Minor Labor

The second time the two euos met in their home of Atlantis, it went very differently.

They were both juveniles at the time, and they reunited in the barracks during warrior training. Most of the time the young males gathered together, and the young females did so as well.

Pelt had been in warrior training for two weeks and Ruby was done with her first training session when he recognised her. The room they were in was well lit with quite a low roof. However the walls were completely covered in racks to hang armor, with vines that were growing through the holes in the concrete.

Winding down for the day, few euos still hung about in the room.
A quiet voice piped up.

"Ruby, is that you?"

A white euo that was in the process of leaving stopped when it heard those words. It slowly turned around until it was face to face to the black euo that had made the noise.

"Parmesan?"

The black euo immediately burst into laughter. "So you remember me?"

"My name is Pelt, actually. But you can call me Parmesan if you want." Pelt looked slightly hesitant as he said that, just trying to be friendly.

"Oh Pelt! I am so so sorry. I couldn't remember your name. All I remembered is that I said something mean to you about cheese and then your mom got mad at me." Ruby looked sheepishly at him.

"I thought you hated me for it and that's why I never saw you again."

"Don't be silly!" Pelt looked overjoyed. Without thinking, he leaned forward and pressed his nose to hers. She looked surprised for a split second before closing her eyes. They stood there for another second before realising what this looked like. Physical affection was mostly for family and lovers.

"Oh, I'm so-"

"Oh no, I'm sorry!"

"Don't be sorry!"

"WE'RE OKAY!!!"

With Ruby's yell, Pelt realised they were actually alone and had nothing to worry about.

They didn't have to endure lighthearted teasing from their fellow warrior trainees.

"I never hated you for it. I actually didn't remember until you said it."
"I missed you. I'm glad to see you again." Pelt was beaming. He sat down to try and contain himself. "My momma just got busy after we had our first few playdates. I had to spend more time further into the jungle with my other dad's family. I didn't really like it. I've been living here doing warrior training for two weeks now." With that, he puffed out his chest proudly.

"Wooow, good job getting in! I remember play fighting you all the time. I'm happy to see all those battles didn't go to waste." Ruby chuckled and sat down next to him, tucking her legs under her body. Concrete wasn't particularly comfortable, but because she was sitting on a rug, it was suitable for the moment.

"Yeah, we're gonna need a rematch to see if we retain our true warrior skills." Pelt gave her a competitive look.

"We definitely do. Although, I just joined. My dad said I wasn't big enough to start training yet, but yesterday he said I could come. I think I'm ready. Don't you?"

"Of course you're ready, Ruby!" Pelt gave her a quick nuzzle. "If you dad let you, then he thinks so too!"

"I heard my momma talking to her friends yesterday. They said something about needing more warriors."

"Why would they need more warriors?" Ruby asked. Although Ruby was only a year old, she had heard a lot from being around her father. Her father, Kielo, who had retired as a warrior but got called back by the queen, recently confided in her stuff he knew about their birthplace and society.

Her dad had told her growing up that Atlantis hadn't been in need of many warriors- only a close guard that accompanied the queen at all times around her kingdom. He had retired after serving her for a few years, but was told he wasn't particularly needed anymore. His service was done.

It wasn't until a few months after Ruby and Pelt were born that he had been called back, saying that he was needed for guard duty. Other retired warriors had been called back to service as well. It happened right after an earthquake- They needed dinos to help them repair the broken walls.

Her dad was always supportive of her becoming a warrior. Confusingly however, after they had a second earthquake a few months after the first one, he had changed his mind. My little Ruby, please don't ever get involved in the warrior guard.

She was confused, though. Her dad had told her as a hatchling that there shouldn't be anything to worry about. There was no way out of where they were. Nothing could come into their home, and nothing could come out. It took Ruby a while to understand that they did in fact live in a very large dome shape. She had never thought too much about it- never wandered too far. He had told her, "No ones ever found their way out."

That was always something that laid at the back of her mind and in his nighttime scary stories.
Ruby moved her focus back to Pelt laying next to her as he spoke.

"I heard them say something weird, but I'm not sure if it's what I heard exactly."

"If it is though, it explains why they need more warriors."

"What was it?"

"Intruders. They said something like protect from intruders."

Ruby felt a shiver run down her spine. This was exactly what she feared- did her dad know? How long had there been intruders?
Does this have something to do with the earthquakes? Ruby thought to herself quietly. She didn't think it was anything, but she realised that each time it happened, the Queen had changed something about how they operate.

This second quake must have changed something, and it wasn't just the dome falling apart.

It had sounded 10 times worse. It kind of sounded like several small earthquakes- all from different directions but coming together to make a cursed song.

Ruby didn't know what Pelt was thinking. She didn't even know if he knew they lived inside a dome. She started talking anyway.

"Pelt, if there was a way out of here, would you come with me?"

"Come with you? Out of here?" Pelt seemed a bit confused, yet amused.

"Do you not like it here?"

"Parmy, if there was a beautiful gigantic world out there, you would come with me to explore, right?" Ruby was looking him in the eyes, full of emotion. Pelt was taken aback by the silly nickname and tried to match her serious expression. "If there really are intruders, we might need to go there on our warrior duties to protect our home."

"We'd be able to see what's outside. I want you there with me."

"Ruby, I'll follow you wherever you want to go. I'll always protect you!"

It wasn't exactly the response she was expecting, but it was enough. Ruby started to giggle. "I don't need protecting, silly. That's what the training is for."

"If we both know how to protect ourselves, we can protect each other." Pelt smiled at her lovingly, before his face turned to a playful expression. "You'd protect me, wouldn't you?"

Ruby was smiling back. This was reminding her of being a hatchling and teasing him with silly kid insults. "Oh yes, of course. You definitely need it. You can't run very fast after all."

"HEY!"