Chase the fear away

Arc's eyes widened with shock when Tira admitted to him what happened, revealing that she had nearly been killed by a giant snake. He continued to hold her as she hid herself deeper into his fur holding on to him as she described how this giant snake had attacked her and their mother while they were out and how she hadn't been able to help as their mother fought it off and how it had nearly crushed her, her story dissolving into more sobs. He blinked as he tried to comprehend the whole thing. He couldn't picture a snake big enough to cause any kind of threat to his sister and mother - much less big enough to make her feel as if it could have crushed her to death. He hadn't seen anything bigger than the little snakes they'd sometimes see slithering through the grass in the plains. But that didn't really matter as the realization hit him that he really almost lost his sister without even knowing it. He didn't know if he would have been any help or if he would have just gotten in the way too, but the fact that he hadn't been there to protect her still ate at him all the same.

He nuzzled into the back of her neck as he curled around her protectively, his ears pinned back to his head. "It's okay... It's okay..." he whispered gently, holding her tight. He briefly pictured what his like would have been like if Tira had actually been killed, how much he would have missed her being here, how devastated their mother would have been. It was already bad enough on the nights when he stayed with his dad and he didn't get to snuggle with her as he went to sleep. For his life to permanently be like that... "I won't let anything happen to you," he vowed softly as another clap of thunder rolled over head. "I'll stay with you all the time so nothing can ever get to you, okay? Not giant snakes or anything."

"Arcturus Fatalis"