The mist clung tighter as they ascended, curling like wary spirits around Sirus' legs. Every step forward deepened the quiet. No birds sang now—only the hush of wind brushing the broken branches and the distant echo of something... alive. Something watching. Selvynee clutched the trench coat tighter, her breath visible in the cold morning air. Ahead, Sirus came to a sudden stop, one clawed hand raised.
He crouched low, crimson eyes narrowing as his claws skimmed fresh tracks pressed deep into the dirt—massive, uneven, and smoldering faintly with heat.
"It's close," he whispered. His eyes locked ahead, toward a massive, gaping cave.
"T-that cave is unnaturally large." Selvynee muttered, her tail wrapping around her chest in search of some comfort.
Sirus taking note of Selvynee murmur. His eyes closed-ears tilted forward the silence within the cave. Minutes passed, the forest holding its breath.
Then, without a word, he turned to her.
"It's not inside, so," Sirus slowly-scanned the forest. "There." He spoke nonchalant-pointing towards a jagged trail spirling up the mountain.
Selvynee, following the gesture-and audibly gulped.
The mountain path was littered with shattered rock, scorched black with burn marks.
"Y-yeah. No big deal," She said nervously. "Just a red ogre that uses fire magic…"
Her ears drooped against her head.
Sirus studied the path, calculating. "It will be a tough fight," he murmured, more to himself than her.
'Guess, I'll have to find out for myself.'
Then, as he began walking up the jagged trail, he spoke aloud-almost offhandedly, "The ogre either has poor control over its magic…"
He paused, eyeing the random scorch marks scattered like chaos across the rocks.
"...Or it's dealing with a bad case of whatever it ate and now suffering its demise by throwing up fire."
A rare, fleeting smile tugged at his lips.
Selvynee stared at him, wide-eyed, "Did… did you just make a joke?"
Sirus didn't look back, "No."
"You smiled."
"C-coincidence."
Selvynee blinked, then smirked. "So demons can be weird."
He glanced over his shoulders, just once. A rare smile-following her remark of (Weird)
Looking back forward, "Keep talking, or I'll feed you to the ogre."
"Yup. Definitely smiled."
Selvynee chuckled, 'You can act all scary and tough, but,' she glanced up just in time to catch him shaking his head with a sigh. "Yep. He's scary, but he's got a sweet side too.'
Sirus kept his face unreadable, but inside, his thoughts twisted.
'D-damn. Why am I acting so stiff around her? I'm usually more casual than this... But I find myself wanting for her to look up at me…' Sirus made a poker face, 'Wha-what am I thinking.'
A sudden, guttural ROAR ripped through the mountain.
The sound rolled like thunder, deep and guttural, shaking loose stones from above.
Sirus halted mid-step, posture shifting as his senses honed in. Crimson eyes darted through the mist.
Selvynee taking this chance to tease him while Sirus is focused on locating the direction of the roar.
Selvynee leaned in, voice soft but mischievous. "I think it just threw up again," Selvynee couldn't help but giggle. "You're right. Definitely ate something it shouldn't have."
Sirus didn't reply straight away, too focused-but a stifled laugh escaped his lips.
"B-be on the lookout," he muttered, half-covering his mouth with one hand while the other gripped a dagger. "Enough joking around."
Continuing up ahead, the trail widened-opening into a high mountain clearing.
Sirus dropped low behind a scorched boulder, motioning sharply with one clawed finger over his lips.
A silent signal, Now it's serious.
Peering over the boulder, Sirus's eyes locked onto the hulking figure in the distance.
The red ogre stood nearly four meters tall, muscles knotted like tree trunks under mottled crimson skin.
Blackened horns curled from its temples, and its chest rose with slow-deliberate breaths that steamed in the cold air. Embers flickered from its mouth with every exhale.
It wasn't just big-it radiated power.
Selvynee froze.
Her breath caught, ears flattening against her head. Her tail stiffened and wrapped tighter around her body like a shield. One step backward scraped against gravel.
"I-it's… it's massive…" She whispered, eyes wide with disbelief.
Sirus didn't turn. He remained crouched, studying the monster's movements with chilling precision. His voice, when it came, was low and calm.
"Don't move unless I say."
Selvynee nodded, but her legs refused to obey. She clutched the trench coat tighter, heart hammering.
Sirus finally looked over his shoulder, locking eyes with her.
"Selvynee," He said firmly, but not unkind. "Breathe, You're not alone."
His words hit like a heartbeat in the void. She sucked in a breath, shaky but grounding.
The red ogre turned suddenly, sniffing the air.
Sirus's clawed hand tightened, flexing slowly-sharp talons gleaming as he shifted his stance.
His crimson eyes sharpened, scanning for the ogre's blind spots.
"If you freeze up out there, it'll notice. So stay behind me," he said as he rose to his feet, voice edged with quiet finesse. "No matter what happens-please don't run."
Selvynee swallowed hard, took another breath-eyes closed and nodded, eyeing the ogre with renowned resolve.
"If we stay here any longer," Sirus narrowed his eyes onto the ogre's nose, sniffing hard as it slowly approached their spot. "We're as good as dead."
'I can't judge its large size so easily, it can either be sluggish in its movement. Or incredibly quick.'
Sirus racked his brain, trying to find a way he could win without suffering fatal injuries.
As the ogre turned to the side for a brief moment. Selvynee spotted the ogres weak point.
"Ashfang, its back," Selvynee whispered, pointing out a small but clear red gem, embedded just slightly higher above the ogres tailbone.
"If that magic gem is destroyed, the ogre is as good as dead."
Sirus followed her gaze-and there it was. Embedded in the rough flesh, pulsing faintly with power.
"Good spotting," Sirus gave a small pat on Selvynee's head as his way of showing her she did good.
She blinked, startled by the gesture. Her ears twitched, her face warming.
"Now, I'll lead the charge to distract it," Sirus said, locking eyes with her. He caught her mouth parting slightly, the flush blooming brighter across her cheeks.
"Can I trust you to land the killing blow?" He asked, gently placing the dagger in her furred hand.
Selvynee momentarily lost in thought, glanced down at the dagger and then back up.
With a growing smile, she nodded "You can count on me. You better not die… Sirus."