Leon and Riya: How to Raise a Gnoll

Chapter 57

Riya and Azur were in the training yard watching Rose and Leon spar.

Azur: I want to thank you for helping to rebury Lily.

Riya: It was no trouble, it's what was right after what Oshka did.

Riya was quiet for a second.

Riya: How is the rebuilding of Foxpine going?

Azur waited a moment before answering.

Azur: Slow, but that's to be expected. Even with the help of Clan Deadfang, it will simply take time.

Azur watched Leon and Rose sparring for a few minutes.

Azur: So, it seems that Leon has recovered just fine.

Riya nodded.

Riya: Maria said that as far as she could tell he didn't have any kind of permanent damage from what happened with Oshka.

Azur: I can't imagine you were too happy with what happened.

Riya's expression shifted to a frown.

Riya: No, I wasn't. After the shock of what happened, I nearly took my sister's head off for throwing him in there.

Azur: Leon was the only one that was going to be able to get close enough to her, besides, he had the dagger that was needed to deal with her.

Riya: I know that, but still!

Azur: It wouldn't make it any easier, trust me I know. It wasn't easy having to deal with Lily while she was being controlled by Oshka.

Riya shifted her attention back to Rose and Leon and watched as Leon slid between Rose's legs before pulling them out from under her. She smiled at that before shifting her attention back to Azur.

Riya: I honestly thought that I was going to watch them both die through that barrier.

Azur: Except that Rose pulled through once Leon got close enough to stab her with that enchanted dagger.

Azur was quiet for a second.

Azur: I would have to say I have never seen Rose fight like she did after Oshka hurt Leon like that.

Riya: She's always been protective of him, seeing that happen to him right in front of her...

Azur: Yeah, it sent her over the edge.

After he said that they both noticed that Leon and Rose were making their way over to them.

Leon: Hey Riya, were you told about where Leiko and Varna would be?

Riya: If I remember correctly, Varna opted to take ownership of Oshka's camp.

Leon: Wait, why there?

Riya shrugged.

Riya: She wouldn't say. Leiko said that he thought it was most likely because it was set up very similar to how Clan Deadfang's camps were when he was still around.

Azur: So it's because it's nostalgic for her then.

Riya: That was Leiko's best guess, and he knows her better than us.

Rose had a bewildered expression.

Rose: What does nostalgic mean?

Leon: Well,...

Azur: It's a kind of longing you get for something in the past, usually in a way that makes you feel happy.

Rose: Oh!

Leon: So is it just her and Leiko there?

Riya nodded.

Riya: As far as I know.

Azur: If you were to ask me, I wouldn't have placed Varna as the sentimental type.

Riya shook her head.

Riya: Zenkoh doesn't care so long as she isn't causing trouble. And with Leiko as her moral compass and anchor again, everything should be fine.

Azur: On the good side of things I was able to reestablish communications with a village far to the east.

Leon: Oh? That's good!

Azur: Mmm-hmm. Although they have said that there is something that they are having trouble with. From what they described in the letter they are having residents go missing every few days, and while it is by no means a massive village, it isn't small either. Having something like that happen...

Azur cleared his throat.

Azur: Anyways, I was going to talk to Zenkoh to see what she wanted to do with the information.

Riya looked at the sky, seeing that the sun was setting.

Riya: It's getting late, you'll want to do that tomorrow.

As they were heading to the kitchen Rose spoke up.

Rose: Dad, when do you think I'll be able to go on an adventure like Zenkoh did? Maria talks about it every so often.

Leon was quiet for a moment, then shook his head.

Leon: I couldn't tell you.

The stars in Rose's eyes seemed to fade at that answer.

Rose: Oh...

Then Rose picked Leon up and held him to her.

Rose: I love you, Dad.

Leon: I love you too sweetie.