Less Whining, More Action

Another picture from my artist friend, Elmer Damaso, has just arrived with the kids making a hurried escape into cold ocean waters. As with every rescue mission, the kids have to free the captured animals by putting keystones into a certain spot. This time the mythical creature is quite a bit bigger than previous ones and they realize pretty quickly it’s best to get out of the way as soon as possible!

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"Found it!" said Sophie. She stood in front of a rounded rock with a small hole in the middle, perfect for a keystone.

"Slam it in!" Bree was tugging furiously at the seaweed clinging to her ankles. "Do it before this stuff drags us back into the water!"

Sophie took the glowing orb in her hand and put it in place. The seaweed immediately stopped, dropping harmlessly to the ground. Water Lily Jaguar still eyed the plants suspiciously, claws ready to strike at a moments notice. Sophie turned to Bree. "Okay, where’s the Zaratan? Usually something happens by now."

Bree was running to the jaguar and quickly hopped onto his back. "Oh, it’s gonna happen!"

"What do you mean?" asked Shiloh. He stood behind Farasi Bahari with Ercinee flying overhead to provide light. He pulled some stray seaweed off of his backpack and threw it to the ground.

"It’s about to get way crazy here so you might want to..." She gave Water Lily Jaguar a playful slap on the side. "Run!"

"Wait! Seriously? What’s–" The sudden rumbling on the island made Shiloh pause. "Again? Why does every mission have to end with rocks falling all over us?"

"At least she warned us this time," said Sophie. She was already on top of Farasi Bahari and gave Shiloh her arm. With both of them on the emerald horse, they made a break for the water.

"Less whining, more action!" Bree and Water Lily Jaguar were already leaping into the air, right into the open water. "That’s how animals get rescued!"

Just a Bunch of Feathers

For the kids, part of their job is to learn how to work with these amazing mythical creatures and no one has it harder than Shiloh. Being a partner to a young dragon like Arrow certainly has its’ drawbacks. Whether it’s cleaning up after him, keeping him fed, or trying to break him of his peculiar dragon habits, Shiloh has a busy summer ahead of him.

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"Arrow, don’t do it," whispered Shiloh. He slowly crept up to the young dragon and reached out to touch him. With a hand on Arrow’s wing, Shiloh did his best to keep his voice calm. "It’s just a bunch of feathers. Only feathers."

The dragon paid no attention to Shiloh, instead focusing on the yellow and black bird in front of him. A low, happy growl rumbled in his throat and his eyes shone excitedly.

"Leave her alone, Arrow. You can’t have her feathers." Shiloh stood in front of the dragon, trying to block the Ercinee from Arrow’s view. The dragon kept craning his neck over Shiloh, pushing against the boy insistently. As Shiloh wedged his body up against Arrow to hold him back, he looked at the Ercinee and said, "Stop glowing already. It drives him crazy."

As if surprised, the Ercinee flapped her wings and squawked shrilly, her feathers glowing even brighter. Arrow immediately took notice and quickly knocked Shiloh to the side to pursue his object of obsession. In an instant, the bird took flight and the young dragon was off after her.

"Arrow! Get back here!" Shiloh started to run, but stopped and shouted behind him. "A little help would be nice!"

"Can’t, ‘Loh! Staring contest with Jaculus!" Bree was on the ground, facing the winged snake.

"And I’m the judge," added Sophie.

"And Sophie’s the judge! Deal with it!"

"Ugh..." Shiloh glared for a moment, but turned back to join the chase. "Don’t make me get the squirt bottle!"

Ercinee and Veo

Here are two more animals that will certainly prove useful to the kids on their various missions this summer. Hopefully, Sophie, Bree and Shiloh will take the time get to know these mythical creatures and all their quirks.

The crane-like Ercinee was rumored to live in the Hercynian Forest, located in the area of Germany. This bird had the ability to glow extremely bright due to the magical nature of her feathers. With her light yellow and black feathers and strong legs and beak, this bird was an impressive sight. A vain bird, the Ercinee is always seeking attention and compliments, especially when it comes to her feathers. Unfortunately for her, those feathers also draw the unwanted attention of a young dragon who just loves shiny things.

With sightings in Indonesia, the Veo is a large creature very similar to a pangolin, complete with thick scales and a lengthy tail. While his long tongue and thick claws are useful, it’s his unique ability to roll up into a giant ball that proves most helpful to the kids. The Veo is a nocturnal creature and needs some coaxing to get going during daylight hours. He generally likes to stick to himself, but seems to get along with the Haetae. Is generally annoyed with Bree’s constant attempts to ride him like a horse.