His mouth comes in contact with the creature, and he did not see what happened to Devika in that moment. It was all happening so fast. He knew only that he had to give her a chance by fighting this thing off.

Yet it was not to be.

His mouth was filled with sludge, his bite not coming in contact with any flesh. It was almost suffocating in itself. The flavor was horrendous, and he almost wretched as his form fell and naturally pulled away. As he gagged, he saw then Devika’s body being thrown aside. The words of the beast barely touched his ears as he felt his heart freeze, and tinnitus cling to his head.

He did not see the searing stare of the beast. His eyes were on Devika only as he huffed for air, coughing out the nasty sludge of the creature. He knew not if she was dead or alive, but he would not leave her side now.

Perhaps part of him should have felt hopeful. Perhaps he should have ran, and lived to tell the story of what happened here. It was his duty to return home. It was his duty to write this moments in the stars, no matter how painful.

But he was a failure. He could not run. When the creature of mud and sludge told him to run, he instead moved himself forward towards Devika. The large male went to her, his form flung then onto her. The smell of blood was strong now.

”Devika, no! Your light will not go out alone!” he boomed, burying his face into her fur, feeling her warm body against his as he closed his eyes. The fur on his back was on edge, knowing the next few moments with her were to be his last.

”We will keep your stories safe. We will speak your name until it glows. Sleep in the stars now. We will find you in the sky,” he whispers desperately, fear shaking in his voice, the prayer of his people his last comfort in this world of Mythris.