James flinched at claws clicking so near, his eyes refusing to open as he felt hot breath on his fur, a voice rattle in his ears. A soft sob escaped him and he weakly pushed away, sniffling wetly as he tried to keep quiet.

Wait, he was asked something. What was he asked?

"... Wh-what?", he said, his voice barely louder than a whisper, "I-I-"

His voice caught in his throat and he felt a nose touch his chest, making him flinch terribly, eyes opening.

Oh he shouldn't have looked.

Big green eyes, teeth poking out of a massive maw, not two pairs, but six pairs of incredibly sharp claws, on the breast's front, middle, and hind feet, not to mention the poisonous-looking quills on the monster's back. His breathing quickened and he pressed himself up against the rocks behind him, scared into silence, big fat tears falling down his face.

"... Don't hurt me,", he whimpered pathetically, "P-please."

Oh God... he was begging. So controlled by fear that he could do nothing but try every option to save his own life. At least he hadn't fainted yet.

@Orthoclase-Alpha

If the orthoclase hadn't been coming down from an adrenaline high from such a chase, it might've felt a smidge guilty at seeing the horse shivering and sniffling. But, alas, it didn't care - better that than kicking and screaming; although, a distant thought came to mind: I'd better be wary. Fear had a tendency to spark dangerous defensive magic.

Make it quick, then.

Alpha growled softly, repeating itself, "what are you?" Claws scraped against the stone with a brief, deafening wail. Keeping that close proximity, it decided to be yet more menacing, licking at its teeth and letting a glob or two of glowing spittle hang out, just about to touch...

Then, it was slurping it back up, leaning back slightly, "you're still too small to bother killing." That did not omit injury. A hiss, directly in his face came next, "answer me."

@James

James let out a frightened sob and answered, desperate to get the monster to leave him alone, "I-I'm a horse!! Oh Gods-"

He kicked out a leg as he pressed closer to the rock, head low and legs bunched up tightly, his eyes clenched shut again.

James felt something stir, and he felt the magic in his gem well up. Right... he had that. He sniffled and bunched up, in a sense, like a spring, ready to burst out in whatever form it desired.

Though instead of a Will 'O Wisp, he felt his fear gather up, his own sobs start to echo, ready to launch.

He felt the connection and went for it, projecting the voices of those he knew. Pride, Dragon, Khloros. He pictured hearing them faintly, in the distance, as if they were approaching, his eyes squeezing shut as he put all his focus into the spell. Maybe it would get the titan to leave, the threat of a fight scaring him off.

"James!", they were calling, his name being spoken loud and clear, and he just barely remembered to picture hooves clicking on the rock.

Sweat beaded on his brow, and he just hoped the behemoth mistook it as more fear.

@Orthoclase-Alpha

A horse. Just as mundane a name as he looked. Alpha stared down, fixating again on the lack of horns, and then the leg kicking him yet-closer to the rock. "How do - horses defend themselves? When they get caught?" it grunted, staring at his leg for a moment raising a claw in a contemplated grab for it.

Voices.

Quills pricked up, eyes widening imperceptibly. A pause, to make sure it heard those hooves, and it hissed quietly down at the horse, "don't move." He seemed to prick up at the sound, fearful hope glimmering in those eyes. James - that was his name, then. Someone had noticed that he was gone.

Move, fight, flee? Those were the questions. The orthoclase backed off a little and turned away, enough that it could stare over its shoulder, magicka flowing like an updraft to its senses. If there were too many, all too big - it'd take the higher road. Small enough, it might not be impeded - unless they had powerful magics... part of the voices sounded somewhat familiar, like it'd met their owners in passing...

Nothing making an approach... only a few odd Lessers scuffling about and larger, nastier signs roosting in the ceiling (Batcats, they were called.) Tricks.

If James hadn't bolted by then, the monster leered back down at him, clearly not going anywhere. "Aside from magic," it ground out, eyes narrowing and quills pricking again.

@James

James cut off the spell and stood up, legs shaky, and tried to scamper off, ears pinning as he was caught. He swallowed and backed up against the rock again, and when the monster got close enough...

He turned, ears pinned, and kicked out both legs, hitting Alpha directly in the face. If this guy wanted to know how he could defend himself, he'd show him!

James took off again, darting between Alpha's legs and speeding off at a dead gallop, ears pinned and eyes wide. He had to get away- the faster the better!!

This time he was careful, making sure to raise his legs more when jumping, calculate his moves carefully. This time there was no second chance. If he didn't get away, he wasn't going to see the next day.

"PRIIIIDE!!", he yelled out, hoping to God he answered- hoping that anybody>/I> answered.

Didn't he come here for protection? Where was that, huh?

@Orthoclase-Alpha

CR-CRACK!

"AAAARGH!" it roared, stumbling back from the sheer force of two tiny hooves striking its face - one landed just about underneath its eye, and the other a solid hit on the snout. Eyes watering, Alpha made a blind, hissing grab for the fleeing horse. Miss.

Magicka surged in a furious, wheezy roar, dust on the floor coalescing into a trail of nightmarish spines interlocking their foot-lengths. The orthoclase took a few steps forwards, stumbled with exertion, and roared again.

Glowing-green bled hot from its nostrils, dripping onto claws as they gripped the rock.

@James

James ran as fast as he could, tears pricking his eyes as he darted to and fro, trying to dodge the glass shards suddenly poking out of the ground.

(( Ignore roll I'm dummy thicc in the brain. ))

"PRIIIDE!", he shrieked, his bruised legs hurting with every pounding step on the rock beneath him.

The colt's chest heaved with every breath, and he leaped over another outcropping, this time making it, though he stumbled over himself for a moment before taking off again.

Well... he was almost away. He wasn't going to slow down, but he felt faint. Like he was going to collapse at any second. He stumbled more and more, his legs snagging on rocks, and his breathing growing more and more labored. Exhausted.

@Orthoclase-Alpha
@Pride

The cry came shrill, even at a distance, and Pride felt a jolt of adrenaline through his heart. He was scrabbling up from the side of the Throne, lurching into rapid action, before he'd even fully registered the cry as James'. His name was being called, in fear--that's all he knew.

He bolted forward at top speed, legs carrying him as quick as they could, magic hurtling up around him to keep that ever-present barrier ready. His mind raced through possibilities. Had Raheerah somehow returned? He didn't hear any roaring, and thundrous beats of wings. Not Dread, either, then. Another predator-?

"JAMES?!" he called, hooves clattering as he came closer. He felt the thrill of quiet fear along the link with his familiar, but she--though she raced alongside, half-hidden among Orion's ruins--stayed quiet.

When he came in sight of them--of James stumbling toward him, and the Orthoclase lurching along behind--he jolted to a stop. He knew that one--recognition quickly kicked in; it was hard to forget it. There weren't exactly a lot like Orthoclase running about. He'd heard things, since then--but for now, he simply peered at it, confused.

"What's going on?" he cried, brow furrowing.

@Orthoclase-Alpha

I hope you guys don't mind Pride actually arriving this round--purely for narrative it seemed strange to just. 'Be running' for a round, but I can edit if you prefer!! I don't mind!

"PRIIIDE!"

Why does that sound familiar?

"JAMES?!"

That voice again - and they - James and Alpha, of course - came tumbling up on the sight of that voice's owner. Dim recognition flickered in its eyes, and it skidded to a halt.

Heaving, the kaiju kind of just... stood there, hunched-over so it didn't have to crane its neck so hard to look down. Appraising Pride for a moment, it figured two things: one, he's definitely not a horse; two, it hadn't seen him do anything during Cetus, but made the wary assumption that they had at least some degree of a rapport that wouldn't mean immediate assault on a misstep.

Regardless - a little venom wouldn't hurt, tongue swiping at its jaws and apparent bloody nose. If there were a couple extra brain cells in its head, Alpha would've played up its injury and the horse's lack thereof. Alas, it just stated the honest truth: "I was asking it what it was."

So, numerous things wrong with that statement.

@James

Seeing the white deer, James stomped on the gas and bolted towards his mentor with tears in his eyes, his knees bruised and scraped, everything aching.

He was barely able to come to a stop, and ended up tripping and falling, shaking like a leaf as he lay there stiffly, so stricken by fear that he could only lay on the ground, struggling to stand, his legs bumbling about awkwardly.

He managed to get into a sort of upright position, still panting hard, trying to make up for a lack of oxygen.

"He- it- They ch-chased me!! They co-cornered me a-and they- they-", he choked on his own words, stuttering so badly that he nearly bit his own tongue in an effort to get his words out.

The colt struggled to his feet, so unsteady that he very nearly fell over again, and leaned up against Pride, seeking comfort from his mentor, face pressed into his fur as he staggered sideways, positioning most of his body behind the stag.

"... I thought I was go-going to die,", he whimpered.

@Pride
@Orthclase-Alpha