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The gentle rustlings of worn leather and creaking metal caught on the whisper of the evening wind, rattling through the silent and towering trees. With the setting of the sun, creatures of the night had crept from their burrows to take the land that daywalkers had so proudly claimed. Yet, there was a foreigner among them, a beast that roamed freely through sunlight and shadow without need for pause or rest. It shifted silently through the forest, ink-dipped paws pressing into the moist earth which threatened to sink underneath its weight.

There was no chance of light on nights like these, caught between evening and early morning. Even the moon had hidden its golden face behind bloated clouds, casting the realm into an abyss. Yet, still, something gleamed as it crept close to the forest floors, in the form of crimson glass and feral markings etched across dark skin. Even the eyes shone faintly, muted orange and ever-flickering.

He had no purpose, and no desire. All he knew was to wander until something caught his attention, pausing faintly to bat at it with a paw, to flick his plumed tails or to tilt his head and send sanguine beads clattering amongst his braided locks. His eyes were half-lidded with boredom, and eventually, the kitsu sat without warning to stare off into the forest. It was quiet, and he had nothing to do. He'd lost sight of the snarling, ivory behemoth whom he'd learned provided much amusement to him, using one paw to bat absently at his own beads. They sparkled and shimmered, hotter than any normal glass should be. He was content then, to sit and paw at them for now... at least until something more interesting arrived.

"You promised." Was the simple reply Axis gave her brother. He promised he would try to get over his fear of darkness. Xerviree had always been this way since they were young, always clinging on to Pib, his flashlight. And Axis was determined to help her sweet brother get over his fear.

There were insecurities involved though. What if...he did get over his fear and got braver? Would the sweet brother she had always known change? Would he be so different he wouldn't be with her anymore? She was rather reluctant, and scared that that would ever happen. The full moon was an example of his bravery, and it had frightened her.

But every time it got dark, she could feel his fear for the dark, for the unseen monsters he imagined. Even Ayako was getting worried, and her advice to Ree had been to no avail. Axis had taken it upon herself to help her brother.

Besides, it would be inevitable right? One day, they might find their own mates...and not be together anymore. "We're together right? It'll be fine."

The sound of the male swallowing hard could easily have been heard miles away by the frightening bands of monsters with ears larger then their heads, and teeth larger then their arms. Had Xerviree thought about this beforehand he would have keep quiet, bottled up all sounds within him and simply whispered to his sister, or perhaps just stared until she knew what he was saying. They were very close after all, such a thing wouldn't have taken too long.

Indeed, he had promised her. He was to get over his fear of the dark, of the monsters, so they'd hunt monsters in the dark and prove that there wasn't anything to be afraid of. It was easy to tell that this had not gone through his mind, that no matter what had been said and done, up to this point was taking any effect. "I know." he uttered softly, his head dipping down. Oh how he wished for moon's light to rain down upon them, but he knew that wasn't going to happen and the male simply gave a nod. "You're right. Fine..Yeah. But why does it hab to be so dark?"

Xerviree would not be getting an answer, or at least if he had recieved one he hadn't heard it. That creature that had floated out from the darkness only to stare at the pool of light created by his flashlight had caused such a stir in him that he droped Pib and lept into the air. It was an odd sight to see the male as he dashed behind his sister in attempts to 'keep safe', he was larger then she was and stuck out like a sore thumb. "Axis! Monysters! S-see!"

The big, pale beast that struck him with such familiarity unexpectedly leaped into the air, and the flickering light raced to slap the earth with equal frenzy. Startled, he nearly tripped over his tails in his haste to leap away, flattening his body to the earth. Eyes flickering like flame thanks to the flashlight, a wide grin stretched itself across his muzzle to bare razored teeth. He found no amusement in the situation--the kitsu was frightened, and this was the only way he knew how to express it. Subtle tremors quaked through lean muscle in preparation to flee should these prove to be hostile creatures, and Tanyll's ears flattened against his braided skull at the sounds the other creature was making.

Soft words fell upon his ears, encouraging the creature to slowly lift his head with an uneasy rattle of his jaws. They chattered amongst themselves for a moment more, grating sharpened fang until the noise was stilled by the dark, soft covering of his lips. Minutely shifting his paws, he slowly inhaled to better take in the twin scents; mingled fear and wariness, seeped with a sort of wrongness that forced him to tilt his head in scrutiny. The second was female (a fact that made him slowly shrink back down as though to duck away), and smelled of magics not unlike yet entirely different than those of the one he constantly trailed. Glowing eyes sought them both, flickering over the cloak that had been strewn across her body, and his calloused paws flexed again with curiosity.

This pair seemed to present no danger, only mysteries and things he sought to investigate more physically. A grating rasp issued deep in his throat by way of greeting, and Tanyll pushed himself to his feet in an unseen swell of confidence. With eyes suddenly half-lidded in apparent apathy and tattoos gleaming bright, he skulked closer to slowly circle the two. A paw would reach out on occasion to absently bat at different hued tails, and he was particularly intrigued with the stringy hair of the cringing male. At last, satisfied, he huffed softly and sat in front of them once more, peering with absent interest. Well? Would they do something interesting now?