Children were blessings. Pure, innocent bundles of joy, untainted by the evils of the world. Open slates. And yet since the birth of Cataleya's whelps, somehow all that he could think of was blood. Bright red painted the corner of his vision, taunting him, tearing at the very fabric of his reality. For some time, his frustrations has centered on Cataleya, the woman that had claimed him -- but with time he began to open his eyes and really see. But it was not she who deserved his anger, his malice; instead, she had grounded him and given him purpose, even if it was not exactly what he had planned for himself. Today he felt particularly restless, and would slip from the den quietly and into the rapidly fading sunlight.

Winter would be here soon, and it was blatantly obvious. The air was frigid and harsh and the wind that swept across the land was biting. Ears would flatten against his skull as he carried himself forth, shoulders hunched forward and head lowered to protect him from the cold. Amethyst eyes swept the landscape as he walked, searching for shelter from the chill -- he needed to be alone for a bit, away from Cataleya and her children. It wasn't long before Basilisk saw a promising sliver of darkness near the base of the mountain nearby. With ease he would slip into the depths of the cavern, thankful for the familiar darkness and silence that engulfed him.

Nausica Saxe

Never had the girl met any of her older siblings, leaving her to believe that she had none. But that not her fault, nor was it her fault that she had once against ventured from home, leaving behind the tattered family she had. Ebony paws kissed the earth, amethyst gaze settling on the dark outline before her. Never before had she seen a gaze so it captivated her attention, luring her closer. Audits slide forward, her usual dull gaze bright with curiosity. Nostrils quivered, taking in the scent of someone unknown, someone who had entered her self-proclaimed domain. Immediate irritation shot through her ever growing body. Didn't they know who she was? Lips twitched, revealing the tips of fangs. Undeterred, the ebon demon pushed onward, eyes adjusting to the darkness of the caves. "Hello..." Silky lyrics would bounce off the walls of the caves, echoing around her as they faded. Steps slowed, eyes searched for the trespasser, continuing to take in his scent. There was nothing familiar about the stranger that trailed in front of her. Plume twitched at her hocks. She waited for the adversary to reply, to show himself and not continue to hide from her.

The scent of another was an unpleasant disruption to his solitude. Slowly the boy would turn his massive body around in the near-darkness, gaze widening to take in what little light filtered into the cavern. Involuntarily his muscles would tighten, stance shifting quite dramatically as he anticipated the arrival of a stranger.

It was surprising when the gaze that sought out his form in the darkness was the same color as his own. A low growl would begin to form deep within his chest, but it hardly escaped his lips. The girl was quite yet, not yet a yearling, and he found himself intrigued by her for reasons unbeknownst to him. She bore her teeth to him, as though he might be threatened by her tiny teeth and small body. A laugh would escape his throat, a cold sound that bounced off the stone walls of the cavern.

"Think you're pretty tough for a kid, don't you?" he spat at the stranger. Slowly, Basilisk Saxe would pace closer to her, tail flicking quietly behind him as he became visible. "What's your name?" And why was she wandering alone in such a place?