The tremors that shook the ground during the night did not settle well in his gut. A sense of dread spreads through him as the land around their territory begins to blanket in an eerie red glow. His nightly round of patrolling was instead spent curled around his not-wife and pups, a deep growl hovering in his throat.

Whatever was out there would not be coming for his family. It could take him. He would be ready for it. Ever since… No, he won’t think of that horrid creature. Gilgamesh needed to ensure his family, his pack, his livelihood was still safe.

As soon as dawn began to crackle over the horizon, he emerged from the treehouse not as the Raid King, Gilgamesh, but as Gil. That young wolf with hungry eyes and a prideful soul. One that was still a Sin beneath the Pirate King Sparrow. Fear trembles in his legs as he hurries down the steps and out into the plains. For as much as he wants to hide, cower in the shadows from this, he knows he cannot.

Heading closer to the emanating light, his paws don’t come to a stop until the large, towering spikes rear into the red sky. His eyes widen, heart racing and slamming into his chest. Breath taken away until his throat closes and every muscle in his body is tight. Where had these come from? They were not here the other day…

Sagittarius Fallen

She felt her father rise up out of the blue with a growl. And instead of staying back like she probably should have done. Sagittarius followed behind him. Hoping that he wouldn't see her in the early light of dawn. A red light also catching her attention as it casted over all of Boreas, it was bright, possibly too bright to look at so her yellow eyes fell to the ground. Careful with her steps, each one carefully calculated and delivered to rest on the ground for a moment. Growing tired of the long trek across the many different landscapes, lands that was her first time seeing. Sagittarius hunkered down close to the ground when she felt as if father would look behind him. To see if any others were following him.

But soon the towers grew closer, her eyes locked onto them. "What in the hell is that?" Her words were a little louder than she really wanted. Her head tilted to the side as she bumped into her fathers back legs.

table coding by bunni ♥

In truth, he was too entranced by his distraught worry of emotions to notice his daughter. His eyes never left the path ahead of him, even if the wiggle of paranoia had already began to eat at the back of his mind. Has the cloaked creature returned? The statues? The weird wolf-dogs? A tremble of fear and fury races through him. Not again.

Suddenly pulled from his terrified trance of staring at the towering peaks by his daughter bumping into him, he cannot hold back the vicious that rips through him. Whirling on Sagittarius with lips pulled back and fangs extended, he lungs for the girl, eyes wild and yet blank at the same time.

“DON’T TOU-“ recognition erases the fear and fury as his brain clicks that he’s screaming at his own daughter. Eyes to wide, ears fall backward and his paws take a step backward. No, no, no. She can’t be here. It’s too dangerous. Not safe. NO.

“Go. Home. Now.” The words hiss out between clenched teeth as he lifts his head, taking a step back into his daughter’s personal space. Anger rims his expression as he lets loose a fierce growl that meant he was far more than just serious. Why had his companions not stopped her?

Sagittarius Fallen

It had to mean something, that the spires showed up out of no where like they had. Scents of others gathering from far and near. She made sure to stay close to her father. She was curious, more curious then she ever was. A smile crossing her lips as turning to her father, yellow matching pools looking up to him. She did know what he was about to tell her. To not touch the spires, she watched her paw placements. "Daddy, I want to help protect the family. Please." Sagittarius pleaded looking up towards her father, knowing that he did want her to go, but she'd plead with him.

Even stand her ground with her father if needed. "Besides, I'm not going too let you explore this alone. I will be careful, very careful. But we need to figure this out together. To protect everyone we love." She allowed herself to slip under his neck, moving slightly close. The red glow capturing her attention completely. "What if it isn't dangerous?" Sagittarius would try to help ease her fathers worry.

table coding by bunni ♥

Despite her current state, nothing in heaven or on earth could stop Siduri from following her father out into the wilds. Not after she'd seen the look on his face. Fear, anxiety, terror, worry. These were not Gilgamesh emotions and, seeing them on her father, Sid had to follow.

The world above was wrong. The sky wasn't their sky. The world itself seemed to be holding its breath, the only sound being the random trembles from the earth and the thud of Siduri's paws thundering across the earth as she made her way after her father. As she ran, the scent of another caught her attention. One of the younger children. A sibling, but she didn't know which. She didn't know any of them.

The closer she came to them, the brighter the formerly crimson light appeared. As she neared, it became bright white tinged with tendrils of pink and red. Mismatched eyes narrowed as she came in close to both the pup and her father.

Memories of the past flooded into the pastel fae's mind and she also released a low growl, rivaling that of the rumbling earth beneath. Nose wrinkled as her hackles raised reflexively. Memories of lava, of burning alive. Would it happen again?

"Siduri"

Those nights when the moon was too full and it felt as if the darkness was pressing into him... No one would ever know. The nights where the same crystals that now lined his back had once sprouted from his orifices. A terrible ooze clogging his throat and lungs. Nightmares and hallucinations that drove him to madness. Drove him to maiming his best friend, to deserting his lover, to begging for death. That was years ago now, but it still haunts him. The arrival of the statues had done nothing to quell his fears. Even though he had played nice and given gifts to those terrifying altars, the appearance of the wolfdogs had done nothing but cause more pain.

Gil doesn't hear Sagittarius try to charm her way into staying. His head has pulled back, ears flattened, yellow eyes blank and in a daze. Staring out at the foggy red landscape with the spires reaching for a too large sun, Gil doesn't listen. Doesn't care. All that matters is keeping his family safe. Away from the danger.

Away from him.

The approach of Siduri worsens his fear and anger. Her pale fur, her sweet face, her leg... naked and bare for all to see. A permanent mark worse than the ones he received. His fur bristles in response, his entire body puffing up in unadulterated fear and anger as he sidesteps away from Sagittarius to stare at Siduri. "Home. Now." The words seethed through clenched teeth as he steps toward his precious, sweet Siduri. Though others of his had been harmed, hers had been worse. She had nearly lost her leg, her life even, that fateful night.

Because of him.

"Both of you. Home. NOW," the rage fills him as he turns his wild gaze from Siduri to Sagittarius and back again. "Do not leave the treehouses. Do not come back. Stay with your mother. Don't make me say it again," there is pure venom and fear in his tone as he braces for what he is prepared to do. No matter how stubborn, no matter how determined, he was not going to risk his girl's lives for their thirst of exploration. Could they not see the terror in his expression? How the whites of his eyes continued to stretch at the edges with each passing moment and thump of his quickening heart.

Stay away from him.

"speech"

Sagittarius wasn't just about to let her father steal all the need to protect those around him, especially that of his family. Especially if it meant trying to bring him back down to earth, the sound of another making her attention turn to another sibling. Her tail gives a wave in a gentle manner. She wasn't about to listen to him though. But standing her ground. She needed to know her father would be safe, to make it out alive. What ever this is. The young girl looked between her family, puffing out her chest. There was something he was hiding. "No." It was easy as that. She was finally standing her ground. Sure she had began to feel bad, her own little heart trembling. "Not leaving you alone!" Her voice trembled, as a tear rolled down over her cheek, turning to the other girl, her tail tucked between her back legs. Sagittarius had began to feel bad for not listening but it was the way she was. No way in hell would she leave her father or other sibling now. Ears pinned back. "I want to be here papa. I can't and I wont. Please, I will be careful, I promise." "Talking."

code by Bird & art by Resin!

As Gil rounded on her and her sibling, Siduri actually set her defenses. Her lip curled back in a low warning growl. She, too, was ill at ease. Touchy. Worried. Anxious. Memories of last time still danced at the edges of her vision appearing brighter than even the red light itself. The young woman shook her head, her growl rising, though it was directed at herself instead of her father.

Gilgamesh spoke, demands barking out of him. These demands were quickly thwarted by the small black and red pup. Sids ears flicked backwards and she stared at her father, mismatched eyes narrowing. "I... don't trust myself to return the child." It was difficult to admit, but after what she'd done to Morwenna...

The light seemed to pulse, or maybe that was just her mind playing tricks on her. It wasn't a far fetched idea. Her mind couldn't be trusted. Beneath her paws, the ground rumbled a little harder and Siduri swayed to the side, her shoulder touching one of the tall monoliths. The fae's breathing increased and she looked back to her father, eyes wild. "My mind is very thin," she choked out. There was no saying whether or not her sibling would even survive the trek back with her.

"Siduri"

He wants to lash out. The urge to strike the girls for defying him, for putting themselves in harms way, nearly overrides his near to protect them. His frenzied eyes dart back and forth between the two for a few seconds, his breath picking up pace as panic encases him. Dull claws dig into the soft earth beneath him as he takes a step back. Lips still curled upward to show bared teeth and revealed fangs. Why don't they understand? Frustration blurs the lines, he wants to strike, but it is Siduri's soft words that force his heart to clench, pain sweeping through him. The violence was the reason why his daughter didn't trust herself. He was the reason.

An exhausted sigh exhales from his lips as he relaxes, shoulders drooping as he continues to look back and forth. m, he notices the weary and terrified etched carving.

"Fine. Stay by my side," there is still a clipped edge to his tone, his fur still bristled ever so slightly. Untrusting of himself. Of their surroundings. Of... him. What if he was going to return?

Trying to ignore the paranoia that seeps into him, Gil turns from the girls. His yellow gaze, while still nervous, flicks over to the towering spires. Definitely had not been here the other day... He would have noticed them on his patrol through the his own territory. m, he notices the weary and terrified etched carving.

"Investigate if you must, but try not to anger them," Gil warns, his voice sour and agitated as he stalks toward the closest spire. Reaching out a paw to wipe some dirt away from the bottom, he notices the weary and terrified etched carving.

"speech"

Sagittarius was spooked, a bit scared of her sibling that kept looking to their father than back to Sagittarius. Her voice calm but soothing bringing Gil back down to earth or so it seemed. Everything was confusing for Sagittarius. The red glow seeming to pulsate and now hum out with the wind... but Sagittarius didn't truly feel the wind. Was it just them singing out? Even though the songs were mournful and terrified? What ever it was caused the crimson and inky girl to pin her ears against her skull. She looked up to her older sister and then back to father. "I promise if anything feels off that I will find my way home daddy." Turning to look to the ivory and pastel hued woman Sagittarius hoped that one day she'd be as protective over everyone like their father was. Hell, she already was, but to degrees. "I am going to go gather what I can, and I'll be careful papa and sister. I promise." Her small tail danced around behind her. Although she known she'd have to tread carefully, maybe it was time to go look around, see if she notices anyone or anything? -exit Sagittarius for time being.- "Talking."

code by Bird & art by Resin!

Siduri was very much on edge, her muscles tense and her posture rigid. She didn't want to fight her father, but she would if she had to. Still, it wasn't safe for the pup to be here. She could agree to that. Even seeing Gilgamesh in the state that he was in, the pastel fae trusted him more with the child than she trusted herself.

In time, her father agreed to let them remain with him. The girl was intent on exploring, whereas Siduri was here only for the sake of her father. There was no wolf in the world more important to her than he was. His well being was something that she held above all others. She was here solely for him.

Gil spoke and the black and red child spoke after. She called Sid "sister" and the older girl huffed lightly. "My name is Siduri. Don't forget it." Was this kid born in a barn? As the girl took a few steps away, Sid kept an eye on her, though she was also realizing just how messed up this place was. Since she was beside one of the spires, Sid wondered how far down they went. She began to dig, scraping at the hardened soil just beside one of the eerie spikes.

"Siduri"

The words that filtered out of Sagittarius' mouth were soon deafened by the paranoia and fear that rattled Gil's bones. Every thought, every second, every moment was spent feverishly wondering if this was connected to him. His lungs contracted, tightening, air nearly unable to slip through his throat. Surely this happening, whatever these spires were, were caused by HIM. There was no explanation otherwise. Everything else had been him. The wolf-dogs, the Long Night, the slipping of realities, they were all h i M. Even now, Gil could hear the buzzing in his ears. A paw reaches up to swipe at his ear, eyes forcing shut as dirt falls across his cheek.

Sagittarius has left, but Siduri is still there. She sounds like she's far away. Her paws digging at the dirt, down, down, deeper. The sound of her claws against the metal, against the dirt, no. Suddenly, Gil jerks back, eyes wide as he turns to his daughter. "STOP!" His voice booms, towering over her as his lips fly up to show bared teeth. "DON'T TOUCH IT!" A snarl rips from his throat as he lunges, aiming to grab onto her scruff. Get her to safety.

AWAY FROM h i m.

"speech"

As she dug beside one of the towers, the snarl of her father reverberated through the stone. The pastel fae turned just in time to see him lunging for her. Static began to flit before Siduri's gaze and she took a step back, turning to face him. Her own hackles raised and she lowered her head between her shoulders. Sid's snowy tail stuck straight out behind her for balance and she dug her claws into the disturbed earth. Lips peeled back and she snarled at her sire in turn. "Don't touch me," she warned, her voice low and rumbling. Not very like her natural voice at all.

Her father was in a manic state, but it was Siduri that he should be afraid of. There was something about this place, the atmosphere, the sound wailing through the towers, the red light and lack of anything living, that put the young woman on edge. So much on edge that she was dangerously close to toppling over. Goodbye Sid and hello... Not-Sid. "I'm not safe," she growled once more, her defenses still set. "I don't want to hurt you, but if you touch me, I don't think I'll be able to stop."

With that said, Sid forced herself to take a few steps back, placing more space between herself and Gilgamesh. There was fury within her, anger, worry, terror. It was all muted, however, as though her emotions were swimming through some thick substance. That was how she knew that she shouldn't be pushed. Her hold was thin. So thin!

"Siduri"

Gil is more dangerous now than he's ever been. If she hadn't noticed his lunge, he wasn't sure he wouldn't have tried to drag her through the soft churned dirt. Frozen in time, he stare at Sid as she growls at him, her voice lowered and different. Not-Sid. It almost snaps him back to Gilgamesh. The paranoid man who only cared about protecting his family. But he was Gil. Young, reckless, terrified Gil who saw nothing but flitting fireflies flickering on the edges of his vision. Every time he turned though, they were gone.

Her words seem to get to him though. With a shake of his head, he blinks and steps back too. "Just... don't touch it," he rumbles, embarrassment and grief running high through his expression as he looks from Sid to the leaning tower of metal. "We-we don't know what it will," Gil warns, his voice stuttering like it's never stuttered before. A clear sign that the king was shaken.

"speech"

Gil reacted in a manner that Sid wasn't expecting. He backed off rather than continue his attack. The fear that poured off of him was the only thing holding her back from changing; from giving in to the darkness that plagued her. Gilgamesh was battling his own darkness and so Siduri worked to keep her mind locked in place. If they lost themselves... it wouldn't be the firefly man that they'd have to worry about. Don't be afraid, Siduri spoke softly to her father. We're together and we'll have each others backs. She wasn't a child anymore. She was a woman grown and she could handle herself. She could handle him too, if he needed it. Rather than continue digging next to the stone tower, Siduri moved out into the softer dirt where she wasn't at risk of touching anything... foreign. Pale paws scraped away the earth. Coming upon a rock, she was forced to use both her paws and her mouth to extract it. In doing so, she ate a bit of dirt. Gross... Siduri