[ArtsyAlraune]

The Tundragoon continued to climb with ease, not slowing down. "Hey, Temrer," he began, "I think I see a biggish ledge that you can rest on..."

"Thank goodness," Temrer said. "I'm already tired..."

"Heh, I'm not stopping at all!" With a sudden burst of energy Matoya climbed faster.

Temrer eventually reached the ledge and flung himself up on it. "Phew... Just a short break..."

Enyon had seen this ledge, as well, and resisted the urge to rest upon it with Temrer. "I hope they hurry up..." she mumbled.

[Enyon: 53 | Temrer: 48 | Matoya: 48]

[ArtsyAlraune]

Matoya finally stopped. "You doing okay down there, Temrer?"

After taking a break, the Serraptor had finally started climbing again. "Yeah... Yeah, I'm okay..."

"Alright, then." The Tundragoon began climbing again. Already he was already halfway up the face of the mountain.

Enyon swooped down to Temrer's height. "Hurry up!" she hissed as she flew past him.

"Okay, okay!" Temrer squeaked, and he sped up his pace as best as he could. "I'm hurrying..."

[Enyon: 54 | Temrer: 49 | Matoya: 49]

[ArtsyAlraune]

After long while of climbing, Matoya reached a large cliff. It was not quite at the top, but after looking up, he figured it was the highest he'd be able to get. He walked over to the edge and looked down at the Serraptor. "You're almost there!" he called.

"Oh, finally!" Temrer called back up, reaching the ledge at last. "So... you think these mushrooms should be here?"

Enyon lowered her altitude and hovered just above them, but still kept herself from landing. "I should think sso..."

"...Hm!" Matoya said, observing his surroundings. "There's lots of scorched trees..."

"So there are!" Temrer noted excitedly. "Maybe some of the mushrooms are here!"

[Enyon: 55 | Temrer: 50 | Matoya: 50]

[ArtsyAlraune]

Matoya sweeped some ash aside and revealed a chip of black, scorched wood. He looked down at it and squinted. "Hey... There's some tiny fungus growing on this..."

Temrer took a close look, too. "There is...! They're so tiny, though..." He frowned. "I think we should find some bigger ones..."

The Tundragoon was already inspecting a large scorched log. He turned it over and grinned. "Yep, here's some more! They're a lot bigger. Enyon?"

Enyon flew by. "Yess?"

"Could you carry this back home, you think?"

[Enyon: 56 | Temrer: 51 | Matoya: 51]

[ArtsyAlraune]

Enyon nodded. "I ssuppose I can." The Garudor hovered above the log and grasped it between her talons. "You two sstart making your way back down."

Matoya nodded. "Temrer, you can cling onto me as I climb back down..."

"Oh, thank you!" Temrer said, hopping up on Matoya's back.

Enyon started to fly back down to the base of the mountain. Matoya slowly began his descent, but then picked up the pace. Soon he was climbing down faster than he had climbed up.

[Enyon: 57 | Temrer: 52 | Matoya: 52]

[ArtsyAlraune]

"Hurry up, you're almosst to the bottom!" Enyon called to them, having still not landed after all this time.

"Alright, alright..." In a few minutes the Tundragoon had reached ground level at last.

Temrer jumped down from Matoya's back. "Finally we can get back home!" he cheered.

"We're going to be registering just after that, though," Matoya told him. "Don't get too excited- about going home, that is."

"Oh, I'm not. I'm more excited about finally joining the army!"

[Enyon: 58 | Temrer: 53 | Matoya: 53]

[ArtsyAlraune]

"Sso am I," Enyon agreed. "It will be quite an interessting experience!"

"Well, we'd better be getting back," Matoya said, quickly changing the subject. "Are the mushrooms still in place, Enyon?"

"Yess, they are," she said.

"Carry them gently," the Serraptor warned, "so they don't fall off."

"Of coursse..."

[Enyon: 59 | Temrer: 54 | Matoya: 54]

[ArtsyAlraune]

"To the pen!" Matoya cried, galloping awkwardly in the direction of home.

"Yes, indeed!" the Serraptor agreed. "And after that, to the recruitment center!"

"Hey, sslow down," Enyon hissed. "I can't fly too fasst or thesse mushroomss will fall!"

"Fat chance!" Temrer laughed, dashing ahead of the two.

And so, the three friends would join the army very soon, together...

[Enyon: 60 | Temrer: 55 | Matoya: 55 -- All have left.]