Breaking Down Walls

He couldn’t think, he couldn’t breathe. He had been moments away from losing her. Seconds. The launching cat would forever be burned into his memory. If he had been just a moment longer tearing down the wall, if the cat had been closer… he would have arrived to find her body, shredded by sickeningly large claws. He could picture the cat, holding her throat in its fangs. Not the gentle love bites he held against her flesh. But long, puncturing wounds. His body shook, and he ignored her helpless cries and thrashing beneath him a little while longer. Holding her there beneath him, where nothing and no one could touch her.

Eventually, slowly, he rolled. Scooping her up and bringing her with him until she lay against his stomach. He wrapped his paws around her, pressing his nose against the crook of her neck. A place where her scent was strong, and surrounded him. That stupid, stupid truth ran through him again. It was only a matter of time before it escaped him. “You. Will. Learn. You will learn to defend yourself or die trying.” He snarled against her ear. She was warm and soft against his stomach, and he groaned softly, pulling her tighter against him, readjusting her to where he could thr-- and Larimar was there, screeching in his ear, smacking her wings against him, smearing the blood across his face into his eyes until it burned.

"Basilisk"