Aren stepped carefully through the curtain of the Reverse Waterfall, the column of water briefly swallowing both him and the small drake in his arms as they emerged back out on the other side.
The little drake barely stirred. Curled comfortably in his arms, it had fallen asleep almost immediately after asking its question. Every time it snored, small sparks would come flying out before disappearing the very next second.
"…You fall asleep way too easily," Aren muttered as he glanced down to the bundle in his arms.
He shifted his grip and began slowly walking back toward the edge of the lake. His mind, however, was nowhere near as calm.
"Bad people catch mama's friends."
The words replayed in his head again. At first, the explanation that immediately came to mind was the Defilers. There weren't many groups in the world insane enough to hunt powerful magical beasts for cultivation materials.
