[ 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