After Marinus was done making compost out of Bart, he went to the hard task of feeding Ostrinus. The baby Draconian anaconda couldn’t fit his jaw around a Mundyd and so Marinus cut one into stakes and fed them to Ostrinus one by one.

There was one problem, though. The murder muffins were digging out Bart’s remains and were eating them. That made them grow larger. They were already the size of big dogs, and they were growing larger with each bite.

Marinus supposed that the murder muffins couldn’t eat every bit of Bart before the meat begins to rot. But them digging in the tunnels was something that Marinus didn’t like. Especially since they were exposing the stone floor beneath the soil.

Theanore wouldn’t like her tunnels looking like a mole went on a rampage in them. So, Marinus decided to do something about it. He took two silver longtails and went to Rip and Hiss.

The murder muffins, now as big as tigers, looked at him curiously as he approached.

“Come on, you two. Out with you. Shoo.” Said Marinus as he waved the silver longtails in the air before their eyes. Rip jumped and snatched a fish from Marinus’ hand. Then, with a whipping motion of his tail, he pushed Marinus to the ground.

“Rip?” Asked Marinus, bewildered. His favorite animal in the entire grotto had never acted like this. His mind then supplied him with memories of both, then kittens, hunting his tail. Hiss approached him and a bit into the silver longtail, her claws showing in warning. Marinus let the fish go and stepped back.

“Tania, can you translate a conversation between the three of us?” Asked Marinus the system. For surely the murder muffins were rebelling for a reason, and he needed to know what it was before they harmed someone.

Certainly. Rip wants to tell you that he is ready to take the mantle of a boss of the pool cavern and that Ostrinus is not welcome in his domain. Hiss would like to become a boss of the tunnels leading from the main cavern. They would both like to remind you that they are hunters and that if you let a serpent move into their hunting fields, they will have to find other ones. With proper dungeon cores.

“You can’t leave!” Snapped Marinus at the two overgrown murder muffins. “Theanore loves you. I love you. Haven’t we been good for you?”

Betrayal welled inside Marinus. He remembered letting the two murder muffins share his pool and his food. They were some of his very first friends he had, right up there with Theanore. What was with the animals in the grotto wanting to serve violent dungeons? Didn’t they know that with a violent dungeon came the risk of death?

Rip says he will never forget you. But if he doesn’t see the innards of an adventurer soon, he will go mad. Rats are no challenge and with his new size he is a prime predator among predators.

“Theanore will cry.” Said Marinus, making a last-ditch attempt to keep the two felines home. A tear fell down Marinus’ cheek, and Rip extended his tail to wipe it.

Rip says farewell, little merman. Take care of the nymph and her sapling.

And then the two murder muffins were gone, enveloped by a dark red and black light. Off to kill and be killed. Leaving Marinus alone with no idea how to explain what had happened to Theanore.

“Tania, will they be happy?” Asked Marinus. He reached up a hand and began wiping his face.

They have gone to Bone crusher dungeon in the Badlands. Chances of them surviving: 2%. I don’t know if they will be happy. I know I am not. Furthermore, I feel…sad. I gave them to Theanore. They were her friends. To betray her like this.

“Mari, don’t cry.” Came Theanore’s voice from the tunnel. She was smiling, but tears were glistening in her eyes. “They weren’t happy here. If you love someone, let them go.”

“Who told you that?” Asked Marinus. That sounded like something someone who gave up on people would say. Certainly, not something Theanore would think.

“I read it in a fairy tale. It was about Snow White. The dwarves loved her, so when the prince saved her, they let her go to get married and live in the castle.” Theanore ran to Marinus and hugged him. Then she was reduced to bitter sobs.

“I really love them. I don’t want to be bad. Why can’t my friends be happy that I am good?” Cried Theanore in Marinus’ shoulder. He hugged her close to himself.

“They weren’t true to themselves. Staying here and hunting rats when they were made to protect a dungeon core.” Said Esmer, who had followed Theanore into the cavern. “You are true to yourself by being good. Others want to be true to themselves, too.”

“Mommy, it hurts.” Said Theanore as she clutched to Marinus. He gave her a handkerchief and she blew her nose in it.

“Separation often does. But look at everything you have done for your plants and animals, Thea. They are healthy and loved. How many dungeons can say the same? You even have a worker syndicate to make sure their needs are met. Even I don’t have that.” Said Esmer with a soft smile on her face.

“I’ll hold a syndicate meeting, mommy. I will listen to everyone. Give them something that they will like just as much as violence.” Said Theanore, determined not to lose any more of her friends.

“You do that, Thea. Now, I hear there is a new baby at the grotto?” Asked Esmer as she moved to Theanore and Marinus. She kissed each of their foreheads, and they led her to Ostrinus.

“A lord of the sea and tides.” Marveled Esmer as she watched the serpent sleep in the pool. “Theanore, do you know why they are given such a title?”

“Because they are the biggest sea serpents there are?” Asked Theanore. She blew her nose again and Marinus patted her back.

“Because they can cause storms and control the sea. Once this Draconian anaconda grows up, he will travel all over the world. And if he is smart, when the time comes to lay his egg, he will come back. To you.”

Theanore smiled in a bittersweet way at the thought that Ostrinus would like her enough to come to her in his final days and entrust his child to her. She vowed to raise him right. With much love and care. Enough so that he was peaceful and good, just like her.