Elsewhere on the floating region of Sauria, Fox, Krystal, and Kyte had managed to get through the blizzard, thanks to the Snowhorn's help. It had been perilous, but the group was relieved to be out of the worst of it. They had arrived in another part of the region, close to the entrance to the mine.
"Well, that was intense. How is everyone holding up?" Fox asked the rest of his group.
"Doing fine on my end," Krystal responded. Krystal was shivering a bit but was mostly fine, seeing as she had fur and a parka on.
"How about you, Kyte?" Krystal asked her young ward. During the storm, she had taken Kyte and huddled with her, trying to keep the young flyer warm. Kyte was currently trying to shake off any excess snow and ice from her wings. She looked like she was still freezing, though. That was not unexpected, as Cloudrunners were not built for this weather.
"C-c-cold b-b-but I-I should b-be ok." Kyte stammered.
"Don't worry; we should be in the mine soon. It should be a lot warmer than out here, Kyte." Fox responded. He then realized he hadn't heard from Tricky. He turned around to search for the young Earthwalker but realized he wasn't there.
"Uh, I think we lost one," Fox said nervously, as panic shot through him and the rest of the group.
"What!? How did we lose sight of him? Should we go back?" Krystal began to panic, worrying what fate might have befallen the young prince.
Suddenly, the Snowhorn they rode on spoke. "I am sorry, but it's no use. He must have been lost in the blizzard. I doubt we could track him down if we tried, but don't worry. There are only so many places he could have wandered off back there; the area is not nearly as big as you think. He will turn up. I'll notify the other Snowhorn in the area in case he does."
Fox was a bit relieved to hear that but was still worried.
"I hope so. His parents will not be happy otherwise. Wow, we are terrible guardians." Fox muttered the last part under his breath.
Kyte then chimed in. "I am sure he will be fine, guys. We will find him soon, I am positive. But what do we do from here?"
"Continue with the mission for now. The mine's entrance should be close." Fox noted.
The group dismounted the Snowhorn and bid them him farewell. They preceded further ahead for a bit, following a few torches likely left by the Sharpclaw. Eventually, they found a cave, which they believed would be the entrance to the mines.
Fox took the lead. "Better be on our guard; I have no doubt they will be expecting us."
The group preceded into the cave, noting the metal piping and light fixtures inside of it. After walking through the cave for a bit, the trio came upon a metal door, which seemed to be button-operated. Fox was about to open it when Krystal suddenly stopped him.
"Fox, don't. I sense thought patterns just on the other side. I believe the Sharpclaw have prepared an ambush for us. Let me take the lead." Upon hearing this, the group stopped dead. Fox did as Krystal instructed and stepped back while Kyte perched on Fox's bag.
The vixen, meanwhile, seemed to be charging something within her staff.
"Might want to get back a bit further, Fox. On my move, get ready to attack." Fox nodded as he backed up. Krystal preceded to open the door. At first, nothing happened. But, within a few moments, a team of Sharpclaws descended on the group. Krystal, however, shoved her staff into the ground and released the built-up magic energy into the environment. The immediate area shook a bit on impact and caused many Sharpclaw to lose balance and fall over. Fox knew this was his chance and jumped in to attack.
While Fox lunged at the stunned Sharpclaw, the vixen killed a smaller one with her staff while a larger Sharpclaw managed to regain his bearings and get up. She then engaged the other Sharpclaw. While this was happening, Kyte had jumped off the vulpine's bag and had flown into the other room, trying to get away from the fighting.
The room she was in was a vast cavern. Upon entering it, she noted her surroundings. On one side, a large convertor belt was transporting mined ore to be processed elsewhere in the mine. Around this, Kyte noted many complex pieces of machinery lying around, with gears churning. On the other end of the room, she noted a number of prison cells whose guards had run down to join in the fighting.
They were near an iced wall. Kyte noted a Snowhorn appeared to be in one of them. She was about to fly over and speak to her when she caught sight of a small shape in a neighboring cell. It looks almost like…
"Tricky!" Kyte exclaimed as she fluttered over to him. The young Earthwalker was curled up, with his head turned away from the cell entrance. When Kyte got to him, she called out to him to get his attention.
"Huh?" Tricky turned around before a smile engulfed his face. "Kyte, you found me!"
"Thank the Krazoa we did; we thought we lost you in that blizzard. Though I suppose this is hardly an ideal circumstance." Kyte noted, before glancing around for a key.
"Look, I need to speak to you about a few things, but first I need to get out of here. I think one of the guards ran off with the key. Can you find him?" Tricky requested.
A loud, pained grunt sounded across the room right after he said that. Both dinosaurs turned their heads in the direction of the fighting going on.
"Looks like Fox and Krystal are busy. I think I see the guard who had the key down there." Tricky noted. At this, Kyte got what he was hinting towards and preceded to fly over to where the guard was. She retrieved the key from the Sharpclaw, who Krystal had defeated, and flew back to the young Earthwalker. Having seen Sharplclaw do it on the galleon, she opened the lock and freed Tricky.
The young prince jumped for joy. "Thanks, Kyte. I appreciate it."
"No problem. Now, was there something you wanted to discuss?" She asked him
"Yes, but once our friends get over here. It's something I think we all should be here to discuss."
After a few minutes, the fighting had died down, and the Kyte led the vulpines to where Tricky was freed. Both foxes were delighted to see their young ward safe and sound.
"Sorry about losing you back there, Tricky. We were worried about you." Fox had said. Tricky shrugged.
"I am just glad to see you guys again. Was worried about what those Sharpclaw might do to me." He said, shuddering.
Hearing this, Krystal knelt and stroked the young prince's head affectionately. "You won't have to worry about that, now." She stated before noting the Snowhorn in the other cell. She sensed thoughts of sorrow coming from her. Motioning for the key, Kyte handed it to the vixen, and they proceeded to unlock the cell. The Snowhorn suddenly turned around and gasped in surprise.
"Tricky, it's you!" She said as she ran up to nuzzle the young Earthwalker.
"Belina! You're ok!" Tricky responded as he returned the gesture. Belina had known Tricky for most of his life, as they had visited often when Queen Thera brought him when she came to talk to Gerunda Te. The young Earthwalker was like a little brother to her.
After nuzzling a bit, she turned to the rest of his group. "So, who are your friends here?"
"My name is Fox Mccloud, and this is Krystal and Kyte, the Cloudrunner princess." Fox was the one to speak. Belina took note of Kyte's presence, surprised to see an Earthwalker traveling with a member of his hated rival clan. Saving that for later, she instead inquired about Krystal.
"So, are you two an item or something?"
Fox looked away while Krystal blushed just a tad. Krystal was quick to speak up. "No-no, nothing like that. We are just friends, trying to help one another." She quickly stated. She sensed thoughts of embarrassment from the todd, as she expected. But still, a part of her thought such a relationship might not be so bad…
On the other hand, Fox was reeling in his embarrassment, desperately trying to cover his blush. During this, he briefly pondered the vixen's choice of words.
"She said 'friend' and not an acquaintance. Maybe I have shot with her. But I mustn't get ahead of myself." He thought briefly before getting himself focused back on the task at hand. "No, nothing like that. Now, we have important business at hand here. "He said before Tricky spoke up.
"Gross, Belina. Don't bring up that mushy stuff." The young prince stated, in the way one might expect from a young child, naïve to the concept of love. Kyte, meanwhile, was covering her beak, trying hard not to burst out laughing at what had just transpired.
"Sorry, sorry. I got ahead of myself, I suppose. Now, what are you doing in the mines, Tricky?"
Belina focused on the task at hand.
"We are on a quest to save the world and need the Spell Stone. Your father said it would be here in the mines." Tricky responded, at which Belina perked up.
"Father sent you? I didn't think he would send anyone after what happened." She said bitterly.
Krystal was the one to speak up. "He sent us here to aid you and the rest of your tribe." While Te did not directly say to rescue his daughter, Krystal knew this would only anger Belina. Gerunda had at least made it clear that he did not blame his daughter for his actions, and would like her safe, regardless.
"Really? He seemed pretty pissed when I saw him last before they forced me into the mines."Belina said, her tone still bitter.
Tricky then spoke up. "He doesn't blame you for what you did; he even recognized that you had no choice at all. You were only doing what you could to save your tribe from certain death. Why must you argue over something like this?" Tricky asked.
Belina shook her head. "Look, Tricky, you are too young to understand. It's not what Scales did that caused our rift. I appreciate that father understands my decision, but it's on more of a personal level that we argue, Tricky." Belina confessed, which confused Tricky. Fox knew he had step in and put a halt to this, as this was not the time to discuss it. Too much was going on a the moment.
"Look, Belina, we need to discuss this later, when we have more time. We clearly won't resolve anything at a point like this. For the moment, we need your help to free your tribe."
Belina nodded. "I think I can be of use. Give me a moment." She said as she pushed the others out of the way. She then charged through a rock wall in the back of her cell, which gave way to another hallway. "I had tested it before; I could tell it was very thin. Just needed a plan to form before I busted it down and got captured again."
Tricky and Kyte stared in awe at the whole the Snowhorn left, with the Earthwalker particularly impressed. "That was cool! Do it again." Tricky called, while Kyte was more impressed by Belina's strength.
Fox and Krystal looked a bit surprised to see how easily she burst through the wall but went along with it.
Belina basked in the glory for a moment before signaling the others with her trunk. "Now come along. My tribe won't free itself."
The Snowhorn led the group through a rocky corridor, seemly devoid of Sharplclaw. Traversing the cavern, they eventually came upon the entrance to a larger area. They could see a large cannon set up on some catwalks through the archway. Around the cavern, the team noticed many Snowhorn being forced to work in various ways.
The group hid just outside the entrance, beginning to discuss their next move. While Fox already seemed to be planning something, Krystal had sensed the thoughts of any Sharpclaw present in the room. After gleaming through their minds for info, she shared what she found with her group.
"I don't sense too many guards around here; most were probably focused in the ambush. The ones that are around are mostly focused on the cannon. I suppose they think that's all they need to keep the Snowhorn in line." She then turned to Fox. "You and I will sneak up there and take out the cannon. Belina, you wait here with Tricky and Kyte. Once we take out the cannon, rally the other Snowhorns. Any questions?"
Belina shook her head. The rest of the quartet did the same.
"Good, let's get this show on the road." And with that, the two foxes began their ascent up the catwalk, leaving Belina and her young companions alone. Tricky thought this might be a good time to apologize to Kyte.
Turning to the young Cloudrunner, he tried to figure out how to begin. "Uh, Kyte, there is something I wanted to say to you." He began, which piqued the princess' attention.
"I am sorry about how I treated you before. I thought about what Krystal said, and I think she is right: we both know what it's like to have our tribes suffer, and we are on the same side. I mean, you never really showed any prejudice towards me; to begin with, it was mostly me. And how you helped me save my mother; I owe you a much better thanks for what you have done for me."
Kyte was touched by his apology and decided to accept it. After all, she had been thinking the same thing as he was. "Apology accepted, Tricky."
The young Earthwalker was a bit surprised. "Really? Just like that?" He asked, bewildered at how quickly she accepted his apology.
Kyte shrugged. "I mean, I thought the same things you were thinking about our similar kidnappings and such. I know we have a lot of common ground. Besides, I never hated you Earthwalkers to begin with; I just want to put all that behind us. So what do you say, team?"
Tricky shook his head. "Team"
"Glad to see you come out of that useless prejudice, Tricky." Belina, who had been listening, tickled her 'brother' with her trunk before doing the same to Kyte. She had hoped to further lift the mood through this. Both younger dinos giggled at this gesture. The three shared a good laugh for a moment before Belina readied herself again.
Eventually, they heard the sound of fighting going on above them. The three glanced up and noticed a Sharpclaw getting kicked off the catwalks near the cannon. Others soon followed suit.
"Guess that's my cue. You two, stay here and keep out of sight; more guards will be coming in a moment." Belina noted before running off to aid her tribe. Tricky and Kyte just stood there before deciding to try to find a better hiding spot. Eventually, they hid behind a nearby rock.
Belina, meanwhile, had managed to help her tribe members out of their restraints and then started to lead them against any guards who were nearby. The Sharpclaw in the area faltered ultimately against the combined strength of the massive Snowhorns. Joined by Fox and Krystal, they engaged any incoming guards who came their way. After some intense fighting, many Sharpclaw were dead, with few scratches on the Snowhorn tribe. Tricky and Kyte had been watching the full thing from their spot, cheering for their friends and allies. Little did they know that more Sharpclaw were incoming from nearby. Two of these Sharpclaw, a pair of smaller, yellow ones, had spotted the children and moved to intercept.
"Hah! Those creeps had no idea what hit them." Tricky had said.
"Yeah, they never stood a chance." Kyte agreed, oblivious to the two Sharpclaw sneaking upon them.
"I would bet that even I could take on those idiots if given a chance." Tricky boasted, unaware two Sharpclaw were now in earshot.
"Oh, why don't you put that theory of yours to the test, then." A shrill voice mocked from behind the royal pair. Spinning around, they were face to face with an angry pair of Sharpclaw, who had heard the children's insults. Both children back away in fear.
"Not so brave now, without your little friends to save you." A Sharpclaw mocked.
But just as they were about the seize the royal pair, a heavy set of footsteps sounded from behind them, followed by a stern warning.
"Don't even think about touching them," Belina stated with a death glare. Before the Sharpclaw could even turn around, she had sent them flying into a nearby wall with a mighty blow from her tusks; a sickening cracking sound being audible from their impact. She then turned to her young friends.
"Are you ok?" She asked.
Both children nodded their heads and took it as a lesson not to tempt fate. Soon after this, they noticed that Fox and Krystal had run over. After making sure their wards were ok, they spoke with Belina.
"Ok, that should take care of them for the second. Any idea where the Spell Stone is?" Fox asked, eager to find the stone and get out of there.
"I think it should be through that large door further ahead. I heard of the Sharpclaw going in and out of there." Belina responded, gesturing towards the wooden door on the other side of the room.
It was at this pointed the group had heard the sound of more Sharpclaws pouring into the area.
"You get the Spell Stone, but beware of the guardian. My tribe and I will deal with the rest of those Sharpclaw. But be careful for the Galdon. He is very dangerous, though I don't know if the Sharpclaw freed him." Belina said before dashing off. Fox's group, meanwhile, made their way through the wooden door and entered the door.
On the other side, they came face to face with a giant creature, looking like a cross between a dinosaur and an insect. It had a long neck and insectoid body. It also had two hands and a strange ring around its face. It seemed to be frozen in a waterfall.
"What in all of Lylat is that?" Fox gasped. He had seen plenty of strange beings in his time, but he was still baffled at how strange this monster was.
"I have no idea. It doesn't look like any tribe I know of." Kyte commented.
"I think I heard a Sharpclaw call it a 'Klannadack.' I don't know much about those, though," Tricky said, recalling the conversation he had eavesdropped on.
"Its thought patterns are so… primitive. It barely seems to have any higher brain functions beyond instinct." Krystal stated, scanning the creature's mind. "It seems mostly dormant, though. It doesn't seem like it's able to get out of there on its own."
Soon, the group noticed what was in its hand.
"Look, that's got to be the Spell Stone!" Kyte exclaimed before flying up to try and get it out. Unfortunately, it had proven too heavy to lift, nor could she get it out for the creature's iron grip.
"Maybe we can try blasting it out of its hand?" Krystal suggested.
Fox shrugged. "Maybe. But be careful, its looks like that ice it's in is pretty fragile. I don't even want to imagine what this thing is like if it gets out."
Nodding, Krystal aimed at the Spell Stone with her fire blasters. She aimed with her best shots, but it would not budge. Unfortunately, a few shots had hit the creature's hand, causing it to begin to thaw.
"No luck, maybe if we.." Krystal began before her group suddenly heard the sound of ice breaking. Quickly turning their heads, the whole group noticed that the creature's hand was freed. Panic quickly shot over them as they backed away.
"Everyone, get back and brace yourselves!" Fox yelled. As he said this, Galdon slowly began to break the ice around its arm off. Once its arm was free, it began bashing at the waterfall as best it could, shattering the frozen waterfall. Once it was out, it glanced at the Spell Stone for a moment before it swallowed it whole. The Galdon then turned its hungry gaze towards the group before him.
"Damn it."
"Kids, get back," Fox shouted as he and Krystal drew their weapons. In a flash, the creature charged at them, but the group jumped out of the way. Kyte had fluttered high up towards the ceiling while Tricky dashed away with the vulpines.
"Krystal, search for a week point. I will keep it busy." Fox shouted while trying to keep the Galdon busy. Krystal circled around to the back while Tricky kept his distance. Meanwhile, Kyte had been circling in the air and noticed a weak-looking stinger-like protrusion from the beast's behind. Galdon kept trying to smash the group with its main body or legs.
"Krystal, try hitting it in the back of its body. I think the stinger is weak!" She shouted. Krystal responded that she saw it and begun shooting fire blasts at it. Kyte, meanwhile, had noticed Fox barely dodging its attack and preceded to try and help him.
"Hey ugly, up here!" She shouted, much to everyone else dismay. Her plan worked, and Galdon began aiming for her. To her surprise, he proved a lot faster than she thought, snapping at the young Cloudrunner in an attempt to eat her. Kyte shrieked in terror at this.
"Oh no, you don't!" Fox screamed, before hurling his sword at the beast's neck, with precision. It got lodged into the monster's neck, causing blood to start pouring out of the wound. The beast recoiled in pain before grabbing the sword out of its neck and tossing it away. It then diverted its attention away from Kyte and towards Fox, who ran after his sword.
"KYTE, NO!" Krystal had yelled when seeing her ward in danger. She quickly doubled her rate of fire on the beast's weak spot, as it had left itself vulnerable. She heard a sickening growl of pain before she saw its wince and direct its attention at her. She had barely a split second to react before it lunged at her and ate her whole.
"NOOO!" Was all Kyte could yell in response, as Fox and Tricky gasped in horror.
Inside the beast's belly, Krystal found it to be surprisingly hollow. The stomach acids had not yet seemed to harm her. She quickly noticed the Spell Stone lodged in the stomach matter, stuck.
"I've come too far to die as a meal to some monster." She affirmed to herself as she tried to lift the Spell Stone out of the beast. When her efforts failed, she spammed the fire blasts at the walls of the beasts, followed by ice magic. Anything that would piss this creature off worked for her.
On the outside, Galdon suddenly stopped and grasped his chest as if suffering indigestion.
"What's happening?" Fox asked before he noticed the creature looked like it was about to puke. It did, followed shortly by certain blue vixen flying out of it. Fox ran up to her and tried to catch her.
"Are you ok?" Fox asked as he helped Krystal to her feet.
"I am fine, but I saw the Spell Stone in there. We have to get it out." She then noticed a nasty wound on its neck. "And I think I know-how. Aim for its neck."
Fox nodded. Having retrieved his sword, he made to distract the beast again while Kyte and Tricky kept their distance. Meanwhile, Krystal began to try and freeze the creature's legs, hoping to stun it so she could have a clearer shot. She managed to dash close and momentarily freeze one of its legs, which Fox then slashed.
Galdon winced in pain again and increased its assault on the duo. It began shooting some kind of acid at the group. While Fox managed to dash out of the way of these attacks, Krystal started spamming fire blasts towards its neck again. After a few good hits, it began to wince in pain, clutching the wound. It then went berserk and lunged for the nearest target it could find.
While Fox had gotten away from it, it opted to go for something it considered weaker. Turning its head, it noticed Tricky just a few clicks away. As if to spite the two adults, it charged and lunged for the Earthwalker. Trick tried to run but tripped in his panic. The Klannadack quickly swallowed him.
"TRICKY!" Fox had shouted across the room. In his rage, he ran over and stabbed the creature in the foot of the injured leg, severely wounding it. Angered, it eyed Fox. Fox barely had time to realize how foolish he was to attack it like that before it ate him too, much to Krystal's and Kyte's horror.
Fox fell into the beast's stomach, horrified at this surroundings. Inside the beast, he found Tricky, who was bashing the walls to try and get out.
"Tricky, are you ok?" Fox asked.
"A monster just ate us; what do you think?" Tricky retorted. He seemed to be in a state of panic. Understandable, seeing as he had just been eaten.
Fox was grossed out by his predicament, but then he noted the Spell Stone, almost out of the stomach matter. He then got an idea.
"Don't worry; we are not going to end up as dinner. I will try and get the Spell Stone out. On my cue, hit the walls of the stomach with your flame breath. It should spit us out like it did, Krystal."
Tricky nodded, and the two got to work. After some heaving, Fox got the Spell Stone out of the matter and gave the signal to Tricky to burn the walls with his breath. Fox, on the other hand, began stabbing like mad.
Krystal and Kyte watched as the Galdon stopped again and ached in agonizing pain. It suddenly threw up both their companions and the Spell Stone. It then grasped its bleeding neck before it finally collapsed onto the ground, dead. It seemed its injuries had finally sealed its fate.
With viper-like reflexes, Fox grabbed Tricky mid-flight and twisted his body to cushion the Earhtwalker's impact. They landed hard on the ground but did not seem to worse for the wear, while the Spell Stone landed nearby. The two females ran over to their companions and checked on them.
"Thank the Krazoa you are out of there. But are you two ok?" Kyte inquired.
"Yeah, we are good," Fox responded before sighing in relief. It was done; the Spell Stone was theirs.
"Excellent work, everyone. I think this is confirmation that we all make a fine team." Krystal noted. Everyone cheered in agreement.
After resting for a few minutes, the group took the Spell Stone and walked out of the room. On the way out, Fox had stabbed the Klannadack's head just to make sure it stayed down.
After this, Fox had decided to carry the stone himself, to give the others a respite. Outside they found the Belina and her tribe sending off the last few Sharpclaw. As they saw the last of the savage lizard's runoff, she noticed Fox's group and preceded to greet them.
"Ah, you're back. And you got the Spell Stone." She noted as she got close to them.
She then got a whiff of their scent and winced in disgust. "But you smell horrible."
"It's because we just fought and got eaten by a giant monster. Probably the most disgusting thing I have ever been through." Fox said dryly. Krystal nodded in agreement, nearly puking at the thought of it.
Belina gasped. "You fought Galdon? Are you ok? I thought you could get the Spell Stone away from him without freeing him.'
"Well, we could not."
"And you said it ate you... wait, why does Tricky smell too?" She said as it dawned on her. "It ate Tricky?!" She said as she ran over and begun checking on the young Earthwalker. Tricky was embarrassed but let Belina look him over to calm her down.
"Yes, though we didn't mean for it to," Fox responded before being met with a glare. He didn't always have a way with words.
"But he's fine now," Krystal interjected, trying to diffuse the situation. She then added:" But next time we fight a giant monster, I think you two kids are sitting it out. There were too many close calls there."
"Fine by us." The two youngest said in unison.
"Anyway, let's get out of here," Fox noted.
After making sure her young friend was ok, Belina led the group and her tribe back to the surface. Kyte and Tricky informed their guardians that they had talked it out and made up on the way up.
"That's good to hear, but just like that? Seems a bit quick." Fox asked, surprised yet relieved.
"Yes. I mean, we both were on the same wavelength, to begin with; we just didn't know how to acknowledge it, I guess." Kyte summarized.
Krystal, on the other hand, was simply glad at the development. This was a major improvement for the pair; perhaps they could even become friends as the adventure went on. "I am proud of you two. I think the rest of your kind could benefit from this, as well." Krystal stated.
While the vixen brought up their tribes, Tricky figured he should share what he heard the Sharpclaw discuss about their plans to attack the Cloudrunners.
"Uh, guys, I have something I think I should tell you." Tricky began, catching the other's attention. All eyes turned to him.
Pondering for a moment, he decided not to sugarcoat it. "I overheard the Sharpclaws talking; they seemed to have gotten ahold of craft like Fox's and are planning to use them in an assault on Cloudrunner Fortress."
Kyte fell silent in shock before gasping in horror.
"NO! My family and tribe… we have to warn them!"
Krystal attempted to calm her down. "Easy there Kyte, We have no idea where your mother is right now, nor do we know how to find her." She began, "But neither does Scales. Think about it: You told me your mother was the Gatekeeper, right? Well, I would bet she put up a force field around the fortress as Gerund Te did here."
At this Kyte, began to calm down a bit. Fox figured he should intervene.
"And like you said, your family likely had prepared for such an event. Scales probably don't even know where your mother is." Fox had added.
Krystal had then put her hands on her the girl's shoulder. "We will aid them as soon as we can; we just have to get back to the surface. There is nothing more we can do at the second. Not up here."
Tricky then chimed in. "Don't worry, Princess. I am sure your family will be fine; there's no way the Sharpclaw's new toys could overcome your tribe's strength."
Kyte then perked up. "You guys are right. Thank you, though. I appreciate the encouragement." She said, a bit more calm, now that she could rationalize the situation a bit.
Fox, however, noted the mention of starships. Such a development could be worrying. He did not feel pressing Tricky for any more info, as he doubted it would yield anything new. He would have to report this to his team and investigate it further when an opportunity presents itself. If the Sharpclaw got its hands on modern technology, the situation could be even worse than feared. He brushed the thought aside for now, though, as Belina led them further towards the surface.
When they got back to the Snowhorn village, it had been nightfall. The group took shelter in a roofed area constructed by the Sharpclaws and started a fire. Fox had pulled out his sleeping equipment by now, while the two younger dinosaurs went to sleep, exhausted by their day. The group had started a fire to warm themselves around. Fox had given Krystal a sleeping bag, he then excused himself to go contact his team on the Great Fox.
"Hey Slippy, you there?" Fox had opened his calms, trying to contact his mechanic. After a few moments, he heard sounds on the other side, followed by Slippy's voice.
"Yeah, I am up. How have you been, Fox?" The toad asked, expecting a good story.
Fox then filled him in on the events of the adventure in Darkice Mines. "And now I think I need a bath more than anything." Fox had finished.
"Quite the adventure, Fox. Unfortunately, I don't think they have baths down there. Just wash off when you get to the surface in the river." Tricky joked.
"What's the status of the transmission system?" Fox refocused the conversation
Slippy groaned. "It was a hell of a job, but I think I got it fixed. I transported your Arwing up here and have begun the modifications. I should have it done by the morning."
"Thank's, Slip. I appreciate it."
"No problem, Fox. Honestly, it gave me something to do in the meantime."
Fox then realized something. "One more thing, I think I need my blaster sent down here. The situation is worse than we thought. The fight with that giant monster proved how under-equipped I am for this mission; I need the rest of my gear."
Slippy was hesitant. "But the general said-"
"That's just bureaucratic bullcrap the general is forced to follow. Besides, I told you about the technology they got ahold of; I am sure there's plenty of surprises in store for us. I am sure we can spin it as 'operationally appropriate hardware,' per the CDF(Cornerian Defense Force) policy. The Sharpclaw were not as primitive as we previously thought."
"Fair enough, I will run the authorization by the general and send what I can. I am going to finish up what I was doing and get some sleep. Slippy out."
Fox then hung out and walked back to the campfire. He then remembered the conversation with Belina they had when they met and figured it better to try to talk it out now, to resolve any lingering tensions.
"So Belina, I think we should finish our discussion about your father," Fox said, hoping to get them both out of there.
Belina nodded. "Yes, I agree. Look, Fox, I know my father loves me and at least understood where I came from when I made that decision to let Scales into the mine." She began before pausing.
"Look, you both want what's best for your tribe. He just felt duty-bound-"Fox began before he was cut off.
"as a gatekeeper to put the planet before our tribe. Look, I get it, truly. But I still think what he was doing was wrong. As tribe leader, he still has an obligation to protect his kind at all costs. Scales would have just forced his way into the mine once we were all dead anyway. The best I could do was win us cruel mercy at that bastard's hands. Even that suffering is better than extinction. But it paid off in the end, my tribe is now free, and we live on." Belina interjected.
"But that's not what this quarrel of yours is about, is it?" Krystal said, sensing thoughts of bitterness lingering in the Snowhorn.
"No, not exactly. You see, I am to be made leader sometime soon, once father decides to retire from his position. My problem with him is he doesn't respect my decisions. Even though we understand why we each decide what we do, he still disagrees with me on decisions like this." Belina said. "Look, I knew what the consequences were, but there was no choice in the end. He needs to learn to look past his stubborn views on his duty as Gatekeeper. He can't just choose to sacrifice our whole tribe on a whim, even with the world at stake." She went on," This was not the first time he felt I dishonored him, though this was by far the most extreme case, I think. Regardless, he needs to learn to accept that I won't always do things the exact way he would when I succeed him in his role. So, in short, I believe it's his stubbornness on things like these that created this rift between us."
Fox was going to speak, but Krystal talked over him. She had sensed a history of disagreements between the pair that led to this bitterness, and that this was merely a breaking point in terms of their relationship. Krystal knew she had a chance to help bridge this gap.
"Belina, your father loves you dearly. When we spoke to him, it was clear to me that he had been pondering what he was doing. Though he remained stubborn, I could tell he, deep down, knew he was wrong to feel that way towards you. He even noted that you might just have made the right choice in the long run. I think, after what you both went through, you can resolve this if you just give each other another chance." Krystal said.
Belina smiled. "Perhaps you are right. Sitting in that cell gave me time to think these things over, honestly. Maybe I was a bit stubborn myself." The Snowhorn said, before pondering her next choice of words." Look, I love him, and will always do so. He and I still get along and are on the same page; I guess we just need to bridge this gap. All I know is, I will be glad to see him when I get home. He and I will talk then." Belina finished.
"I guess that's all we can do." The vixen finished before she glanced at Kyte and Tricky asleep. "But, may I ask something else?" The vixen inquired.
"About their tribes, I take it? It's clear to me that those two must have been through something in common to even think of sleeping anywhere near the other. Their tribes have a nasty rivalry going." Belina noted.
"Yes, I know. Can you tell me why their tribes hate each other so badly? I have heard a little bit from other members of their species, but not too much. It seems a taboo topic, and I doubt I can get an unbiased account from either side." Krystal noted. Fox, by this point, was intrigued to hear this for himself. He hadn't wanted to pester either child with such a heavy question.
Belina sighed and explained what she knew. "It's been going on for centuries, really. Both tribes, ever since gaining power, really didn't see eye to eye. This was just because of their different lifestyles and such, as well as being rivals for power. They disagreed on how to live or who should have what. It took them a while to discuss boundaries, but they figured it out after a length of time. They even had trade routes between each other going at some point." Belina noted.
"But when did things really ignite then? It doesn't sound like this hatred is that old, as far as history is concerned." Krystal noted.
"At best, they tolerated and traded with each other out of pragmatism. But they didn't truly hate the other; it was more out of resentment and disagreement for the power each tribe had and their different lifestyle and views. But that all came to a head maybe four or so decades ago. You see, disagreements over territories and such had been escalating due to a mixture of factors. Things like the Sharpclaw gaining ground at the time, and trade routes and such getting jumbled, and so on. But, something triggered a particularly bloody skirmish over a rich territory. The Discovery Falls. What happened there was what escalated the disagreements into war."
Fox then spoke up. "What was so important about this Discovery Falls?"
"While it was always seen as a gem due to its lush water and falls, some ruins were found there by that point in the past. It was full of ancient artifacts relating to the Krazoa, as well as rooms full of treasures. Both the Earthwalkers and the Cloudrunners wanted such affluence. Since they had disputed the territory by that point, neither side had a firm foothold in it. But, never the less, both sides suddenly proclaimed Discovery Falls belonged to their tribes."
"I see where this is going," Fox noted, having seen such history transpire before, on other worlds.
"Both tribes sent their armed guards and ambassadors to settle this dispute. Though, as I mentioned, this peace talk turned bloody. The thing is reports of who exactly started the fighting are muddied; both sides blame the other for what happened. Though most of us assume both sides might have intended to initiate the attack, to begin with. Anyways, many bloody conflicts followed as a result. The war that followed lasted only about two years before both sides tired of the endless fighting and negotiated a fragile peace. But by that point, the damage had already been done: cities and territories were damaged, and a lot of blood was lost to both sides. The wounds were dealt, and the scars remained" Belina paused for a moment, likely thinking of the stories that should had been told.
Fox was sickened by what he heard but not surprised. He was used to stories like this by now. Regardless, he pressed on, hoping to learn more. Through this, he hoped he could maybe help smooth things over in the tribes.
"What kinds of wounds are we talking about?"
Belina looked at him and responded. "Important sites, such as statues and temples, were tarnished out of spite, and settlements were looted or ravaged. It was about sending a message to the other tribe. Such desecrations, combined with the losses of life inflicted, still taint the two tribe's relationships to this day."
"What happened after the war exactly?"
"The tribes rebuilt what was lost and mourned their dead. Discovery Falls had been left alone as disputed territory; both tribes left guards on their end of the falls. Only approved envoys may enter, although the Cloudrunners had made off with some of the treasure, as did a few Earthwalkers. No concrete word was given on what became of those artifacts, only that both tribes again claimed to have gotten ahold of them. But neither side has produced evidence of their claims. Anyways, they have hated each other ever since is my point."
"How bad are we talking?"
"Well, both seemed to have developed racism for the other tribe, born out of their resentment and hatred. I imagine many people in both tribes had their families lose loved ones in the conflicts and relatives pissed about the desecration of their settlements and looting that took place. Others might have had long-seated resentment for the other side to begin with; they did argue a lot anyways. For many, a combination of all of the above." Belina then thought for a moment before she went on. "What I wonder, though, is just how much they want to keep pressing this hatred. Each tribe has gone through at least a few rulers since the war, and neither side seemed to want to spark another conflict. Very few skirmishes have taken place between the two tribes in the intervening decades, likely out of fear of another war. The few skirmishes that did happen were dealt with swiftly and with diplomacy. Other than that, though, both tribes have left each other alone. Regardless, most Earthwalkers and Cloudrunners aren't too happy to run into each other." Belina finally finished.
Krystal still had a question, however.
"Has the escalation of the war with Scales put a damper on any of this? I mean, they have a common enemy now. Surely their rulers realize this?" The vixen asked.
Belina shrugged. "Probably, but I wouldn't know. Go ask them; I only know what the scholars and scribes have told me about this war. But I will add that I heard of a few Cloudrunners and Earthwalkers banding together to fight the Sharpclaw. Though it's likely out of necessity for what has been happening in this world." She said before she yawned.
"Look, it's been a long day, full of hardship and emotions. I think it's time we got some sleep." And with that, Belina walked over to where Kyte and Tricky had slept. She pulled in the Tricky close with her trunk, then she started using it to pull Kyte in by her fur, to keep the Cloudrunner warm. Both children were in such deep sleep that neither even reacted to this, they only snuggled closer to the Snowhorn. Belina then wrapped her trunk around Tricky and went to sleep.
"That's so cute!" Krystal squealed while Fox glanced at it with a smile. The two vulpines glanced at each other, knowing that they had just learned a lot. But regardless, they each needed time to process this information, before they discussed it anymore.
Both vulpines resigned themselves, and went to sleep, exhausted from everything that had gone on that day.
Author's Note: Well, this one was finished faster than expected. I won't lie, I found the Darkice mine part of this story to be one of the more boring parts to write. I thought I would use it to forward some character relationships and such, to keep it from feeling too much like a filler quest that just happens to be part of the main struggle. There are a few things I wish to address though:
. I was going to draw out the apology between Kyte and Tricky for later, but I found it better to address it here; the next few chapters will have a lot of plot threads and arcs going on, so it might have felt a bit to overstuffed by that point if I kept their bickering going towards that point.
Now that this is out of the way, I can get to addressing all the plot lines I have been building towards regarding the Cloudrunners and Sharpclaw technology. I have been building towards that whole ambush thing for few chapters now, and I don't want it to feel too belated.
That's the same reason I revealed the Earthwalker and Cloudrunner tribe's history in this chapter. Originally, I was going to do so at a later point in the story, but I figured there was no point in drawing it out for so long; it was obvious a conflict between the two tribes had happened at some point. It's not like it was some epic twist or anything. By using Belina, I could have neutral(in regards to their tribe's rivalry) character explain what happened, without the bias one of the Earthwalker or Cloudrunner tribes might show.
And finally, yes. I know I originally said I would have Fox mainly use the sword in this story, and save the blaster for later. The more I thought about the kinds of things they would be facing and the sword's lack of long-range abilities and uses(compared to the magic staff), I figured it would be stupid not to give Fox his blaster at this point. Though, as I noted, it could be a bit 'overpowered' in terms of what they are fighting in the story. I had originally planned to give it to Fox towards a much later part in the story(The details of that scene I won't reveal due to spoilers), but as my ideas for this fanfic evolved, I figured out a few ways to keep the fights and plot moments from ending anticlimactically. Like, say, when they confront Scales. That being said, I will have him keep using the sword, mostly for closer range melee. I will try to find a balance between the two.
So, until next time.