--------///----Eclina's POV----\--------

After i found the tracks, i started tracking them from the ground. Looking from the sky wouldn't work since home was dense and the trees blocked out most of my line of sight from high up, but tracking felt nice to do. Ever since the first trick deer, i didn't actually track any of my kills. I just ran into the drakes, the lynxs ran into me, i just ate a bird, i hadn't really hunted the way mama wanted me to do in a long time.

When i started tracking the scent, i could tell there were atleast eight different deer in the herd I could smell some air, water, nature and earth elements coming from the tracks. There were atleast two kids with them but food was food. I kept running and stalking after the tracks i found but the ones from back home were old. It was taking time for me to try to find fresh tracks that would have a stronger scent but eventually i did. It took atleast an hour for me to actually find them but because of that, i was getting hungry. The forest trail didn't seem like it was going to lead into an open area anytime soon but if it was going to be anything like my first trick deer hunt then i was going to make sure i was prepared.

While i was running i made sure to turn my air tail off and turned my darkness tail on. I couldn't use my fire this close to all these trees so using my darkness was the better option since it wouldn't spread all over the place. With my darkness and earth, i had a pretty good attack and defense. After some more running i eventually found them. They were all grazing near different trees but they weren't far apart either. The area we were in wasn't open at all, there was dense vegitation all around and the trees were all close together. If i was going to pick off the herd or fight them all at the same time, it was all going to depend on how i could stalk them and take them down.

They didn't seem to know i was here, and that was definetly a good thing. The kids were all around 1 deer that was grazing at the back side of the herd... Far away from the rest of the herd.

~ I could try to pick them off... But why would they be so far away from the rest of the herd? Shouldn't they put the kids and mom closer to the center? Is this some weird trick deer trap?.. Mama said i shouldn't underestimate them just because they're deer... I'm stronger now but i don't think i can take the herd... How am i going to do this? ~

I looked around the herd until i had an idea.

~ Can't i just jump up onto the branches? I'm smaller now so i should be able to balance myself on the branches and pick them off from the top. ~

I looked around for the closest tree and made sure to quietly run over to the tree and start running up it. I was a little worried that i wouldn't be able to do it but my claws made it super easy. As i climbed up the tree and made it on the top of a branch, i got a better view of where they all were. I could see that the mom was an air element deer, the kids hadn't manifested yet, the two deer on opposite sides were both earth users, the deers eating in the middle were both nature while the deer at the front was water. I didn't get if there was a specific reason for that or not but i was going to stick to my earlier plan.

I started jumping from branch to branch until i made it to where the mom and her kids. I wondered about how i was going to kill them without alerting the rest of the herd but i eventually settled on making small spears and shooting them towards their brains. As soon as my spears pierced their skulls they all fell down right away. There wasn't much noise and the rest of the herd didn't notice. The trees and the flora blocked the main line of sight for the other members of the herd. After i was done with them, i started jumping around again and made my way to the earth deer on the left and did the same. But this time things didn't go so smoothly.

After i spiked the earth deer, one of the deers with nature saw and started attacking.

(Nature trick deer) " Ambush! Get the children out of here! "

As soon as it shouted, all the other deer turned their attention towards me and started grouping up.

(Earth deer) " They're dead! It killed them! "

(Water deer) " Then let's kill it! "

(Other nature deer) " Everyone form up! We're stronger together! "

(Eclina) " Tch. "

I was about to jump towards another branch but the branches themselves shot towards me and tried to wrap my legs up.

(Eclina) " Get off me! "

I made my darkness pulse out and corroded the branches that were trying to hold me down. I had no other choice but to face them all head on. So that's what i did. I landed down onto the ground and faced the deer that i was going to kill.

(Water deer) " What is that thing? "

(Nature deer) " Doesn't matter! Kill it! "

The deers started their attacks and so did I. The nature deers made roots and branches shoot towards me, either to impale me, snare me or both. The water deer made droplets of water form on its amtlers and body just like the deer i hunted. The earth deer covered its front half and its antlers in earth and started growing spikes out of it. The nature deers even started to make roots intertwine and lay traps with them...

~ This might be a little hard. ~

I charged my darkness and earth tails and made sure i was ready to go. The earth deer started shooting the spikes that grew out of its front and the water deer reered up on its hind legs and slammed itself back onto the ground, seending the droplets towards me like needles. I made a wall of earth to block the attacks and get ready to counter. But when their attacks hit my wall, the nature deers used roots to attack me from the sides my shield didn't cover. I dodged them but they kept coming. The other deers didn't waste the opprotunity from me dodging since they started throwing out bigger spikes and needles that were getting dangerously close to being spikes.

I couldn't just stay in one place but it was going to be hard move with the nature deers constantly attacking me. I coated myself in my darkness and made a bigger earth wall to cover my sides while i avoided the other attacks. I had to get the advantage somehow so i tried to run behind the nearest tree and make them lose me in the bushes. The problem with my plan came from the deers being able to control the bushes and make the thin bush branches shoot out towards me.

Some of the branches hit me, which i thought would be fine until i realized they were somehow made strong enough to cut into my skin. It stung a bit but i kept going. I couldn't run from them since the nature deers would be able to turn any way i went into a trap... So it was time to fight them head on. I turned around, faced them and tore down the earth wall i made so i could see them.

(Other nature deer) " There's no running. You started this fight, we will end it. "

(Eclina) " No you won't! I'll end it! "

The deer that shouted at me snorted and started making more roots try to ensnare me but since i was still coated in darknessthe roots began to corrode. Both nature deers looked annoyed but the other deers didn't seem to mind. While the earth and water deers kept getting ready, the nature deers seemed to be up to something that i wasn't sure of. But whatever they were doing, i wasn't going to let happen. I ran towards the deers and made earth and dark spears to shoot out towards them. The deers obviously saw that but they split off into pairs and ran into oppositte directions through trees and shrubs.

The nature deers were paired up with the earth and water deers but because of that it was going to get harder to pick them off. I was stuck choosing what pair i was going to go after but an attack of needle like super compressed water helped me decide. If those needles didn't pierce my darkness then i probably would've gone to the earth deer pair. I started to chase after the water deer pair and weaved past some trees in order to catch up to them. When i did i ended up caught in a earth and nature trap which i couldn't corrode immediatley since the water was covering the roots in a bubble that slowed down my darkness.

While i was stuck, they made sure to use the moments they had to their advantage. The water dear made long spears while the nature deer started forcing tree roots into one big spear. I wasn't going to let that happen so i pulsed my darkness out and corroded the base of the roots and shot out a wave of darkness at the both of them. They dodged the wave but i was free. And they weren't going to get another chance at big attacks anymore.

I ran at them and made sure my darkness coating was staying strong as i used my momentum to jump directly at the water deer. I had enough of a running start that when i left the ground i was launched right at its throat. As soon as i got my fangs around its throat, i bit down and through straight through it. The nature deer went wide eyed and froze as it saw the water deer collapse to the ground with blood gushing from its throat. I took that moment and charged at it to get the kill but a spike of something made its way into my back through my darkness coating. The spike sent me into the ground and killed all of my momentum.

(Earth deer) " Surround her! "

The deers surrounded me and started forming attacks but i got up and sprinted as fast as i could towards the nearest deer, which was the nature deer. The others tried to stop me but i avoided or defended from any that made their way to me. I jumped at the nature deer again but this time i made earth walls on either side and behind of me to stop the other deers from interrupting my kill. As i got closer, the nature deer tried to use the big spear of roots that it was making earlier but i made tendrills of darkness wrap around it and decay the entire thing. As i kept gliding to the deer, it tried to run away but i used my earth to make a shackle on one of its hind legs, tripping it and keeping it in place as i had to jump again.

As soon as i jumped, the nature deer turned and just froze again, it looked like it gave up. Which worked for me. I landed on the deers back and bit into its neck. My teeth met hardly any resistamce as they cut through it.

(Earth deer) " Damnit! We can't win! We have to run! We've gotta go now! "

(Nature deer) " Let's go! "

(Eclina) " No you don't! "

Before the deer started to run, i made earth shackles to tie them down. The earth deer broke the first two but after another four all aimed at its legs, it went down. The last nature deer tried to break my shackles but i've gotten better at making them, so unless it had earth and just wasn't using it, then it wasn't going to get out. The earth deer kept trying to break my shackles and was actually making progress, but i wasn't going to let it have the chance to break them all. I ran over to the earth deer and crushed its neck, stopping any form of escaping. After the earth deer died, the nature deer just gave up and stopped trying altogether. It looked at me and all i saw was acceptance. I bit into its neck and ended its life.

I looked over all the bodies and groaned because now i had to put them all in one place to efficiently bring them all back to Mr.Garris and my bird friend. I made a small container to carry each body and stacked them onto each other as i ran back to the earth deer i ambushed along with the mother and kids. After some time of tracing their scents, i made it back to the rest of the bodies and put them into the stacked container. I made sure i had them all before i switched my darkness tail for my air tail to start heading back to Mr.Garris. I debated healing the hole in my back first but i didn't feel that much pain from it and it wasn't bleeding that badly so i could always do it after i got back.

I took to the sky and had my container of deer food follow me back to the big tree where Mr.Garris was. It took me a bit to get back but when i did Mr.Garris had a surprise for me.

(Garris) " Eclina, that should be enough food and water for now. If i need anything i'll call for you. However for now, feel free to spend the day how you please. "

Mr.Garris was still keeping his eyes closed and claw on my bird friends head, but him knowing that i was here despite not making any sound was cool. But having him tell me that i could do whatever i wanted today made me beyond happy. I was close to shouting but i remembered that would be bad if i did.

(Garris) " However do not leave the forest. I doubt i'd have to tell you that but i'll do so anyway. "

(Eclina) " Ok! I'll be fine Mr.Garris, bye! "

(Garris) " Goodbye. "

With that, i turned around and took to the sky. I turned off my earth tail and turned my light tail on so i could start healing while i ran. I ran so fast just thinking about being able to spend time back home that i didn't notice how fast my wound healed. As soon as it was done, my light went to boost my air which helped me get home even faster. As soon as i got to the area our den was, i ran straight down and landed by vegitation that would be perfect as my bedding. I uprooted a shrub and some nearby vines and dragged them back home.

I did that a few more times and made myself a comfortable bed to just lie down on. I thought about going to sleep then and there but then i thought about getting some food for me before i did. I already hunted some meat so i thought about grabbing some fruits instead and just brought back a lot. When i was done i ate and devoured whatever i had left. As soon as i was done, i curled myself into a ball and made my way into Sylum.

After all the time with Mr.Garris and Mr.Fenrir, we ended up learning more about my Sylum. We knew i could connect to Mr.Fenrir and that i could see my elements, but we didn't know that it would track new elements in me. When i woke up in Sylum, i saw the faded image of a ball of purple poison floating near my other elements. When i told Mr.Garris and Mr.Fenrir, they were both shocked and said "That's not supposed to happen" Or "That shouldn't be possible" but after talking more, they just told me to keep track of it. Then when Mr.Garris told us about what i did to the Lynxs, that's what made it make a bit more sense to us.

It took training but eventually we were able to find out how i did it and now i can do it without going into my "Ruthless" state, or whatever Mr.Fenrir called it. Despite being able to do it, when i did it conciously it wasn't at the scale of when i did it in my "Ruthless" state. Despite devouring a bunch of fruits and some other hunted beasts, i could only see the faded poison ball. They said i would figure out how to do it better if i spent more time working on it but it was still disappointing. I wasn't sure what else i wanted to do in Sylum but then i thought about talking with Mr.Fenrir.

~ It haaaas been a month since we talked... I'm gonna do it! ~

Another thing we learned about my Sylum was that i could call Mr.Fenrir to come talk whenever i wanted. We tested it out a bunch of times and it worked every time. All i had to do was go up to my tree and put a paw on it while thinking about Mr.Fenrir and it would open up. After doing just that, the tree started to crack open just like it always did. We also found out that i could go over to Mr.Fenrir's side. but unless it was an emergency i wasn't allowed to do that.After waiting a bit, Mr.Fenrir started walking through!

(Fenrir) " Hello there Eclina. Any reason to call for me? "

(Eclina) ~ No. I just wanted to talk. ~

(Fenrir) " I see. Then how about you tell me about anything i've missed. "

(Eclina) ~ There hasn't been much... Mr.Garris is fixing my bird friends eye... but other then that, nothings happened. ~

(Fenrir) " Hmm? Don't you get tired of just calling him " My bird friend"? "

(Eclina) " No..? What else would i call him? He doesn't have a name. ~

(Fenrir) " Then why don't you give him a nickname? Or a temporary name at the least? "

(Eclina) ~ I can do that? Really? ~

(Fenrir) " Why wouldn't you be able to? You've heard nicknames before. Your father calls your mother "Sile" despite that not being her name. Why not give the avian a nickname? "

(Eclina) ~ ... I never thought about that... Ok!.. But what do i name him? ~

(Fenrir) " Don't ask me. I'm not exactly great when it comes to giving names. "

(Eclina) ~ Huhm... I'll think about it later... How're the others doing? How's Alatrea? Althea? Gulvae? ~

(Fenrir) " About that... Currently Alatrea is going through a change similar to yours. However it's also different... "

(Eclina) ~ Ooou? What's happening? ~

(Fenrir) " Hmm... She's enveloped in an egg like shell made of solidified flames... From what Bahamut has been told, it appears that she's growing 2 pairs of wing and is losing her arms and legs... However unlike your spontaneous evolution, hers is taking a few days. Althea shows no signs of changing yet and Gulvae only seems to be complaining about when her next shedding is meant to occur. "

(Eclina) ~ Ohhh! Does that mean she'll get her own Sylum? ~

(Fenrir) " I-... I actually don't know. I would assume she would... But we won't know until it happens... "

(Eclina) ~ Aww...! If she does, do you think we can connect them?! I could talk to all of them whenever i wanted if that happens! ~

(Fenrir) " You're getting awfully excited at that idea. I'll bring it up to the others when i return. If you all had a method of communicating aside from us having to bring you into Elysium, then the rifts may become easier for you all. "

(Eclina) ~ That too! ~

(Fenrir) " Huh? "That too"? "

(Eclina) ~ We can relax and have fun whenever we want! ~

(Fenrir) " ...I see... Well then, what would you like to do now? "

(Eclina) ~ I don't know... ~

(Fenrir) " Hmm... Well i can see not much progress has been made with your poison... Or any other elements for that matter. Do you have any idea an what other elements you'd like to try working on aside from poison? "

(Eclina) ~ No... But i want water so i can have both mama and papa's elements... Maybe nature too so i'd share that with Lily... But other then those, i'm not sure... Maybe lightning? It sounds cool and my bird friend has it so then we'd share elements too. ~

(Fenrir) " I see... Then how about a suggestion? "

(Eclina) ~ Ok? ~

(Fenrir) " Try to collect the ice element. It'll help in combat situations against enemies that rely on speed and it will also help against enemies that rely on taking to the sky. Although lightning has similar properties for the latter of the two, ice is still quite a valid element. "

(Eclina) ~ Hmmm. Ok! ~

(Fenrir) " Good. Now if there's nothing else you'd like to do then i think i'll go back for now. "

(Eclina) ~ Awww. Ok... Bye Mr.Fenrir. ~

(Fenrir) " Goodbye Eclina. "

Mr.Fenrir got up, turned around and just left. I just stayed in Sylum for a bit, not sure on what i should do but then i eventually decided on going back out and going to sleep for the rest of the day. Sleeping back at home just sounded nice to me. When i got back to the real world i made sure to keep myself curled up and closed my eyes to sleep.

When i woke up it was late into the night with the moon as high as it could be. When i left the den i was really hungry so i went to grab some fruit and a unlucky bird that was up in the sky. I contemplated going back to Mr.Garris but at the same time he didn't call for me so there wasn't any reason too. So i went back into the den and went right back to sleep. The next time i woke up, it was morning and i heard a certain voice waking me up.

(Garris) ~ I'm done Eclina. You can return now. ~

That was nice to hear and i definetly wanted to go back and see my bird friend, who i was definetly going to work on a nickname for when i got there. I made sure my air tail was ready and got ready to take off. However as i got up to the sky i sensed something... Weird. Something about the mountains just felt... Odd. I didn't know what it was but i just couldn't shake that feeling that something was wrong... I kept running to the big tree and to Mr.Garris but i wasn't paying much attention to the trip there. When i got there i saw Mr.Garris and my bird friend eating and drinking from the containers that i brought them.

(???) " Big sis! He did it! He did it! I have my other eye again! "

As soon as my paws hit the ground, my bird friend flew over to me and tackled me to the ground. He was genuinly happy that he had his eye back. But a weird thing was that the iris on his other eye was silver... Weird.

(Eclina) " That's great! Now we can play longer! But... "

I still couldn't shake the feeling coming from the mountains... I looked to Mr.Garris and he seemed to tell something was wrong.

(Garris) " What is it Eclina? I expected you would be more excited about this... "

(Eclina) " ... I don't know... Something feels wrong at the mountains... I don't know what it is but i just feel it... "

(Garris) " ... Let's go. "

(Eclina) " Really? "

(???) " Huh? Where are we going? "

(Garris) " The mountains. I'm not going to underestimate the senses of a progenitor. If you say something is wrong then something is wrong. Even if i can't sense it i will still take your word. Lead the way Eclina. "

(Eclina) " Ok! Lets go! "

(???) " Ummm... Ok... Don't go too fast please. "

(Eclina) " I won't. You can follow right behind me! "

With all that said and done, we took off to the sky and went over to the mountains. We went slower then we normally did and Mr.Garris was in his smaller form. We went at a steady pace and eventually made it to the mountains. When we touched down on the mountain range, the feeling i was getting ended up getting so much clearer. And it felt like it was coming from the very peak of one of them. I pointed to the peek and Mr.Garris took off but he told us not to follow because we wouldn't be able to handle it. Me and my bird friend just sat down on the range enveloped in a ball of light that Mr.Garris made. We distracted ourselves with my tails until Mr.Garris came back... But he didn't look happy.

(Garris) " We have a problem... A very big problem... "