Valentine's Day Inspired: Chapter 1

Kaisar settled on the large rocky outcropping, letting his tail lazily sway in the air. The night air was crisp and fresh, any breath escaping as a miniature vapour cloud. The small lycan seemed to fall asleep as he closed his eyes and raised his head to the moon. For most, it would have been dangerous to lose focus so deep in the woods, separated from the sky by the towering tree-tops. But Kaiser knew better. Any passing carnivore would quickly sense an equal and would move on, not daring to prey on something that belonged in the shadows.

A splitting crack of a branch echoed, momentarily shattering the moment. Kaisar did not turn around. “I was wondering how long it would take for you to come out. Foolish of you to try to sneak up on me.”

Azeryth stepped into the light, bright iridescence playing on his feathers under the stars. He flashed a grin and with an easy flap of his wings launched into the air, before promptly landing on the rocky outcropping not too far away from Kaisar. “Does that trick really work on everyone you meet? Too bad I know you are bluffing. You couldn’t discover my hiding place, because I did not bother hiding.”

Kaisar lazily opened his eyes and regarded the tyto a few meters away. It was impossible to read his face, but something flashed in his eyes. “Is that so? A mistake on your part. How could you have known that this was not an ambush?”

“Because despite not troubling to hide, I’m not the moron you think of me, and I had checked the surroundings. You have no back-up. I’m almost disappointed even - you could have easily captured me here and now. A missed chance.” 

The lycan chuckled. He knew Azeryth would outlive Galyx to say the last word. He was too witty to continue this empty argument. Although, Kaisar could not resist smiling at the arrogant stryx. “Well, here is why this is your mistake: I don’t need back-up to take you down.”

Azeryth’s gaze lingered on the lycan before he turned around to squint into the darkness of the forest, quickly breaking the contact in exchange for the apathetic facade. “Well. Why did you ask to meet me? We are on the opposite sides of this war, and willingly so. What could be so important to conspire with me? I am fairly certain the Bane of the North did not authorize this meeting.”

Kaisar drew in a sharp breath, before glowering at the tyto. “We are the Bane of the North. Blaire has no control over me. Unlike your rider.” 

“Yeh, sure, having grown straight from the egg as a domesticated pet certainly made you independant.”

Kaisar ignored the jab of the sassy tyto, the characteristic cold calmness returning. He shifted to gaze in the same direction as Azeryth. The stryx briefly glanced at the lycan, a certain caution flashing on his face. Despite appearing not to, he knew perfectly well that the Bane was not to be meddled with. Raised by stryx hunters, to hunt stryx. Not exactly a bird around which caution should be thrown into the air. 

After a few long seconds, Azeryth murmured, “So why all this? Why contact me, if you weren’t planning something malicious? I very much doubt you missed me.” 

“Extraordinary observation. After that burn, the last thing I wanted to see was your stuck up face.”

“If your plan was to insult me, the door is that way.”

The lycan didn’t reply. The silence seemed to stretch for forever before the phrase hit like a thunder in the peaceful sky. “Your soul-bond is a dead man walking. Will be an actual one within a month.”

Azeryth swiftly turned around, eyes flashing dangrously in the moonlight. “What exactly do you mean?” he hissed, wings instinctively raised to ready for opposition. Kaisar lazily glanced at the tyto before stifling a chuckle. “Calm your feathers. It’s not me, or Blaire that’s after her. Or rather, we are, but not for the same reason. We are not interested in the young mage’s past, only because she is a valuable member of the Guard is she hunted.”

“Or rather, because she meddled in Blaire’s plans far too much for her liking.”

Kaisar hesitated, before nodding. “Precisely. But I can assure you, you and your merry band of vigilantes are not the priority. Your soul-bond’s past is catching up.”

“What do you mean?”

Kaisar finally glanced at the tyto, curiousity ringing in his voice. “Oh? You don’t know? Interesting.”

Azeryth let out another exhasperated hiss before raising his head and coldly glaring at the lycan. Kaisar was obviously having fun, noticing how quickly the tyto lost his calm at the mention of his soul-bond. Still, Azeryth wasn’t about to let it go. “Explain.”

Kaisar nonchalantly stretched and stood up. “Well, that’s not my secret to share.” He started to make his way off the ledge, not bothering to glance back at the tyto. However, that was not in Azeryth’s plans.

The tyto quickly caught up with the lycan, stopping in front of him to block his path. Azeryth let out a low rumble. Soft light started to emanate from his beak, a foreshadow of fire, and the ruffled feathers made him seem even angrier. “What. Do. You. Know?” he growled. 

Kaisar stopped, regarding the stryx in front of him for a few seconds before merely sidestepping him and heading farther into the woods. The tip of his tail lazily swept under the tyto’s chin as he said the parting words. “You look cute when you are angry. Just don’t go as far as to stand in my way.”

Azeryth froze to a halt, momentarily forgetting what he was after. Compliments usually didn't make him fluster, but this seemed all too sudden. Maybe this was the lycan’s intention, to force him to back off. More acting on an instinct than anything, Azeryth smugly answered, “Can’t say the same about you.”

Only a snicker came from the depth of the forest as the lycan melted into the darkness.