Chapter 97: Cold Cave.
They soon arrived at their destination, walking into a cave that led them down into a hole. The scene was somewhat dark, but the lights coming from some opening were enough to give them some illumination.
Before them was a huge body of water—a sea that clearly made its way out and deep. The atmosphere was chillingly cold; they could already feel themselves freezing while only standing there.
Eris hid behind Luka as he looked around. "Are you sure it’s here?"
The air in the cave room was chilling. It had them clicking their teeth together in response while they hugged themselves.
"Yes, I’m sure," Little Black explained. "I haven’t really been here, but I’ve learned that they have good sea ingredients here... So I think you can find whatever you want here." He said, hugging himself hard enough to keep the cold off, but to no avail.
Azure was the only one not feeling cold. His body was already used to adjusting to such temperatures. He simply looked around while he made his way close to the water.
"Where are you going? That doesn’t seem safe at all..." Luka explained.
"There’s no time. We have to gather what we need and leave before anything happens," Azure said, bending before the water.
He began collecting some seaweed, gathering long wet strands from rocks around the shoreline of the water body. It was easy enough to get more than enough, and so he put it in the blue animal skin pouch he was carrying at his side.
Then they watched him begin gathering clams, oysters, mussels, and snails from around the water. Azure was quick and skilled at collecting them, putting his hands in and getting them as if they were sitting there waiting for him to come and take them. He knew just where to put his hands. Well, after all, he was a mer man.
"We should help too..." Little Black wanted to step forward, but Zukka held him back.
"No, you can’t go. It’s dangerous for you," Zukka insisted.
"None of your business. I want to go!" He insisted as he broke free from Zukka’s grip and went to bend beside Azure, picking.
Soon, they all joined except Zayn. All bending and making efforts to pick the best they could. But they couldn’t do it like Azure.
They moved to collecting some crabs they could find moving around the surface—some crabs and shrimps.
Eris and Luka moved to picking some coastal herbs according to Azure’s recommendations. It was at least easy to find and pluck from the sides.
Karl knelt there by the seaside, staring at his palms. "I can’t believe I’m doing this..." He sighed and continued.
They had gotten everything they needed. The remaining items to get were some small fishes and some bone broth. These would require going deeper into the water, and Azure had completely volunteered to do so.
While he was getting ready to go in and get them, Little Black was still at the side picking. He had seen something sticking out from the water as he approached it.
"Should be a fish," Little Black thought to himself as he pulled on it. He pulled hard, but it wasn’t coming out at all. "Why is this fish so stubborn?" He wondered as he continued pulling harder and harder.
"This... stupid... fish!" He pulled, grabbing everyone’s attention.
Eris and Luka stared at him. "And what’s he doing?"
Zukka’s attention moved to the little rabbit pulling onto something firmly, and his expression shifted.
He stared at the hard horn the boy was pulling and immediately noticed the water body move around it. And instantly, he knew that it wasn’t something casual at all.
"Careful!" Zukka suddenly snapped as he rushed toward the scene, pulling out a hard staff he carried at his side.
Zukka dived through the air and landed hard on the water, making a splash as he swept Little Black off his feet and into his arms. Then he smashed the horn aside, sending an instant movement through the water.
Everyone noticed the water move noticeably now. The horn went back inside as the waves of the water moved backwards.
"Something’s in there," Karl got up to his feet as they all stepped back and out of the water, standing at a distance on land, staring at the water move.
An alligator dug its head out and went back in, moving around the water. Soon there were three, and then five—alligators with single tall horns, hovering around the water.
Little Black gasped, still in Zukka’s arms. "It’s them... the unfriendly inhabitants. I thought they were myths."
They all stepped backwards, staring as these five alligators hovered around the water. One would think that they were safe since they were on land.
"They possibly can’t reach us here on land. So I guess we’re safe for now," Eris suggested.
But they had underestimated the land they had come into. Because these alligators began coming out on land, comfortably approaching them with fierce movements.
Their eyes were plain white and deadly. Their movement was dangerous. It was safe to say that these alligators were out to destroy anything that came their way.
"I guess I thought wrong..." Eris blinked.
Karl scoffed. "What? Scared? We’ve seen worse than this."
"Scared? Who?" Eris kept his calm.
"Then prove it," Karl folded his arms. "I doubt you still have it in you. You only have your pretty face to show off these days. I doubt you still have the skills."
Eris scoffed, raising his chin. "Sure. Then I’ll show you how to hunt down a fish."
They stood there watching as Eris stretched out his neck, hands, and whole body.
The alligators approached, ready to strike. But Eris got even more ready. He stared down at the monsters as he forced a smile. His red eyes gleamed as his fox ears stood out. His tail stood firm as he stretched out his feet and hands, his claws set for an attack.
Eris opened his mouth, his fangs sharp and ready. And then he smiled. "I guess I’ll show you what a fox can do too."