In the two months that followed, they trained hard, every single day. Leanna had taken to spending most of her time at Evan's, watching them train. Her excuse was that he'd been having trouble with his crops growing, and that he needed her help. Her father didn't mind. She was also showing more. During the last of it, her belly was starting to swell even more. And worryingly, slight floating particles were appearing around it. There was no hiding that, and there was now no doubt that the child she carried was half Ender.
Her father worried about her; he thought she was getting sick. But she refused to tell him a thing about Kuu, Luka, Vyyr, or the Fox.
Luka came by every single day, training hard with the Endermen, Kitsune, and human. The beer gut he usually had vanished with the hard work.
Evan, too, had filled out considerably. His slight gut had melted away, revealing defined muscles that only got stronger with the daily work of training and sparring. Even Kuu had filled out some. He looked fiercer and stronger.
He was strangely attached to Leanna and showed to be extremely protective of her. He constantly brought her food, or blankets, or did everything he could to keep her warm and safe. It was instinct, after all; Endermen were protective of a pregnant female, as well as their child. He knew it was his, he could sense it. But his or not he would have been extremely protective.
As the training continued, odds looked better and better.
Vyyr confirmed that there were six different enemies. At first, he was unsure on the sixth, but with some snooping around and investigating, he'd discovered him. There were two females, and four males. Three of them were related to Kuu; one of the females and two of the males. The youngest seemed to be a half sibling. He had gotten close enough to actually see them thanks to his knowledge of the Overworld.
The Kitsune showed them a mix that would hide their scent quite thoroughly. The mix was simple; a certain type of shelf mushroom; dried and crushed into a powder along with the juice of fresh ones to turn it into a paste; with moss, the sap of the white-barked trees, and a mixture of soil and crushed up leaves, all mixed together into a paste and smeared onto his skin. T
his had concealed the old one's scent completely. Not only did it hide his scent, but it made him smell exactly like the forest around him. He'd gotten in close and observed the group; and even found ways to delay them by placing the mix throughout Evan's house. Kuu had protested mightily, but had finally allowed the goop to be smeared on him as well. It was oily, sticky, unpleasant, and tingled on his skin; but it bought them time.
Vyyr wanted to give them as much time as he possibly could to train and hone their skills. Since they seemed to be tracking Kuu by scent, covering his scent was the obvious step to take. They would find them eventually. That much, Vyyr knew was unavoidable. But every moment of time they had to train and get ready was a moment of time they didn't have before.
As they were training, though, Vyyr froze. His head lifted right up, before he quickly went to Leanna's side. Her water had broken, and the scent had been strong enough to catch Vyyr's attention instantly.
Evan, wondering what was up, followed only to see Vyyr moving Leanna inside to Kuu's bed.
Fortunately, the birth went smoothly. There were no complications, and the labor was actually quite easy and quick. When finally the tiny cry of a newborn, slightly staticy and not quite human, filled the air, Vyyr finally let the others close to see it.
"Its eyes aren't open..." Leanna said tiredly. "Is it ok?"
'This is normal.' Vyyr said calmly. 'Our kind don't open their eyes for... a weeks or so, after birth. Two to three days is all it should take for a hybrid.'
The child was tiny, with a long and slender body, and long limbs. Not as long compared to its body as ender limbs; but still longer then humans. The skin was dark gray, and the hair was black, curly like its father. Tiny claws were dull and short, and the feet had five claws on them rather then the four the Enders had. It was a rather nice nice of the two.
"Boy or girl? I can't tell..." Leanna said tiredly.
A breath of the little one's scent confirmed it was a boy. 'Male' Vyyr said simply.
Kuu finally approached, eyes bright and curious. He leaned in closer, letting out a deep purr and gently nuzzling the little one. His purrs grew louder as he instinctively groomed him clean with his long tongue. At first Leanna wondered what he was doing, but Vyyr once again reassured her that that was completely normal. Since she hadn't groomed the little one; the father would.
'I do think that Kuu will be the one taking care of him.' Vyyr said, with a gentle smile. 'I can tell he has never been a father before... probably never even mated before you. But his instincts are strong.'
"That means I can come visit." Leanna said, smiling a bit. "I know where this place is."
"Why don't you just come live with us here? Kuu wouldn't mind." Evan said.
"I have my duties in the village." Leanna said, watching as Kuu cuddled up with the little one. He was purring on and on, each outward breath almost a soft chuffing sound, his eyes half closed. "Besides... the child will be well cared for here. My father would also want to come visit me here, and that would give away our secret... It's best I live in the village, and you live out here. I don't want Kuu getting hunted down because curious people discover his whereabouts."
Evan nodded. "I understand." he said. Perhaps he was slightly disappointed, but that could not be helped.
'The child being born before the battle will give us a clear advantage.' Vyyr said, after a moment.
"How so?" Evan asked.
'Our kind are extremely protective of our children. Kuu is likely to be several times more vicious and ruthless in battle. He will fight with a ferocity he would not otherwise attain. There is nothing more deadly then a Shadowkin protecting their offspring.'
"And when they attack..." Evan mused.
'In his mind, the child will be in danger. Even in the house, safely locked away, his instincts will want to protect him.' Vyyr said. 'He will fight far more fiercely then he would otherwise.'
"You speak as if the attack could happen any day..." Evan said, worriedly.
'They get closer each day.' Vyyr said. 'The leader of their group is ruthless, they've recently found signs of Kuu at your old mine. It's only a matter of time before they discover the house.'
Evan's face went pale. He had been training hard, but he was still very afraid of the prospect of fighting six Endermen. Even Vyyr seemed on edge. He paced slowly.
"These six who are coming to attack..." Evan said, after a moment. "They are your own species... how do you feel about killing your own?"
'They cease to be Shadowkin the moment they choose to worship that beast!' Vyyr almost growled, his voice low and almost threatening. For a moment his eyes gleamed with hatred and anger, before he shook it off and composed himself.
Evan stepped back at that flash of anger across Vyyr's face. Vyyr gave him an apologetic look.
'I am sorry it's... a very sensitive subject for me.' He said. 'The ones attacking are mostly related to Kuu. I believe their leader is his mother.'
Evan looked to Kuu. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked worriedly.
'She wants me dead. No matter where we run she will find me. We have to face her now and end it... or run for the rest of our lives.' Kuu said. 'I won't let her hurt me anymore, and if she THINKS I will let her hurt you, like a brother to me, my friends, or my son...' A deep, rumbling growl came from Kuu's chest as his eyes narrowed in complete and pure determination. 'Then she's in for a surprise. I will tear her apart if I must!' His claws tensed slightly, but he was still quite careful. He still had the little one in his arms.
"And know that I'll do everything in my power to make sure she doesn't hurt you, or any of us." Evan said. And he meant it. Kuu let out a purr in response.
'Thank you. Without all of you I'd... I'd be dead. I would not stand a chance against Mother and the others who are with her...' Kuu said.
"Anything for you, Kuu." Evan said. He patted his friend's shadowy shoulder. "Let's get some sleep, it's been a long day."
'Let's take a break for a few days.' Vyyr commented. 'They are close; we do not want to exhaust ourselves before they arrive.'
"Good idea." Evan said. Luka and Moonshimmer had been staying at their house for the past week; so they would be there when the attack came. They didn't want to be caught off guard.
Over the next few days, strategies were discussed. Luka and Moonshimmer would hide; and Luka would not show his wolf form until necessary. It would add the element of surprise. Moonshimmer would keep them distracted and on their toes while Evan, Kuu, and Vyyr fought. They would try to pick off the leader first; hoping to lower the morale of the rest of the group.
On the third day, the hybrid child opened his eyes, purple like his father's. He was named Devrik; since he was not pure Ender he did not have an Ender name.
The sun had almost risen on the fourth day, when Vyyr tensed and lifted his head. They were coming from upwind; which showed their lack of knowledge of how the Overworld worked. There was no wind in the End; they didn't quite realize that the wind was carrying their scent right to Vyyr.
Alerted, the old Enderman stood quickly and lifted his head and let out a long, sharp warning call. A haunting sound that, while not too terribly loud, carried. Kuu heard it instantly, answering with his own sharp call. Evan, Moonshimmer, Kuu, and Luka all stood quickly. The thing they had all been preparing themselves for, was about to happen. Leanna was still there; though Vyyr still wasn't letting her fight. She was recovering from the birth, and he did not want her blood on his hands.
Evan couldn't completely hide how nervous he was. His hands shook a bit as he quickly put on his armor. Luka put his brightsteel armor on as well; which had been enchanted by Moonshimmer. The fox did not wear armor; she had no need for it. She was in her larger fox form, nearly the size of a horse. Her five tails swayed behind her as her sharp ears perked and her blue eyes gleamed.
They met the six Endermen at the treeline.
The tallest of them was the Enderfemme with the scarred hand and missing fingers. Her eyes glowed fiercely as she growled, the sound low and frightening. It made Evan's heart quiver in his chest. It was even worse then when they had been attacked not long after he'd met Kuu. One could easily see the resemblance between Kuu and his mother. She was taller, and much stronger in appearance, but the shape of their eyes was similar, and the structure of her face. She was clearly much older then Kuu. She carried herself with pride; like a leader. She clearly had full command of the five other Enders with her. She wore a medallion on a band on her arm, with the shape of the dragon's face meticulously carved into the metal. Vyyr explained that it was a visible sign to other Endermen that she was 'blessed by the dragon' and thus the leader. Not just of this small group of Endermen, but an entire Colony that worshiped the dragon. She had a certain... deadly beauty about her. Her body was tall and strong, with defined muscles. She had a subtle flow of curves about her, waist narrow, flowing into shapely hips and long, slender legs. Her face had feminine features to it; beautiful but deadly. Evan was reminded of a black widow... all she needed was a red hour-glass on her toned stomach. On first inspection, males and females were quite similar; but looking closer did reveal the differences between the two. The female's eyes glowed with pure hatred as she stared right at Kuu.
Kuu looked unsure, and scared. Evan noticed he was trembling, unable to keep his posture from changing to submissive as he took a slow step back. Her gaze was harsh and commanding. Even Evan found himself wanting to submit and step back. But he didn't let himself. Kuu let out a soft, wavering growl, that was more like a whine. Almost... longing. Maybe even hopeful. She was his mother... He was drawn to her. It was only natural that he wanted her acceptance. Especially since family was so important to his kind. Endermen did not like to be alone, after all.
'Mother...' Kuu said. He winced and took another step back at several growled words from the tall Enderfemme. She glanced towards the female beside her. Evan and Kuu both recognized her as their attacker from before. She spoke more harsh words to the one beside her, who appeared to be defending herself against them.
"What are they saying?" Evan wondered out loud.
'She told Kuu she is not his mother and that he is fit for nothing but dragon food.' Vyyr practically growled in anger at these words. Evan saw barely restrained anger behind his words, and his gaze. Such a look was so odd on the normally calm and quiet old Enderman. 'She blamed that one, for letting him get away. That one did not know it was him and was in the throes of her heat when they first met; thus she had not thought to capture him and bring him to her. It appears that his mother blames him for the anger of the dragon. Their clan has been under attack from it. I do not understand why they don't stop worshiping that monster and fight back. Instead, they turn against their own...' He had to stop, and calm himself. His lip was curled, revealing his teeth as he stared intently at the female with a deep snarl that made Evan shake to the bottoms of his feet. 'And she is the leader because she is most loyal to that … that... THING.'
Evan could practically taste the hatred in Vyyr's voice as he spoke of the dragon. The old Enderman bristled with every mention of it.
'She is now telling her she has one chance to make it right. She has instructed that none of us are to be killed unless necessary since that beast prefers its meals fresh and alive. She thinks that bringing... all five of us, to the dragon... will appease it.' Vyyr finally finished explaining. He shuddered at that, his eyes narrowing. Not if he had anything to do with it. He would never, ever, EVER face that beast again.
She had now turned, and was speaking to Kuu, her lip curled with hatred at each word. That arrogant sneer on her face revealed all her teeth, making Evan cringe a bit. He glanced towards Vyyr.
'She now offers that we come willingly, or suffer at her claws before she takes us herself.' Vyyr explained with another deep growl.
"Like HELL we will!" Evan snorted.
Kuu felt the same. And the threat to those he cared about sent his true courage bubbling to the surface. His submissive posture vanished as he suddenly stood as tall as he could, showing all his teeth as he spoke fiercely. His frame grew slightly larger as the line of spikes along his back rose to their full length. Extra spikes appeared as well, three along his forearms, and three on his shoulders. It gave him a frightening and intimidating appearance. His fear vanished as he took a few steps closer to his mother. 'I will never go back with you!' Kuu snarled. 'And I will NOT let you hurt my friends! You denounced me as your son, simply because I was born a bit small. You tried to feed me to that dragon, just because you were ashamed of me. I've learned what family is. I've learned what true friendship is and what it is to be loved ... And I'm NOT letting you take that away from me! I am NOT letting you hurt them! If you want to hurt them, you will have to kill me first!' He ended his speech with a deep savage snarl, his eyes blazing.
'He's aggro.' Vyyr said. 'And controlling it... incredible. Most can not control that state very well.'
"... Aggro?" Evan asked.
'When one of us is taken in a terrible rage, our forms change. We become larger, and all of our spines come out. He is holding clear speech, and not attacking her. He has incredible self control.' Vyyr explained.
"We aren't in any danger.. are we?" Evan asked.
'He has gone aggro to protect us. We are safe.' Vyyr said.
Evan had to smile at the courage in Kuu's every word. His fear was melting away as he watched, replaced by resolve, and fierce determination. He looked bigger, and stronger now with such firm conviction to his every word. Vyyr smiled.
'I knew the boy had it in him.' the old Enderman said.
'And trust me, mother, I will fight to my last breath!' Kuu finished. He spoke the word 'mother' almost mockingly. That actually shocked the female. The sneer disappeared from her face, followed by several moments of silence as her sneer was replaced by a look of mild shock and slight confusion. She stepped towards them, though, as her sneer re-appeared.
'So be it.' She hissed, and Vyyr translated. 'You brought the wrath of the dragon upon us. You spelled the near destruction of my Colony...' She spat her words like venom. 'For that you... and your new family will pay. You will pay, in pain and blood, for every member of my Colony that died because you angered the Dragon!'
Her tone slowly turned into a vicious snarl, then into that horrible Ender
howl. It seemed like it would never end, rising as her entire body quivered with rage. No spikes appeared on her, but her glowing eyes grew brighter as her claws grew out to their full length and an odd ruff of fur covering her back and shoulders stood on end, bristling up fiercely. She was soon in her fully aggro state, her screaming howl rising to be joined by the howling screams of her five followers.