“Kweeh kyew-kwee!”
“Grr-oink.”
“Pyuu-wuu?”
In this fashion, they kept a lookout for enemies while snacking on any yummy-looking herbs they came across. It was a taste test, so to speak. Just as importantly, they were picking matured stems rather than young buds, pruning the growth in order to produce herbs of even higher quality.
Tough, isn’t it? Like this, see! Right here! Tee explained as it pecked at the food with its beak. The lumbering boar also chowed down. The mini-dragon inclined its head in confusion, but followed suit. To Lacey, it just looked like the three creatures were playing, but nothing could be farther from the truth. They were always as serious as could be.
“If that monster doesn’t belong to the Dragon Postal Service, then is it feral?”
“I haven’t heard much anything about mini-dragons living in the wild, but it’s a possibility. What do we do next, then?”
Lacey and Wayne seemed to be discussing something with sober looks, but that was none of the monsters’ business. We have to revamp our strategy for protecting the field! Tee cried. The boar firmly agreed.
“Tamable monsters don’t have to be eradicated, but I’m not sure it’s the best idea to just release it back into the wild.”
“It looks like it’s still a juvenile, so its parents might be nearby.”
“Hmmm...”
In contrast to Lacey and Wayne’s quiet conversation, the monsters were getting down to business. Found some! Tee expressed with a “kwee kwee.” There was a new strain of medicinal herb growing there. And it tastes really yummy.
What?! All three of them jumped at it and munched or pecked it down, their butts wiggling in the air.
“Mini-dragons can be trusted with the postal service, so that means they’re a clever and docile species. It can probably survive if left on its own, but I’d still worry about it,” Lacey said. “I mean, I’ve already got two pets, so a third one wouldn’t make a difference...”
“This mansion’s definitely big enough for it,” Wayne remarked. “Why don’t you give it a name and tame it?”
“I-I don’t think giving it a name is really...”
“Well, I guess it’s good enough that you’re lending it a room. By the way, they’re eating a ton over there. Is that okay?” Wayne pointed a finger at the trio, who turned around and met Lacey’s gaze. They immediately froze.
Lacey thought about it for a little. “Yeah. They’re always helping me out, and it looks like they know how to moderate themselves.”
As soon as Lacey responded, the group resumed their feasting with even greater intensity. They weren’t even looking at Lacey and Wayne anymore.
“If you say so, then I guess it’s all right...?” Wayne tilted his head and gave a strained smile. Meanwhile, Lacey brainstormed more about how to find the mini-dragon’s parents.
∗ ∗ ∗
The mini-dragon had been stuffing its face with herbs, but soon after, it suddenly shrieked, “Pikyaaa!”
It had remembered its very important mission. It had been focusing on recovering from its wounds and exhaustion, so its mission had completely slipped its mind. The mini-dragon used its tail as support and skillfully stood up on its hind legs while its front paws trembled.
What’s the matter, recruit? Tee talked down to it with a “kwee.”
The mini-dragon frantically told Tee. “Pyu pyu pyu-pyuu-ee! Pyu-pyuu-ee, pyu pyu pyuu!”
“Kyew-kwuuuuuuh?!”
“Grr-oink-oink grr-oink?!”
“Sounds like they’re having fun over there,” Wayne commented.
“I’m glad they’re getting along,” Lacey agreed.
The monsters’ panic didn’t get across at all. Lacey and Wayne just watched them peacefully. It was a stark contrast.
Tee summarized what the distressed mini-dragon had said. In short, the mini-dragon had been in the middle of transporting an “important thing” when it had been attacked by monsters and barely escaped with its life. It had dropped the “important thing” at that time, but since it remembered the scent, it could find the object again. It had to be retrieved somehow, the mini-dragon sincerely pleaded.
Now that it had regained its stamina and its stomach was full, the mini-dragon had to go recover the object, or so it asserted. At this, Tee screeched, “Kwuh?!” The approximate location was a whole mountain away. It wasn’t a distance that a young monster could easily travel.
Hold on. Tee reined in the mini-dragon with a flap of its wings. Then it waddled over to Lacey’s feet.
“Hmmm, mini-dragons have a good sense of smell... If we can spread its scent over a wide area so its parents catch a whiff... But how... Oh, what’s up, Tee?”
“Kyewww-wark?! Kwuh kwuuuuuuhhh!”
“Sorry, I’m a little busy right now. You can show me your dance later.”
It then despondently trudged back.
Lacey could guess the general idea of what Tee and the boar wanted to tell her through pantomime, but it was ultimately just body language. It was very approximate, so whether or not the intricate details got across made a huge difference. Tee had vehemently moved its wings to convey a sense of urgency, but Lacey had just interpreted this as it wanting to show her an intense dance. Tee felt a mix of frustration and sadness within.
The mini-dragon would have a tough time on its own, so Tee had wanted to borrow help from Lacey, but it couldn’t make her understand what was going on. Lacey seemed to be preoccupied with something else, so it was bad timing.
“Nkwee...” it moped. But then it dynamically stretched its wings upward with a “Kwuuuh!” Since the mini-dragon was a new recruit, then it fell to the senior to provide support for the junior.
The three of us together should go retrieve the dropped “important thing”! Tee yelled. The mini-dragon’s eyes sparkled.
Oh, all right, the boar shook his head with a “grr-oink.” But of course, he had no intention of stopping them.