The moon was climbing ever higher into the navy heavens above. The stars twinkled brightly in the cloudless sky. All around the usually dead wood seemed alive; crickets were chirping, a owl screeched as it landed it’s prey. In the distance the lull of a stream washing over rocks soothed the air whilst a chilly breeze danced across the barren woodland. It was peaceful. Tranquil one might say and still- that was until a lumbering onyx brute crashed through the dead thickets on his way home.
His pace was steady, a trot rather then a walk as he bounced across the cold, solid ground. Dead leaves, twigs and stones crunched under his leather pads as his rhythm beat in time to that of nature all around him.
With his head erect, ghostly grey eyes alert and ears perked he was on edge. Whilst the woods were quiet, almost dead of life he always felt as if he were being watched. He considered that was the reason why on one else had made this area their home, for you always felt alone even when you weren’t entirely sure you were in fact by yourself. You needed a good deal of <span class='word'>mettle</span> to traipse through here during the day, let alone at night when shadows played havoc with ones mind.
Fortunately for Rhysis he wasn’t afraid of the dark. He wasn’t afraid of the monsters that went ‘boo’ in the night; he was the monster.
His march halted as he passed over the small stream that ran through the wood. With a glance around him the male lowered his head and allowed his coral tongue to snake out from his mouth and lap at the refreshing water. For now, the beast was still.
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