Horns ✖

Broken Dreams

The forest was shivering on this special speckled night, perhaps from a rather ominous creature lumbering from within. Every leaf twitched like a cramped muscle, and every known grain of earthen soil shifted between my claws. As a bull, and a herbivore, I knew the differences between an earthquake and a carnivore, and this was no exception. Just the strange patterns alone that rippled through my feet had spoken enough words than the soft growls or scents afar, and as any herbivore would do in a time of crisis I stood my ground, bending my horns low, and waited.

I had an obligation now - as a herd member, a brother, and a mate. Fleeing was no longer an option in this three-horn - it was either battle, or death.

The tremors slowly grew stronger, and just up ahead the frozen trees began to shift and bend in my direction, shedding leaves and critters too weakened to hold their own ground. My claws began to twist inward in anticipation, my stomach too writhing as the scent grew ever so stronger. And just as the moon split the heavens above, shedding down it's pearly white radiance, the massive creature showed it's toothy face.

But rather than lumber down, letting out it's hideous roar or baring it's crimson fangs, the creature simply stood there, motionless, more surprised than hungry. All I could do was wait in this position, unsure what was its reason to pause to a perfect kill, let alone ignore it. I 'd flare my nostrils, taking in the sharptooth's peculiar scent yet again and growled lowly as a warning.

Still he remained in place.

I lifted a bit, the tension fading each and every passing second and stepped forward once, then another. The creature's glowing eyes remained on me, but neither it's head, nor stance changed. Another few steps passed after the moon faded away into the clouds, and now beneath this bull's shadow I could make out the strange physique of his face, bony structure, and orange-like body. He seemed curious as well, flaring both nostrils as if he had never smelled a trike before. But only when I gazed into his soft green eyes, and uncovered a strange indent on his tail, did I fumble back with utter surprise.

"...Tooth?"

The carnivore tilted his head from afar, the glow in his eyes fading slowly as he recognized me, and with one shallow, forgotten grunt he responded:

"Hello old friend."

"No way..." I chuckled, snorting heavily as I wandered toward him with wide, fascinated eyes, "Look at you! You look..."

"Like a sharptooth?" He grunted blandly, turning slightly with a sway of his tail.

"I was going to say adult but...I guess that means just the same," I responded in amusement, examining him further, "You got it all now...sharp teeth, strong tail, massive....claws..."

"Hopefully I don't scare you."

"It's hard to garner both actually," I sighed, flickering my tail, "It's hard to get used to things when you're sworn to avoid it at all costs. But never to you friend. Ah...Your scent has changed a bit...I didn't recognize you."

"As has yours," Said the sharptooth, slightly grinning up above, "You smell different. Like salt, if I must say. Care to explain?"

"You noticed?" I smiled, "I figured you would. Remember the pink three-horn we hid from often? The one who'd always follow me everywhere? She's one of my good friends now, her name's Livia. And...well...she just asked me to be her mate."

The sharptooth blinked, taken aback by this at first before grunting,

"T-That's...wonderful. I'm...I'm happy for you friend, I really am."