While fighting the second wave of Sloth forces, my brain suddenly conjured up what would probably happen between me and my pets if one of them was going off to fight in something like this. That's why I typed up this short piece.

---
It was a sunny day in Terror Mountain as a lone Faerie Chia stood at the top. Smalldra strapped his feet to his snowboard and looked down at the path before him. It was dotted with trees and rocks everywhere, and one missed turn could send him to bed for a while with a couple of broken bones.

With a breath, he tilted the board and started racing down. A quick right turn missed one tree. A sharp left barely scraped past a rock. He turned left, right, and kept going down, loving every minute of it.

When arrived at the bottom, he picked up his snowboard and started to head for a boat that would take him home. He knew that his owner would be putting dinner on the table soon, and his Gallion would probably need attention. But while floating back, he heard the announcement on the neovision set there.

"This just in! Sloth's forces are launching an attack on Kreludor. One of the Grundo leaders has issued a statement asking anybody able to battle to help fight off the invasion," it said. "We now return you to the newest video by neotomi."

Smallrdra knew that he could be some help. He was well trained for battle, and has even earned the title of honorary Defender of Neopia for his bravery and courage in the different missions they gave him. But first, he needed a few things.

---
When he got home, he rushed right past his owner and his sister and went upstairs. Larigan, his Gallion, didn't even have time to pounce on him. Josh, his owner, had no idea what was going on, so he went upstairs and opened his door a crack.

"Okay, Essence of Esophagor, Golden Compass, Patched Magical Hat..." he heard Smalldra mutter, as he packed.

"What's going on?" Josh asked him, opening the door the rest of the way.

Smaldra jumped and whirled around, his Scarab Ring pointed right at him. But when he saw who it was, he calmed down and lowered the ring.

"There was a news story about Sloth's recent attack. There's a battle going on in Kreludor, and the need my help," he answered.

"You're going to fight in a WAR?" Josh replied, sounding worried. "Smalldra, I can't...I won't...let you go up there and get yourself killed. Sloth and his forces are well trained. Sloth has probably been preparing for this in all the years we haven't seen him."

"I'm aware of that. But you've seen me fight strong opponent's before. Heck, you spent the neopoints so I could learn how to fight," he answered. "This is Sloth we're talking about, and if we don't beat him on Kreludor, Neopia could be next. It's my duty as a honorary Defender to help those Grundo's, and this planet."

Josh turned away, and Smalldra could tell he was weighing the different possibilities in his mind. He was still worried about his well being, but knew of his accomplishments.

Yes, he fought some of the most dangerous opponents Neopia had to offer, but they were in specially controlled environments like the battledome. But this was a full scale war, and was not controlled by anything. Josh looked back up at Smalldra and said one thing.

"Promise me you'll be careful," he finally said.

Smalldra nodded and gave him a hug. On his way out, he grabbed a spare Scroll of Freezing, then went down and out the front door. As he walked away, he felt a paw on his shoulder. He turned to see a Desert Aisha standing there. It was his sister, Ningaia.

"Return safely," she said, slightly surprising him. It was the first time she ever gave any indication that she cared. But then she added, "If you're not around, who am I going to annoy?"

Smalldra gave a chuckle as he gave her a hug, then said "You could always bug Leoangalo while he's painting."

Leoangalo was a rainbow Buzz, and their brother. But since he spent his time in his art studio painting, the rarely saw him. Ningaia gave her own chuckle when she heard that.

"Just make sure you take care of Larigan for me. And tell Leoangalo where I'm going," he said, and Ningaia nodded before walking back inside.

Smalldra looked up at the house where he grew up in, the place he called home. He knew he would be gone for a while, and he wasn't sure when, or even if, he would return. But he knew all the people in there were standing behind him, supporting him, and waiting for him.

As he walked off towards a transport ship that would take him to the battlefield, he knew he wasn't doing this for the Grundo's, the defenders, or even for Neopia. He was doing this for his family. And truthfully, that was all he needed.

The End