Dododex

ARK: Survival Evolved & Ascended Companion

Pandora

• Chapter 1 •

“And… Go!”

Dice clattered to the floor as Dovi tossed them, his sister Daring sitting behind him and clutching his shoulders, watching the little circles on each cube flip with a confident expression.

The dice landed on two fours and a five, and Jujubee roared in triumph. “YES! WINNER! FINALLY!” She leapt into the air, flapping her tiny blue wings.

Their mother was smiling above them, watching as Dovi hissed and leapt at Jujubee, Daring following just behind him, determined to not miss any sibling squabbles. The three plopped on top of each other and wrestled happily, making little squeaking noises as they squashed each other’s tails and wings.

Jujubee was pulling at Dovi’s tail when their mother inhaled shakily, her expression shifting. Jujubee’s head popped up. “Mother? What's wrong?”

Mother hung her head low for a moment, and the three hatchlings saw tears run down her snout. Then she lifted it and said, “nothing’s wrong. Don’t worry about me.”

But Jujubee was stepping forward. “Were you thinking about the old kingdom again?”

Mother paused. “Yes. I miss it very much.”

“And auntie, too?”

She blinked, looking away with a cloudy expression in her eyes. Exhaling slowly, she closed them. “I’m going to tell you a story, ok?”