A Whisper by the Dark Moon

It was the laugh that pulled him from his revere. He lowered his head, and unfolded himself from the ground with a sigh. As he did so, his eyes fell not upon Io, his little Vipress, but Deathbelle. He blinked in surprise at catching her there, had she been watching him? She had said nothing, and stood sheathed in darkness. It would have kept her hidden, too, if not for the lighter spots of her coat.

He had expected the vipress, and felt himself caught off guard. He had taken Io here so that she might stake out space for her garden, and draw a perimeter that he might carefully fence off for her. This land was unhospitalable until the volcano was finished, but he planned on making his renovations in the meanwhile. Once she was done, he would take her back to the desert where the Ashen Empire temporarily seemed refuge.

But none if that explained why Deathbelle was there, unfathomable eyes watching him in the darkness. "Mistress?" He said, voice quiet, before getting to his feet with a confused shake. "Will you come and meet my Vipress?"