Chapter 217: Chapter 217 Crab
"Water danger?" Rocky squeaked, instantly covering his head with his arms. "What if... what if I turn into stone and they forget me on the island forever?"
"You big pebble, no one forget you," Boo declared, floating upside down. "Boo will carry you! But..." he leaned in dramatically, "principal said no wandering alone. Does ghost count as plant? Because Boo sometimes stand very still like tree..."
That broke the tension completely, and the whole group burst into laughter. Even Alina had to cover her mouth to stop herself from laughing too hard. Dante, however, only gave the faintest twitch of his lips before clearing his throat.
"Stay together," he repeated coldly, but his eyes softened for a fraction of a second as they flicked toward Alina.
Finally, Dante stepped aside from the door, and one by one, the babies leapt out eagerly, their little feet landing on the warm sand.
Alina followed after them, her heart racing with the same excitement that lit their faces. The salty breeze brushed against her skin, the cries of distant gulls mixing with the sound of waves rolling toward the shore. She felt like a child again herself, swept up in their wonder.
"Ahhhh! Teacher! Help me! What’s this red red thingy??" Drake shouted suddenly, his voice echoing across the shore.
Alina hurried toward him, her shoes sinking slightly into the soft sand. Her eyes widened for a moment, then softened in relief when she saw the culprit—a small crab scuttling sideways, its claws raised like tiny weapons.
"Drake," she breathed, her hand reaching out quickly to guide him back a step. The little dragon had been standing far too close, his feet almost about to be caught by it.
"It’s just a crab," she explained gently. "It won’t hurt you if you don’t bother it."
Drake puffed his cheeks in protest, flapping his wings. "But teacher, it’s so shiny and red! It looks like treasure!"
Behind him, Boo floated closer, eyes round with curiosity. "Treasure with claws!" he declared dramatically, spinning in the air. "Boo wants to keep it in pocket!"
"Ewwww, no!" Rocky squeaked from a safe distance, hugging himself tightly. "What if it pinches? What if it pinches my nose??"
Luna rolled her eyes, her little braid swinging. She crouched low like a hunter and growled softly at the crab. "Hmph. I can scare it away."
But before she could pounce, Alina scooped her gently under the arms and lifted her back with a laugh. "No, no hunting today. Crabs belong to the sea. Let’s not frighten them, okay?"
Luna huffed, crossing her arms, but her eyes lit up in happiness.
Sable, who had been watching quietly, stepped closer and tilted his head. His shy voice floated out. "It... it’s cute," he admitted softly, his shadows curling faintly in the sand around his feet.
Vlad Jr. stood a little apart, his pale face calm and unimpressed. "A creature with no elegance," he murmured, sipping the last of his blood bottle. Yet his crimson eyes lingered on the crab’s quick movements, betraying his hidden interest.
Kelpie crouched beside Alina, his eyes glowing as the tips of his fingers dripped little beads of water. "Crabs swim too... maybe it wants to go home," he whispered, and with one soft push of his hand, he guided a wavelet closer, making the crab scuttle safely back toward the tide.
The children watched with awe, their excitement buzzing through the air.
Alina exhaled softly, her smile warm as she looked around at them. "See? Every creature has its place. We can watch, we can admire, but we must also let them be free."
The babies nodded, though Drake still looked a little disappointed that he couldn’t keep the crab as his new shiny pet.
"Let’s go inside," Dante said firmly.
Kelpie’s pale face fell, his lips pouting as he whispered in a small voice, "Can we... can we go inside the water?" His fingers dripped tiny droplets onto the sand, betraying how much he longed for the sea.
Of course, Dante heard him. His crimson eyes shifted briefly, and his voice was final. "No. You will get wet. We go inside first."
He turned, his tall frame cutting through the sunlight, and motioned for the children to follow. The babies trailed after him in a noisy line, their chatter bouncing in the salty air. Alina stayed toward the back, her watchful eyes sweeping over them as one of Dante’s shadow demons walked beside her, its face blank and expressionless, scanning the surroundings for any sign of threat.
The moment they crossed from the beach, the world changed. The bright shore gave way to a shaded path where the air grew cool and damp. Vines dangled lazily from thick branches, swaying as if whispering secrets of the forest. Shafts of sunlight pierced through the canopy in golden beams, spilling patterns onto the mossy ground.
Luna’s eyes lit up instantly. Her golden-brown gaze darted between the trees, her small hands twitching as if she wanted to run and touch everything at once. Her wolf blood stirred; the wildness of the woods called to her, and her little heart thumped with joy.
She inhaled deeply, her cheeks glowing with excitement. "I love this place!" she blurted. Her steps quickened, and her braid swung with every bounce as she trotted closer to the front, eager to explore.
Alina smiled softly, watching Luna’s pure delight.
Boo floated close to one of the hanging vines and tugged at it dramatically. "Teacher! This forest looks like ghost playground!" he declared, spinning upside down as if to prove his point.
Rocky, on the other hand, pressed close to Kelpie, his eyes darting nervously at the shadowy undergrowth. "What if something jumps out?" he whispered, half-tempted to turn into stone already.
Drake flapped his little wings, his amber eyes glowing with excitement. "Luna, let’s race!!!" he shouted, already bouncing on his feet.
Luna’s golden eyes lit up. "Hah! You’ll never beat me, slow dragon!" she growled playfully, ready to dash.
Before either of them could leap forward, a cold voice cut through the forest air.
"Stop."