So this was his Lady Moon. She was lovely, to be certain. There was cunning grace in her movements, calculated beauty in her lavender-pewter face. The elephant found himself more alert, more on edge, than he had been around her Time God brother. Perhaps it was the darkness that shrouded in rapidly disappearing mist- or more likely it was from the tension that radiated from nearly every being in the vicinity of this new labyrinth.

He cast a single, short glance at the newly healed lands- certainly ripe for discovery at another time, a time when a massive wolf was not threatening with shadows and impressively sharp teeth.

His brows raise as a sad, but amused, smile crosses his face as Aurelia is singed and flung to another place, “Thoroughly deserved, mare,”  for indeed the brash young mare needed some lessons in prudent and strategic acts. Perhaps her lost tail will be a reminder for the young mare.

Then, all hell broke loose.

There were so many that attacked the goddess. It surprised him- though Mauja had told him of the murders. He could feel the anger vibrating from the man of fire wings, the great shire with a striking dog, even the sad mare of Torleik’s attacked the Night Goddess. He understood revolting against corruption and depravity. He understood the need for vengeance. And he understood that this history predated his time in Helovia.

But being against evil does not make one good. Or just.

So the elephant watched with haunted eyes as Helovians attacked a goddess instead of a diseased monster. And he did what he felt was right. He squared himself to fight the wolf. As he did, he saw @Nuray lunge for the wolf, and concern laced through him- for she seemed so exotic, so fragile. Anger followed it quickly as he saw @Öde attack the naked mare- so the great stallion launched into a ground quaking gallop. Massive horn was lowered as he charged the colt who had acted so erotically during the bear battle.

Though his aim was for the colt’s haunches, for he was just a speed bump on his charge to the wolf. However, the path to protect Nuray brought him within the magical sphere of @Hotaru, and small cuts sliced through his skin. Some reopening from their scabs from the bear battle, and some blades slicing the tender new skin of his burned haunches. “Arrrrhhh,” a low, elephantine roar escaped from deep in his barrel- damn that stung.

But he continued his charge towards the wolf. But wolves are different creatures than bears- they hunt in packs. So he kept careful watch on the shadow creatures as he tucked his chin tight with his chest- using his great might to  carry him beneath the wolf and hopefully skewer it’s chest or abdomen on his black ivory horn.

It was only as he plunged his horn skyward towards the beast that his eyes caught @Rexanna. Fear stripped him of the battle fever- as the image of her maimed or killed by this battle loomed in his mind. He needed to get to her- to protect her.

TEMBOVU

Beware the weight of a vengeful soul.