Some shuffling sounded outside the den, along with the hushed sound of voices. They were muffled but kept Aurelia from drifting back asleep. Opening her eyes slightly she saw her mother and siblings still sound asleep. She scrunched her face in annoyance as more shuffling sounded through the cave corridors along with hollars and barks.
Arughhhh, Lia thought and rolled over onto her back and looked up at the reddish cracked cave ceiling.
A bump from outside of the mountain sent a vibration through its cracked walls causing some debris to fall on Aurelia's face. Rolling over, she stood up and gave her coat a clean shake.
Hmmm...I wonder what's going on. Slightly nervous, Lia moved toward her mother Afka, who was sleeping at the back of the cave. She nudged her mother’s paw and crawled underneath it for protection. Afka, feeling Lia's presence, murmured something softly before huffing back into her sleep. Instantly, Aurelia felt safer and was able to allow herself to fall back into a deep slumber.
Just as she closed her eyes, a Kronador's roar echoed through the tunnels of the mountain into their den from the darkness outside. Next to her, she could feel her mother tense at the sound. Alert now, Aurelia looked at her mother who's head was resting on the stone floor and still had her eyes closed, but ears were pricked ready for danger. It was calming to Lia to see her trying to protect her pups by making them not worry with shifting around them--rather showing them there was nothing to fear by staying in the same place. Still, though, she was afraid.
Grunts and growls of guards at the entrance of their reddish mountain home traveled through the tunnels. It was a soft sound, but it confirmed the fear that a battle had begun. Aurelia's father Sorren, who was sleeping next to Afka, stood quietly and sauntered out of the den. Lia could hear his steady steps quicken as he shook of his sleep and cantered toward the sound of commotion.
Moments went by where there was silence. Every so often there maybe a roar of a Kronador, or a grunt of a wolf, but Aurelia's mother had relaxed again and began to breathe sleepily. It seemed as if there was no danger, when a large thump whammed into the back wall of their cave den. Instantly, her mother was up alert for danger & Lia backed away from the direction of the sound. Her other siblings were up as well quivering with her in fright. They waited silently for moments, paralyzed in fear and surprise, for some monster to crash through the hard, stricken rock.
More bangs and bashes sounded from the rock wall, and soon, it began to crumble away to where Aurelia could see the bright stars of the night sky in her own den. It only took seconds for the entire wall of rock to fall and the hideous face of a Kronador emerged. It hissed and roared, spraying them with its saliva. The echo was terrifying as it bounced off the walls of the cave, reaching even the deepest parts inside the mountain. Its face was indescribable, scarred and unwanted.
Their mother was the only one at their aid, gathering Lia's siblings up toward the corridors in the mountain. Unable to move Aurelia stood frozen still, but that moment of hesitation was all the Kronador needed to snap it's jaws toward her. Before it's sharp teeth and putrid breath could touch her, Lia's father lept from above the mountain on the outside of their cave den, landing on the Kronador in his shining armor. She was amazed at this and ran toward her mother waiting for her inside the corridor so they could swiftly move away to a safer place.
Aurelia still couldn't believe how her father had saved her, and watched his and the Kronador's shadows bouncing off the tunnel walls, listening closely to their echoing cries. At this point it was hard to tell who was winning the fight, but she was sure her father would not fail.
Soon enough, their mother took them to a safe den deep within the mountain. Her siblings played together here and Aurelia played with them too, only her mind was racing with the awareness of danger. Half heartily, she peered around her mother who was guarding the entrance of the safer den and saw warriors racing up the corridor in their heavy armor, snarling as they darted toward the cave entrance. Sighing, Afka turned around toward her. Lia wasn't sure if it was because she was weary of the danger or wishing she could be fighting along with them. In any case, she nuzzled her mother lovingly, who licked the top of her head in return.
In that moment, they were safe, but no one knows what tomorrow will bring... and From that moment on, Aurelia vowed that when she was old enough to fight she would pick up her armor and be ready for war.
