A heavy tension settled over the rubble filled courtyard, Violet and Luna stood side by side staring up at the giant Storm Touched Orthrus. The beast in turn stared right back at them.

All around Violet's group, the 5 weak beast lords and their remaining subordinates an army of Storm Touched stood. They did not take an aggressive stance, but from their positioning it was clear that they would be ready to charge in at a moments notice.

The 5 beast lords seemed to be split into 2 main emotional states. The Weasle, Rat and oxen all looked quite fearful, glancing around warily and lowering their heads subconsciously whenever their gazes passed over the Orthrus. The Roc and Wyrn however seemed to have a bit resilience. They still looked around warily, however, it lacked the subservience so clearly shown by the other 3.

That fact alone did raise Violet's opinion of the two slightly, but the emphasis on slightly. For even still they looked ready to bolt at a moments notice even though the number of beasts they had under them matched the canines, and we out numbered the lord 7 to 1. Granted it's not exactly like Violet and Luna had agreed to work with them just yet, but still, Violet did not think all too highly of them.

It seemed like the Orthrus was of the same opinion as the two companions, for he didn't even glance in their direction once, still staring at both Violet and Luna.

Eventually the Orthrus snorted with both his heads, and at the same time a mental bridge was forcefully connected to both girls. A raspy voice, that seemed to be overlaid with a second voice speaking at the same time came through to them.

"I never thought I'd see a Wild Dragon in my life, it is quite the surprise. And to see one so young… but with so much potential, it is exciting no? And then we have you, you smell like both a pup and an enlightened. Truly curious, but you too have so much potential."

He paused for a moment, letting the girls process his words before continuing. "You are both bound no?" A slight edge to his voice as he spoke those last words.

Sensing that the powerful beast was finished speaking for now, Violet took a moment to gather her thoughts before replying. She kept her tone as even as possible, despite the flutter of worry about the subtle threat when he mentioned their bond. "We are companions yes. What's it to you?"

A raspy chuckle reverberated through the courtyard, some of the canines yipping along as they mimicked their alpha in laughter. "Oh I'm just curious why a Wild One would willingly place shackles on oneself… I could free you from those shackles if you want?"

Instantly a primal rage surged in Violet as she heard the beasts almost mocking tone, her fury shared by Luna. A reverberating growl echoed out from both girls, their presence surging as it intertwined and burst out towards the giant dog. The surrounding canines instantly stopping their mocking yips as they instead took an involuntary step back, the weaker ones even letting loose a whimper of fright.

"I'd like to see you try dog. I'll have your heads if you dare."

The temperature in the area plummeted, frost settling over the rubble, the nearby beasts stepping back as a surge of fridgid air burst forth from Luna. At the same time threads of nothingness split the air around Violet, forming into half made magical circles, the very atmosphere around her seeming to crackle with raw magical might.

The surrounding beasts took yet another step back, clearly not eager to be anywhere near the two clearly furious beast lords right now. Only the Orthrus did not back down from their anger.

The beasts own presence surged, trying to subdue the two companions own. Yet to his shock, he was unable to truly suppress the two girls own presence, at beast he could hold a precarious equilibrium. Even still the display of their power and potential shocked the Storm Touched, he knew that they were powerful based on how effortlessly they slaughtered the monsters.

Compared to the 5 cowardly beasts these two were clearly a cut above. Yet even he had never expected for the two of them to be able to match his own presence so perfectly. The Orthrus was forced to reasses the two bonded before him.

He of course knew about bonds, they could be initiated by most creatures, but only so long as a beast was one of the parties involved. A bond could take many forms, from complete servitude or a true companions bond of equals. When the Orthrus had mentioned breaking the bond, he had been under the impression that maybe it had been forced upon the dragon.

After all he could tell how young she was, and whilst it was true that the leopard smelt even younger. It was also clear that she smelt of a much older enlightened. So he had assumed that somehow the leopard had forced a bond on the dragon whilst she was young, then by using that bond had managed to evolve into a true beast.

Apparently he had instead hit the young dragons reverse scale by suggesting that as an option. Still, regardless the Orthrus knew that now was not the right time to apologise and rectify his mistake. When they had clashed their presences together as they currently still are, they had undoubtedly alerted the two corrupted to their presence, and it would not be long till they made an appearance.

So he had to try and quickly rectify the situation enough for them to be able to work together to fight off the two monsters and their hord.

"I apologise Wild One, I did not intend to anger you. But we must prepair, I can feel the corrupted approaching. Will you fight besides me to slay these twisted monsters that defile this place?"

Violet and Luna were slightly taken aback by the dogs words, clearly not expecting an apology from him. Still they were not exactly happy with him.

But they could both sense the approaching monsters, they knew that they stood no chance of surviving the upcoming battle if they did not work with him.

So after taking a deep breath and reigning in her presence and quickly checking how Luna felt, Violet responded.

"Fine, we can fight together." Her tone still held a subdued anger at the stupid dog. "But I still don't like you, so don't die or else I won't be able to hit you after we clean up the monsters."

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