well that's mildly disturbing

Enrico had been on patrol with Asriel when he had spotted one of the pack's young wolves leaving pack lands. It wasn't necessarily unknown, nor was it usually a big deal for them to do so... during the day. In the middle of the night, it wasn't so easily dismissed as their parents' problem.

So with a disgruntled sigh he'd left off his patrol and, with the cat by his side, followed her trail away from the pack. He had nearly caught up with her when the air seemed to still, some danger tingling at his senses. He could hear Asriel snarl quietly beside him, and even the girl in front of them seemed to sense something, for she bristled.

And then the world went insane.

The land dropped from beneath his paws, only to rush up once again and slam into him. "The volcano!" he heard Asriel snarl, and he jerked his head up to see the mountain blowing its top. Molten fire was rolling down the mountainside towards the Legion pup.

It would have been easy enough to simply leave the pup there and run, and some deep visceral part of Enrico truly wanted to. But coldhearted as he'd been in his life, the very idea of leaving a child to fend for themselves against a fucking volcano didn't sit right with him.

Breathing curses beneath his breath he leaped forward to grasp the girl's scruff in his jaws and drag her backward. Already she was larger than him, but surprise gave him the edge in this case and he was able to throw her behind him away from the danger. "Run!" he snarled, turning to do the same.

Only to find his way blocked by the oozing river of lava had completely cut him off from his escape route. Across the molten stone his closest friend, the snow leopard, stared with horror as he was forced to skid to a halt. "Enrico!" Asriel hissed, eyes darting about for an escape.

Enrico, too, was looking - but the magma had surrounded him, had cut him off not only from his friend but from any hope of escape. The Legion pup was staring at him with blank, frightened eyes, crouched just beyond the frantic leopard. Enrico swallowed hard, then accepted it. "Get her to safety, Asriel," he said quietly. "I will catch up with you when I can. Stay with her. Take care of her." He met the leopard's eyes firmly, willing him just once to be obedient instead of the independent cat that he was.