Sprouting near the water’s edge a cluster of blue crystal held a small form within. One that had been slowly become aware of the things that went on around him. Bright eyes cracked open to peer through the haze of the crystalline prison. The place he had been in for so long was beginning to put an uncomfortable pressure against the sides of his body. A pressure that he wished to escape. Light squeaks left the young crocodile as he began to squirm and press his claws to the gem surrounding him.

It wasn’t until an audible crack sounded through the air that the youngster picked up his efforts. Freedom had to be close even if he truly didn’t know it yet. The crackling patterns stretching over his gem only grew larger as he moved and soon enough the small crocodile spilled out onto the ground, everything flooding to him at once as his senses began to pick up on the outside world. He didn’t know where he was or what there even was to do on his own.

Though one thought crossed his mind. And that was to keep making noise. Maybe someone would hear it? Small chirps escaped the young crocodile as his feet clawed at the ground, fighting to push his body forward. While he didn’t know where he could go there was a determination to get somewhere. But as a strange series of sounds reached the scaled boy his attentions quickly moved elsewhere. There was something else here, but what he wasn’t sure.

A few more squeaks left Nakhti’s mouth as he moved toward the whimpers. Though all of his own sounds stopped as he came across a bundle of fur huddled against a shattered gem. Despite the presence of that gem though the young croc didn’t piece it together that she was like him and instead the hatchling wiggled forward to try to bite at the hyena. Maybe that furry thing was food.

As he scurried forward he hardly registered that the very creature he was aiming for was quite a bit further away than he had anticipated. Snapping his jaws shut the gem was rather disappointed that his attempts were only met with a mouthful of air. But that possible snack wasn’t going to get away from him that easily. With a few more steps closer the small reptilian gem tried to judge his next actions as best he could. There were strange noises leaving that girl and before he could figure out what was going on she jumped forward.

Short protesting squeaks left the hatchling as he tried to back away from the beast. His voice calling out for something to come assist him in these caves. Instead all he got was this gem’s paws squishing down on top of his body. Small feet slapped at the ground as the youngster attempted to wiggle free from the hyena’s grasp. Try as he might though he wasn’t very successful in completely freeing himself. So he turned back to trying to bite her, despite having failed just moments before.

Thrashing in her hold Nakhti managed to pull himself forward bit by bit and once he felt he was far enough forward his head swung to the side, teeth clamping onto the hyena. While he wasn’t sure what he had gotten the feeling of that fur and skin pinched between his jaws was good enough for him. Attempting to keep his hold the hatchling jerked his head back and forth to tug at the skin he had barely managed to get hold of. Maybe he could at least get some of that fur off her. She had more than enough!