The next morning, the whole camp woke up to a furious Shakti's shouting. Rousing the two sleepy kids, each gently rubbing their eyes, and yawning. It was like they were completely in sync.
"Hmm? What's miss Shakti doing here?" Shurry asked, slowly waking up, at the painfully early hour. He stretched, and then noticed that Ardee had snuck in. "Oh, Ardee, good morning!" His mood changed quickly, having the tired expression change to a warm smile.
"Morning, Shurry!" Ardee hugged Shurry, he hugged back.
Shakti was growing red with fury at this sight. But Nernatti and Lyca just laughed.
"What's wrong Shakti? I know you have a sister complex and all, but that's no reason to wake the whole camp a few hours early." Lyca scolded. "If you can't learn to control that kind of outburst, you'll never grow stronger."
"But they were sleeping together!"
"So? They're kids, what's it matter?" Nernatti quickly retorted.
"Not only that but, do you really think I bothered to bathe the girls, dry off, only to bathe him? No, we all went at once."
Shakti stumbled back as if she'd seen a horrible hell before her. And then she fell back, light headed… Someone placed a cool, and damp towel on her forehead.
"Pfft, she's really got it bad."
"Indeed. Doesn't she know it's normal for that? Hell I'd still be doing baths that way forever if I had my way. Well… Not with Zeus around, he's a real pain. But children should have to worry about adult things."
"Yep, I bathe my little brother too, though Lady Hathor usually takes all of the opportunities." Nernatti pouted. "The way he chomps at the bubbles is just too cute!"
"Yeah, I suppose it would be easier for you in that familia."
"Wait, big sis Nernatti, Shurry likes to play with the bubbles too!? I love that part!"
"Yep, it's the cutest thing ever! Though he does end up splashing around quite a bit."
"Splashing is fun too! But mommy always says no splashing…"
Ardee pouted, and for some reason tightened her hug on Shurry. But then her smile returned.
"You're so adorable!" Nernatti cheered. "Why don't you two go and play for a bit. Everyone's awake now anyway, so we might as well head up to the surface."
""OKAY!""
Ardee and Shurry both ran out of the tent and played with whatever they could find, Alise, and Neze joining them while everyone else, reluctantly, and begrudgingly, got ready to leave.
"I swear, that captain of ours better not ask us to do this again."
"Ha! If she does, let's bring something down so she can't scream, waking everyone up."
"While that would make it easier to sleep… I'd rather not run the risk of her being on watch and then we all die to monsters."
"Good point."
Shakti, having recovered enough to sit up, did so, and glared at the ones speaking.
"You were saying?"
"Nothing, just that we're so glad to have had such a wonderful experience!"
"That's what I thought."
…
Soon everyone was ready to leave, except Shurry was absent… Until everyone saw him appear from the forest canopy, hold a couple of trees, one in each hand. Then he bounded over like he wasn't carrying all that much weight.
"HUH!?"
The collective shock was so high a few jaws fell once they noticed the powerful boy.
He landed right next to the group and cheerfully smiled.
"Time to go home! Let's go!"
He began marching up the path, lugging the trees behind him.
"Heh, Maxim, and Zald are both going to get a huge laugh out of this one." Lyca chuckled to herself, though Alfia and Meteria noticed and added their affirmations.
"Yeah, Zald is probably going to laugh hysterically."
"Maxim will smirk and go try to test what little brother can do."
…
After the rather interesting path back up, Shurry reached the point where he had to figure out how to get the trees through, without breaking them.
"I can't go through like this, I won't fit… Oh! How about this!"
What the adventurers at the dungeon entrance was an impossibly small child, hoisting a massive, healthy tree, up and over his head.
"What is he made of!?"
Shurry laughed! As he pushed the first tree through the opening, barely fitting through it, and then he passed through, followed by the second tree.
"Yay! I did it! I brought two trees back just like Unccy Zaldy did! Except I didn't break them. Not one! Yep!"
"Ahahaha! Nice going sport. But those don't look like the Mruit trees, so you've still got some room for improvement."
A heavy hand, covered in heavy black armor rubbed Shurry's head with positive feedback. Shurry smiled and nudged his head into the hand.
"Unccy Zaldy, that tickles."
"Oh, that's right, did Lyca find you?"
"Yep, I already took care of it!?" Shurry answered, smiling as his tail bounced around. "I need to go home and plant my trees again before they start dying."
"Alright, go on. I'm sure your mother missed you."
The rest of the expedition team came out from the dungeon, breathing the fresh air.
"FINALLY! FRESH AIR AT LAST!"
"I need a nap!"
"I guess he really ran you all ragged huh? Understandable, he's pretty good isn't he?"
"You're right about that, Zald. And I saw the last confirmation I needed while down there."
"So, we were right, yet again. Well, I'm sure she has her reasons for doing so. It would be nice if she shared the info with us later… Then again-"
"It wouldn't ever help us in any way, even taking someone like me for example." Lyca's interruption was clear that the discussion need not be had.
Shurry looked a little puzzled but grinned. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I'll see you later unccy, aunty! Alise, Ardee, Neze, come on, let's go plant these trees, and see our mommies!"
"But my mommy is at-"
Shurry sniffed. "She's at mommy's place! Let's go!"
The four kids ran off towards the Hathor familia home. Alfia, and Meteria wanted to go too, but they were told not to go. Apparently, Alraj was in a terrible mental state, refusing to even eat until he saw proof that the two returned safely. It had become a real annoying hassle for the familia.
"Alright, you should come with me to the guild. The news about the amphisbaena's defeat will be welcome news for them. And… We have a lot of magic crystals to exchange."
Nernatti, and the supporters from Hathor familia went with her, while the Ganeasha familia went to their home to rest… Some of them had shifts in a few days.