The Reason We Run

No words, Just Draxy

Draxy spots the little glowing bug that is Lav and instantly reverts to the instinct of biting at it. Chasing him around as he used to chase the flies.

"No! Draxy! What did I say about the bugs!"

"I just wanna nibble them a little!" Draxy jumps to nip at Lav again. "See I almost got it!"

"Draxy that isn't a bug- it's a Lav!" Krow exclaims. It's more concerned for Draxy than it is for Lav because the shapeshifter has turned into a bee and is prepared to bite, or sting, back.

Draxy pauses for a moment, squinting his eyes in suspicion.

"They're from the dark place!" Krow elaborates. "Very cool and very nice so please don't eat him actually!"

There's a beat or two of awkward silence.

"You're alive," Lav says curtly hovering around Draxy. "People don't usually live very long in the dark place."

"OK! It's probably true! But now is not the time to be talking about it!" Krow remarks.

"Lav isn't very nice. I like Melvin better." Draxy affirms; a bit of sadness edging his voice.

"Wait! Lav, can you-

Krow is cut off by a familiar trill; the recognizable soft clicking of metal against stone goes completely silent, shoving Draxy behind itself. The Frostwalker yelps in surprise. Lav seems to recognize the noise too, and in a flash, shifts into a large cat, claws and all.

The three huddle in a corner, and Draxy is just incredibly confused. "What's going on?"

"Ummm, Lav?" Krow can vaguely remember Kyle and Acho's descriptions of the dark maze and is starting to think maybe it should have heeded them, or at least properly listened. Now that it's thinking about it, Kyle definitely said something about monsters at some point. Maybe more than one point actually.

"What's a Kyle and Acho?" Draxy questions.

"I said that out loud?"

"mhm"

The scraping sound continues and gets louder by the second. Before any of them notice, it's rounding the corner. Slowly, carefully approaching.

"What is it..." Draxy watches it with wide eyes and bated breath. The thing almost looks like a giant spider. He likes chasing spiders, but this one seems a bit too large to chase.

"Shhhhhhh" Krow shushes both of its companions to an almost excessive degree, and then falls silent, trying to keep even breathing to a minimum. Draxy and Lav follow suit.

Their efforts don't help; not really. This creature was designed for the dark. Crafted to pick Outsiders out of the gloom, sometimes one at a time, other times in large bloody massacres. Krow's slowly healing shoulder throbs a bit more painfully at the memory. It's definitely the same monster from the first night.