Nyxsha trailed behind, her massive form tense, her golden eyes narrowed as she scanned the clearing.
Her black fur bristled, her tail flicking like a whip, as if the garden's vibrancy were a personal affront.
She crossed her arms, claws glinting, and muttered under her breath about stupid vegan nonsense and trees that look too smug.
Azareel, undeterred, reached for a berry, his slender fingers hesitating above the vine.
He glanced at Nyxsha, as if seeking permission, then plucked one, its glow illuminating his pale face.
He held it to his nose, inhaling deeply.
"It smells… clean," he said, his voice soft with wonder, his silver-gray eyes, flecked with rain-blue, wide with awe.
He bit into it.
The berry burst, sweet, tangy juice spilling over his lips.
His eyes widened, a quiet gasp escaping him. "…This is the best thing I've ever tasted."
Nyxsha grunted, her tail thumping the mossy ground.
"You've never tasted spine marrow soaked in saltfire," she said, her tone dripping with skepticism.
Azareel took another bite, wiping juice from his chin with a torn sleeve.
"It tastes like peace," he said, his voice warm, almost reverent.
"Gross."
He plucked another berry and held it out to her, his silver eyes hopeful. "Try it."
Nyxsha recoiled, her nose wrinkling as if he'd offered her a rotting foot. "No."
"Please," he repeated, his smile gentle but insistent.
She growled, her tail lashing.
"…Fine. But if I throw up, I'm wiping it on your hair."
She snatched the berry with two claws, her movements exaggeratedly cautious, and sniffed it.
Her golden eyes narrowed, suspicious, before she chomped down.
The juice hit her tongue, sweet and bright, like a memory of something she'd never known.
She paused, chewing slowly, her ears twitching.
Her brow furrowed, her tail stilling.
Then—
ptooey.
She spat the berry with such force it bounced off a glowing vine and rolled under a bush, leaving a trail of juice like a comet's tail.
Azareel blinked, his head tilting. "You didn't like it?"
Nyxsha scraped her tongue with a claw, her face contorted in disgust.
"Texture's weird," she muttered. "Where's the crunch? Where's the blood? I feel like I licked a polite cloud's brain."
"It didn't taste good?" he asked, his voice soft, genuinely curious.
"I feel like my soul got hugged," she growled, her ears flattening. "I hated it."
Azareel's lips twitched, a gentle smile breaking through.
"Don't look at me like that," Nyxsha snapped, pointing a claw at him.
"I didn't say anything," he said, his silver eyes sparkling with quiet amusement.
"You thought it," she accused, her tail thumping the ground.
"…Maybe," he admitted, his smile widening.
Nyxsha swatted a berry bush, making it tremble, and flopped onto the moss beside him with a groan that shook the nearby vines.
Azareel offered another berry, his expression hopeful.
She shot him a death glare, her fangs bared, and he withdrew the berry with a soft giggle, the sound light and unguarded, like a breeze through the garden.
He leaned back, his stomach finally settled, his body warmed by the berries' glow.
"Thank you," he whispered, his voice barely audible, "for helping me find this."
Nyxsha didn't reply, her golden eyes fixed on the swaying trees.
Her tail, acting on its own, curled faintly around his leg, a subtle rope claiming a pillar.
She grunted, the sound gruff but lacking its usual venom, and let the silence settle.
Minutes passed, the garden swaying around them, peaceful and still.
Too still.
Azareel closed his eyes, his breathing slow, his silver hair catching the berries' glow.
Nyxsha opened one eye, then the other, her fur prickling as a chill ran through her.
The wind had stopped.
The trees, once swaying, stood frozen, their branches curving downward like watching eyes.
The vines had crept closer—so slowly, so gently, she hadn't noticed.
The moss around their ankles had grown thicker, tendrils curling up their legs like possessive fingers.
The garden's colors, once vibrant, now pulsed with a life that felt too aware, too hungry.
"The Abyss is not really a bad place," Azareel said, his voice drowsy, his smile soft as he lay beside her, oblivious to the shift.
Nyxsha turned her head slowly, her golden eyes narrowing.
He looked so peaceful, his frail frame relaxed against the moss, his silver eyes half-lidded.
She sighed, her tail tightening slightly around his leg.
Then, for the first time, a real grin curved her lips—dry, tired, and deeply amused.
She plucked a glowing berry, holding it up between two claws, its light casting shadows across her face.
"Welcome to the Abyss," she said softly, her voice laced with wry humor.
"Even the food traps to kill you."