Alexei and company camped outside,  by a dried out river bank. It had formally been a farming village that used all the resources. Now it was just used as a came site and,they were trying to get over the idea that Utica point had been consumed in flames. It was an awful thought to deal with, but even worse to see it happen.

Some of the company, on the other hand, thought nothing of the strange occurrence. Anastasia was one of them. 

While Alexei watched her from a far she explored. The first thing she came to was a small little tree that bore white fruit much like an apple. Try all she might she couldn't advance up the huge tree. She shrugged it off and went to find something else new and interesting.

"Ana! Where do you think you're going?" Alexei called after his little bondmate.

*I wanna see where I can explore!* She began to slither away, but it didn't take very long for Alexei to catch up with her. He picked her up and held her snugly in his arms.

"Now where do you want to go?"

She huffed, *I can get there by myself!*

"It's faster with me walking you there."

While sulking Ana pointed to her destination with her tail. It was a simple little gopher hole.

Alexei blinked, "A gopher hole? Why do you want to see that?"

*Maybe the funny gopher thing wants to make friends with me! Then I can play with him, you, Doshi, and Zi!* She bounced happily in his arms. *Come on!*

He didn't bother asking about a little wyrm's logic and headed to the small little hole. When he sat Ana down she wasted no time jumping into it. 

She wiggled her way into the small hole until she was out of view. All Alexei could do was stare after her with a very surprised expression.

KATHUNK!

Ana hit the soft ground. *It's very dark in here,* she thought to herself as she slithered forward. *Hellooooooo!* she projected to break the silence. 

Nothing answered.

*I know someone is down here! Why are you not answering me?*

Something shifted in the dark, it seemed to be backing away from Ana.

Suddenly something faintly lit up the room to reveal a small animal in front of Ana. It blinked and backed into the wall of the tunnel.

Ana blinked at the cross around her neck, it must have reacted to something. Not that she knew what it was or she cared. Looking up at the creature she tilted her head to one side. *Are you a gopher?*

"Certainly not!" said the creature, who on closer inspection looked very close to a human. In fact it looked a lot like mini-Pictor with wings.

*Then... what are you?*

"I'm a Res."

*But how can you be a Res when Pictor is a Res and he's all big and giant when compared to you?*

"We come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. I'm closely related to a fairy dragon, but I'm hiding in this hole."

*Why? Don't you want to play with everyone?*

"I'd love to but...what if someone bad tries to find me?" the little male Res was at the verge of tears. He had apparently been stuck in the hole for quite sometime, and he seemed to be waiting for someone as well.

*Oh, well, nothing bad will happen with me around!* she puffed up her chest. 

The little Res blinked. What a cute little dragon, if it was a dragon that is. "Can you help me find my friend?"

*Sure!* she said and bounced, smacking her head on the roof of the tunnel.*Oooooooowie!* When and if she could make tunnels she sure would make them a lot bigger.

Suddenly they both heard Alexei's muffled voice. It was definitely saying things it shouldn't be saying by the tone of it. 

Ana looked to the little Res, *Maybe we should get up there?*

"It sounds like it."

Ana wiggled up the why she had came. It was certainly harder to get to the surface then getting in the whole. Whoever thought of that should have remembered not everyone does this everyday! Squeaking and Fweeing all the way she managed to get out. The first thing she say was Alexei.

A very angry Alexei.

The little Res popped up beside Ana. Shocked it looked at Alexei in fear and wonder. A little white puff ball was attached to his finger. That puff ball just happened to be the other Res that he had been waiting for. "Trinity!" he yelled and flew over.

The little white puff ball (which was a rabbit) let go of the finger at once to see her very excited friend.

Alexei sat on the ground next Ana holding his gushing finger. "Who knew they had vampire rabbits."

*Are you okay? It seemed to be on there pretty tightly!* She squeaked in disgust at the blood that just wouldn't stop flowing.

"I'd like to say yes..."

"Oh!" the little fairy Res fluttered over to Alexei, "Allow me to heal that I'm so sorry for my friend, she you'd try to kill me."

"Oh, no bigge!" he watched as the little Res healed his finger.

Ana sat on Alexei's head bouncing as the returned to the dried up river. *You know what Alexei?*

"What Ana?"

*When I grow up, I'm goin' to dig the best tunnels in the world!*

"As long as you promise not to jump on my head, I'll be happy with that."