Neolani shared a glance with Ashton, her grip tightened around her spear. Not having his heart was strange… and if this fox, beast of sin or not, thought he was going to take Ashton's heart, well she would have to show him why Ashton chose her.
Caius glanced between his Little Snack and the human female, aiya, so suspicious! They were clearly plotting something… but he could return much faster than his leaving so long as any of his kin remained. Caius lifted his Little Snack up to eye level as a feigned serious expression.
Ashton kept eye contact with the big fox, "I promise, I will lay patiently in my nest until your return. I will not assist with anything or anyone. Go on." Ashton encouraged with a soft chuckle.
Caius tucked his Little Snack to his chest again, aiya, but… waiting a month… he could be back in less than a minute. Surely 200 human warriors, his kin, and these nobles could endure for a minute… The longer Caius thought about it the more hesitant he was, he would add a hasten return element to the anchor. Half a minute, they would only need to hold out for half a minute.
Talvi glanced at papa bird as she raised a brow, it would seem he was in a good enough mood to tease them… or confident enough for his humans to prove a point. Talvi glanced over the forest… none of them had noticed anything peculiar. Well not peculiar enough to raise any kind of suspicion or concern. Talvi glanced at the still rising sun, of course… the golden eagle had been a surprise.
"Aiya, Little Snack, you have to promise to stay safe in your nest, until I return!" Caius insisted as he glanced over the clearing. Really, the gods were not on his side… or at least his Little Snack and his timing were off. Had this been a day earlier, or later… If only his Little Snack could join him, but that wasn't an option either. Had he not sworn to return alone…
Ashton gave a placating smile, as he raised a hand in oath, "I swear on the sun, to stay in my nest until you return. Or, if I leave it to immediately go to your side."
Caius still hesitated, looking around, there wasn't any apparent threat… not to mention after that little display, no sane beast within a thousand miles would come near this place. "I will eat breakfast with you Little Snack, then decide." Caius then turned to his kin with a nod, "Set up alarms."
Talvi gave a half bow, then trotted off into the forest. Best to set the perimeter well in advance, then send everyone out in equal distances. Perhaps Littlest can roost in some tree with his owl.
Caius cuddled his Little Snack to his chest, preparations wouldn't be done for at least an hour, giving him plenty of time to watch his Little Snack. If the little one was truly fine… he may depart, otherwise a delay would be better than regrets.
Neolani gestured to the warriors to get food ready, there would be time to prove just how worthy she was of Ashton's trust. As she walked away Alexei was overseeing half the warriors looking for feathers.
Caius leaned back in the nest, his Little Snack reclining in his lap, slowly eating. Aiya, a sleepy baby was the cutest!!! As much as Caius wanted to leave, even for a few short hours, there was a nagging feeling causing his left eye to twitch. Le sigh! Caius would have to cuddle his Little Snack enough to make up for the delay!
Ashton glanced around the clearing, it had been over an hour and most were quietly eating. The imperial family was conspicuously absent; Jaxon and Monroe were how heading the imperials. The quiet chatter as they debated leaving to hunt or staying had been ongoing since he'd started eating.
Caius was half tempted to insist they all stay, meat shields were still useful… but then his Little Snack would insist on protecting certain humans should the need arise… Aiya! Decisions decisions. Caius flicked his tails as he continued to watch, the last of his kin had just announced the perimeters had all been secured. A sudden sigh caught his attention, caught everyone's attention it would seem. All chatter had stopped while all eyes had turned to his Little Snack.
Ashton had removed his core, still tied to the necklace his Ember had used for the last twenty years. He deliberately used the lace to twirl it around his finger for all to see, "Whoever captures the strongest prey, will be allowed to carry my heart for a full day." This would… encourage the extras to leave.
Caius stilled as he watched the fragmented core, the light coating of gold over red caught the light each time the core spun away. He slowly narrowed his eyes as he grinned, looking over the humans, "Yet your warriors will remain Little Snack… Aiya, you are practically giving your heart away." There was no doubt these humans had no chance of catching something stronger than he could.
Neolani gave a tight smile, "You sound suspicious Lord Caius, or are you looking a gift horse in the mouth?" She had noticed each displeased glanced they had sent her way. Even if Neolani understood why they were unhappy, it didn't stop her from being annoyed with their petty antics or open criticisms. Of course she would never deliberately ignore Ashton's pain, but he had been wrapped up by Caius. If anyone should have realized he was losing feathers and going cold, it should have been Caius.
Caius leaned back as he drummed his fingers along the edge of the nest, there were several beasts he could capture on his way back. Beasts far stronger than anything here in these mountains… even the Satori was weak if you could block it from reeding your mind. He could also send half the foxes to shadow the groups…
Sebastian was watching Ashton, there were differences between a human core… and a beast core. Yet, never had he heard of a being that could liv once theirs had been removed. There was little chance he or any of his family could catch something Lord Caius couldn't so this seemed almost… like a way to appease the Sin beast. Sebastian looked at Caius, of course, if Ashton wanted them to leave for a bit there was no reason to refuse. "Pack up our bags, we leave for Rainbow Falls immediately."
Calix jolted, then nodded as he stood up, bowed to Duke Darnings before he left with a few others to gather their supplies.
Jaxon barely lifted his gaze as Sebastian's family started to move. He wasn't a fool, this was obviously a game for the beasts to flirt with each other. Jaxon closed his eyes, then stood up, "Everyone is dismissed." Without so much as a glance Jaxon pulled Monroe's wheelchair out and started to push him inside.
Caius watched as the humans started to quickly gather up and depart, something was nagging at the back of his mind… but holding his Little Snack's heart, even if only for a day was too great a temptation.
Talvi shared a nod with father Caius, she would remain to watch over Papa bird. As Papa bird settled into his nest for another nap, no doubt poor papa was exhausted from molting, Talvi took up sentry beside the nest. Each group also departed with a fox, Talvi didn't miss all the Inago dawning their armor or battle gear.
Caius held back his disdainful snort, Aiya, are they not too late? Still, this should have been a learning lesson. Caius narrowed his eyes, then again, if his Little Snack didn't open up, it would be detrimental if they continued to lack communication. Caius's tails flicked as the last of the groups left, though it was a surprise that nearly all the nobles had left in a single group today, the imperials had also left together.
Ashton gave a light smile as the big fox started tucking him in like a babe. The fox fur blanket had ever edge tucked beneath his body, while his nest was adjusted to catch maximum sunlight. "Fox, the sooner you leave, the sooner you return no? I will still be right here, though I might move around inside my nest."
Caius bit his thumb as he trailed around the nest for the third time, Aiya, was there anything he could be missing? Something he'd overlooked? Talvi would be here yes, and he could be back in less than a minute. "Aiya, okay, okay! So eager to be rid of me Little Snack!" Caius feigned hurt as he clutched his chest, widening his eyes in an exaggerated pout.
Ashton would have patted the flattened fox ears, but he was currently wrapped up like a burrito. "I am going to take a nap now fox, have fun." Ashton announced as he deliberately closed his eyes.
Caius narrowed his eyes, Aiya, communication would have to be a priority. Even if he wasn't being serious, to not even acknowledge or address his hurt feelings was not a promising sign. Caius had no intention of just being a temporary heating pad or caretaker. Aiya, no, Caius fully intended to be a permanent fixture in his Little Snack's future. "Aiya, stay safe Little Snack, my heart will count each moment we are apart!" Caius then changed to his full fox form before bounding away.
Talvi sat rooted to the spot, watching each human, every falling leaf, every bending blade of grass. Nothing went unnoticed.
Ashton opened his eyes after about two hours, the big fox was long out of range. Now, time for the little ones to play.
Jaxon and Monroe jolted at the same time. They glanced around, no one else seemed concerned but… Jaxon had felt something in the air shift. "Monroe, did you feel that?" he asked in a whisper as a few people started to turn their attention to them.
Monroe hesitated, then nodded. Just as his Majesty raised his head to them, there was a… shattering sound as birds took to the sky for what seemed like hundreds of miles.
Jaxon flung himself over Monroe as soon the earth shook. Beast Gods above… what now?
Before Talvi could even register what was happening, Father Caius's, her own, and all the barriers they had set up were shattered in a deafening cacophony. Having her barrier shattered so abruptly sent her reeling. One second, it had taken one second to shake off the backlash. That one second had been too long, before she'd even opened her eyes she'd been flung aside like a doll. Where she had been sitting sentry was now a giant snake head.
Neolani had stationed her warriors in equal parts around the clearing. She'd known something was coming, but from underground had definitely been a surprise. Still, not enough to throw her off her game. "Melia!"
Melia shattered a pre-cast spell that drew anything she saw to her side. The silver feather crumbled away as the warriors ran to intercept the giant snake as launched in her direction. Even though the spell was pre-cast, it was drawing on her current mana pool. Moving a snake that was well over a hundred feet was almost beyond her ability, even with the anti-gravity sub-spell added.
Alexei was impressed the giant beast had moved at all. Even though it had only been drawn out of its hole, that meant Melia had moved the snake at least 70 feet.
Alexei had been standing next to Melia, spear in hand. It was a big snake… it quickly righted itself. No more than ten seconds had passed since it had shattered the barriers, flung the white fox aside, and been drawn out. It had raised its head and was looking around the clearing, probably shocked its surprise attack failed. Without a word Alexei ran to take up his own stance between the snake and the nest. This was going to be a true test of faith.
Ashton raised a brow, a Naga. No wonder it had remained hidden even from the wards in the capital. It had only taken a fraction of a second to right itself, but there were now more than two dozen warriors between it and his nest. The black and tan cobra crest flared as it darted back toward the nest. It clearly had a simple goal, to eat the wounded bird and flee.