~Chapter 5 – The Bog Woods~

Cmar marched with the kids through the woods back to their settlement, listening as Jirro explained their recent plights.

"My, you children have been through a lot recently," Cmar remarked.

"Yeah. We just need a place to stay until we can find our dads. If we do, we'll be safe." Jirro explained.

"You're welcome to stay as long as you need. I'd be glad to finally meet your parents as well. They seem incredible," Cmar replied. He glanced down at Jirro, "I'm curious, what did the leader of those hyena riders look like?"

Aero spoke up, "A big guy with an axe. He had a strange scar on one side of his face too. His name is Ekor."

Cmar nodded while curling his trunk, "I figured it'd be him. His crew tried to raid our settlement a few weeks ago."

"Did anyone get hurt?" Corri asked.

"Of course not. I faced Ekor and was able to turn his crew away. But they managed to get away with a treasure of ours."

"What sort of treasure?" Jirro asked. He had a decent guess at what it might be.

"It was a luminescent blue orb that floated off the ground. I'm not sure what its purpose was, but it seemed valuable."

Aero smiled, "I don't think they have it anymore either."

"Why do you say that?"

Aero answered, "Ekor said some kid in a mask snuck into their camp and stole it. Whoever that kid was must have it now."

Cmar knitted his stubby fingers behind him as they walked, "Curious. Maybe we're better off without it. It seems to draw some bad attention."

Jirro looked at his cousin for a moment before pensively asking, "Hey Aero, do you have any idea who that masked kid would be?"

Aero turned to him, his eyes full of worry, "...Why are you asking me?"

Jirro shrugged, "Well, I didn't take it. I'm pretty sure it wasn't Corri either. So..."

"I didn't do it!"

"I was just asking! It's weird to think there's another kid about as strong as us running around though," Jirro replied.

Cmar walked back to their settlement deep in the woods, at that point a nice bonfire was stirring at the center of their familiar village. Jirro and the others had visited them a few times in the past, but their fathers had never accompanied them.

"Hey, Jirro," Nout said, tapping him on the side.

"Yes?"

"Thanks again for saving me back there," Nout said with a smile concealed by his trunk, still wrapped around him like a scarf.

Jirro smiled, "No problem. You'd do the same for me."

Nout stammered, "N-No I couldn't do that."

"Why not?"

"I'm not brave and strong like you."

Jirro laughed, "No one's born brave and strong! But anyone can be."

"I'm not sure about that..."

Cmar welcomed the three Ralosian children into his home, "Well, until we track down your parents, I'll keep you safe from that Modi woman."

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Modi and Emil had been scoping out the area in search of the children when they saw a light coming from the Bog Woods. As they traveled towards it, an Ape found them.

It growled and snarled. The ape threw a giant fist down at Modi, but she blocked the blow with her tiny yet immensely powerful arms. She jumped up and delivered a single light punch to the Ape's face and it fell back, rendered unconscious by the old woman.

Or perhaps she killed it? She didn't care either way. Modi and Emil continued towards the source of the light. It appeared to be a bonfire held by a Phantine tribe. But among them were Aero, Jirro, and Corri.

The festivities of the Phantine people were suddenly halted as Modi and Emil strolled into their village. The three children stood promptly, ready to defend themselves. But against Modi, they must've known they didn't stand a chance.

Modi walked past the Phantine people towards the kids, until a large one stood in her way. Most likely their chief.

"Stand aside," Modi said, her overly polite facade had fallen away to a much colder personality.

"What brings you to my village?" The Phantine chief asked, feigning cordiality. He didn't move an inch.

"I am here for those children," Modi pointed a skinny finger at the three, "I will take them and be on my way. Stand aside."

"These children are my guests. You will not be taking them." The Chief replied, towering over the old woman.

Modi furrowed her brow, "You think you can stop me?"

She and the chief stared into each other's eyes, neither wavering. Emil tapped on Modi's shoulder and brought her attention to their surroundings. The entire Phantine tribe surrounded them, they had grabbed wooden spears and were prepared to intervene.

Modi considered her options. She wasn't certain she could handle all of them. She probably could but didn't want to test her limits. She certainly didn't want a bounty on her head for attacking these people. She was already in enough trouble with the academy.

Modi exhaled, "Very well. Come along Emil," Modi turned her back, and the two left the way they came without any fuss. The children didn't drop their guard until she was well out of sight.

Modi watched the village from a distance, waiting until the bonfire had dimmed and the village was asleep. She drew black metal handcuffs from her robes, the sort used only on the most powerful of criminals. They were meant for someone else, but they would prove handy now.

She snuck into the village, crouching through the underbrush. Modi peeked into each of the homes until she found the children in one of them.

She didn't need all of them, one would do. They would serve as bait for their fathers. She looked at the black-haired one sleeping on his stomach, she believed his name was Aero. He would do.

She cuffed his hands behind his back. When he started to wake, Modi delivered a quick strike to the back of his head. Hard enough to knock him out, but not to seriously hurt him. She threw Aero over her shoulders and hurried away with him.