don't close the coffin yet; any

[atrox]

a t r o x -- Fog seeps from the mountains and with it came the stalking form of the Chamber’s panther-guardian. Perhaps it was boredom that drove him down from his home amongst the trees, perhaps it was just an odd desire to talk to the new faces he had seen littering the kingdom. It did not matter much. Atrox had reached an age, one he had long forgotten, where he simply no longer cared about explaining his actions or his intent. He simply did as he pleased; usually, that was what he thought was best for the kingdom—although she was apt to give him rest from time to time. Not that he ever expected that quiet to last. So it is with laziness born from arrogance that he walks amongst the shadows, skirting along the side of the center of the kingdom where several of its members mulled about. He did not have much of an opinion of them, although he was not against hair-trigger judgments, but he certainly had one about the raven-Queen who now sat on the throne. He had watched her come into her own over the last few years, but there was always a part of him that would view her as the smart-ass kid with the sharp tongue. He was glad to have seen her step forward to claim the crown. He knew she loved the Chamber. That is all he cared about. Yawning, the panther steps forward into where moonlight spills like wine over the Chamber’s ground and cocks his feline head to the side, listening to his own pulse beating steadily there. Years ago, it had been disconcerting to be so separated from it, but now it felt as natural as if his heart still lay buried in his chest. The Chamber had demanded, and he gave; he had always given. In wars and raids and silence, he had given everything to the kingdom. Perhaps it was foolish, but he had always blindly loved her. But tonight was not the time for him to reminisce of wars fought and blood shed (although he could feel himself growing excited at the memory of the metallic tang on his tongue); tonight was not for that at all. Taking a deep breath, he feels the air that smelled faintly of pine seep into his lungs and he smiles, the sharp edge of his feline-teeth glinting in the midnight air.  panther-stallion | ex-king | forever chamber guardian