𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘎𝘪𝘧𝘵

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟖.

~ Adonis ~

Something was wrong. 

The dreadful and alarming feeling poked at my senses as soon as we entered the untouched lands.

Thanatos was on the edge inside me and it bedevilled me.

"We are not stopping here."- I spoke through the link while circling my little mate, rubbing my scent into her to conceal her and our pups' odours. 

"We will keep going all night. It is not safe to make a camp here."- I informed everyone while crouching down beside my gift and nudging her beautiful muzzle with mine, silently telling her to climb on my back. 

She was somnolent and swayed with every new step - she needed rest and sleep, both of which I could, wanted and had to provide for her. 

I laid down, lowering myself as much as I could to make it easier for her to climb on my back. Once my beloved laid down, she curled into a small ball and buried her muzzle in my fur, purring in contentedness and relief. 

"Get some sleep, my sweetheart."- I purred down our bond lovingly, softening for just a moment when her fluffy tail caressed me affectionally. 

We continued walking in silence, careful and watchful of every step as we made our way through the barren land of magi. 

~ Dionis ~

Exhaustion was an understatement, as an oppressive weariness settled over us, ensuring that sleep remained elusive. The silence that enveloped us was far from tranquil; it echoed with the absence of life, each moment fraught with a haunting stillness. The night, shrouded in darkness and devoid of the comforting glimmer of stars, heightened our sense of foreboding and vigilance.

With a watchful gaze, I surveyed the desolate landscape surrounding us, occasionally glancing at the Queen. She had succumbed to sleep the moment her mate allowed her to rest on his back. Her resilience mirrored that of the soldiers. Throughout our arduous journey, she had not uttered a single whimper or complaint, maintaining a pace comparable to creatures two, sometimes three, and in contrast to her mate, four times her size. Despite her petite stature, Her Highness faced the elements without a murmur—be it the weather, the dirt beneath her paws, or the rain that pelted relentlessly.

In witnessing her endurance, the soldiers found themselves silenced. Any inclination to throw a tantrum or voice complaints melted away. The pregnant Queen's ability to weather the challenges with such grace made their potential whining seem utterly pathetic and weak. The unspoken realisation hung heavy in the air as we pressed forward through the oppressive silence and darkness, each step a testament to the strength embodied by the seemingly delicate yet incredibly resilient Queen.

My eyes scanned the territory around us, tension coursing through me more intensively with every new surveyed inch of the domain.

The desolate land stretched out as far as the eye could see, a forsaken expanse devoid of life and vibrancy. A chilling wind swept across the barren terrain, biting at the air with an unrelenting coldness. The sky above hung heavy with ominous clouds, casting a gloom that seemed to seep into the very essence of the land.

There was an eerie stillness that clung to the air, broken only by the distant echoes of the wind howling through the empty expanse. The ground, parched and lifeless, bore the scars of a land forgotten, where no grass, trees, or flowers dared to take root. The soil itself seemed to recoil from the touch of life as if repelled by some unseen force.

In this desolation, the magi dwelled, a malevolent presence that matched the bleakness of their surroundings. These creatures, void of any trace of humanity, were vile and heartless beings who seemed to embody the very essence of the desolate land they inhabited. Their twisted forms moved through the emptiness with an unsettling grace, their faces obscured by shadows and their intentions shrouded in darkness.