𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 - ★彡[xɪᴀᴏ]彡★

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Tᵣᵢggₑᵣ Wₐᵣ𝚗ᵢ𝚗g! Mₐ𝚝ᵤᵣₑ 𝚝𝓱ₑᗰₑ𝘴, 𝚝ₒᵣ𝚝ᵤᵣₑ, gᵣₐ𝐩𝓱ᵢ𝚌 𝚍ₑ𝐩ᵢ𝚌𝚝ᵢₒ𝚗𝘴 ₒf ᵥᵢₒᄂₑ𝚗𝚌ₑ.

ADDED NOTE: PEOPLE THAT HAVE A PHOBIA OF SPIDERS (ARACHNOPHOBIA), PLEASE SKIP THIS CHAPTER.

Xiao awoke to the cold dawn air. He rubbed his eyes gently. How did I manage to fall asleep? He sat up abruptly as he remembered the mortal who he was supposed to be keeping watch for. He darted up to the branch he had seen her at.

She was gone.

Xiao groaned, rubbing his hands against his temples as he tried to think about what to do. Rex Lapis would be displeased if he just left a citizen to die, but her scent was far gone.

The girl must have been gone for at least a few hours. Xiao hardly slept, so whenever he did he ended up waking up when the sun was far above him in the sky. His duty was to find her, and nothing else. Purely obligatory.

Yeah, that was why he felt strange. He had ignored and failed his duties.

Xiao quickly hopped off of the tree, landing gracefully on the ground like a feline would. He sniffed the air and caught her scent on the wind quickly. Her scent was different from most other mortals. It didn't reek of any others nor mix with the smoke and the pungent smell of past meals. The smell was purely of wildlife, fresh and warm like an elk's, so it was quite easy to trail behind. It mingled with several others, and from that Xiao could infer that she probably was taken. But how could anyone find her; and why take her instead of him? From what he knew, the mortal hardly had any significance in the darker market system, so Treasure Hoarders nor the Fatui would have any business with her.

I'm walking straight into a trap, aren't I? He felt a bit irritated since he didn't have much of a choice in this situation. I must be ready for the worst.

It wasn't like this mortal was particularly astounding nor unique in this world. She was blatantly plain and naive to the point where it almost hurt to stare at her any longer. Xiao had gazed at her as she gently slept, her lashes fluttering as she inhaled and exhaled. Her sleeping in such a serene peace made Xiao also feel quite drowsy. Before he had known better, his breathing had begun to match hers as sleep overtook him.

"I'm delusional," he cursed as he raced through the forest, "I can't believe I've become so weak."

Xiao had a closed heart. Ever since a lone traveler had showed him the Lantern Rite Festival. It had been so many years since then, but he had felt ashamed for feeling such a humane emotion. The wonder that had sparked in his chest made him want to regurgitate as he constantly reminded himself that if he ever let such emotions come forth, Alatus would once again overrule his free will.