Gambit

He feels it in his bones. The tips of his fur standing on edge. And then, as he tenses, Ludovic's ears prick up as he hears the familiar voice of his brother, Xairo, cutting through the chill of the night air. His mismatched eyes quickly found the source ahead of him, narrowing as he saw the stubby horns glinting in the moonlight. He knew that look in Xairo's eyes, it was a reflection of his own.

“Xai.” The crimson boy whispered back, his voice forced steady despite the tension coiling within him. “I feel it too.”

Ludovic scanned their surroundings, the openness of Polar Sound offering little in the way of cover but plenty of space for threats to hide. The chill he felt wasn't just from the cold; it was the same bone-deep dread that Xairo must have felt. Every instinct screamed at him to flee, to find safety, but he couldn't abandon his brother. And he wouldn’t flee from a fight.

“Stay close.” Ludo asked, his voice carefully quiet. “Let’s move together. If there's something out there, we'll face it head-on.”

He moved closer to Xairo, their breaths misting in the frigid air. The silence of the taiga seemed oppressive, every rustle of snow or whisper of wind magnified in their ears. Ludovic's muscles were tense, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.

Then Ludovic led the way, his body low to the ground, eyes scanning ahead for any sign of movement. The predator, whatever it was, would have to contend with both of them. And despite the fear gnawing at his gut, Ludovic felt a hardy determination rise within him.

But a crunch of snow behind them left the monochrome and fire boy whirling around, his gaze locking with that of predatory golden. Saliva gleaming from its teeth and it stalked forward, tail lashing behind the fox as it snarled at them hungrily.


ludoviciana