Synopsis: An innocent human-animal friendship comes to an end with the intervention of her partner, one of the Eleven Harbingers of the Fatui.
Words: 0.6k
Warnings: None.
Request: Yes.
𝔰𝔭𝔞𝔫𝔦𝔰𝔥 𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫 ‧ masterlist
"Don't resist!"
"Let go of the qucusaurio hatchling!"
"Turn yourself in!"
The voices surrounded her, her gaze darting from one face to another, unable to settle on any. Orders flew back and forth, overwhelming her until her eardrums ached. Beside her, the tiny creature whimpered from the stress, flapping its wings in a feeble attempt to intimidate its pursuers—only fueling the belief that it was being kidnapped.
"It’s a mistake!" she announced, raising both hands, though her words fell on deaf ears.
"Catch her!" ordered the leader of the Plumaflora Tribe guards.
She didn’t want to fight or risk the young saurian, and for a moment, she considered surrendering—until someone grabbed her shoulder with such force that a burst of pain made her see stars. She knew there was a pressure point in that spot, but no one had ever struck it before, and her reaction was instinctive: with a single kick, she sent him flying several meters back.
More shouts and chaos erupted, the fight becoming inevitable until a tall, dark figure descended from the nearby mountains. Dressed in exquisitely fine and striking garments, he gave the locals barely enough time to admire the gold and silver clasps before they all collapsed unconscious on the burning land of the Pyro Archon.
Left alone, she held her breath, watching the imposing back of the man as he began to turn to face her.
"Wasn’t your duty to Dottore already fulfilled? Why are you still in Natlan?"
"Yes, I completed the pending missions, but..." She glanced at the small reddish creature. "In the process, I bonded with this qucusaur."
"And?" he pressed, still not fully understanding the situation.
"It won't leave me alone; it's grown attached to me, so I thought I'd take it home," she explained, waving a hand dismissively as if it were no big deal. "You know, I think it's time to have a pet, and Pinkie showed up at just the right moment!"
"Pinkie?..." Capitano repeated skeptically, the little creature letting out a shrill cry.
"That's what I decided to call him!" She grinned widely, placing both hands on her hips. "You saw it, didn't you? He's already responding to his name. Very clever!"
The First of the Fatui lost the ability to speak, simply watching as the bird gently pecked at her, seeking affection. The connection between them seemed genuine, and beyond wanting to please her, he had to be realistic.
"Natlan offers the ideal conditions for saurians to grow and live without difficulty, something that Snezhnaya cannot provide."
The happiness on her face faded immediately, and her shoulders slumped in disappointment. However, the dullness in her gaze revealed that, deep down, she already knew.
"You won’t let me be selfish, will you?" She crossed her arms and twisted her mouth in disgust.
"Do you want him to die?"
Simple and blunt, the question left a thick silence. The girl bit her lower lip, shook her head, and felt Capitano extend a hand to gently touch her chin in a gesture of support and affection.
"If you want a pet, there are many options that can adapt to the cold of home. This qucusaurio deserves a better fate."
She took a deep breath, nodding in resignation, and stepped forward to seek refuge in his arms.
"Take me. I can't bear to stay and hear him call for me."
The man didn't need to hear it twice. In the blink of an eye, he held her firmly, crouched to gather strength, and disappeared.
A small whirlwind caused the bird to flutter with its still underdeveloped body, while the unconscious humans remained as the only evidence that a crime against Natlan's wildlife had almost been committed. However, considering the presence of the Eleven Harbingers of the Fatui, that was undoubtedly the least of their concerns.
