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LUZ'S EYES FLUTTERED OPEN, being greeted by the two bird palisman, but not Ember.
"Little rascals?" Luz mumbled, glancing around, worried for her friend. Luz suddenly felt a small pounding in her head and hissed. "Oof, my head. Have you two seen Ember?" She asked, and the pink sparrow began hopping away, leading Luz to her friend.
Ember was sprawled across the ground, her head on some yellow orb. Luz quickly rushed to her and pulled her onto her lap, the palisman watching on curiously.
"Hey, hey, hey. Ember?" Luz lightly shook Ember, but she didn't wake up. Luz pressed her ear against Ember's chest and was relieved to hear the strong beating of her heart. She lightly slapped the girl's cheek. "Hey, Conejita. Wake up."
Ember murmurs, "Five more minutes, Sunshine."
Opening her eyes would've done the job, but now her heart is suffering for it by thundering so hard in her chest it feels like it might break out. Ember drifts back to sleep and snuggles into Luz's shoulder.
Luz sighs and rouses Ember awake and she shoots up, yelling, "WHAT? I'm trying to dream about Lu—uhh..." She rubs her eyes and sees Luz sitting behind her with a small smile. "Oh! Hello."
"Hey." Luz snickered before she noticed the Golden Guard's staff and somebody groaned not too far away from them, and then a voice came from the edge of the forest.
"Kikimora, ma'am." The voice said, and when Ember and Luz peeked over a bush to see who it was, they gasped when they saw the Emperor's Coven. "We found the palisman. They seem rattled but unharmed."
Kikimora was holding the Golden Guard's mask. "Very good, captain. Return to the city and repair them for travel." She commands, pointing off towards the town.
"Is it true, ma'am? Is the Golden Guard really...?" The captain asks, and Kikimora nods sadly.
"This is all that remains." She holds up his helmet, and the captain gasps. "Such a horrible accident. Probably caused by the incompetent pilot."
"I'll... alert the castle." She salutes Kikimora and turns to her soldiers. "Scouts, to Latissa!"
Once Kiki is alone, she blows on a whistle, and the large creature that attacked them lands before her.
"Excellent work, my pet," Kiki says to the hand-dragon, reaching up and giving its snout a pet. Ember and Luz gasp, shrinking behind their hiding place further. Kiki holds up the helmet. "Now, find the rest of him and have yourself a nice little snack." The dragon nods, its long and spiky tongue curling around the helmet and devouring it. "I'll call you soon."
