Dododex

ARK: Survival Evolved & Ascended Companion

Of Kin

Act I: Scarlet

Chapter 5

Corvi looked up at the moon.  The flock had spent the entire day regrouping and she was exhausted, but she couldn't fall asleep. Images of Sandman's face flashed over and over again in her head. She hadn't with this in a while. Her nightmares had faded when she killed the titanoboa, but now they were back with a vengance.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by a nudge on her wing. She looked down. The silver hatchling from earlier had curled up next to her. She was about to protest when she realized he had already fallen asleep. She sighed and looked back up at the moon.

She had just begun to doze off when a shadow dashed across the moon. All of the argents of Scarlet's Kin were accounted for. This was an intruder, most likely a scout from Infernal Kin. Realizing how out in the open they were, she stood slowly and grabbed the hatchling with one foot. Immediately, he woke up and began to cry. She attempted to shush him, but a screeching from above told her it was already too late. The screech had woken up the other argents, and they quickly realized what was happening.

"Everyone move!" shouted Riot. The flock took off, adult argents grabbing hatchlings and lifting off into the sky. Corvi looked back. There were three argents behind them, each of them carrying burning tree branches. Riot shouted to the flock, "Everyone with a hatchling, get to the tundra. Everyone else, attack!" Riot and the other argents without hatchlings in their talons immediately turned back and dashed into the attackers.

Corvi kept her eyes forward and pushed towards the tundra. She quickly gained the lead, passing the other argents. "Follow me!" she shouted, diving down to pick up momentum. The other argents looked at each other skeptically, but followed her command. They picked up speed. "Stay below the canopy! We'll be better hidden." Again, they followed her orders. The silver hatchling shivered in her talons and the screeching behind them grew quieter.

[TRIVIA: No easter eggs for this one!]

~CL1