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Leslie hadn't spotted Ella or Raa since the Freshlings were brought down into the bunker before everybody else. The small Imp sat huddled against the wall, worrying for the safety of the rest of their family. Some of the people brought in were injured and bleeding. According to what the grownups were saying, some had died before making it to the Academy.

What was going on..?

"So zese animals--do ve have to give zem back at ze end of ze night?" Or...whenever they got out of this. He wanted to say that, but the spectre of Naihilus's angry glare rose again in his memory and he had to force back bile at the memory of his roommate--his secret crush--being angry at him. The horror of that was biting at him, and he hated it.

"No," the volunteer said. "They're yours to keep."

Relief that Kuni didn't even know was being held back flooded into his brain and his heart. He took a deep breath as though he were breathing with new lungs. "Sank you," he said to them, then turned around and returned to his former hiding place. He sat down on top of the crate this time instead of next to it, and set Mushroom down next to him. On his lap, he held the kitten, who was squirming as much as Mushroom had been. Kuni held the kitten out to the fennekit. Mushroom wagged his tail. "So vhat vill I name you?" Kuni asked the kitten.

He was a bit surprised that the familiar had accepted the first pet, almost melting into it, a huge change from the way it was acting priorly. Still, it's eyes were scanning the group and each person who talked or moved. Hiroshi couldn't help but wonder if the creature had been hurt before with the way it acted. When the familiar moved onto his lap he broke into a huge smile, thankful that the thing was seeming to finally trust him.

As Liam inspected him, Hiroshi just smiled. He was pretty used to the strange looks he got rather they were because he was a Hallowed or because of being Kumiho, or both. It was rather true that Kumiho were new to the Below and it was even more rare to see one being a Hallowed. The looks really didn't bother him all that much, there was no sense in making a big deal about it, especially when there were bigger things to worry about right now.

"It's nice to meet you, Liam." At the question, he just shook his head back and forth. "The counselor of the school decided to bring a few familiars in to help calm people down. It definitely seems to be working, it's giving a lot of people something else to focus on." He gently stroked the vespercat sitting on his lap.

vanna

Hiroshi nodded slowly. He had been worried about his own familiars, but at the very least it didn't seem like whoever these people were that they were after them. It wasn't a lot of hope to hold onto, but it was some at least. "I do hope that everything else goes by without incident." Though, if he thought about it, it didn't seem very likely, but he hadn't wanted to voice that in case he might scare some of the other people.

"Did you come from the safe houses?" He didn't think he had seen the man before now, though there were a lot of people so it was definitely possible. He noted the question but honestly didn't have much of an answer to give. He hoped it wouldn't be too long, but who knew what exactly would happen in a situation like this?

He glanced down at the familiar, wishing he had as few cares as they seemed to have at this moment.

Liam shook his head. He glanced around to make sure there wasn't anyone who might overhear who looked particularly fragile. "I came from Leviathan," he said.

It made him wonder though. If Leviathan had been so thoroughly breached, what had happened to the other places? It had been a bit chaotic, but it seemed like he remembered there being more than one portal open when he'd stumbled onto the Academy lawn. Had the safehouses been raided as well?

"How many different groups do you think are here," Liam asked, pitching his voice so that it wouldn't carry very far in case the topic startled someone. His eyes drifted over the crowd, trying to gauge actual numbers. He knew it couldn't be the entire population of Below. It would take a determined group indeed to cross the Swirling Storms, for example. Those not prepared for such a journey would find it harsh indeed. And while he had never been there (and never intended to go), the Litch cities up north were also likely difficult journeys. They couldn't be the only stronghold still standing against the crisis. Could they?

An interruption to his thoughts came in the form of nudge to his hand. Startled, Liam looked over and down and spotted a brightly colored spectrefox looking up at him with expectant eyes. "Hey there, where'd you come from," he asked, holding out his hand. The spectrefox sniffed it, then tucked his head under the hand in a clear demand. Liam's chest rumbled in a near-silent chuckle as he obliged.