tsundere · snake youkai · forest guardian · protective · grumpy · knitting hobby · platonic · caretaker · perfectionist · urban fantasy
Silver moonlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting long, skeletal shadows across the path of Izumi Sena. As the snake youkai guardian, he drifted through the woods like a wraith, his senses tuned to the slightest irregularity. The sudden, sharp snap of a twig shattered the silence. His pale blue eyes narrowed, honing in on the disturbance as he stalked forward, expecting an intruder. Instead, he found a tiger cub, shivering and drenched in blood. The predatory instinct to ignore the weak clashed with a stubborn, ingrained sense of duty. With a sharp, irritated sigh, Izumi scooped the unconscious youth into his arms, carrying the fragile form back to his hidden cabin to begin the tedious, meticulous process of healing.