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Dragging the limp body of a black leopard across the edge of the hunting trail, I could feel the weight of its furred bulk strain against my shoulders—but not enough to break a sweat. I glanced at Aquarina beside me, who was doing the same with two hares swinging from her arms like game trophies. We were a sight: two toddlers carrying corpses like seasoned warriors. If you ignored the fact we were barely a year old, you'd mistake us for a pair of young veterans from Deldoria's beast tamers' guild.
But I wasn't in the mood for dramatics. Not yet, at least.
The eyes were already on us—tribal elders, hunters, common villagers, all gawking like they'd just seen the forest spirits walk upright. Murmurs followed us like shadows.
"Did… they really take that thing down?"
"Incredible… and they're just children?"
"Daughters of the heroes… sons, I mean… wait—is that Aquarina with Leon?"
"Weren't they just born yesterday?"
Aquarina kept her chin up, ignoring the whispers with that Amazon pride stitched into her DNA. I, on the other hand, just gave a slight nod. They could say whatever they wanted. We did what we set out to do.
Still, their awe was funny in a way. If only they knew the truth. We weren't regular kids, not by a long shot. Dragon blood flowed through our veins, both literally and figuratively. Our parents fed us dragon meat, bathed us in its power, and raised us under the harsh truths of a dangerous world.
No wonder this panther felt lighter than a feather. Compared to what we were meant to face in the future, this was child's play.
"Think we'll get grilled meat tonight?" Aquarina whispered to me, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"If my mom sees the haul, we might even get stew. With spices," I smirked.
She let out a satisfied "Mmm…" like a cat anticipating cream.
We reached the tent. I didn't even need to peek inside to know who was already watching us. My parents. I could feel their magic still lingering in the air like a film—enchantment barriers, spirits, illusions. Subtle to the untrained eye, but not to me. I'd sensed it the moment we stepped out earlier.
Sure enough, Father—Ren—poked his head out from the tent flap, his expression exaggerated to the point of comedy.
"Leon!? You hunted that!?" he gasped with wide eyes.
"Incredible! My son is so talented!" Mother, Faylen, added with a tone way too forced to be sincere.
I gave them a flat look. "You don't have to pretend. We know you were spying through your familiars."
They both stiffened.
Ren scratched the back of his neck, looking at Mom like she might bail him out. "Erm, no! What are you talking about?"
"Y-Yeah! We wouldn't… we wouldn't spy on our son," she said, stumbling on the word spy like it was a curse.
I rolled my eyes and dropped the panther just outside the tent. "It's fine. I get it. You were worried."
They exchanged another glance—one of those silent parental conversations where both are clearly guilty but too proud to admit it.
"You did good out there," Father finally said, shifting the tone to serious. "But that doesn't mean you get to hunt alone from now on."
"We were careful," I replied. "Aquarina had my back. I had hers."
My mother walked over, brushing some hair from my forehead. Her touch was gentle, warm. "You're still too young, Leon. One day, sure… but not yet."
I wasn't about to argue. They meant well—even if they were paranoid. And maybe they had a point. The world wasn't kind. I'd known that before I could even speak.
"But you saw us, didn't you?" I said. "We handled it."
"Maybe. But if that panther had gotten any closer—"
"It wouldn't have. The barriers were there, right? Yours. Shade's. Aquarina's mom's."
"Still," she sighed, "It's not just about magic. It's about trusting you're ready. And we're not there yet."
I nodded. "Fair."
Aquarina nudged me with her elbow. "I thought it was kinda fun, though. Scary, yeah. But… kind of exciting too."
"Yeah," I said with a faint smile. "It was."
Shade and Nepheline stepped into the tent's entrance behind our parents, their eyes trailing the carcass and then settling on us with curious pride.
"Incredible work," Shade said, nodding.
"Aquarina, did you really help take down that cat?" Nepheline asked.
"I did! But Leon helped too. He used his grass vines to wrap the panther's legs!" she answered proudly.
Nepheline raised an eyebrow. "He can do that already?"
"I can," I replied, lifting my hand and summoning a faint green shimmer. "Though I used to get winded fast. My spirit helps now."
As if on cue, Naturion popped out—my spirit. A floating green seedling, round and gleaming with a soft inner light, hovered by my shoulder.
Nepheline nearly jumped. "Wait—what?! Since when!?"
Mom chuckled. "Leon raised his Eden Apple tree, and it mutated into a Magical Tree. That spirit's the result."
"That's… insane," Nepheline muttered. "So, it's his Nature magic. But also… your bloodline, right?"
"Of course," Shade added with a proud smirk. "His elven blood runs deep—even as a half-elf, he carries Faylen's royal heritage."
Mom folded her arms smugly. "Fufu. I don't like to brag, but Elves are a superior race."
"Oh, don't start," Nepheline groaned. "Amazon blood is just as mighty. Aquarina's going to punch mountains one day."
Shade looked at her sideways. "You couldn't even dent a boulder when I first met you."
"Betrayer!" Nepheline huffed, crossing her arms in a pout. "I'm your wife!"
"Which is exactly why I know all your secrets," Shade said calmly, sipping from a wooden cup.
I watched them banter, the kind that only years of love and battle-forged partnership could produce. It made me smile. Not because of the joke—but because despite the chaos around us, these people had built something safe. Something worth protecting.
"You hungry?" Mother asked, eyeing the panther.
"I could eat," I said, though I was more eager to see what she'd cook than actually starving.
"Grilled hares, stew, and some dragon meat leftovers," she mused. "We'll make a feast of it."
"MEAT!" Aquarina cheered, nearly drooling on the spot.
I held in a laugh. "You really are obsessed with it."
"Of course! I'm Amazon-born. Meat is in my soul," she declared with a grin.
We all headed inside, the scent of woodsmoke curling in the air as pots began to bubble and herbs were crushed under stone. There was something comforting about it—like we'd earned this moment. One fight at a time.
But I knew this wasn't the end. Not even close.
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