Crunch, crunch, crunch—
Sharp teeth meshed together, white bones gruesomely mixed with blood splashed from the ferocious snout, trickling down the long neck and falling onto the colored scales of its chest like pearls. The sickening smell of blood spread through the air.
As the fresh and delicious food kept filling its belly, the participant with lifeless and appetizing eyes, whose irises were pure white and intimidating, began to lose the desire for violence bit by bit, becoming increasingly calm and gentle.
The wings, which are covered by white tendons and are fifty feet long, slowly fold and converge to the sides of the spine, where there are rows of thin white barbs.
Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!
The giant dragon's claw was embedded in the pyramid-shaped mountain, and the crushed rock fell like rain, covering the traces of the recent killing quickly.
The Australian lyrebird arrived on the rock peak, stretched its neck, and emitted a series of long cries akin to seagulls but much deeper. After a "sated" feast, it slowly crouched down, wrapping its thick tail around its body in a circle. After spewing several clusters of bright red flames from its short snout, it finally drifted off to sleep slowly.
Meanwhile, in the distance, hidden behind a magic barrier, a group of experts on magical creatures witnessed this scene and cheered loudly, clapping their hands and jumping with joy.
This Australian lyrebird was brought to the New York Magical Creatures Natural Reserve from the Australian Fire Dragon Nature Reserve, approved by the Magical Council, last Christmas. Its arrival filled the gap of no wild fire dragons in the United States and could provide research materials for a group of magical creatures protection experts. Moreover, the public can also visit it after making an appointment. It's of great significance.
"Remember what I've said—"
As the group of magical creatures experts calmed down and reverently gazed at the elderly wizard behind them, the latter did not show any joy or pride.
With a touch of unwillingness, he looked at the Australian lyrebird snoring and said, sighing. Then, he looked at the thick vines and shrubs in the forest on his side.
"Hobbit, Mili, Mole!"
The old voice echoed through the traditional lush forest, and soon, the sound of rustling leaves in the wet forest was heard. Three colors of electric lights shot out from the forest, and before the staff and experts at the New York Magical Creatures Natural Reserve had time to react, three cat-like creatures were already in position.
"Oh, no, Hobbit!"
Newt's fingers, quick and nimble, reached into Hobbit's mouth and fumbled around for a moment before laboriously extracting a chubby, seemingly very young MotMot—a hatchling that was terrified and trembling in Newt's palm. It was trying to dig a hole to bury itself, so it kept scratching at Newt's palm with its two protruding white nublike incisors on its lips.
"Oh, don't be afraid, little one..."
Newt grabbed the tail of the newly born MotMot and handed it over to the staff here,
"Could you please return it to its mother and apologize for me."
Newt said, then pulled off the angry Hobbit who was pounding his head with his paws.
"Relax, Hobbit, that's not your food."
Meow!
"Do you need compensation?"
Newt twitched his whiskers helplessly,
"All right, let's make a deal then. How about a bowl of ferret meat?"
Meow!
"Two bowls?"
Newt's brow furrowed, but at that moment, Mili and Mole started squirming on his shoulder as well. To calm the situation down quickly, Newt had to raise his hands in surrender.
"Oh, all right then, let's make a deal. You two get two bowls each, and that's completely taking advantage of the situation. Come on, we have to hurry back. Tina said it's impolite to leave the guests at home."
The so-called home was actually a small wooden cottage located at the boundary of lush forest and grassland within the Magical Creatures Natural Reserve, which was built by the Magical Council in Central Park.
It's not just Amostas who are receiving unfair treatment; Newt, who caused trouble in this city with his own hands, is also subject to some degree of restraint.
Since Newt claims to be here to search for missing high-risk magical creatures, the Security Department has assigned him a place to stay within the Nature Reserve. However, unlike Amostas, this arrangement suits Newt just fine.
A few lazy clouds lazily drifted across the high sky, blue-green and clean. On the undulating slopes of the green meadow, two grayish purple adult cornu dorsi roamed leisurely. Amostas sat by a stone trough for magical creatures outside his wooden house, enthusiastically teasing a ball dart.
This fluffy ball dart seemed unwilling to endure the teasing.
The little flightless ball dart was flapping its short wings rapidly, constantly disappearing and reappearing in the original space with its innate teleportation ability, hoping to stay away from this pesky wizard as far as possible.
But for some reason, the ball dart's mind seemed muddled. It kept teleporting, but could not leave the range of those pale purple eyes and their intense gaze. The ball dart constantly appeared and disappeared above and below in front of Amostas, only to be met with the palms of long fingers each time—
Chirp, chirp, chirp!
The little brown eyes of the ball dart rolled with 'desperation' tears, as if it felt that its life was already over.
"Please don't do that, Amostas—"
Looking at the thoroughly entertained Amostas Brenn, Newt, who had hurried out from the rainforest, trembled his lips tightly several times.
"If a ball dart feels scared, it might completely get its direction wrong in the process of moving. I've seen a ball dart panic and lose its life by running into the ground in an attempt to escape predators."
Chirp, chirp!
The ball dart, grasped firmly, let out a heart-wrenching cry.
"Oh, scared?"
Amostas flicked the ball dart's beak with his finger and said with a friendly smile,
"Isn't it fun what we're doing?"
Amostas smiled and opened his hands, removing the magic that kept the space sealed, allowing the ball dart to panic and escape.
Clapping his hands, Amostas stood up from the edge of the trough and walked towards Newt with a smile,
"How about it, Newt? Is the trouble settled?"
Newt sighed silently. He didn't know why Hobbit would think Amostas Brenn was a friendly, kind wizard. From his two limited interactions, Amostas Brenn treated magical creatures like most wizards. No, perhaps even more ruthlessly.
"It must be said..."
Newt waved away Hobbit, who was urging for the bowl of ferret meat, and said with a slightly unhappy tone,
"These magical creatures experts here are probably the least qualified I've ever seen. They insist on feeding an Australian lyrebird a dead goat and tell me that's what it takes to tame the wild Australian lyrebird. If they'd just take a look at my book, they wouldn't make such a mistake."
They have been keeping me away from it under the pretext of protection. Because they've already lost several 5X-level creatures, they can't afford for the lyrebird to cause any more trouble. But it's themselves who have starved the poor little creature into a state of ferocity.
The two of them walked into the house together. Newt was urged by three cat-like creatures to fulfill his promise, while Amostas walked towards the stove, took down a kettle to replace the two cups of cold tea on the wooden table.
"Oh, sorry!"
Before Newt returned, Amostas quickly threw out a treant that he had accidentally knocked unconscious with his foot, and frowning, he surveyed the swarm of Bill Wiggetts hanging from the ceiling—these buzzing little creatures were quite annoying. Fortunately, the timely return of Newt saved the little insects' lives.
"Do you need a break, Newt?"
Looking at Newt, whose face showed signs of weariness and fatigue, Amostas asked with concern.
"Oh, no—"
Newt shook his head.
"We'll continue our previous conversation as I said before, Graves has captured that Sirenomelia, and he's keeping it in a prison for criminals that is heavily guarded. I can't imagine how scared it would be there."
But Graves won't let me take care of it, not even if I offer to live in the prison myself.
I can only seek help from some well-known wizards. I've written to Albus and some international wizards I know who work in the protection of magical creatures, requesting them to put pressure on Graves to stop his unfair treatment of the Sirenomelia. Amostas, could I ask you to write me a letter as well?"
(The end of this chapter)
