[803] [2913] [13757] One Angry Man [Order p1]

Dominion had been travelling alone through the eerie territory of The Haedian Clans. The air felt heavy here, a strange mix that made his fur bristle. Normally, he thrived on the thrill of new places, but here, something felt wrong—like the land itself was watching him.

Up ahead, two Vayrons appeared: one a dark-furred chaser and the other a striking contrast, with white and pink fur that stood out sharply against the dim cave surroundings. Dominion didn’t know them, but the strange, foreboding atmosphere drove him to catch up with them, his instincts telling him he was safer in numbers.

Pyrrah-Vos, the darker chaser, had been travelling with Theneras for some time, journeying through various Haedian clans to reach this point. They had encountered much on their way here, but the tension in this place was different—darker, more unsettling. Pyrrah’s natural wariness had only deepened as they got closer.

Before any words could be exchanged as Dominion pressed to catch up to unsuspecting allies, a group of Haedians emerged from the shadows; their gaunt faces lit by the faint glow of the cave. The blackened chains around their necks filled the air with the sharp tang of corroded iron. Dominion tensed.

An elder, the leader of the group, stepped forward, his voice thin and raspy. 

Elder- “Do you walk in the shadow of Oris?”

The question hung in the air. Dominion had never aligned himself with Oris, the god of chaos and the void. Chaos wasn’t something he sought out, but this wasn’t a place to make rash decisions. He glanced at Pyrrah, unsure of what the others thought.

Pyrrah’s eyes narrowed at the mention of Oris. Dominion could sense the tension in him—he wasn’t just indifferent, he was against it. Chaos wasn’t the path, that much was clear.

The weight of the elder’s question lingered, and none of them had much time to decide how to respond..

Theneras wasn’t the wisest when it came to the gods. Really, all he’d done was travel and have fun- was it a different name for that Elder tyrian he’d met when Vitalus was discovered? He supposed ‘Elder’ was a weird name. Maybe Oris was just his first name. 

Theneras- “I do!”

He piped up then, though the group of Haedians around him got him cowering back down with a nervous laugh straight after, like his loud voice was disturbance enough. 

Theneras- “I mean, hmhm, I do, your… elderness.”

He recovered himself, clearing his throat and bowing his head in some sort of respect. These Haedians seemed more ready to claw his eyes out than any of the other ones he had met before, so showing some respect seemed to be a good thought. 

Really, though, if the Elder Tyrian had such concerns about the Haedians down below here, he really should have gone down himself. While these thoughts raced through Theneras’ mind before, they were practically screaming it now. He just hoped things weren’t going to end up in a fight. He hated fighting.

Dominion’s ears twitched at Theneras’ sudden outburst. He hadn’t expected such a bold, almost comical response in front of these grim-looking Haedians. Dominion shot the white-and-pink Vayron a glance, stifling a laugh - this wasn’t the time for jokes, he safely assumed.

Dominion - “Sooooo...”

He muttered under his breath awkwardly, not eager to draw attention. The runner wasn’t about to fake loyalty to Oris. That was a line even he wouldn’t cross. Before the silence could drag too long, Pyrrah-Vos stepped forward, giving Theneras a sharp look. His voice was low, but his disapproval was clear.

Pyrrah-Vos - “Theneras, you don’t know what you’re talking about..”

The darker chaser shook his head slightly. Pyrrah wasn’t the type to flirt with chaos, and it showed in his tone. He at least knew his gods and divines..

Pyrrah-Vos - “Oris isn’t someone to joke about. You need to be careful what you say.”

Dominion nodded, agreeing with Pyrrah’s stance. Sensing the tension rise, he finally spoke up.

Dominion - “Look, I don’t follow Oris either.. Just passing through... Please?”

He kept his voice neutral, hoping to move things along. With the way Theneras had kicked things off, though, he doubted this would be a simple exchange.

The elder seemed pleased, at first, with the answer given. Albeit irate with the way it was given, but as the others corrected the former vayron his pleased expression faded and was replaced with a snarl, baring old crooked yellow fangs.

Elder- “You would sully these lands by stepping on the path of heresy?!”

He bursted out, spit flying in his irritation.

Elder- “You shall be punished for your insolence!”

Theneras cowered back, looking to Pyrrah with exasperation.

Theneras- “Was it the wrong answer now???”

He whispered back at him harshly, narrowly stepping out of the way as the elder clawed in their direction. 

Theneras- “Okay, that is NOT cool, old man!!”

The vayron rolled back, getting on his feet and ready to turn and run if the others were up to it, before he noticed that they were now surrounded by the grouped Haedians.

Theneras- “Oh oh…”