Chapter Text
The Artificer dashed through the Farm Arrays, looking for the nearest Rain Deer to get through the worm grass. It was desperately trying to get away from some angry Scavengers. It looked at it's concerned Slugpups, and then looked both to the left, then to the right. It's frustration was obvious. What had she'd done to make them so upset? For now, she couldn't stop to ask.
Definetly not now. She had to keep going. The Artificer kept running, and running until she lost track of all the Scavengers that were chasing her down. She set her Slugpups down, and checked around for anything they could play with. For distraction. She couldn't risk throwing a spear, due to having a good track record with the Scavengers. She looked at one Slugpup, and then the other. What could she do? She could head back to search for a Rain Deer to get her through some worm grass, and get chased down by a Scavenger again, or stay hidden until it's safe enough to wander again. "I'd much rather stay here.
Oh, but what can I feed these troublesome two?.." The Artificer looked around. She couldn't feed them anything too big, or too tough. They hadn't even grown teeth yet. The Artificer curled up in frustration, hiding her tears from her two Slugpups. They'd been extremely distracted by the many broken, scattered bones in the area they'd hidden in. "Something must've died here.. there's gotta be food around somewhere."
The Artificer jumped and grabbed a pole, slipping at first. She wasn't the greatest climber, unlike the other Slugcats. It was frustrating, being unable to climb as well as the others. It was even more frustrating, knowing The Gourmand could climb much better than her. The Artificer then remembered why she was climbing, and continued the search for food.
She almost immediately found some soft fruit at the top of the climb.
She quickly grabbed it, and slid down the pole, returning to her Slugpups.
As she got closer, she quickly noticed something glimmering in the hand of the youngest one.
"What's that, Guppy?"
Guppy, (The blue one,) smiled wide, and showed it to The Artificer.
That was it.
That's why the Scavengers were chasing us.
Guppy took a pearl from a Scavenger Toll.
The Artificer angrily glared at Guppy, before handing over the fruit.
"Do you realize how much trouble we are in now? Scavengers don't joke around when it comes to their items! Give me that pearl!" The Artificer whisper-shouted, before holding out it's paw to be handed the pearl. Guppy, however, had other plans. He scampered off, thinking it was a game. The Artificer immediately ran after Guppy, leaving the other, (the green one,) Snapper, behind.
"Come back!! NOW, Guppy!"
Guppy looked back at her mother.
Smiling.
Laughing.
Playing around.
The Artificer smiled for a beat, slowing down for a bit. She could never stay mad at her little slug.
She finally stopped running after Guppy, letting him play with the pearl for a little while longer. But then, a shadow cast over them both.
A shadow in the shape of a Scavenger.
But before The Artificer could react-
*Thud*
A spear flew through the air, and hit Guppy.
Guppy immediately fell over, dropping the pearl he'd just been playing with.