Monster think | Narrator
Drip, drop.

A low, murmur of a growl rose from a thick cluster of juniper bushes. It was the only warning before a shadow black as night launched itself towards the two mares. Red and yellow eyes glowed devilishly and white teeth glistened in an open maw as the shaggy canine sailed through the air. He landed right between them; teeth bared and growling like the beast he was. His head was lowered in a threatening pose and he turned slowly towards the younger mare.

The Monster had traveled for too long to remember his ice king master and his princess. Before he entered Helovia the first time and was picked up by Mauja, he had left a trail of bloody hoof prints behind him. He had been mad because of the magic used on him by a unicorn witch, and now in his real form the madness had remained and since he had strayed away from his master and his best friend that madness had doubled. He had roamed the lands once more like a rabid dog - killing whenever his mind told him to. Drip, drop.

He stepped closer to Snö, his big paws forced the soft ground to give way; creating wet paw prints. Mud clung to his legs and belly and if looking closely enough one could detect a russet sheen on his lower jaw and chest; dried blood from his latest victim. Around his neck were still the black, tattered rope, but its end had been chewed off a long time ago and so only the loop remained; like a collar.

With a demon-like bark the big dog jumped up towards Snö’s throat; seemingly bent on soaking his fur with new hot flowing blood. Drip, drop.

"No!" he thundered—but he was too far away. Hopelessly far away, if you listened to the voice roaring in his chest, and counted each heartbeat as an eternity. Seconds or yards become nothing when you're faced with the quickness of a heartbeat, and one is all it takes to end a life. Thu-thump, but no one's dead yet and Mauja is charging.

He didn't even know how he'd ended up here again, in the borderlands. He'd stumbled in on a northward path, and had kept going, maybe to finally come to terms with himself and his life, but none of those thoughts remained. All of a sudden he'd found himself in a situation he'd never dreamed of, and some part of him doubted his own sanity; had he, finally, gone mad? Or could it be that he'd actually found his daughter, her mother, and a wolf? In the same clearing? In the same life? It was the dog's bark, and its smell, that had caught his attention, head snapping up to spy what seemed to be something out of a dream. His mind had swiftly identified them, Psyche, but something's off, and Snö, bigger, thicker—he'd known, just like that, heart whispering truth while his mind asked if it were lies. Some things you just knew. Some people you just recognized.

And then, he'd taken in the wolf.

The black, shaggy beast had leaped towards his daughter—his daughter, fuckit!—and he'd cried out, snapping out of shock just as swiftly as he'd entered. The doubts should've gone silent when Psyche cried out Snö's name, but that stubborn part of him somehow refused to listen. And all in all, he'd taken, what, two steps? Snö had spun, lashing out towards the vaguely familiar beast, Psyche rearing up to strike it, and he was still too far away. Eternities away. Nothing would be close enough except his horn through the monster's ribs, and the fifty yards separating them were much too long.

He didn't have a choice, though. There was only one road and it was ahead, horn first and shattered heart yelling through the cracks; all hopes in maybe the fiercest woman he knew, and their offspring.

Did they even need him charging in? Probably not.

But there was no way he could not.

Mauja Frosthjärta

Monster think | Narrator
The beast hadn’t made his attack soon enough. He had given his varnished prey time to swirl around and mount an effective defense. Hard hooves came flying towards him and he was forced to twist his black body to avoid the assault. The mare’s feet graced his side and they would probably leave a bruise on his ribs under his thick coat. The Monster yelped; a wolfish, squealing sound that ended in a huff when he landed on his back, almost underneath his intended prey. Before Snö’s hind fell down to the ground though, the Monster rolled away. Behind him the bigger hooves of the black mare slammed against the ground in the exact place where he had been merely seconds ago.

Swiftly getting up on his paws the beast started snarling and growling again; preparing for another attack. This time he focused on the black mare. He darted in between her legs; maw open and saliva dripping. He aimed for her right hind leg and if he closed his strong jaws around it his teeth would even sink into the bone.

”No!”

The canine’s sensitive hearing picked up the word even though it came from far away. One of the beast’s big ears twitched and he rushed past the leg he had seemingly planned to bite down on. The dark mare’s tail brushed his back as he darted away from under her. He had obviously been distracted by the word or the voice who spoke it, a combination of the two maybe? However the only sign he gave was the twitch of that one ear. No drip, drop?

The Monster didn’t stop moving. He started a half circle, or rather a quarter of a circle, a few yards from the two mares; on the opposite side from where Mauja was coming. He trotted to and fro, like a dog herding sheep and awaited the reaction of his prey. His pink tongue hung from his mouth and his eyes glowed red and yellow - like they had always done when he had been in the form of a unicorn. He seemed to have understood now that he was outnumbered, but he showed no sign that he would leave them be.

The beast dodged like a graceful black nightmare, twisting to avoid his child's hooves, the macabre dance burned onto his retina—down, a new target, his shout, and time froze. Wonder painted the edges of his world with crystal clarity, and for a moment he felt like he'd somehow left this world behind, as if he could simply keep running while nothing else moved. The dark monster was slipping through Psyche's guard, teeth glistening wet with saliva.. but they never closed around her. Fur rustled as time sped up and the creature slipped out of range again, eyes blood-bright and lit with a flame from within. "Faðir," Snö said, and Mauja's eyes widened; his hoof clipped the edge of a root and he stumbled, snapping up into a high-kneed trot instead. But in the heat of the moment, the roar of his heart drowned it out. There were more important things, survival at the forefront of his mind, a heat in his throat.

Coincidence or command, but the dog didn't seem as intent to kill them this instant. With perked ears it trotted between the white unicorn and the rest of his first family, seeming to weigh the odds. Mauja clenched his jaw. One beast, three unicorns. They could do this.

"Thais!" Snö had stepped to stand beside her mother, instead of shielded behind her. Mauja, still maybe fifteen yards away, felt his ears stir in his mane. Thais? Wasn't that what she'd called his dumb pet maniac? But this.. this was a dog. His monster had died anyway, crushed in the ashes of the Edge. He could still recall the noise, accompanied by the fine sensation of utter agony. And the defeat. That damned defeat. "No drip, drop!" She was serious. She was serious about this being his leashed murderer; he lowered his head, still moving. Maybe.. maybe those eyes were the same? The same glow, like lava? And was that a dirty rope bound around his neck? It had no end dangling down, not visible against the shaggy fur at least. Maybe... Maybe it was worth a shot.

"Mauja," Psyche suddenly (or at least, it felt like a sudden thing) said. "It's been a while, darling." I'm not your darling anymore.

He'd never been, not really. Maybe he could've been—oh, it'd all been there, the foundation before Snö had even seen the world... He'd been there, she'd been there, and something could've happened. Something could've grown in the frigid ground of his glacial heart.. but that seed died before the sun could touch it. He was tired of pretending, too riled up to hear the normalcy of her voice; just flicked her a glance before honing in on the dog again. It wasn't that he wanted to be "the man" and protect his family—if they needed to put a dog down, Psyche and Snö were more than capable of doing it without his help. It was just.. he cared, and if his daughter hadn't gone entirely crazy, he would be capable of stopping this calamity.

"Oi, skrímslið minn," he breathed, fluid motion coming to a halt; tail high and neck high he stared at the beast. He seemed.. anxious, or maybe just uncertain of how to best tackle the situation. Or maybe he was just reading the body language wrong. He'd never spent much time around canines of any kind. In fact, ever since Osiris jumped him, they'd fallen pretty low on his list of "enjoyable things", with a few exceptions. Like Aramis. Mauja narrowed his eyes. He couldn't trust the creature to remember him, even if it somehow, miraculously, was the same. "Come here," he commanded it while slowly approaching, eyes trained upon its shady form; any sudden movement his way and he was ready to block, or bolt. Wolves had sharp teeth. He knew that. And he knew to be careful. Breathing shallowly, senses heightened with adrenaline, he padded closer, and whether or not the dog came to him he'd try to nuzzle its scruff, teeth looking for the rope collar—to bind the monster to the master once more.

[ douche, stop ignoring psyche <.< ]

Mauja Frosthjärta

Monster think | Narrator
The black beast kept pacing in a semi circle. His broad paws beat the ground rhythmically and his pink tongue dangled out of his maw. Saliva dripped from his sharp teeth and his demon eyes stared vacantly at the two mares. He growled; a deep, gurgling sound that rose and fell in his throat, making his muzzle wrinkle and his lips tremble. But it was obvious that he was now hesitant to attack. The reason was not clear, but a war seemed to be waged inside the Monster.

He suddenly stopped. The black fur on his shoulders and back rose and he lowered his head in a threatening pose as he locked his gaze on Snö.

When the varnished mare stepped around her mother and let a command roll of her lips something flickered in the glowing eyes of the beast. For a fraction of a second his demon stare was replaced with eyes of a deep, reddish brown color. But only for the briefest of moments. Then the beast tossed his head to the side and with a growling bark he backed away from Snö and resumed his pacing.

Thais? No drip, drop? Thais?

Now confusion was clearly visible on the beast’s features. His trotting had become uneven and he seemed less focused on the two mares. He also showed no sign that he had even noticed Mauja who finally reached his daughter and Psyche. However when the spotted stallion approached the Monster he stopped dead in his tracks and swirled his body around to face the former ice king.

Another growl rose from his throat as his body tensed. With every inch Mauja neared him the growl became louder. But the beast stayed still. The shaggy fur on his back stood straight up, his ears lay flat on his skull and his tail hung low. Aggression had turned into insecurity, but he looked like he could attack any second. His whole demeanor screamed “Don’t come any closer”, but still the stallion’s lips touched the hairs on top of the beast’s neck.

DRIP, DROP!

The beast shoot forwards out of his half crouch with a sound somewhere between a roar and a yelp. His teeth glistened; ready to bury themselves into Mauja’s broad chest. But he never got that far. Since the stallion had been searching for the beast’s collar the motion practically shoved the rope into the unicorn’s mouth and hindered the Monster’s attack. A gurgle could be heard from the canine and his eyes immediately lost its demon gleam. They turned deep russet and looked more aware and less demented.

There was no magic left in the old, tattered rope, but the abrupt stop to his attack seemed to have surprised the beast and for the first time one could see that he was really considering the situation. Maybe, just maybe, he was beginning to remember?

His field of vision was partially occupied by Mauja’s chest and legs, but he had a fair view of Psyche and Snö despite the stallion’s bulky body. The Monster looked at the younger mare, unblinking he studied her blue eyes. Suddenly the dog started whining, quietly at first, but the sound quickly grew louder until it resembled a baritone howl; rising and lowering as if he were speaking - or singing. His tail started whipping from side to side and his big ears pricked up. The animal which had looked like a beast only seconds ago now wore the face of a loving pet; the face of unconditional love.

[ awflsslhahl. <3 ]

"Stop."
That was his daughter's voice. Black-rimmed ears flickered to the familiar, yet oddly stranger-like, sound. Stop? he thought as he cautiously advanced, all that black hair a shaggy mess around burning eyes and slavering jaws; no. At the end of the day, if this was the monster, whose monster was it? But Mauja was too tired to argue about whether or not he or she knew the beast-like creature the best. He just knew what he had to do, because it was the only thing to do. Either he did this or they killed him, or something. Another step, frost leaving a thin, blue trail where he'd been. The growls were loud, grating against his mind and resolve—was it so bad, for a creature that was prey to dislike the warnings of a predator? To not want to come closer, because it was a clear warning? But he had to, and all his life he had had to, so he steeled his mind and his heart and kept going, every nerve on fire. Every muscle pulled taut, ready to protect himself.

Then it all happened so fast. He felt but the slightest brush of Monster's hairs against his sensitive nose before the dog was moving, an explosion of frenzied power aiming straight for him: but before Mauja even had the chance to back up, rear, or do anything at all, he felt the thing he'd called a tengill slide into his mouth. It tasted overpoweringly of dog and old, musty forest. It tasted outright awful, but just as he felt it strain uncomfortably against his lower jaw, he also felt the power of the beast subside; he felt the brief struggle, heard the gurgle as an unsuspecting windpipe was compressed, and then, he felt the stillness. He couldn't see the metamorphosis, could only feel it, but Snö saw something as she came closer. Bent down to whisper at the beast, and he marveled at the sheer stupidity of their bloodlines. Consorting with beasts. It'd serve them both right to die at the jaws of this one.

But alas, not today, and not tomorrow, and not ever. At least, so he hoped as he gently disentangled his mouth from the rope, working his jaws even as Snö told him to let go. He glanced at her; fought down the same surge of irritation. Did she have a right to command him? (Did anyone?) Did she have a right to command him about what he should, or shouldn't, do with his pet?

He hadn't found them just to be irritated at them, had he? No. So again, he shoved it down and aside, and let it be. "It has," he replied after a moment, looking down at the dark dog. It was all black fur and good intentions now, right? Right. They'd never had a "close" relationship, that four-legged beast and Mauja, but at the same time, the monster had been there for him when he'd needed him. He bent down to touch the top of its soft head for a moment, before pushing his nose against Snö's neck and disentangling himself from the pair. Funny, how she seemed happier to see the dog than her own father, but then again, every family relationship in his life was complicated. He couldn't exactly pretend that he was acting overjoyed to see either of them either, could he? There was simply a glitch between his heart and his face. Some signals were lost in the transmission.

Mauja took a couple of steps towards Psyche. Halted. Tilted his head. "Psyche," he said quietly, his deep voice oddly warm. The last time he'd seen her was.. just before the fight with Kri, wasn't it? And now- oh. Yes, oh. He just realized that the long, winding tip of her horn had.. disappeared. All that was left was a nub sticking out of her forelock. Was that Kri's work? More recent? Irma and Sarazheha had mentioned something about a mobilization as they fled; had a war occurred? Was it from that? Something else? Did it matter?

No. Not in the slightest.

His ears fell back; he looked aside. Remembered the mutual trust and understanding, the silent order given, no specification, just free reins. Lord and Lady they had been, but in that moment, it had been the Crux telling the Bane, a commander giving an order to her soldier. "I failed," he said quietly, not looking at her.

It seemed the easiest place to start.

Mauja Frosthjärta

Monster think | Narrator
As he was freed the black beast didn’t cease to sing. He kept howling and he wagged his whole rump from side to side as he wobbled the few steps over to Snö. He licked her face as she lowered it to him and when she spoke he howled even more like he was answering her with something along the lines of “Oh my god I am so happy to see you!”. He even turned and pressed is shaggy body to her front leg encouraging her to scratch him, but as he did so his reddish eyes fell on Mauja and his ears pricked up again.

Two short barks, sounding almost like “Maw-jaw”, left his throat as he jumped back towards the ice king. The Monster’s big paws crushed the leaves on the forest floor and sent them flying in the air. Mauja was granted the same treatment as Snö, but afterwards he sat down at the stallion’s left side and looked up at him with eager eyes.

It seemed that the old bonds were still present within the beast’s mind, although he had needed a shaking to remember them. Snö was his most beloved friend, his precious princess, but Mauja remained his master and king.

When the horses began to speak the dog lay down beside Mauja with a content sigh. He put his big head on his front paws and let his eyes wander between the three of them.

Suddenly he seemed to notice something and rose from the ground. With his head slightly tilted he trotted over to Psyche and sat down in front of her. Monster’s big nose twitched as he took in her scent and then he curled his front paws to his chest and pushed himself up on his hind paws. With some effort he tried to reach the mare’s forehead. It was unclear what he might be thinking, but if she would not pull her head away the big dog placed a wet lick on her cheek before he fell back in a sitting position. He watched the black mare for a second and then he turned to Snö with a playful expression in his eyes.

Barking he jumped towards the princess and bowed down with his tail high in the air wagging an invitation to a game of tag.