A World Below Us (Ark Aberration/Final Fantasy 14)

Reformed Ravager

"Please Jackie! I can stand on my own!" Alphinaud said, waving me off as I tried to help him up from his chair. "O-ok. Sorry. I'm just... worried about you. Those ravagers really gashed you." I replied. Alphinaud winched as he looked at the bandages covering his torso. "It... it does hurt from time to time." My tail gave a flick of worry. I looked toward the behemoth door. "I'm going out." I said. Alphinaud cocked his head. "How come?" He asked. "I just... need some fresh air. Come, Papalymo." The bulbdog's head shot up and he bolted toward me. I headed outside, making sure to shut the door behind me. As we strolled through the underground world, I started to talk to Papalymo. "I'm really worried about Alphinaud." I said. The bulbdog yapped. "I mean, he's been hurt badly. Oh, maybe I shouldn't have left him..." Papalymo cocked his head. "What if he hurts himself? If he trips and falls? If he tries to make something but overworks himself? I won't be there to help!" Papalymo licked my cheek. "I guess you're right. I shouldn't worry. Alphinaud can take care of himself." We continued through the woods, and eventually we came to a river. "Aw yes! I was getting a bit thirsty!" I rushed up to the water to take a drink. A large leech slowly floated through the river. "Um... maybe a different time." I said backing up. I glanced around. "Wait, am I..?" I found myself looking up at the metal bridge from the swamp below. "Huh. Here again." There was a series of growls from across the water. I knew that sound. Papalymo whimpered. I started to back away as I watched a pack of ravagers hunt down a stegosaurus. One of the ravagers sniffed the air and looked across the river, staring straight into my eyes. It decided it would rather feast on a miqo'te and a bulbdog than take its chances fighting a stego. The ravager leaped into the water and started to swim across. I swiveled around and ran as fast as I could. Being so worried about Alphinaud, I had forgotten my primitive metal sword! It was probably sitting back at home in a storage box. I heard the ravager's claws scraping up the ground as it ran behind me. I jumped up and pulled a large branch off a tree, then turned around brandishing it like a club. The ravager leaped at me and I swung the club, bashing it in the head. The ravager was knocked to the floor, but it got back up and charged at me again. I kept beating it with the club every time it came near. The ravager snarled and leaped again, this time flying over my head. I spun around to see that the ravager was running away. "Oh no you don't! Come back here, coward!" I ran toward the rabid creature, continuing to swing the club. The ravager was quicker than me, but right when I thought it had gotten away, it fell to the floor unconscious. That's weird. Did I knock it out? I slowed my pace to a walk as I neared the sleeping beast. It's breathing was slow. It looked so peaceful this way, not trying to kill anyone. "Maybe I'll just..." I left a few pieces of meat next to it's muzzle. I figured it might be hungry when it woke up. Papalymo seemed to be looking at me funny. "What? I'm not a genocide. Let's just leave it here. It's not like it's gonna hurt us now." As I headed in the direction of my base, something felt off. I felt like I was being stalked. I shrugged off the feeling and kept going. When the behemoth door was in sight, I quickened my pace a bit. Suddenly, I was knocked to the floor and pinned down. Papalymo yelped. I looked up into the face of the ravager from before. I should have killed it! Shielding my face, I waiting for the impact of its deadly jaws. But it never came. I opened my eyes a tiny bit to see the panting ravager. It almost looked like it was smiling. "Uh... hi?" I said. The ravager got excited and licked my face. "Wha- ok! Stop! Stop it!" I struggled to push the ravager's muscular body off of my own. It took the hint and crawled off, sitting down next to me and wagging it's tail. "What in Eorzea just happened?" I asked no one in particular. My scent must have been on the meat! When the ravager woke up, it must have picked up and followed mine and Papalymo's scents, knowing that we gave it food! "Hah! I can't wait to see the look on Alphinaud's face! Come on Papalymo and... hmm... Krile! Yes! That'll be your name!" I motioned for the two creatures to follow me. They both barked and trotted up as we came even closer to the base.