<h4>Chapter 22:</h4>


    "AAH!" The fairy at my side screams, frantically flying away to hide behind a flower petal the same color as her wings, and her voice brings all the attention towards us, jolting my mother awake as by merely standing she could overlook almost the entireke side we are at.


    "Son?" "Seraph?" "Cute kitty?" I hear some ask, together with mother as her anxiety increases with the tone of her voice:


    "Son, are you alright? Seraph?"


    The bush I''m at covers my figurepletely, and the only confirmation that I''m still there is that it moved from time to time almost as if alive, thick enough to not let anything that is happening inside appear at the eyes of others, even mother''s sharp gaze cannot see past leaves and branches.


    When she is about to step up and attack, however, I leave the bushes, fur a mess and leaves all over my body, but most importantly, I walk out with something hanging from my mouth.


    And that is... a snake, a brown and green snake that was camouged along the tree''s trunk, so well done that it even has small branches with leaves along its thin body.


    But I saw a small movement when his eyes blinked once it was stretched out enough to bounce at one of the fairies.


    So I stroke first at it.


    There was no time to shout for help not warn anyone about the danger, like a bow string the snake shoot out, looking as if a vine hade to life, and I reacted before I could even hesitate while facing such a dangerous situation, my paws weighing it down to the ground as we fall in the bush together.


    And this is a real fight, some that I will ponder about for hourster, and even be scowled as much as praised for it, but on that exact moment the only thing I was is a beast, an animal, fighting to survive against a predator, and my mind was overflowed with adrenaline and moving by mere instinct, no coherent thoughts and only actions.


    So once we fall and hit the floor, bouncing in different directions, we both attack each other, but the snake was very easy to read and with only one type of attack I''m able to dash around its bite and hold his neck with a strong grip of my beak as my paws came a moment after to hold its body down, rendering the snake powerless.


    I did not think about what I was doing, nor did I register the taste of blood flowing in my mouth and down my throat, not until the fierce battle and the curling body of the snake start to dimmer until it finally stops moving, hanging limply on my beak.


    Still I do not let go, breathing heavily with my eyes shot open, and I''m only awakened from my trance when a familiar yet odd sound resonates at the back of my mind.


    Ding – w Level up


    Ding – Peck Level up


    Ding – Dash Level up


    Ding – Sharp Eyes learned


    Ding – Level up


    ...So many at once, what is going on?


    Well, I guess I level up again... I think as I get out of my cover while dragging the snake''s body along with me.


    "Oh my!" "Are you ok?" " That was dangerous" I hear thedies talking while flying over my head, but I''m still somewhat shocked after my first battle so I just move about, not really registering things.


    "It seems that he has your fighting spirit." I barely hear Lake say to mother as a proud yet worried look grows over her face. "And the charm of his father. He is promised for great things I can already tell."


    "Yes..." Answers mother, using a neutral tone of voice that carries the weight ofplicated emotions turmoiling inside her mind.


    I''m still filled with adrenaline from the encounter, and left in quite a shocked state, so the words enter and leave my brain as they pass, my own heartbeat sounding loud against my ears.


    For I had just won my first battle! My first battle for survival, to the death at that!


    It is as thrilling as scary I would say... but to calm my nerves in both ways I try to focus on the fact that that ding sound resonated once more, disclosing information, and that I could use that to my favor.


    And fighting has just entered my list of things to do and train, for apparently I do not learn just by mere studying, but also by acting out, experiencing it.


    Well I guess that makes sense, no better way to learn something than to put it to practice right?


    Alright! That sounds interesting!


    But how the hell do I do that? Mother would kill me for putting myself in danger once more like that, and I can tell already by the deep gaze she is sending my way that I''ll hear from thister.


    "Thank you so much Seraph! You saved me!" The chubby fairy that I just saved says, finally flying my way and hugging my neck, trembling small hands grabbing my fur tightly.


    The others, seeing her action, get envious and jump right up too, so while I was trying to go ponder about things suddenly I was a fairy ma and was hugged all around by thedies who buried their faces at my fluffy fur.


    Ding – Tittle change - Ladies Friend for Ladies Hero


    Please stop! Thesedies will be my downfall!


    ...Sigh, I guess there is no helping it so I let them stay for a while even if I did not cut the coolest image right about now because the chubby fairy still trembled against my skin, frightened, after being so close to death, finding some support at burying herself at my baby fur.


    ...Well, I can rest with them for now, but from tomorrow on... it will be training time! I''m almost too eager to even rest now!