While patrolling the borders of the Sparse Pines at the midnight hour, Sephiran’s falcon was watching from the sky, swooping in and out of the pines to complete a lap around the perimeter. It caught sight of a small but growing azure figure, gold hues accenting its fur, indicating a certain pup the Sultan had set his sights on. Xairo. Returning to its master, the falcon reports its findings, and Sephiran’s impulsive nature takes over.

Xairo, all alone, at the midnight hour. No Absinth. No Aresenn. Vulnerable.

Turning on his heels, he takes off into the forest, leaping over fallen logs and sprouting underbrush, zeroing in on his son. Primal energy surged through his veins, his presence seeming to fill the forest around him, casting a long shadow that served as a warning of the impending danger. He wanted to hunt his son down like a toy. To ignite a chilling, visceral fear in the boy, to challenge his fight or flight instincts that would tell him to run.

"Speech"

Code by Sea

Xairo was acutely aware of the sensation that prickled on the back of his neck, like a cold breeze swirled by unseen whispers. His ears perked up, emerald eyes scanning the darkened Sparse Pines around him from under the cover of a pine needle carpeted divot in the earth. A sense of unease overtook him. He was too exposed, too vulnerable.

Without wasting a moment, he picked up his pace, his heart pounding in counterpoint to his thunderous thoughts. Not quite a run, but faster than a casual walk. The forest seemed to close in on him, the typically familiar pines now towering over ominously. His breath came out in short gasps and he could hear the blood roaring in his ears. The tension in the air was palpable, heavy like a predator lying in wait.

"Xairo Saxe"

In the distance, the deep, resonant sound of thunder rolls across the sky, altering the symphony of the forest but Sephiran does not lose his grip on Xairo’s location. He’s hyper-fixated on the boy’s smell, primal energy propelling him forward. His ears are perked forward, alert to every sound, every slight change in the environment. The crack of a branch, the rustling of foliage beneath pacing paws.

As he closed in, the forest seemed to follow suit; the gnarled branches and tangled undergrowth seemed to reach out, trying to grab their paws and pull them down. Dark shapes and distorted forms loomed in and out of the shadows, heightening the sense of paranoia. Low-hanging branches spread out like skeletal fingers, brushing against their fur, tearing at their skin. But Sephiran did not care. The thrill of the chase was far more enthralling- it was easy to ignore the pesky details of his forest - the forest he’d memorized every inch of.

"Speech"

Code by Sea

Xairo's breath came out in short, labored gasps as he frantically scanned the clearing, his primal instincts on high alert. Every muscle in his body tensed as his eyes darted back and forth, desperately searching for any sign of the danger that relentlessly pursued him. But the shadows seemed to mock him, the darkness concealing whatever sinister force lurked within its depths, ready to strike at any moment

His time here was limited - the need to keep moving urged him onwards. Xairo's sharp gaze darted behind him before he took off, his powerful strides tearing through the open field as his paws thudded against the supple ground. His heart thundered in his chest, pulsing with adrenaline as he pushed himself to his limits.

The forest around him seemed to blur into a sea of green and brown as he ran, every sound amplified and echoing in his ears. He could hear the rustling of leaves behind him, but he refused to look back. He focused on putting as much distance between himself and whatever was chasing him.

"Xairo Saxe"