The kreet continued to thrash violently as the seal on its back pulsed with energy.

The woman and child still shielded by the fallen tree clutched each other tighter as they trembled. Their wide eyes were fixed on the writhing beast.

"BE CALM," Laurence commanded, his voice carrying the weight of compulsion.

The struggle ceased abruptly.

The kreet's breathing slowed, its sharp eyes locking onto Laurence's with an intelligence that belied its animalistic form. It was subdued, but not broken. It appeared astonished by the prince’s ability.

Laurence approached slowly, caution evident in each step. He extended his hand and touched the kreet's scales, rough and cool beneath his fingertips.

"Why were you threatening them?" He asked, infusing his words with the sincerity of one who sought understanding.

The kreet's thoughts entered Laurence's mind—a torrent of images and sensations that coalesced into a narrative.

It spoke of hunger, of a hard-earned meal stolen by desperate hands.

Laurence drew back, the connection between him and the creature now fully established, their minds linked by the seal.

Laurence turned to the woman and child, still huddled against the rocks. Their eyes darted between him and the now docile kreet, disbelief etched across their features.

"The kreet says you stole its fish," Laurence explained gently. "Is this true?"

The woman's face paled, her grip on the child tightening. "N-no," she stammered, shaking her head vigorously. "We would never—"

"You're lying," Avril stated flatly, his piercing gaze fixed on the pair. His presence startled Laurence, who hadn’t realized the knight was standing just behind him.

The woman flinched as if struck. Her eyes, wide and glistening with unshed tears, met Avril's unflinching stare. 

Then, like a dam breaking, words spilled from her lips in a rush. "We... we had no choice," she confessed, her voice cracking. "Bandits took everything we had. Our food, our coin... My brother and I were starving."

The boy lifted his head, cheeks streaked with dirt and tears. "We thought the fish were abandoned," he added in a small voice. "We didn't know they belonged to anyone."

Laurence’s heart clenched tightly, sympathy for these strangers mingling with frustration at the ones who stole from them. “You cooked and ate the fish already?” He asked, glancing over at the remains of the fire pit he’d noticed before.

When the siblings nodded guiltily, Laurence turned away to look toward the river. "Well, what’s done is done. I will find more fish to replace what was taken, so you two should be safe to go now."

The woman and her brother warily watched the kreet as they slowly edged towards the narrow gap between the fallen tree and the rocky alcove. When the animal did nothing but sit down on its haunches and calmly stare back at them, they began to climb out. 

The boy went first, his small form easily slipping through the opening, but his sister kept her hands hovered by his waist in case he fell. She followed soon after, her movements more cautious as she navigated the tight space.

Once out in the open, the two thanked Laurence profusely while still nervously eyeing the calmed kreet beside him. They were quick to hurry away, disappearing from the clearing.

Laurence immediately made his way over to the water while the kreet trotted after him, its wide pointy-eared head coming up to the prince’s shoulders.

Avril also silently followed, staring hard at the new seal that adorned the beast’s back.

Laurence knelt by the bank, rolling up his sleeves. His hands, so adept with arrays and seals, fumbled as they reached into the cool flow. Fish darted just out of grasp, scales glinting like tiny coins.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath. His attempts grew more chaotic, the fluid grace of the fish eluding him time and again.

His studies had covered many subjects, his tutors drilling languages and medicinal knowledge into his eager mind, but the simple act of catching fish? It was a glaring omission in his education.

Time stretched on, marked only by the occasional splash and Laurence's growing frustration. Avril watched from where he stood over him, arms folded across his chest, as the prince's strikes in the water grew more desperate and less calculated.

"Pathetic," Avril scoffed at last, the words cutting through the air.

Laurence looked up, a mix of irritation and embarrassment twisted in his scowl. 

Without another word, Avril stepped forward, kicking off his boots and peeling away his gloves, leaving them behind on the ground. He walked straight into the stream without a care for its chill.

With a predator's precision, he waited, motionless except for the slow, hypnotic play of his fingers just beneath the surface. It was mere moments before the first fish, lured by curiosity, swam close. With a sudden thrust, Avril's hand emerged victorious, gripping its thrashing body.

"Like this," he said, tossing it to the bank where the kreet was waiting. The creature pounced, its gleeful chirps filling the clearing as it devoured its meal.

Avril repeated the process with ease, tossing several more fish toward the eager jaws of the animal. When he deemed enough had been caught, he strode out of the water, droplets cascading down his legs.

Laurence watched Avril with an expression that hovered between confusion and resentment. Why had he decided to help with such a menial task when, up until this point, the knight had acted as if such things were outside his purview. 

"What do you plan to do with your newly enslaved creature?" Avril asked pointedly, his voice steady but laden with an edge that hinted at deeper currents of discontent.

Laurence's eyes widened, taken aback by the accusation. "It's not enslavement," he insisted firmly. "It's an offer of partnership. I can't communicate with animals without arrays, so using this method I can ask them directly."

He knelt beside the kreet, who was just polishing off the last of its replaced dinner. The creature's intelligent eyes met his curiosity evident in their depths.

"Would you like to stay with me?" Laurence asked, his voice gentle. "As a companion?"

The kreet tilted its head, considering. 

Laurence continued, excitement building in his tone. "Being sealed to me will give you an automatic boost in physical strength, as you'll be siphoning from my energy pool. And I'll provide you with food, of course!"

The creature's tail swished, creating ripples in the nearby water. Its mind touched Laurence's through their newfound connection, a cascade of images and sensations flooding his consciousness.

Laurence saw flashes of lonely nights in the forest, of hunger and the constant struggle for survival. But he also felt the kreet's innate curiosity, its desire for companionship that mirrored his own.

The kreet's head bobbed in an unmistakable nod, chirping in agreement.

Satisfied with the creature's response, Laurence's expression softened into a smile. "Do you have a name?" He inquired, eager to learn more about his new companion.

In the silence that followed, the kreet seemed to ponder the meaning of the question. Its forked tongue flickered in the air, tasting the lingering scents of the riverbank. Then, in a burst of telepathic understanding, it conveyed its identity to Laurence, a simple truth that resonated between them.

The prince's mind filled with a kaleidoscope of images—shimmering steely scales reflecting moonlight, the glint of sunbeams off a sleek hide, the way the kreet’s body seemed to melt into the smoky shadows of dawn. These visions were accompanied by fleeting impressions of other creatures—birds, small mammals, even other kreets—all reacting to Gray's presence with a wordless acknowledgment of his distinctive coloring.

Laurence's lips curved upwards, a simple name surfacing in his thoughts as he observed the creature's shimmering armor. "I’ll call you 'Gray' then, if that’s alright?" He announced with a measure of fondness.

Gray cocked his head, considering the sound, then appeared to nod in acceptance. Then, in a moment that felt like magic, his large form shifted. Silver scales rippled and contracted as his form shrank, muscles folding into a more compact size.

The once sleek and massive kreet had transformed into a much smaller, more adorable creature that could be mistaken for a domesticated pet.

Gray hopped onto Laurence's arm and climbed straight up to his shoulder, affectionately nuzzling against the prince’s cheek. Laurence felt honored, as it was rare for kreets to shift into their smaller forms except around those they trusted.

"Welcome to the team, Gray," Laurence whispered, a sense of camaraderie swelling within him.

Meanwhile, Avril's face was contorted into a tight smile, barely concealing the storm of emotions raging beneath. His eyes flickered between Laurence and the newly-christened Gray. The prince's gentle words and Gray's eager acceptance twisted something deep within him.

He watched as Gray continued to cuddle affectionately with Laurence. The kreet’s transformation had been seamless, a fluid shift from predator to pet. But Avril knew better. He could almost see the invisible threads of the seal, binding Gray's will to Laurence's, no matter what pretty words the prince tried to dress the process in.

"Quite the trick," Avril praised casually. "I'm sure your father would be proud to see how well you've mastered the family art."

Laurence glanced toward him, then rolled his eyes and returned his focus to Gray. 

He dismissed Avril’s words as nothing more than the knight's usual mockery.