[ A: ]

( aleksander drops into a crouch beside one of the carcasses. the animal would be unfamiliar to him, even if it weren't rendered nigh unrecognizable by the damage it's been dealt, but that doesn't mean it doesn't offer some interesting insights.

the size, for one.

the damage itself, for another.

and then, of course, there's the fact that this far from the first thing of its like they've seen on the journey. that, if anything, the space between bodies seems to be tightening. )

Should we be concerned, do you think?

( ”are we being hunted?” hangs in the air, unspoken. it's not an unreasonable thought considering just how many things on this planet seem determined to kill them. )

[ B: ]

( in some respects, the attack is almost a relief—though the scorpiug calls to mind the volcra and the fold and that sense of crippling, chilly helplessness.

fortunately, he has never been one to hesitate. and the cave is dense with the kind of shadows that flex and thicken, rising to meet his call.

he could hit it with the cut, he thinks, if only it could be kept occupied long enough. )

( the dragons are difficult to mistake, although the scope of the designs are impressive enough that he wonders if the size was down purely to whimsy. after all, they live in the — mostly — hollowed-out corpse of one of them, with room to spare. )

I wonder how many more there are? Or were, ( he amends, quickly. expression thoughtful as he turns his head, tracing the line of a tail back to a fearsome looking head. )

( hmu at resurrectionist if you'd like a custom starter, or feel free to take a peek at my plotting comment and see if it gives you any ideas! )