Basilisk had run into one of the familiars. He’d told his grandfather about it, and Sirius had gotten a little… weird. Apparently there was some superstition around fireflies these days, and his grandfather had told him to help the familiars out and try not to piss them off. Feeling a little weird with that advice, he decided to make an outing of it.

As he was getting ready to go, his grandmother told him to take one of the kids along. He kissed Zee on the cheek, and did as he was bid. Basilisk had a lot of respect for Azure, Sirius, and Zee. so he generally said ‘yes sir!’ (or ma’am) and got to it.

The first kid he ran into was purple, with Zee’s horns. He looked at the little sprout, her name slipping from his grasp. “Hey, wanna go fight a big cat?”


"Speech"

The days of summer seem to be growing shorter to the purple pup, as the sun appears to be leaving earlier and earlier each day. This had confused Andromeda and, since she is always in search of new knowledge, the small pup had taken to rising in the dark hours before sunrise and marking down when it set. It is all very sloppy but, from what information she has gathered, it is setting sooner!

Andy sits pouring over her scratches and marks that mean things to her when a huge shadow blocks out the sun. Pale blue eyes snap up to find what is occluding the light to find that a giant wolf. Wide eyes blink in disbelief and while she has seen him, Andromeda has never officially met this mountain of a wolf.

What-ever-his-name-is invites her to fight a big cat and Andy decides that she really likes him. A huge grin splits her maw and the purple pup bounds to her paws to race after the wolf, while happily chirping, “Yeah! I’m Andy! Where can we find the kitty?” A bounce in her step as she goes.

"Andromeda Fatalis"

Her enthusiasm for the fight pleased him, and he grinned back at her. Watching as she bounded to her paws and - man - she was tiny. All of his new uncles and aunties were shockingly small. Surely he hadn’t actually been that small once? Hopefully she was up to the adventure. “I’m Basilisk” he added, in case Andy didn’t know that, and started to walk. Keeping his giant pace short for the midget.

“I saw tiger tracks in the woods. Let's start there. Have you ever hunted something that hunts you back before?” He asked. It would be good to have some idea of what she’d experienced so far. Knowing Sirius, she’d probably been thrown in the deep end already.


"Speech"

The gigantic wolf offers his name and a smile as Andy bounces alongside him, eager to go fight a cat. Basilisk’s question pulls her pale blue gaze up to him as she thinks before replying, “Do siblings count?” A grin is on her lips as they move and a giggle bubbles out with her answer.

The purple pup goes on to explain, “I have sparred with a couple of my sibling and dad has shown her some fighting stuff already!” Beaming a smile, Andromeda shows her confidence in her ability to, at the very least, not get killed by whatever they fighting.

Turning her attention back to the path, Andy catches sight of one of his paws from the corner of her eye and silently wonders if it is bigger then her.

"Andromeda Fatalis"

Basilisk barked a laugh at that, and glanced back over at the purple wolf. “Depends on the sibling, I guess” He agreed lightly. Realising that he would have to keep very careful watch over Andy. He had a feeling his grandparents would not forgive him if he got one of their puppies eaten. Az might reward him. Quietly. In private.

They made their way to the woods, and as they were coming up to the spot where he had found markings, his kea screeched a sharp warning. Grabbing the pup by her scruff, Basilisk dove to the side just in time to avoid the drop-attack from the tiger. It landed where Andy had been moments before, and he released his grip on her and stood over top of her. “get its tail, distract it!” he ordered. Taking a page from his fathers book and tossing Andy in the deep end - but at least somewhat controlled. The tiger would have to take its attention off him to turn around and face her.


"Speech"

The tall Basilisk barks a laugh at her comment about siblings and Andy’s grin grows into a smile. He speaks of it depending on which sibling and she dips her head in agreement, adding, “Yeah. If I had a sibling as big as you to spar with, I bet I could fight off anything!” Happy giggle erupts from her mouth and they make their way to the woods, the small pup trotting eagerly along with her new friend.

A screech suddenly pulls the pups attention up to the sky and her brow furrows in confusion. Without warning, Andromeda feels the familiar tug of someone grabbing her scruff and instinct has her tucking her legs up to her body. The world shifts as Basilisk, with her in tow, dives to the side to avoid a huge cat dropping out of the tree. As the pressure on her scruff releases, Andy untucks her body and springs up to her paws, lips pulling back to show her sharp, needle teeth to the big, mean cat.

Bas barks an order to her and the purple pup moves to comply, small body turning so that Andy can dart out from under Basilisk’s frame and race around the tiger to its backend. Once there, Andy releases a loud, high-pitched snarl and leaps up at the swishing tail, working to harass and distract the mean tiger as much as possible.


"Andromeda Fatalis"

Basilisk spared only the shortest glance to ensure that Andy was complying, and another upwards to ensure that his Kea was keeping an eye on the pup. After that, he had time only for the cat. It too had watched as the smaller and perhaps tastier treat had run behind it. He glanced at Basilisk as if to see how much room it could clear in order to grab the pup and escape up a tree…

Not willing to give it an inch, Basilisk attached. Aiming for its neck as he launched himself at the tiger. The tiger was almost small in comparison to the wolf and as it twisted to avoid his attack, Andy’s attacks and growls served to add confusion to the mess. For good measure, his kea dived at its head, dividing its attention to give Bas the opportunity to grasp his claws around its neck and slam it to the ground. He made sure its head got a good knock on the way down, and then slammed a paw to its noggin to ensure it was truly concussed.

“Alright, Andy. come around here and show me how you’d finish him off” He said to the purple pup.


"Speech"

Andy makes a great ruckus, snarling, biting, and growling as she does her very best to be a distraction. Truthfully, this is all really fun and the purple pup frowns as the fight ends in mere seconds. But she doesn’t have time to dwell on it as Basilisk calls for her to join him and the pup quickly complies. From the moment she could breath, listening to her elders has been instilled in her and Bas is really nice so she doesn’t want to make him unhappy.

Joining the huge wolf that has no trouble keeping the tiger pinned, Andromeda casts her pale blue eyes up to him and grins. Tail wags as she looks to the struggling cat, glancing back up to Bas before sidling a little uncertainly, up to tiger’s neck. Ready to leap away should the cat somehow break free; the pup moves up to where the carotid artery pulses under the skin until she is within striking range. Her dad had shown her the vital parts of the neck and the quickest way to kill so Andy puts his training to use.

Without hesitation, the pup lunges forward, small teeth shredding skin and muscle as she opens the artery. The cat makes some strange sounds, a cross between a gurgle and a moan, that sends a chill racing down her spine. Yet, Andromeda does not stop her attack. Not until the red blood flows quickly from the creature’s body into an ever widen pool does she step back and watch the beast’s death throes with a mixture of awe and wonder. It is her first kill and the pup hopes that she did it right.

Once the tiger stills, Andy looks up to Basilisk, face and chest painted in the bright red blood of her enemy and her face breaks into a huge grin to reveal the fur and meat lodged between her teeth. Today, the purple pup, who usually prefers to watch others, feels like a true warrior… and she loves it.


"Andromeda Fatalis"