Dee waited patiently outside of the school. She could hear the whispers from the other parents. You would think the large ears would be a sign to be quieter, but no. Maybe they wanted Dee to hear. Either way, Dee ignored them. Amy was right though, the parents are definitely going to complain. The real question is, is the school going to tell Dee about the complaints, or keep quiet because they don't want to lose their most diverse student?

"Hi mom!" Ahylino ran up and hugged their mom.

Dee knelt down and hugged them back. She forced herself into a relaxed posture, to avoid worrying her child. "How was your day, little one?" Dee asked when they separated.

Ahylino shrugged. "It was okay. The teacher taught us about all the different kinds of mana," Ahylino's tone was bored, but Dee tried to act excited.

"That's amazing!" Dee exclaimed.

"Not really," Ahylino said. "You already taught me all that. And the teacher didn't even teach it right! She kept leaving stuff out and getting it wrong! I want to learn new stuff, not old stuff that's wrong," Ahylino crossed their arms in a huff.

"Ah, I see. Well, it's always important to go over the basics," Dee explained.

"I know," Ahylino huffed.

"And you need to remember you're not the only one in class," Dee rubbed Ahylino's head. "The teacher needs to make sure everyone is on the same level first. So, leaving some things out, and even saying something wrong, is probably how she thought it was easiest to explain. I'm sure you'll start learning new things once she's sure everyone else is caught up."

"I hope so," Ahylino sighed.

Dee nodded. "It'll come," She stood up. "Now, why don't we head home and get some dinner ready. You must be starving!"

"Starving," Ahylino repeated.

Dee held out her hand, and Ahylino took it. As they walked away, Dee felt her heart swell with pride and worry. She still couldn't believe she had a child already in school. They were so smart and eager to learn too. Dee needed to start thinking of ways to keep them interested. She didn't want Ahylino to get too bored and start falling behind. For now, though, they should celebrate. And she knew exactly how.

---

Ahylino ran through the trees, jumping to and dodging branches with ease. They could hear their mom calling for them, but they were too excited to slow down. Dee had finally agreed to let them explore the nearby forest. Ahylino was having a blast being out in nature again! The sounds, the smell, the everything. It all reminded them of home, in a way. After an hour or so, they found themself near the edge of the forest, and landed on a sturdy branch. They saw a clearing up ahead, and in it were several people. They were dressed differently than anyone Ahylino had ever seen before. All they could make out were robes that didn't seem to belong to them, just barely hiding their identities.

Dee landed on the branch next to them. "You're getting faster!" Dee cheered.

"Who are they?" Ahylino asked. Something about them was off. They weren't moving like normal people. Their movements were more fluid, yet also more... animalistic? Like they were both confident and unsure of their own movements at the same time.

"I don't know, but I don't think they're friendly," Dee warned.

Ahylino watched as the strangers spread out, their heads turning to scan the area. The way they did it reminded Ahylino of a predator on the hunt. But who were they hunting?

The answer came, as a group of people burst out of the bushes and into the clearing. Ahylino looked at their shoulders, just as they were taught, and saw the shield and two swords above weird lines. They were told those lines represented rankings in the army. Ahylino didn't understand that too much, but knew that the symbol meant they were adventurers. They were dressed in armor and carrying weapons. Ahylino could feel their mother tense up and her aura wrap around them protectively. The strangers looked at the adventurers and started to close in.

"What should we do, mom?" Ahylino asked.

"Stay hidden. Only jump in if they do something stupid," Dee replied. The strangers had a menacing aura surrounding them, but Dee didn't want to get involved with adventurers if she could help it.

As the two groups clashed, Ahylino quickly realized they couldn't just sit there. They could see the strangers were winning. They were wild and out of control, but also stronger and faster than the adventurers. And if the strangers got away, they could hurt other people.

Mind made up, Ahylino leapt from the tree and charged into the clearing. Their mother called out, but they didn't listen. They landed, or rather drop kicked, one of the stranger's head, sending them back a bit and crashing to the ground. Ahlino landed on their back, but quickly jumped back to their feet. The other strangers turned, their eyes wild and teeth bared. Ahylino felt a rush of adrenaline, and the crystals on their elbows began to glow. Two spectral, purple, clawed hands appeared. One grabbed the nearest stranger's arm and slammed them to the ground, possibly breaking the arm too. The other hand disappeared and reappeared in front of Ahylino in an instant, blocking a strike from one of the strangers.

"Mom!" Ahylino called for backup.

Dee stepped out from the trees, her four arms raised. She closed her eyes and the ground began to rumble. A moment later, a dozen vines burst out of the ground and wrapped around the strangers, immobilizing them. As they struggled, Dee moved closer, summoning a purple staff, and pointing it at the group. "Sleep!" She commanded. Mushrooms grew out of the vines, and let out puffs of spores into the faces of the strangers. All the strangers went limp in the vines' grasp as they fell asleep. The adventurers rushed over, surprised and confused.

"Who are you?" One of them asked, still on guard.

"Just a druid out on a stroll with her kid," Dee answered, not dropping her guard either. Ahylino ran up behind their mother, gripping her clothes with both their real and spectral hands. Even though the action seemed meek, the glare Ahylino gave the adventurers warned them that getting close would be dangerous. Dee put a hand on Ahylino's head, protectively. "Who are you?" She demanded.

"Just a party of adventurers," one of them calmly explained. They gestured to their friends to lower their weapons. "We were hunting those creatures. They're known to attack people."

"What is this, some RPG?" Dee muttered to herself. "Why are they just wandering around and attacking people?"

One of the adventurers walked up to one of the strangers and pulled back their hood, revealing a wolf head. "Animals, transformed by magic," They explained. "Some of them are okay. But, apparently a lot of them turn violent. We're still not entirely sure why yet."

"I'd be pissed at everyone and everything too if I went from four legs to two," Another adventurer said.

"I think their brains didn't change," A third adventurer added. "So they got a body that doesn't make sense to them, so they lash out."

"The point," The first adventurer continued, "is that we need to get them back to the Guild. We have healers that, if they can't calm them down, can turn them back into animals. Can't do anything about the magic they got, but it seems to make them go back to their normal behavior."

Dee sighed. She tapped her staff on the ground. The vines disconnected from the ground, but left the strangers tied up. "There. Take them. The sleeping spell will only last an hour."

"Will you be okay on your own?" One of the adventurer's asked.

"We're the ones who defeated them!" Ahylino declared from behind their mother.

"Easy there," Dee warned her child before addressing the adventurers. "Yes, we'll be okay. Just mind your business and don't do anything stupid to the forest. It may not be our home, but it still deserves respect."

The adventurers nodded and hauled the sleeping creatures away. Dee turned and walked back into the forest, Ahylino following close behind. They passed through the thick trees and plants with practiced ease. "Am I in trouble?" Ahylino asked.

Dee sighed, "You're not in trouble. You saw people in need and helped. I can't be mad at that." She gave a warm smile, "Just, try and listen to me. Those people could have hurt you. And to be clear I'm talking about both the creatures and the adventurers."

"I know," Ahylino sighed. "I'm just trying to help. I don't like seeing others get hurt."

"I know, I know." Dee said, ruffling their hair. "Your heart is in the right place. Just try and be more cautious. We're still on our own, and we can't afford to get in any unnecessary trouble. Especially with the Adventurer's Guild."

"Okay, mom."

Every Underdweller was wary of the Guild. They were basically the authority when it came to all things magical. The government claims it's to keep people safe and conduct controlled experiments and research. Really, it's a way to keep potential threats in line. Mainly, those from the Underworld. The Guild is always trying to explore the Underworld and learn more, not caring how much damage they cause on the way. All in the name of progress and knowledge.

The duo continued walking, their spirits lifted by the conversation, but Dee still felt on edge. She didn't think there was a Guild Headquarters nearby, so why were they so close to where they lived? Eventually, they made their way back to their apartment. Ahylino immediately jumped onto the couch and face planted the soft cushions. "Shoes!" Dee scolded. Ahylino kicked their feet and all four shoes disappeared and reappeared near the door. Dee took her shoes off and then walked into the kitchen. "What do you feel like eating tonight?" Dee asked.

"Pizza!" Ahylino exclaimed, their head peeking up from the couch.

"Sounds good," Dee said. She pulled out her phone and dialed the pizza place.

Ahylino, meanwhile, decided to play with their magic a bit. They took out a piece of bark that got caught in their hair and began to mold it with their hands, like dough. As the wood changed shape, Ahylino thought back to the stranger they had helped earlier. They couldn't help but wonder where they had come from and why they were fighting with those creatures. They didn't understand what they said, but figured it'll work out. Whatever is wrong with the animals, they'll adapt. Ahylino was excited to learn more about the world outside of their tiny apartment, and the adventures they could have. For now, though, they were happy to spend the evening with their mother, eating pizza and playing video games.