Everglade: The Underaged

Chapter 26

What? Can he change his appearance? He first came to me as a man in brown clothes. Then his appearance changed into a man in feathered clothes." Luke said.

"He did?" Ailwin asked. "The Underaged never see him after we're put under The Crows control. We only ever see him once."

"When is that?"

"When we're being put under the control. His face is the last thing we see."

"Our minds fade away slowly as we go under. Some try to fight it, but they all fail." Forwin said.

"If they succeed, we wouldn't know." Ailwin said. "They would get discovered eventually. They can't keep blank faces forever. It was a challenge for me when I pretended." Forwin hefted a bag onto Fionntan with a grunt. He strapped it down.

"How did you sell it anyway? Our eyes go blank." he said.

"They never look us in the eye. All I had to do was keep staring ahead." Ailwin explained.

"How old were you when you received Zlatru?" Luke asked.

"8." Ailwin answered.

"I was 5." Forwin said. He yanked the strap.

Not so tight. Fionntan complained.

"Sorry." Forwin said. He loosened the strap.

That's better. Fionntan said. Forwin secured the strap. One of the twin's Dragons came over to Fionntan. Luke noticed how much smaller Fionntan was to the other Dragon. Fionntan was older. Forwin noticed too. He frowned.

"What breed is your Dragon?" He asked the twin on the right. It was the wrong twin.

"Erildian ridgeback." The twin on the left answered. Justice laughed when Forwin's face went red.

"What are your names anyway?" Luke asked.

"Reynold." The twin on the right said.

"Edward." The twin on the left said.

"What about you?" Ailwin asked, gesturing to Justice.

"My name is Justice." she replied.

"Ailwin." What was that look on Aiwin's face? Korman came over.

"Someone's smitten." He said after Justice had left.

"Am not!" Ailwin said immediately. His face was bright red. He got up and walked away fast. Luke and Korman looked at each other and laughed. They laughed until they couldn't breathe. They continued to laugh through wheezing. Luke fell backward and gasped for breath. Korman joined him. Their laughter eventually reduced to giggles.

"His face!" Luke said, giggling.

"It was as red as a cherry!" Korman said, also while giggling. Their giggles died after a while. Ailwin came back. He put his hands on his hips.

"You guys done?" He asked, obviously annoyed.

"Yeah." Luke wheezed. He took a deep lungful of air. Then another. He sat up.

"What do you need?" Korman asked.

"Your help." Ailwin said. "That is, if you're not too busy laughing." he looked at them with an accusing expression.

"No. We're all laughed out." Korman said with one of his famous Korman grins. Luke burst out laughing at the joke. Korman joined him. They rolled across the ground. Ailwin folded his arms. Luke tried to stop laughing, but he couldn't manage it. Especially when Korman cracked another joke.

"My jokes are so laughable." He said. Luke laughed harder. He curled up around his stomach. Justice came over. She held a bucket. She dumped freezing cold water over them.

"Gah!" Luke yelled. He pressed himself against Eclipse to get warm. She draped a wing over him. He grabbed it and carefully pulled it closer.

"What was that for?" Korman asked. Ailwin had a smug expression on his face. Luke made him slap himself. It was one of the first lessons he'd learned. Korman giggled. The smug expression was gone.

"Just get up and help!" Ailwin snapped. He walked away. Luke got out from underneath Eclipse's wing reluctantly. She pulled him back in.

Wet. Need dry. Get sick. She said. She held him in her claws.

I've got to help get things packed up. Besides, only my head and shoulders are wet. Luke told her.

Wet. Get sick. She replied. Korman was already helping. Luke tried to free himself. Eclipse began to lick his wet hair.

Eclipse no! He told her.

Wet. Am drying. Won't get sick.

No! Eclipse ignored him and continued to lick. Eclipse! She continued to ignore him. Luke squirmed and freed himself. He took off running with Eclipse behind him.

WET! She pounced on him and pinned him to the ground.