Xel stirred awake, blinking a couple of times before remembering where he was and what he was doing. He glanced down and stopped when he found Grian, curled up on his chest, smiling as he slept.

He couldn't help but just stare at him, surprised.

He hesitated before gently nudging him with his finger. "Grian..."

Grian slightly stirred, still rather sleepy. "Hmm?"

"We should get going."

"Okay..." Grian mumbled before falling back asleep.

Xel sighed and carefully held him in his arms. "You need to wake up kid."

"Mmm."

Xel sighed as he carried Grian as he stood up and headed towards the exit when he got an idea. He smirked under his helmet and carefully held Grian out.

Grian jerked awake with a sharp gasp from the brief meeting he had with the cold water elevator and looked around. "Wha?!"

Xel was laughing. He was wet too but it was worth it.

Grian turned to him before frowning. "That wasn't funny!"

Xel just laughed harder, setting Grian down. "It actually was rather funny."

Grian's wet fur bristled. "It was rude!"

"You wouldn't wake up." Xel defended, finally calming down enough to breathe and stand straight.

"You weren't trying!"

"Then consider that as me trying." Xel replied as he wrung out his elytra.

Grian pouted and shook, spraying water everywhere, making Xel laugh again. "Alright. Come on, Kiddo."

"I'm not a kid! We're like the same age!"

"Are you sure about that?"

"I-" Grian glanced down making Xel laugh.

"Alright, I'll admit. We are about the same age. I believe I'm slightly older though so..."

Grian groaned. "Not fair."

Xel just laughed as he tucked him in the sweater and Grian poked his head out as they stepped out to launch off.

Grian blinked at the bright sunlight, his nose twitching slightly at the fresh smell but stopped when he smelled something odd. "Xel, do you smell that?"

Xel looked at him. "Smell what?"

"That. I don't know. It's just... Off."

Xel sniffed. "No. I just smell wet cat."

Grian narrowed his eyes at him. "You're the worst." before sighing. "I am being serious though it smells-" He sniffed again. "Oh. It's gone..."

"Maybe it was just you?"

Grian's ear twitched. "No. It was a fainter smell. Like something in the air. But I don't know what."

Xel frowned. "Well. We'll keep our eyes out then. But we got some hermits to find."

Grian nodded. "Right! Let's go!"

The two rocketed into the sky. 

-----------------------------------------------------

After hours of searching, Xel landed near the medieval district. "They aren't anywhere around here..."

Grian looked down. "Do you think he caught them already?"

Xel sighed. "I don't know, Gri. It's possible. And if that's the case then we don't know where to even begin looking..."

Grian sighed as well before looking up. "We could look at a map maybe?"

Xel shrugged. "We can try that." he agreed.

Grian nodded as they turned to go before spotting the train station. "Wait. Let's check the station."

Xel glanced over at it. "Alright."

As the two got closer, they saw the damage done to the place.

"What happened here?" Xel muttered as Grian hopped down. "Careful, Gri."

"I know." Grian replied as he stepped forward, looking at the damage. "They had to have been here..."

Xel stepped inside and found broken potion bottles. "I think you're right. There's potion glass in here."

Grian's ears laid flat. "He got to them..."

Xel came back out. "But now that we know, we aren't spending time looking for them out here. We are looking for a base."

Grian nodded. "Right. Iskall has a huge map of the island. So does Cub I think."

Xel nodded. "I have parts of map that aren't the main island we can add too it."

Grian nodded as Xel put him in the sweater again.

They quickly headed for Iskall's.