The morning sun had risen, washing its golden light upon the stony and dry kingdom, awakening the men to start their day while announcing for the night coloured Meanians to return and rest. Onel's dreams faded away as soon he opened his eyes to see the sun's rays shining in through his window, announcing the day's arrival. 

He sat up as he yawned and stretched his limbs. 

Onel, with his bright coral blue skin, cobalt blue beard and hair, extending to his waist, was true to his Sea Meanian nature. The Sea Meanian birth-brand was triangled on the tip of his chin, the tip barely cresting his lower lip, was just as bright as his beautiful cobalt hue. His sparkling sapphire eyes completed his deep-sea majestic watery attributes.

He pulled his body from beneath the sheets and walked away to change his short nightgown to his daily clothing; dark turquoise buttoned shirt shoved beneath his dark oak trousers, with coal-black leather boots. He rolled his hair into a tight bun on the back.

He went out of his room to go to the room next to him, he then peeked his head inside. The boy slumbered on the bed, yet half of his upper body was fallen to the floor, and he kept snoring softly.

Onel giggled at his silly position as he went up to him and knelt. "Wakey wakey little sleepyhead, the birds are chirping." Onel rubbed the boy's hair playfully.

"Just five more minutes..." The boy moaned tiredly.

"Come on Gholt, nighttime is over so say hello to daytime." Onel hugged him and lifted him off the bed.

"Nooo..." He moaned again. His eyelids were glued shut.

As Onel dragged Gholt's body across the floor, Onel made fake grunts and groans along the way.

"Oh no, I can't hold you on my shoulder anymore!" Onel faked his panic. "And that means... You're getting bigger!" He exclaimed with a gasp.

Gholt forced his eyes open. "Is it today?!"

"It's your Spawn day!" Onel cheered.

Gholt struggled out of his father's grasp and stood straight quickly. "Then I'm now ten!" He cried excitedly.

"Happia Sopan Diya." Onel gave him the joyful words as Gholt jumped multiple times with excitement; the tiredness was replaced with sheer energy when he remembered his Spawn DMeanians named it Spawn day because that they weren't born from a mother but rather spawned using special kind of magic. 

"I'm ten! I'm ten!" Gholt shouted. His long cinnamon-brown fur and sunset hair bounced along with his jumps, and his hair was messier and short, yet he had to tie it up for a neat appearance. And he had his father's sapphire eyes that sparkled with joy.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get changed!" His father pushed him gently towards his drawers to get changed.

After a moment, they went to their small dining area to find Fearian and Darvin waiting for them at the table, wearing their smiles on their faces. "Happia Sopan Diya!" They cheered.

Gholt went up to them and wrapped his arms around them tightly, and they returned the favour as the father joined the embrace.

"Ha... Happia Sopon Dowa?" A little boy managed to say, he was sitting on Fearian's lap. 

Gholt parted his hug to see the boy. The hair was a little short yet fluffy and coloured in magenta, with a hint of violet. The fur on a younger child was even longer and softer than an adult Meanian, and it was in the colour of lavender. 

His large adorable peachy eyes pleaded for a hug. So Gholt gave him a hug he wanted.

"Today is your big day, little Chirp." Darvin rubbed Gholt's hair.

"Oh stop it Kit-Kat!" Gholt teased and pushed his hand away.

"Looks like Chirp's behaviour is changing too." Fearian tickled Gholt's body immediately, and his young laughs escaped his smiling lips.

"Okay guys, stop it and let the young man have his breakfast." The father shooed them away, and everyone went to his wooden plate.

The family began and consumed their food as they chatted with each other. This family consisted of a single father with three sons, but they didn't have a female member among them, not even in the entirety of the kingdom. The race was known to be an all-male society because the absence of women was a mystery to this day. 

So not only did they not 'need' them for reproduction, but some men seemed to be satisfied by their disappearance due to some distrust issues. Yet some wanted to meet those kinds of species out of curiosity because sometimes they found it tiring to be surrounded by men and boys only.

"So, how were the stars?" Onel asked his older sons.

"Beautiful as usual," Darvin answered.

"Twinkling stars, shooting stars." Fearian muffled through his food.

"Did you wish for something?" Gholt asked.

"Pfft, come on Chirp you know that's not true." Darvin snorted.

"We don't believe in those things, if we wish for something we don't sit and wait, we either work for it or fight for it." Fearian pointed a fork at him.

"Oh, you didn't mention the black star you found Fearian," Darvin reminded him.

As if time had stopped, Onel's body got paralysed upon hearing Darvin's final sentence. He then felt his heart slowly sinking.

"Dad?" Fearian noticed his motionless body across the table, but Onel didn't show any kind of response. He didn't hear his son's calling. The brothers stopped their chattering and followed Fearian's gaze.

"Dad? Is everything alright?" Fearian asked again, hoping to receive a reply.

"Black star?" Onel's reply was of a shocked murmur. "You saw a black star?" He murmured again.

Fearian hesitated for a second. "Y... Yeah, there was a black star."

Onel stared at him in the eyes as if Fearian was lying. 

"Is something wrong?" 

Onel bit his lower lip with his sharp Meanian teeth as his eyes widened at him, like he was told that someone had just passed away. 

"Just give me a moment." He pushed himself away from the table.

"Dad--"

"Just give me a moment, please," Onel begged as he stood up and walked away.

Puzzlement whirred inside their minds of what just happened. Their time had been enjoyable. It lasted for a few moments until it was cut with a specific topic which they never thought it would end their time.

"What just happened?" Gholt blinked twice.

"I think there's something off with dad," Fearian kept staring at the door that his father went through. "he wouldn't freak out when we mention things like this," he added.

"I think maybe he knows something about it? But he would tell us, wouldn't he?" Darvin pinched his chin.

"Maybe." Fearian finally turned to look at Darvin.

Darvin sighed as he let the silence take over for another moment.

"Well, I'll try to talk to him later." Fearian's concern faded from his tone.

"M... Maybe he saw something scary?" The little boy rose his wooden fork up high.

"Oh yeah, little Purp?" Fearian rubbed his fluffy hair.

"So let's put this topic aside and focus on the important part that is..." Darvin patted Gholt's back. "Gholt's Spawn day." The pats on his back drew a perky smile on Gholt's slightly fluffy face.

"And you're going to take him out on his first hunt?" Fearian's lips curled into a smirk.

Gholt nodded excitedly. 

"Well then, you go on with your first training, and when you finish, we'll see who wins." Fearian's eyes showed his confidence when he squinted them.

"And the loser gets to cook it for tonight's dinner, deal?" Gholt folded his arms and squinted back. 

"It's a deal." Fearian offered his hand to Gholt. And he accepted the handshake.

"I-I want to hunt too!" The boy cried with his cute childish voice.

"We'll hunt together Purp," Fearian stood up as he lifted him from his lap. "but first, let's get these plates clean," he added. 

~~~

"We're going hunting hunting, we're going hunting hunting." Bryan chanted and jumped beside his father as they walked on the cobblestone street of the Marketa district. His purplish fur dancing as he went along.

People bought and sold from the fabric-covered stalls, it was crowded a bit as the people chatted in groups, and the sellers shouted for their interest and attention. Making the place a little loud.

 Fearian was okay with it as long as he held his son's hand tightly. At the same time, a dark shade hovered above his head, to protect his sight from being taken by sunlight.

He approached the stall where it sold hunting equipment of wooden spears and bows, and the seller was arranging the weapons with his back turned. So Fearian called him with a whistle, and the seller turned around.

"Welcome to the weaponry shop, how can I... " The seller trailed off as he recognised his customer with squinted eyes. Fearian grinned at his notice.

"Hey Ruby Rube how's life going with ya?" Fearian greeted him cheerily while the seller groaned. 

"It's Ruben, don't make fun of my name," Ruben growled. "what do you want this time Naught?"

"Woah why the grump face? I thought we got over this-- It's been three years now." Fearian tapped his fingernails on the counter while the other hand sat on his waist.

"A Naught stays a Naught!" Ruben almost smacked his counter with his palms. "What do you want?! Hurry cause I don't have time for you!" He folded his arms.

"Ouch, you hurt my feelings." Fearian clutched his heart with fake pain as Ruben rolled his eyes.

"Coorse tehas Nawojehte... " Ruben mumbled in Meniesh. Fearian pretended he didn't hear this. 

"Well I won't make it long so, I just need a new bow." Fearian glued his palms together.

"And what happened to the one you bought a month ago?" Ruben raised an eyebrow.

Fearian hesitated as he let out a hiss of nervousness for a moment. "It... Got snapped into two by a moose's hoof as it ran away." Fearian laughed nervously.

Ruben squinted his eyes with a growl. "That will be the final time you come to this shop," he mumbled under his breath as he knelt grumpily, searching for his order. "got arrows with you?" He asked as he searched.

"Got 'em already." Fearian nodded up.

Ruben stood up with a bow in his hand. 

"How much?" Fearian readied his pouch.

"30 Lapises," he declared. The price froze Fearian in place.

"30?! That's way too much for a simple bow!"

"This bow ain't simple! It's more solid and thick that it won't break no matter how many time you use it, it's even polished. So that'll be 30," Ruben explained.

Fearian tapped his foot as he sighed in defeat. "Fine." He poked his thumb into the pouch's hole as he pulled it open. Fearian then counted each blue stone as he placed them on Ruben's open palm.

"18, 19, 20..." Fearian counted out loud, not to mess up and because he preferred to count the numbers out loud.

When he finally finished his payment, he let out a exhale.

"That's enough, now remember this Naught. Whatever happens to that bow yet again I swear to the Mighty Kings that I won't let you buy from me again, hear me?" Ruben let out a warning growl as Fearian bit his lips and made them into a straight line across his face.

"But, how I'm going to get more weapons or repair them?" Fearian stuck his lower lip out like a child.

"Find yourself another weaponry shop, or better make yourself a new one, now scram!" Ruben barked quickly as he turned away.

"Fatehers forbedi," Fearian muttered as he grabbed his son's hand again and walked away with the bow in the other hand.