⏰ Xrumon lusus (please be a happy one 🥺😭)
Xrumon fell backward, whimpering in pain as he hit the dirt. The moons shone brightly above him in a clear sky, perfectly illuminating the trio of starved looking wolves that were advancing on him. Their fur was matted and pale looking, he could clearly see their ribs poking through their stomachs.
The five sweep old clutched an arm to his stomach, sweater tattered with fresh rakes through it by one of the wolf's vicious claws. Teal blood seeped through his fingers and his breathing was shallow and fast-paced. He scuttled backwards, spare hand and feet slipping on the mud underneath him in vain as the animals stalked closer. The lead wolf's eyes seemed to bore into his as he looked up at them, too scared to even scream for help.
It gathered its legs beneath it for a moment, then sprang forwards all at once. Its jaws opened wide, teeth poised wide in anticipation of the animal's long sought-after meal-
WHAM!
A heavy fist collided with the beast midair, attached to a giant of a creature. It towered above both the troll and the animals, skin as pale as a ghost's while shaped like a troll - just without horns. Two beady eyes squinted at the wolf's body as it hit the dirt and rolled, before the lusus stamped its feet and stood protectively in front of its charge. It wore a hivemade looking outfit, resembling a large pair of denim overalls. The outfit was clearly amateurishly made, barely able to fit around the creature.
Xrumon sniffled weakly, still hugging an arm to his chest as he watched, wide-eyed, at the confrontation in front of him. The first wolf stood back up, shaking its head. Then, all three of them began to circle around the custodian, which stood its ground as it raised its fists in preparation.
"Kill them!" pleaded the young teal, tears in his eyes. "Get- Get rid of them!"
The lusus simply shook its head, staring down the wolves as they continued to pace around the pair. It sucked in a deep breath over several seconds, just as the wolves all tensed up at once. Time halted for a moment as the custodian finished, then its lips parted:
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
The lusus's bellow erupted out of its mouth with the force of a hurricane suddenly let loose. The leaves on the trees just ahead of it shook slightly in the generated breeze, and the grass nearby was thrown back onto the ground in turn. The wolves yelped, scuttling backwards in fright at the terrifying presence of what was a clearly an apex predator. They sprinted back into the undergrowth of the forest, abandoning this prey in the hopes of finding another.
The lusus breathed heavily for a few moments, while Xrumon blinked in sheer surprise, his crying having ceased immediately. After several moments, the custodian turned around and knelt next to its charge. The creature's small eyes, previously swimming with anger, now only gleamed with concerned as they stared out of its crinkled looking face. "Are you.... okay?" it asked, with some evident difficulty.
Xrumon sniffled again, starting to nod before he winced again. He lifted his right arm, showing the smear of blood still oozing from underneath. "No, not- They... They hurt me."
He paused, trying to keep his breathing calm. "Why didn't you hurt them...?" he asked in a small voice.
The lusus's mouth twisted into a tiny frown. Its arms moved around the troll, picking him up as lightly as if he were just a hat. It held him up in both arms, cradling Xrumon against itself as it started to walk.
"No need," it said with some effort, voice the sound of a slow avalanche. "Only... warn."
"But they were going to eat me!" Xrumon protested, frowning back at his lusus.
"Starving," the lusus explained, lumbering past tree after tree, plodding through the forest on its route back to their hive. "Just hungry. Don't have... to hurt more than needed."
Xrumon pouted, then winced again as pain coursed through his chest. The lusus seemed to notice as it smiled at him.
"Clean you up at... the hive. Don't go wandering... so far, okay?" it asked gently. "Worried about you. So worried..."
Xrumon looked away from his custodian, but wordlessly curled up further in its massive arms. The lusus chuckled softly, sounding like rocks gently clashing against each other in a river.
"Take that as a yes. It is not... embarrassing to be watched over, yes?" it said carefully.
Xrumon harumphed, still not looking at his lusus as a teal blush spread across his face. The lusus just laughed again, continuing to move on carefully in its great stride.
