The dust and sundown was closing in and making flying impossible.
"We need to find someplace higher off the ground. But not too high" Bree called over the wind. Grit hitting them all in the face. And Lloyd heard her coughing and spitting at the amount that had gotten into her mouth.
"I think there are some mountains and rock up ahead. Are there caves or caverns in the lower parts of Djinjago?!" Lloyd yelled back to her.
Bree looked around and then tapped Cole on the shoulder. Pointing down to a spot about mid way on the cliff edge. Cole dropped his dragon down carefully. Bree and Cole both wary. Each pulling up their elemental magic as they disappeared ahead a few feet. The glow of Cole's arms at least still visible and bright while Bree's darker purple magic was hard to pick out. After a few seconds Cole moved back to the edge and motioned them down. Morro landing beside Lloyd they both dropped their dragons and all headed into the small cavern out of the blowing wind and sands.
"So this is just a tiny cave. More like a hole in the side of the mountain. It has no tunnels leading back down anywhere and its far to small an entrance for a Roc to be comfortable roosting or nesting here." Bree told the others quietly.
"What about the ghouls? Will they come up this high?" Harumi asked.
"Unlikely. They like dark caves. But they don't like climbing or high altitudes at all. For their own safety." Bree replied.
"So, what the fuck is a blood thirsty ghoul afraid of then. And I am pretty sure I won't like the answer" Lloyd said with a cringing shudder.
"Roc's, ghouls are the natural prey of the roc's. And we have to be worried about a Roc mistaking one of us, human or djin for a ghoul because we are roughly the same size. Though in daylight when they can see more clearly its unlikely for them to go after one of us unless we disturb their nest" Cora supplied.
"You'd think a giant eagle would have better night vision" Harumi grumbled.
Lloyd and Morro both swore out loud a list of profanity's and were only mercifully drowned out somewhat by the howling wind outside. Morro then just screamed in frustration. He wanted nothing more than to get Harumi home and keep her safe. And they all were totally out of their elements so to speak here.
"Will you two keep it the fuck down? I mean as far as I know ghouls hate climbing. But if they hear nice juicy you screaming like a little bitch then they might make an exception. And yes she said giant eagle. Those are in the air. Giant wolf beasts the size of a car out on the western plains. Black and white whales that are strictly carnivorous in the seas. The eagles and wolves eat ghouls. The whales eat smaller sea serpents, water ghouls. If they have another name in ninjago I don't know it. But in bad lighting if they can't see well every single one of them might try and eat one of us mistaking us for a ghoul." Bree snapped at him.
"So what are we gonna do?" Cole asked. More calmly than he really felt he pulled Bree into his arms. This wasn't the first time he had gotten trapped in another realm. Nor the second. But this one felt altogether more hostel right off the bat than the others. And he didn't just have his ninja family to worry about. But his little family with Bree too.
Harumi and Bree looked at each other. This realm was something that they and both discussed before. Never assuming they would actually be here.
"Didn't you say before, when we were trying to learn how to realm jump that the Djin really liked to go realm hoping as a pass time. And had all sorts of portals and back doors?" Lloyd suggested. Thinking as he ran his hand through his hair and wincing in disgust as a pile of sand and dirt came out.
"Yes... But the only ones I knew about were located in Dinjago city in the palace. I have no idea if they had any on the ground. In the mountains somewhere is the only place I would even guess they could put one. Nobody would have wanted ghouls going through on accident to another realm" Cora mused.
"So we search through all the mountains till we find a portal" Lloyd asked hopefully.
"That and... Well if we can find any of the remains of the palace or the main city of djinjago we could always see of we could put together enough pieces to make one from scratch. But that would be dangerous. And difficult. And its going to be very hard to find enough food down here to feed all of us. All the smaller creatures and vegetation are all eaten by ghouls. So we can't go searching at night at all." Bree told him.
"And Cole and Morro eat like a bunch of draft mules. So finding that much food and water is going to be difficult" Harumi added.
Lloyd and Bree broke out into soft laughter at that. Cole shrugging his shoulders in a sheepish way. Morro looked annoyed that Lloyd would dare to even laugh at Harumi's joke.
"I think we all need to try and get some rest before we try to head out in the daylight and find a portal or food and water" Bree said with a yawn. Holding a hand up she used a purplish glow of magic to clean herself up and change out for a fresh set of clothing. One not covered in dirt and sandy grit.
"Help a guy out will ya?" Morro asked.
Bree waved her hand over the lot of them and each felt a small electrical zip and then each one of them both had on clean dry clothes and felt like they stepped out of a shower. She yawned after she was done waving her hand again.
"I hate camping" Lloyd grumbled. Sitting down and leaning up against the wall. Morro took the opposite wall and slumped down as well.
"Try living in the departed realm for a while. That's is ten shades of worse than just camping" Morro quipped.
"Will you two shut the hell up and go to sleep" Bree snapped. She hadn't sat down or looked like she was trying to get comfortable.
Lloyd and Morro grumbled but tried to settle in. Rumi sitting next to Morro and lying down across his legs to use him as a pillow. Lloyd scrunching his face in disgust.
"I know sweetheart, I am worried about her too. And yes I remembered what you said about timelines not automatically being the same across all the realms" Cole told her.
"I just have to hope that my visions are accuriate... that way we will be home sooner than later" Bree said. Her voice sad and quiet so the others couldn't hear.
Cole pulled Bree into his arms. And then sitting down pulled her between his legs and sat her in is lap. Nuzzling her hair and wrapping his arms around her. They briefly glowed ornge and then powered down. Together they watched the doorway for a few minuets before Cole raised a hand and with a sweep of his earth power built a solid rock door to keep them all protected while they slept. Still knowing it would be a while before Bree was going to be able to calm down and sleep. In the dimmest light left they watched the other three try and sleep as well. While the wind howled and threw grit and stone everywhere in a repeating tone.
