Chapter 1: "Shadow of Doubt."
An ordinary day in Chima, the sun was shining brightly, it would seem…nothing portends trouble. However, for some reason, Lavertus had a bad feeling, it seemed that his soul was not calm. Three months had passed since the last battle with the Hunters and the conclusion of peace, Lavertus did not want to tell his brother, Lagravis, and Laval (his nephew) about his possessions, but one day…He decided to tell me. He didn't dare talk about it, even when Lagravis was watching Laval train.
Great, son! Keep your shoulders straight! Do you remember how the earth trembled under the onslaught of Hunters? Now our power serves to protect, not destroy.Lagravis said. Laval just grinned.:
"I remember, Father! And I will become as strong as you and Uncle Lavertus!-
Lavertus watches them from behind a pillar. He sees their smiles, hears their confidence. His own anxiety against their background seems to him inappropriate, almost treacherous. He clenches his fist and turns away.
Evening. Most of Chima falls asleep. Lavertus is alone in the Ancestral Hall, where the history of their people is carved on the walls. He looks at a bas-relief depicting ancient battles with forces that distorted the very nature of life.
Lagravis enters the room. He stops next to his brother, silently following his gaze at the bas-relief.
"You've been avoiding us for three days, brother. Do dreams about the last war bother you?- said Lagravis (softly).
I wish these were dreams about the past.Lavertus replied without taking his eyes off the wall.
Close-up of Lavertus' face. He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath, as if preparing to jump into the abyss.
Lavertus: - No. This… a premonition. Deep and heavy, like a stone on his chest. I tried to ignore it, blaming it on fatigue… but it's only growing.
He turns to Lagravis, and in his eyes, for the first time in days, Lagravis sees not detachment, but pure, unfiltered anxiety.
Lavertus: - The world… He's fragile. Too fragile. And I can feel something moving under its surface. Something ancient and… unclean. I can't explain it. But I can't keep quiet anymore.
Lagravis looks at his brother carefully. He doesn't smile, he doesn't wave it off. He knows that Lavertus' intuition has saved their lives more than once. He puts a heavy hand on his brother's shoulder.
LAGRAVIS: (Sternly) "Tell me." I'm listening.
Laval drove through the Outlands, in search of Lavertus' former lair, for an obstacle course. Until he came across a huge tree, he looked up at the sky and he saw powerful birds that almost looked like eagles or crows, only they looked different. They were magpies. The guards immediately flew up to him and pointed their weapons at him.
Who are you?! One of the guards asked, pointing a spear at him. The other looked at him with a stern look.:
"You decided to attack us!?""What is it?" the other asked.
Laval looked at them in surprise and felt a little uneasy.
"What?" No! I wasn't going to do anything like that, I was just passing by.
"You're lying! The guard replied, "We don't like strangers here, you're not welcome here."
They were interrupted by a female magpie, about the same age as Laval.
"Guards, lower your weapons. She ordered the guards.
"But Your Majesty, he is an outsider, and he is."..- the guard did not have time to answer anything, as the magpie immediately replied to him: - This is an order.-
The guards lowered their weapons, but still stood next to the mysterious stranger who looked at Laval.
"Sorry, stranger, they always do.- the stranger decided to introduce himself: "I'm Meipei."-
"I'm Tired."- the Prince of Lions replied: - Judging by what you were called, are you from the royal family?-
That's right. Meipei replied. "I'm the forty princess."-
Well, this is the first time I've seen birds that would live here in a Foreign land. Laval said, talking to her.
We have to, we are not very sociable. Meipei replied, putting a book in her shoulder bag.
"Oh, nothing, I'm just a chronicler. I am writing about what is happening in Chima. We all have chroniclers here.
Laval looked at her, he looked quite friendly. A magpie appeared behind Meipei, who looked more statuesque than Meipei herself. Apparently, she was their queen.
"Mom?" How long have you been here? Meipei asked, looking at her mother in disbelief.
"Just in time.- the queen replied: "Now tell me, who does that bring here?"-
This is Laval. Meipei replied, "He's the prince of lions."
Yes, I see. The queen replied, looking at Laval.: "I am Morwen, Queen of the magpies, and my daughter has already told me who we are."-
Yes, you are all chroniclers here. Laval said, bowing to the queen.
Not just chroniclers… Morwen said."We're recording history. But the most important chapter in our scrolls will never be put on public display.
She looks around at her people, frozen in the branches, then looks back at Laval.
Morven: - We are the guardians of the forgotten. We keep something that has either been erased by time or simply forgotten.
Laval: - So, it turns out that you are kind of guardians.
LAVAL: Okay, I get it. So, what now?
Morven: Well, since you mentioned that you are the prince of the lion clan, it's worth making peace between the clans.
LAVAL: That…It's unexpected, but I'll try. To talk to my father.
(In the temple of lions).
Laval returned to his father, telling him what had happened.
Lagravis: "So you're saying that the Outlander clan wants to make peace with us?"-
"Yes," Laval replied. - Magpies, to be precise, I think we could learn something new about them.-
Lagravis's finger froze on his chin, he was thinking about what would happen from this union. He replied, "Okay, then we'll form an alliance with them."-
After some negotiations, Lagravis and Morven formed an alliance, Laval turned to Mapei and said: - Well, Mapei, let me introduce you to my friends?-
Come on. Meipei replied. Laval sat on the chimacycle and shot forward, and Mepei flew after him.
Laval and Mapei met up with the others
"Laval, who is this?"Crocodile Krugger asked.
Everyone else goes to Laval and novichok.
Guys.Laval said, "Meet me, this is Mapei.-
In the late afternoon, the boys began to go home. Meipei returned home without noticing her mother in the dark.
Morven: "My daughter, you're back.-
Meipei turned around and looked at her mother, "Yes, but you thought I wouldn't come back."-
Morwen crossed her arms over her chest.
Mepei looked at Morwen, realizing that she didn't appreciate the joke.
"Mom, you don't have to worry about me.-
Daughter, you know, I can't do anything else, after all, I'm your mother…Do you understand, flower? Morwen said, looking at Mae Pei.
Mei Pei exhaled and hugged her mom.
Morwen hugged Mei Pei.-
In the late afternoon, the boys began to go home. Meipei returned home without noticing her mother in the dark.
Morven: "My daughter, you're back.-
Meipei turned around and looked at her mother, "Yes, but you thought I wouldn't come back."-
Morwen crossed her arms over her chest.
Mepei looked at Morwen, realizing that she didn't appreciate the joke.
"Mom, you don't have to worry about me.-
Daughter, you know, I can't do anything else, after all, I'm your mother…Do you understand, flower? Morwen said, looking at Mae Pei.
Mei Pei exhaled and hugged her mom.
Morwen hugged Mei Pei.-
P. S. As I promised, I'm posting chapters, plus I'll be dropping drawings with character designs, somewhere else Mepei's references were posted here, he hasn't changed, like the other characters.
