Arad shifted to his humanoid form, standing beside the barbarians and looking at the devastated forest. "It happens once again," He sighed.
"At least. There was no death that we could have prevented," Eris tapped his back.
Arad looked back with a smile, "How many people do we have this time?"
Nina looked around, "Over three hundred,"
Jack approached Arad, "We did nothing to help," He tapped his shoulder, "You've grown far stronger than us. To think you would take a tarrasque down."
"Don't count fights that need raw strength or magic. Your powers show when we need traps, Lydia's power shows when we need holy magic, and Aella can take multiple enemies from afar." Arad walked toward the barbarians, "Any of you want to move? I have a piece of land beside Alina. You can hunt as much as you want."
The barbarians stared at him in silence.
^Hold up, don't tell me they are attached to this forest.^
Nina walked forward, "They are a bit dense, but they would go." She smiled, "Most kingdoms won't want them in their forest, so they usually get shunned away. That's why they ended with their land here."
Lydia stared at her, "Shunned? They are the ones that refuse to follow the law since the rulers are weaker than them."
Arad giggled, "I can imagine that,"
"But that won't be a problem for us, would it?" Aella stared at Arad and Nina, "I doubt they want to fight Arad,"
Arad looked at the barbarians, "Want to fight?"
No one came forth. The barbarians were battle-hardened, but they weren't crazy.
Nina approached her father, "Arad has hunting land. We move."
Kora nodded. The barbarians had no problem. They honestly didn't care where they lived as long as they could hunt in peace.
Eris looked at the sky, "We came flying, but it seems we have a long way back," She sighed.
Zephyr nodded, "With over three hundred barbarians, including children and elderly, it's going to be a slow trip."
Nina approached Arad, "You're doing it again," She said with a sad face, "Carrying the refugees back to your domain, cleaning after disasters."
Arad patted her head, "Don't be sad about it. If I learned one thing, it's to care. We aren't the center of the world. Bad things happen, and we have to live with them."
"Those aren't the words you hear from a dragon," Zephyr sat on his head, "But from a human, one that saw a lot,"
"Said the wind spirit. Aren't you the one who gave your land to humans?" He looked at her, smiling. "Shouldn't I preserve lives in my domain? The more people live there, the better."
"You're right," She looked at the barbarians, "Abandoning people is bad. Carry them in their time of need. And one day, they would carry you if the need came to be."
Arad nodded. "We should start moving. We will reach a fresh forest by nighttime,"
Zephyr nodded, "You will carry those who can't walk, I assume,"
"Of course," Arad cracked his neck, shifting into his draconic form. "Children, elderly, those who can't walk, or the sick, everyone climbs onto my back." He said, and the barbarians stared at him in silence for a second.
"A lizard!" A kid screamed, jumping at Arad and swinging a stick. CRACK! He hit him in the leg, "Kill it!"
Arad stared at the kid, then rolled on the ground, "I'm dead..."
The kid turned toward the other barbarians, shouting in victory.
Arad extended his tail and caught the kid, lifting him up, "Never drop your guard,"
"Heh!" The kid gasped.
Arad opened his jaw, "I'm going to eat you,"
"Save me!" The kid shouted.
"But, you aren't much food for now," Arad put the kid down, "Grow first. For now, you should avoid fighting anything bigger than yourself."
Jona laughed in the back, walking toward the kid, "Play there," She pointed at the other kids.
Arad recognized her as the woman he beat first upon arriving in the village.
Jona looked at Arad, only now understanding how all her attacks barely affected him. Those massive arms are thicker than her body. One swing and those sharp claws will cut her into pieces.
She smiled, not knowing if Arad saw her any different than that kid. A mere child tickling his iron scales. She is far too weak for him. Most of the barbarians in the clan are, except one.
Jona looked toward Nina. It's been a while since she saw her fight, and even now, she doesn't know how Nina looks when going all out. How would a death battle between her and Arad look like? For a barbarian, Jona started to think a lot.
"Arad," Nina approached Arad, "You met father before, right?" Kora stood behind her.
Arad shifted back to his humanoid form. It seems they won't set off immediately after all.
"I did," Arad nodded.
She turned back, "That's my mom, Nora." She pointed at a tall brown haired woman that slowly approached from the back. "And that brat that hit you, he's my younger brother, Nen."
Arad looked at them with a smile, "It's good that they would be living closer to Alina, isn't it?"
Nina nodded, "But I haven't finished yet," She pointed back, "Those two are Grandma Zor and Grandpa Toro, father's parents. The two over there are mother's parents, Grandma Shir and Grandpa Ralr." She walked toward Jona.
"This is Jona, my cousin. She's the daughter of my uncle Ron, mother's older brother." She pointed at a man and a woman in the back.
"Ah! By the way," She looked through the crowd, "Shi was the daughter of grandpa Toro's brother. Bim was her son, and Bom was her daughter's husband..."
"Ok! Please stop," Arad had to stop her. "Is this clan one big family or something?"
"Not really. There are about five different families here," Nina said, but her father stared at her, making eight with his fingers.
"Sorry, three families have joined since I left. There are eight different ones." She looked back, "That's true. There are some faces I don't recognize besides the kids,"
Her mother approached, "Ash, long road."
"They came from the ashen east," She smiled.
"I think," Arad looked at her, "We should start getting ready to depart. We won't want your family staying homeless for long, right?"
"Barbarians are used to the nomad life. I don't know about traveling long distances, but they sure... AW!" Aella pinched her, "Come with me for a moment,"
"Much, talk," Kora approached Arad.
Arad nodded, "For a barbarian, yes,"
^She really talks a lot for a barbarian. I guess that seven intelligence of her come back when her rage ends.^
^[Her rage is similar to a pseudo-transformation,]^ Doma added.
[She doesn't talk much that often. She's just excited to introduce her family to you. Make sure to sit through that when we get back,] Mom said, staring at Arad inside his head.