Jhudora, like all dark faeries, gets grumpy very easily. Moreso when she is woken up by an insistent pounding on the door.
"Whazzit?" she snarls at me, Raziel, her current Neopet servant. I try my best not to cringe as purple flame licks around her sharp green fingernails, pointed at my small Krawk form. I guess the only reason she hasn't blasted me to bits now is because of my rarity…
"Umm…um, er, someone's at the door, ma'am?" I venture quietly to the huge purple doorframes, pulling and tugging with all my strength to open them a crack.
"Get out of the way, you good-for-nothing…" She shoves me aside and pulls open the massive doors, preparing to yell her lungs out at-
A Shoyru. A Striped Shoyru. A baby Striped Shoyru, no less.
I close my mouth, only just realizing that my jaw was hanging loose, and hop over to the sleeping youngster's side.
Suddenly, the most impossibly bright pair of silvery-blue eyes opens in the sleeping Shoyru's face, and a huge grin as well before he- I can tell it's a he- flings himself at me, burrowing into my scaly chest with a happy squeal.
I look up in puzzlement to see Jhudora, face at the maddest I have ever seen her, palms blazing.
"Get that- that thing out of here!" she snarls, pupils glowing a reddish color as they focus on my small reptilian body holding the tiny Shoyru's.
Neither of us moves for a full five seconds.
"I said get it out of here!" she screams, before flinging her palm out at me.
I dodge the blast of purplish flames, and the next, and the next, before breaking into a run, heading for the closest good shelter – the Water Faerie's healing springs.
I just hope I can get there in time.
Poor baby, I think as I glance down at the still-drowsing Shoyru, snuggled into my arms. Who would be heartless enough to toss such a wonderful child on the dark one's doorstep? And why does Jhudora hate you so?
Checking behind me, I realize something's chasing us…a gray-black form, touched with bright flames…
Oh no. It's Gorrimlix, Jhudora's pet Fire Kougra.
The edge of the dark cloud is coming up, and as I tense myself for the leap to get us to safety, something yanks me back.
"Think you'll get away so easy?" asks Gorrimlix. "You should have learned your lesson by now…"
"Daaaaa…?"
Both of us are distracted by the bright body that has wriggled out of my arms and watches us both with his bright gaze.
"Oho, you know Jhudora hates Shoyrus, Raziel…you're trying to get him away, aren't you?" He draws his breath in, probably preparing for a Round of Shadow Health to overpower me.
I strike first, lashing at him with my tail, which is tipped with a poisonous barb that leaves him in agony. My claws rip at his eyes once, enough to blind him temporarily, then I'm off, grabbing the small stripy body of the youngster and embracing him protectively as I leap off the cloud –oh, damn.
We splash into the warm water of the springs, and I have just enough sense to push the infant away before water, silver swirling water, overtakes me completely…