Chrono shift blade the resuming Legacy

Chapter 12: Ava's Lineage

A week later, they traveled onwards to Volt City.

Hitching a ride on the back of a wagon run by an old human man named Whisky, a friend of Altair's friend jade, they crossed through Wild Woodland.

Mason leaned against the wagon's walls while Altair read a book, who constantly kept getting interrupted by Ava, who kept tossing marbles at her, which she was playing with an uncomfortably large Rift and a spirited Lexus who was playing competitively.

So far, Rift was winning.

Mason yawned. They had stopped a few times the past few days, but it was still morning and sleeping in a wagon wasn't that comfortable.

Well, Rift made a great pillow, but Ava kicked a lot in her sleep.

Eventually, around nightfall, the wagon stopped.

"All right, youngsters. Get out and set up camp while I feed Tessie."

Tessie was his copper horned donkey.

Rift helped feed her the past few days, which showed his soft side and that he was good with animals.

Ava tried to get Tessie to fight her, which ended up with her getting kicked and losing a few teeth in the process.

Altair and Mason set up camp while Lexus started the fire.

"Careful lighting those matches, Lex."

"I'm fine, dude. That was one time I struck them on my tail!"

Altair eyed Mason. "Say... Doesn't his face or rather his head have a more vulpine look to you rather than deer?"

"Yes, actually, that's a common thing with echo mutants. They look like two animals sometimes mixed. He's never liked meat but he loves shrimp, eggs, and milk."

"That's interesting..."

*Wooooh*

Flames shot up from the fireplace, followed by a soot covered Lexus.

"Knew Ava got into my match collection," he said, grumbling and walking away.

"He has a match collection?"

"And that's not any of his weirdest. He has a scale collection, my chest hair collection... It's a long story."

Altair was both fascinated and weirded out.

Later, after eating Whiskey's gumbo, everyone fell asleep against or on top of Rift.

Ava took up most of the room at the top though.

Altair got out of the tent and took off her jacket.

"Phew, humid in here. Man, that Ava sweats like a beast."

Leaving camp, she walked out into a clearing near a river to restock the water.

She looked at her reflection from the moonlight and sighed.

"Mom...why do like water?"

"Well, my dear Altair, I am made of it but so are you and everyone else. If you don't have enough water, you will become weaker, so drink plenty, ok?"

"Okay, mommy!"

She took a huge swig of water.

Taking a deep breath, she let her hair down.

"Suppose this once I'll indulge while everyone sleeps."

She dove in and vanished.

After about an hour in the water, she got out.

"Ahhh, I needed that."

Just then she stopped.

She quickly assumed a defensive position.

"Who's there!?"

Out of the bushes came a beast with long gnashing teeth and had spotted yellow fur with brown spots.

"A gnoll, great."

It tried to maim her with its claws and teeth.

She dodged, rolling away from its attacks.

"Shoot, I didn't bring my weapon."

Trying a tactical way of resolving the fight, she just kept dodging until it eventually decided to give up.

But after many dodges, it didn't appear to want to slow down at all.

It stopped and faced her.

"Grrrga wall girl..."

"Wall girl!?"

It then charged a hurricane, this time leaping straight at her.

Altair was really good at being quick, but this time she got sloppy.

Slipping up on her dodge, she got tackled to the ground.

It slashed into her, tearing and spilling blood.

She covered her face, protecting it from its nasty claws.

She had faced gnolls before and far as she knew, they had great strength and kept in packs, not alone usually. This one was strong. His pin on her made moving her legs impossible.

Pain came second after second... until she had to resist screaming out.

A normal person would have called for help, but she knew she had to do it. Use the power.

She closed her eyes and called on it, but before she could activate it all the way, something crashed into the beast, knocking him off her.

Completely getting up, she turned and saw what was attacking the Gnoll...it was another Gnoll?

It had redhead hair, bright brown and bright pink fur, and bright red spots. The color of it's eyes were yellow.

It was female from the looks of her attire.

The other gnoll fought, trying to get free instead of damaging and digging into vital organs. The female one reached for the crystal on his forehead and tore it off and crushed it.

It shattered almost instantly, making the Gnoll stop completely. Not long later, his body disintegrated into echo ether.

Footsteps approached. Looking behind her, Altair saw Mason, Rift, Whiskey, and Lexus, who came from probably hearing the noise.

Altair looked at the Gnoll who was eyeing her with a look of relief.

Altair, despite her hurt arms, approached the female Gnoll and said...

"Thanks, Ava..."

Everyone had very shocked expressions after that.