Night Watch

With the successful hunt behind Maple, Varos, Ninshu and Katholes the silence that the night brought with it had been a welcome change of pace from the adrenaline and exercise filled day. Varos had as promised indeed cooked for the group and with the bear that had stalked them before having been their prey in the end the ragout the chaser had cooked up was divine and plentiful that even the ravenous Maple did feel content and sated.  
Ninshu on the other hand having overeaten slightly laid zonked out next to the campfire, peacefully snoring as they slept off their food induced coma, head turned away from the campfire so that it would warm her back whilst the rest of her body laid on the cool and soft meadow the group had recently happened upon after leaving the forest that they walked through for what felt like days already behind them.

The 3 friends moved a bit away from the campfire as they collectively decided to take the first watch together and afterwards take turns, staying vigilant against the slumber that was looming over them and the threats that might be lurking out there- mostly however the threats, until the sun was up again.

The first bit of their watch was uneventful as the reoseans spent them in silence, quietly gazing upon the meadows surrounding them. Tomorrow their journey would continue and with the bear having startled them awake to the dangers lurking out here the group wasnt about to get caught off guard once again and made damn sure of it. The first hour went by with the group only spotting a swarm of bats hunting for insects and the odd owl stalking the edges of the forest that was still in sight. Everything seemed, calm. Serene even. As the second hour drew to a close with the reoseans having kept diligent watch the three were fighting back against their drowsiness and as such they decided to have a small chat to pass the time and wait for the first of them to be ready to clock in for the night- though none of the three wanted to volunteer to be the first. instead they let their stubborness shine even if this might hamper their ability to actually perform a decent guarding job- but that wasnt an outcome the three had considered might result from being headstrong in this instance.

In hushed whispers the group started to talk about their hunt today which had filled the small chaser with a lot of confidence. And feeling like they all had grown together as a group, Varos dared to ask about something they had been interested in since they noticed it, hoping to use the conversation that would spark to pass the time, though they didnt mind watching the nightsky.

Their head turns to Katholes as they ask, rather bluntly. "Say what is actually your deal Katholes? I cant shake the feeling that theres something more to you than you are letting on."
the crimson coated puller had had the slightest smile on their face until that moment as their eyes grew cold and distant, staring down at this small chaser they had started to like.
"Some things are best left in the past." presses Katholes out from between their gritted teeth. A threat. And not a subtle one at that.

Whilst Maple was also interested in the topic she kept on alert now that her rumbling tummy wasnt a concern of hers anymore and she felt that the other two vayrons were at current distracted to put it lightly.
"Oh sorry." stammered Varos, probably having expected the start of an explanation if not the full truth, instead of feeling the heat of Katholes cold stare on their skin.
As the chaser apologized the puller averted their gaze, corners of their mouth now once again fully turned into nothing more than an indifferent expression as they looked at the world around them with apathy.

Silence fell over the group as Katholes seemed lost in thought and upset at Varos untimely prying into their personal life. Maple felt a shiver run down her back her fur standing on end as she focused on a spot ahead in the darkness. She had seen it before she had heard it. but in this new moon night that did little on illuminating warrenfalls forests down below the dark pelt blended in almost perfectly if it hadnt been for the eyes reflecting the campfire ninshu was still resting at.
Yet there was something else too in its eyes. A malace that burned so hot its gaze would have been hard to stand if it was looking at the tyrian, yet its eyes were focused on Katholes and Katholes alone.
Maple took a sharp breath alerting Varos to this for Maple uncharacteristic behavior who gave her a quizzical look before following her gaze to the shape that had slowly been creeping up on Katholes. Yet from where the chaser stood something else besides those hate filled eyes caught his attention. The gleam of a blade, readied by this creature.

Varos and Maple both knew they had but a split second before something terrible would happen.
The tyrian stood tall on her hind legs and beat her wings with one goal in mind. Grab the puller and carry them to safety. She just hoped Varos would be quick enough to jump onto her back and that her aim wasnt too terrible so that she would be able to pick up Ninshu with one foot too whilst holding the puller in the other.
Yet Varos had a different idea, not reading the tyrians plan in the split second he had at his disposal correctly.

He instead yelled out to Katholes and jumped into the pullers side as they saw the threat break through the bush they were hiding in to strike out at the at current still oblivious to the danger he was in Katholes.
Varos was small in comparison to Katholes, but they were desperate and stubborn and from these emotions came a kick of adrenaline and a headbutt to Katholes ribs that the puller would certainly feel the next day still.
Varos intervention was enough to prevent the knifes edge to make contact with its mark and the attacker stumbled into the open where it could be better seen. 

Before them stood a dark coated puller, streaks of crimson being part of their pelt with a blade firmly held in their maw whose serrated edges gleamed dangerously in the camp fire. Its eyes, burning red hot with rage glanced briefly over at the tyrian and then at the small chaser that had thwarted his attack."YOU!" the attacker snarled, its eyes fixating onto Katholes once again."You will never sleep peacefully in your life again, mark my words." the puller said through gritted teeth with an intensity that beckoned maple and Varos to consider what the puller had done to warrant this kind of reaction from this other vayron. But there was no time. Maple dove into the air,

a quick spin later and she had actually hit the attacker with her tail in its face to buy the group some time. She speedily swooped over to Katholes and Varos fumbling to pick both of them up in time. In a panic she then yelled out to her sleeping friend, who stirred in response all the commotion having done its job to wake her from her peaceful slumber. She was immediately on edge as she recognized the panic and urgency in the tyrians voice as she yelled her name and as such the yellow coated runner quickly jumped to their paws, Maple flying toward the runner as the runner was dashing toward where maple stood. Seeing Maples feet holding a friend each already ninshu knew that Maple wasn't able to pick her up so the runner put their everything into building up momentum, their hind legs kicked with every ounce of strength that she had against the ground as she lept into the air. 

For a moment it was as if the world was also waiting with baited breath on if the runner would make it before Maple dove down below the runner who was at the cusp of her jumping arch now, catching her by having the runner crash onto her back and scramble to hold on for dear life. Ninshu tumbled once over the tyrians back before she shot a silent apology to Maple yet her desperarion demanded it as this risky maneuver would see her fall off of maple once again, lest she got a good grip. Ninshu grimaced not relishing the thought, yet the first moment she had the opportunity to she bit down hard on anything her maw could reach. Yet Maple didnt scream as the entire group was high on adrenaline it seemed or maybe the tyrians thoughts were focused elsewhere. She erratically took flight and once they soared above the forest only their still burning campfire served as a reminder on what they had been through not even a minute before.

"Ive never had such a rude awakening." said Ninshu once she had left go of maples pelt again, regrettably looking down at where she had bitten the tyrian."You can say that again." said Varos, shaking from the experience in Maples grasp. Maple too couldnt help but ask the obvious. "Who was that even? I dont want to think what could have happened if we hadnt been on watch. The bear encounter seems like a way for the future to warn us of what was to come." the tyrian now at higher altitude she felt much more comfortable and her hectic wingflapping had slowed down significantly as she got comfortable gliding through the night sky.  Yet when his eyes turned to Katholes he saw the pullers face contorted with worry, which showed the chaser that this was more serious than they had initially thought.

"Look Katholes, I dont mind you having your secrets. But when those secrets come to hurt you then it turns into a problem that affects us all." their voice and face soften."If you have other reosean coming after you then you must have quite the story to tell huh?" offered the chaser as the 4 reoseans quietly soared through the night sky. 

Safe. 

For now. 

Katholes eyes stared down at the campfire below them, watching as the puller that had attacked them put it out. They knew this was far from over and that they better think about how best to tell the group about what they had been running from for years.