Xiaolumi S4: Edge of Dawn

Jackal In The Field of Reeds

A/N[Quick Edit]: Added screenshot of Xiao and Cyno I took myself. <3

A/N: Xiaolumi and Alhaitham arrive at Aaru Village as evening arrives, only for new and familiar faces to crash in before they could enter. However as a sandstorm kicks up an uneasy truce kicks in; Xiao is given a gift by Kairos and his first lesson as the storm rages. Cyno and Xiao will actually be very close friends by the time the archon quest ends, General besties~!

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Well that was unexpected.

This stranger dressed in a Deshretian style kilt and tight fitting clothes. On his head was some black canine style headdress with tall ears. This stranger had just attacked them out of nowhere too boot and even now as she watched the boys scrap the girls were baffled. He was around Xiao and Lumine's heights at about 5'3 inches tall with long wild silver hair and piercing, feral copper eyes. A Sumerian Vision of electro clasped to the back of his golden belt.

"Uh shouldn't we do something to stop those three from fighting?"wondered Lumine, wincing at the stranger getting a kick out the gut from her husband while deflecting an attack from Alhaitham. "Oooo.....yeah he's going to feel that one later."

"Um but how exactly? That rash bird of yours just rushed in the instant the weirdo attacked you."Paimon wincing as well with each exchange of blows the bows dealt between each other. "Ouch, I think he clipped some feathers there."

But the sheer speed this boy could move he was easily keeping up with Xiao and this both amazed and impressed the young yaksha. "You are either really reckless or foolish, human."snarled Xiao as he blocked a blow meant for Alhaitham.

"Those wings and appearance, the way you speak. You're from that ancient race that covered Sumeru and Liyue in those days of yore."hissed the stranger with surprising calm as he jumped back to land on the smooth crimson canyon wall's cliff edge. Looking down as his body began to spark with violet currents of electro. "Then that woman you defended, that's your mate. Why come here and defend this man?"he hissed as he lashed out attacking Alhaitham once again. Steel clashed with steel as dendro and electro caused vicious sparks as the force pushed the scribe backwards towards the girls.

"Yes she is. If you know that much then you know the folly of attacking our females this close to the rainy season."spat Xiao, his pupils narrowing into feral and dangerous slits. His body language said it all: don't come closer.

"General Mahamatra Cyno."huffed Alhaitham as Lumine hurried over to him and Xiao's sides.

"Cyno?"

"He is the leader of the matra, Sumeru's disciplinary faction at the Akademiya but he was supposedly missing in action for months now."informed Alhaitham calmly. His words made the trio look at Cyno in surprise as the young matra general flicked his polearm and stood his ground, blocking the only way into the village. His fearsome feral eyes never leave Xiao and Alhaitham's own. There was curiosity cleaning in them as he stole a glance how Xiao behaved, keeping himself deliberately between him and her.

"Boys, boys can't we talk this out?"Lumine tried to soothe anxiously. However the tension was practically setting off sparks in the air. In Cyno's case it did so literally as his vision gleaned and sizzled with electricity. They looked dangerously close to clashing again any second.

"Unless my memory fails me, Cyno we've barely spoken two words before now at the Akademiya. What's more you never would have known about Chief Alatus's arrival. Would you care to explain how it is we earned the ire of the General Mahamatra's wrath?"pressed Alhaitham harshly.

"Nor would he know I cut ties with Sumeru."huffed Xiao.

"Alhaitham, Xiao listen."pleaded Paimon this time only to get a smack from Xiao's wing and earn her a face full of feathers.