Run if you want

Xairo's paws tingled with excitement as he led his siblings through the dense undergrowth. The scent of autumn hung heavy in the air, a mixture of damp earth and decaying leaves that made his nose twitch. He glanced back at Ludovic, Ravana, and Sericea, a smirk playing on his muzzle. They were following him - mostly without question, just as he liked it.

Suddenly, a loud splash echoed from beyond the treeline, followed by an unfamiliar, guttural grunt. Xairo's ears perked up, his curiosity piqued. As they emerged from the undergrowth, Xairo's eyes widened at the sight before him. There, half-submerged in the river, was a massive creature unlike anything he'd ever seen. Its body was rotund and grey, with a huge, square snout and an enormous jaw. The creature's mouth gaped open, revealing enormous yellowed teeth.

"What is that thing?" Xairo whispered, more to himself than to his siblings. He felt a tremor of uncertainty ripple through his lanky frame, but quickly suppressed it. He was the leader here; he couldn't show weakness. The massive grey beast let out another thunderous grunt and began to heave itself from the water, sending waves splashing towards the banks of the river. The creature shook off the water with a forceful spray. And once it’s attention resettled on it’s audience- it surged forward to charge them.

Xairo’s heart raced as the creature barreled towards them, an instinctive wave of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He made the decision to meet the creature head on- or at least pull it’s attention to himself and dart away at the last moment to prevent his siblings from being bowled over and trampled all at once. "Hey! Ya big, ugly fuck!” he barked, a commanding edge to his voice as he tried to confuse the creature in their scramble.

"Xairo Saxe"