Seraph

43

While tracking the monster, mistakes were made. The two got distracted while speaking to each other about their potential trip, and they lost it near the mountain. Rosalie suggested splitting up to find it or its hiding spot, but Serafina nixed that idea immediately. She refused to allow her to take the risk. She felt she had to always be with her to ensure her safety with a known dangerous monster roaming about.

Rosalie thought she was ridiculous but knew it wasn't Serafina underestimating herself. She could tell Serafina was overly concerned with her safety. She had to be grateful that she wasn't as paranoid as Jasper, who deemed it necessary to be a living shadow for Alice. Not that Alice complained. She seemed to enjoy it a great deal.

Both women circled the mountain twice before Rosalie realized they should use the one sense they tried to shield from harm the most. Both began tracking by scent, which made things much easier once they had. They found a secret opening in the mountain obscured by brush. They had to crouch a bit to enter the winding tunnel. They were incredibly uncomfortable. The monster's scent was everywhere. It was oppressing them from all sides. Rosalie squeezed a bit closer to Serafina without realizing it. Serafina was bristling at her surroundings. She couldn't help but place herself in front of Rosalie, reaching a hand back so Rosalie could hold onto herself. Both sought comfort in the other.

There were multiple tunnels once they got further down. They followed the tunnel that made them the most uncomfortable and continued traveling in that direction. This tunnel led into an enormous cavern. It was even more extensive than the one Serafina had claimed back home. They could hear low cries in the far right corner but muffled whimpering from their left. As the two stood and tried to decide which way to go first, they heard screams from farther in.

Rosalie ignored the screams of pain from the back. Serafina could tell that the crying had her full attention. She summoned her flame jaguar and ordered it to stay with Rosalie. Serafina was more concerned with the threat under the mountain. She wouldn't have to worry about Rosalie so much if she could kill it. While Serafina could tell what Rosalie was most likely to do, so could Rosalie. When Serafina began to move forward, Rosalie grabbed her hand and shook her head as in no. Serafina gave her a reassuring smile and a quick kiss on her hand before continuing toward the screams.

Serafina found another opening further back that led further down. It was like she was heading into the heart of the mountain. She did not want to go. It smelled disgusting, and now there was a feeling stuck to her skin the further she entered this creature's den. The feeling that she shouldn't be there. She wasn't scared, but it's uncomfortable when a predator senses another in their territory.

Considering Serafina was typically at the top of the food chain, she naturally thought the ground she walked on was her territory. As horrible as it sounded, it was true. She never felt uncomfortable in the presence of others of her kind or even in their territories, but she wondered if it was because it was a different type of monster from herself. Then again, she didn't feel uncomfortable with the shapeshifters, gnomes, or fairies. Maybe her increasing discomfort was because she could sense the other was a threat to herself. She also felt uncomfortable when near the werewolf and even predatory men. Maybe this was a type of sixth sense.

She stopped dwelling on it and followed the screams of pain. It was accompanied by some very disgusting crunching, squelching sounds and the smell of blood. She was never one to lose herself to the scent of blood. She was drawn to it, maybe. She did find it to be a pleasant scent. But she would never lose her self-control over it. So, she calmly followed the scent until she came to a horrifying scene. She grimaced.