Northstar Vale And nobody owes you now

the pair toiled onwards, upwards. shardik admired mou's persistence -- rarely was it that wounded things went uphill. more than once his flat paws landed on the slick pool of blood left in mou's wake; a grim promise in dark red that the dog's end was simply eventual.

the beast paused on the lip of one such shelf, feeling his rank breath spill along the promontory and encircle about him. it was tight, ever tight -- his blackwater eyes watched the constricting darkness, watched mou's bent form struggle ahead.

at last the grim peals of shardik's unwelcome laughter faded and a new silence shepherded about them. in that small space the beast fancied he caught wind of urine; his loose lips pulled back and conical teeth bared in a delighted and malevolent grin. "scared, dog?" his voice rumbled and he found ambition anew. he rose carefully, his rounded shoulders brushing the ceiling as he mounted the next step with a grunting heave. "don't fight it," he quibbled, his teeth chattering in bellicose delight: "let me help you sleep." he heaved again, ignoring the slick puddles his body pressed against. he reached one arm above him, claws curling around the stony lip with a crackle of brittle stone as he hoisted his immense girth upwards, pursuing the form of the pale ghost that was now well ahead of him.