be safe. The brat was talented enough to protect her in the early phase. Akemi also had the confidence that her daughter would reign supreme on a planet full of barbarians.

***

Rydel and Naveena appeared outside of the realm, in front of the tree where his journey started. Rydel looked at the outside world with reminiscence and a warm feeling extended to his chest. He was finally at home.

Don't get him wrong, he loved adventuring to a mystical place full of wonders. He had also metamorphosed inside, from a random elf that somehow had conserved the memories of his past life, to an elf ready to devour the world. However, the feeling of longing was real, and there wasn't anything better than bragging to his people after an exhausting trip.

Naveena instead just looked at everything with a sense of wonder and curiosity. Rydel couldn't verbally communicate with her, but he understood that she had the intelligence of a ten-year-old kid. He wasn't much older than her, but he was more experienced. So, he'd assume the position of a wise leader. Sigh, the difficulties of teaching the young.

They heard familiar moos and turned on its direction, there, two white cows were waiting for them.

"Doonuut." Rydel said while running with his open arms.

"Moo."

"Doooonuuuut." Rydel kept running.

"Moooo."

"Doooooooonuuuuuuuut." Rydel jumped.

"Moooooooo."

Rydel hugged the cow in the air and with the same movement did a flip and stood on her back.

"Let's go! To the next adventure!" Rydel said with excitement.

Seeing his old pal had put him in an excellent mood, he thought that they'd be separated forever. The two cows have changed, before they were red and had strawberries growing on them. Now, their entire skin was colored white, and their strawberry had changed to the white version of the fruit. He didn't know what that change would mean, but he didn't care as long as they were fine.

"Naveena, come on, let's go home!" Rydel said to the little fennec that was blankly watching him. She regally walked to Cheesecake and jumped on his back, she lazily laid down and put her tails around Cheesecake's neck, simulating a harness.

Rydel patted Donut and the cow got the message, soon both cows were flying in the air. Neena didn't expect it and panicked before clinging on to the cow for dear life.

Rydel looked at the descendant of the powerful expert with a teasing smile, the tips of her ears turned a brighter tone of blue and ignored him. The cows' green manes were rotating onto themselves with great speed to gain more height until they were just under the crown of the trees. They headed for the North on the way home.

***

Naveena looked at her strange companion. She was sad and scared of leaving her mommy, she wanted to feel safe, to get their tails tangled in warm. She looked with mixed emotions under her and saw the giant forest, it was the first time that she left the cave.

Naveena was curious, but she was a royal lunar fennec, she needed to radiate majesty and awe with every step. Her mother had told her that a companion was like a personal bodyguard, and if harm ever came her way, he needed to protect her.

Naveena would trust him in their defense and she'd support him. She was an elite F-grade, unlike him, she was more experienced and stronger, so she'd assume the position of leader. Naveena nodded at herself with determination.

***

The Elphyra's Clan was at two-weeks' travel at Galather's speed. They couldn't reach that speed, but as they were flying, they could avoid many obstacles. Not that there weren't branches on their way too, but at least there weren't many predators.

One of their closest calls was when they were resting on a tree, suddenly its branches moved and a mouth appeared on the bark. Rydel took Neena in his arms and jumped. Fortunately, the cows were swift and took them away from the trent. Since that moment, they have had the habit of checking if the trees themselves are safe too.

For the next four months, they kept going north, until Rydel managed to identify some areas as being next to home. Rydel was excited, but he didn't relax his guard as anything could happen. He wasn't even able to meditate at night, as he had to do night guard duty.

Naveena wasn't very open to him, but she didn't outright refuse him either. She liked to be clingy on her terms, she asking to be petted was ok, but not him casually petting her. Their relationship grew a little bit, from strangers to casual partners.

Finally, they saw the first signs of civilization, they watched fields of fruit trees and some random elves going about their day. Rydel decided to descend and greet his clanmates.

"Thuridan! How good to see you!" Rydel happily said.

He was holding Neena in his arms and he was being followed by the two cows.

"Rydel! Blessed by the eyes that see you! Are you back from old Galather's mission?" Thuridan responded cheerfully.

He was one of the farmers that lived on the outskirts of the town and occasionally visited the central plaza.

"Indeed, I have to keep going, if I stop here I won't reach my home until tomorrow." Rydel rapidly said while waving back.

"Damn right you are! The last time someone came back home after a long time, he was pestered by everyone and spent three days just greeting them." Thuridan laughed before continuing with his day.

Rydel sweated a bit on that and made a beeline straight for home. Alas, some things in life are not meant to succeed, and Thuridan's words turned into a prophecy. Elves kept interrupting him, even those that he didn't have many relationship with were as if they had suddenly seen their closest friend coming home from war.

Rydel basked in the warm emotions, he didn't have the heart to refuse their good intentions. Neena was overwhelmed by so many strangers and decided to hide herself putting her tails on her face. The legendary technique of if she didn't see them, they didn't exist, a classic.

After spending the entire morning socializing, someone had the decency to notify his parents. A couple of minutes later, Edyrm heard the big news that Rydel had returned home.

***

"MAAAAKEEE WAAAAAAAY" A masculine shout was heard from the distance.

"AAAAAAAAaaaaahh" Immediately, a feminine shout was heard too.

A big storm of dust was heading in their direction. On the forefront was a running Edyrm that was grabbing a scared Thalia. The speed was so high that she was being dragged in the air, she was holding a painting for her dear life with her free hand.

Edyrm finally saw his son in the distance. His gaze turned into one of utmost concentration. For a second, he put on a hammer throw stance and launched Thalia in Rydel's direction.

"AAAAAAAAAAaaaaahhhhhh" Thalia shouted, not knowing what was happening.

Rydel felt pure horror and ran away in another direction. Edyrm saw the futile movement of his prey, he clicked his tongue in disapproval and created a wind tunnel in his son's direction with his Daodrop.

Edyrm jumped with his full strength and opened his arms in preparation. He was just a flash, he crossed the 1km distance in barely three seconds.

Both Thalia and Rydel saw their lives pass in front of their eyes and reconsidered changing their husband/father.

Thankfully, Edyrm's aim was off and he crashed into a tree that was just behind Rydel. Thalia had reassessed her situation in the air and stopped the inertia with her spiritual energy in front of Rydel, before gracefully landing in front of him.

"We were expecting you, little firefly!" Thalia said amid panting without any shame.

"I missed you too, mother." Rydel let it pass and went to hug her mother.

Behind them, the tree exploded and Edyrm rushed to the family reunion before lifting Rydel, hugging her wife and son.

Neena was suddenly surrounded by strangers, but as Thalia had a motherly aura familiar to Akemi, she gracefully let it pass. She even stealthily moved one of her tails and circled Thalia's wrist.

At some point, Galather appeared and casually repaired the destruction caused, it was clear that it wasn't his first-time cleaning after Edyrm.

"It is good that you have come back. Let us return to your home and hear your report." Galather said, none knowing that he had made a full check-up on Rydel with his spirit.

Thalia and Edyrm wiped their eyes clean and went back home. Donut and Cheesecake tailed behind them.

Before doing any type of report, they let Rydel relax on his house. He went to the bathroom and filled the bath with hot water, he created bubbles with some soap and he submerged himself.

Neena stood on the edge and splashed the border with her little paws for a while until getting satisfied. She entered the water and swam around in little circles.

Meanwhile, Rydel stood at the bottom seeing the bubbles from his mouth rising and just being happy.

"We're finally home, Neena. You don't know my parents yet but don't worry, they are the warmer and more understanding people that I know of." Rydel said.

Neena looked in his direction and pointed at herself before pointing at the ceiling with her tails.

"You don't want me to disclose your background?" Rydel asked.

Neena nodded before continuing to play with the water.

"Okay, I'll tell them the full version, just changing that the expert helped me in exchange for a favor in the future. I'll say that I found you in the cave and after seeing my dashing self, you decided to follow me around." Rydel said.

Neena whacked her tails at his head but otherwise agreed.

After the bath, Rydel went to the dining room where his parents, Roshia and Galather were waiting. He explained in full detail his adventure. From coming in contact with the tree, to how he met the cows and took advantage of the resources there until he met with Akemi.

He told them that there was a race of foxes living near the moon and that Neena and he hit off very well, and he decided to adopt her as a pet. Neena glared at him in the last bit and he could feel the feeling of outrage in the little fennec to being compared to a pet, but it was the easiest white lie to tell.

Everyone was surprised about his misadventures and became worried. However, seeing that he had surpassed every trial on his way, they were beaming with pride. Rydel had exceeded any expectations.