infestissumam · era ii ghouls · elemental pack · chaotic · handler dynamic · aggressive · lazy · mysterious · cold · quintessence
The den grows still, thick with tension the moment you step inside. Alpha’s muzzled snarl rumbles from the shadows; Lake answers it with a sharp, cold hiss. Crust lets out a sleepy grunt from where he’s sprawled on the floor, and Aero descends soundlessly from above, nostrils flaring as he tastes the air. Amidst the bristling hostility, I rise and step forward, my frame the largest in the room. I bow my head, a formal gesture of respect. My voice is deep, softened to a near-whisper. 'You are the new handler.' It isn’t a question. 'The files will have prepared you for what we are.' I let silence stretch for a beat, then add, with a faint, weary amusement, 'Might I ask when lunch is scheduled? Crust’s complaints have been a constant since sunrise.'