it's my duty

Lyra moved silently through the peculiar landscape, her paws making almost no sound on the ancient ground. The stone spikes towered above her, casting shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly across the terrain. She felt a sense of urgency mixed with unease... her family meant everything to her, and if there was any danger lurking here, she needed to understand it first. She had heard the gossip, and whispers of something frightening. The young girl felt the need to confirm.

The air was thick with tension, and Lyra's eyes darted from shadow to shadow as she moved, her ears perked to catch any unfamiliar sounds. The chaotic yet strangely predictable nature of her family had always been a comfort. However here she was alone with the presence of her family which left her feeling strangely vulnerable. Still, she pushed forward, driven by her fierce loyalty and an overwhelming desire for control. If she could just understand this place, then perhaps it wouldn't be so scary?

As she rounded a corner between two of the towering stone spikes, she froze.

A figure stood ahead.

A blackness so complete that it seemed to absorb the light around it.

Lyra narrowed her eyes, her mind quick to assess the situation. She didn't recognize him from this distance.

The wolf was entirely black, from his pelt to his eyes and even his claws. He looked like a living shadow. Lyra held her ground, watching him carefully without making a sound. She had learned early on that silence often revealed more than words, and so she waited, her expression unreadable.




"SPEECH"