Like an unwinding cable car

Julian Casablancas + The Voidz - Xerox

Twilight faded as a haze of gossamer fog enshrouded the the territory. The ominous weather suited its grim atmosphere; the wake of Adlartok's maiming still fresh. Even so, Duskfire's all-seeing glacier was ever silent and without comment. Tuwawi had snaked her way towards the sleeping giant after she had trailed the child past the borders, determined to see him out. Now, back at Duskfire's heart, the ember found an old evergreen and slumped against its trunk, emotionally spent.

Despite her spirit's fatigue, Tuwawi continued to burn with scorn. Her body quaked with new-found suffering provoked by the young insurgent. A silver eye traced her sanguine front - fur soiled by her quarry's blood - as a shiver of complete disdain crawled down her spine. The shallow cuts Adlartok had managed to inflict upon her ankles stung, and Tuwawi slowly nursed them with a twisted grimace, the hate practically palpable.

Suddenly, an urgent summons rang in the air. Malachi was howling for her - the subject obvious. Reluctantly, the Svejarn heeded his call. She marched through the wood with a stiff limp, still painted a gruesome red with the child's drying blood.

It wasn't long before Malachi's scent hung in the air, his patchwork figure a few yards beyond the trees. Tuwawi attempted to approach him with a level demeanor, but her tenuous composure quickly fractured. "How dare you," she hissed at Malachi, expression seething. "How dare you let another child in!"