Neverwinter Forest up in smoke

She looked just like the other three, the daughters that had taken so much from him. The spitting image of the trio that he loathed and feared in equal measure - certainly he should have felt the same for her, too, but Screech didn't feel anything. Not until she grappled with a snap at his snout, scoring him swiftly with a practiced malice. He winced and scrambled simultanously. There was no need to wait for further prompting but his limbs trembled beneath him. The warmth of his urine soon chilled.

The woman spoke as if she were observing something lesser. Screech was a spoiled chunk of meat and the vultures were trying to determine what to do with him. Go for the soft bits? Crack open some bones? Bury him for later?

Sorina's voice was something he had become used to. The comments no longer cut him to the bone as they had initially, for he numbed himself. There was too much at stake to let himself feel anything at this point - so he stood there trembling and patient, tongue-tied and horrified. Screech could not look away from Amekaze even if he wanted to; he sought her approval knowing that there was only so much she would ever give him. He was standing though. He did what she prompted and he hoped it would satisfy some part of her.

Then, meekly, he dared to express his condolences with his gravel-pit of a voice as he gasped, I'm — I'm s-sorry.