Animus

Opposed to Ardor, Sentinel of Love and Bringer of blossoming

Content Warning: Minor gore towards end

Nothing felt off when I went to the swamp, it felt the same as it always is. Peaceful. I love it there, there's only ever 5 others there at maximum, a family of Nymphasuchus and a maybe lost Lissicious though I hadn't seen it in weeks. Never have I ever had to worry about being attacked, the others know not to bother. I mean, I'm not particularly small for an Alkaksu, but still, there isn't a lot of meat on us. They also may not want to risk upsetting me, I'm quite good at stealing eggs. So anyway, I tend to just rest at the centre of the lake, occasionally darting over to the shrine to grab some food. That day though, my rest was interrupted. My eyes flittered open, expecting to see a baby Nymph using my tail as a chew toy, but I was rather met with the most desolating noise I'd ever heard. Ears guiding me, I waded through the muddy water to the source of the noise, the Nymphasuchus nest. 

The mother was wailing beside the nest, a flurry of eggshells scattered nearby. As gently as she could manage, her jaws shifted the shells apart with desperation. Nothing. She'd been waiting all spring for this batch of eggs to hatch, the prospects of her children now laid out before her quaking body. I whimpered softly, if I had been awake perhaps I could have prevented this. It was made clear that the mother felt the same, as her gaze jumped to me, the sorrow on her face shifting to hatred. Wait she.. she thinks I did this! My foot hits a rock as I stumble backwards, just barely missing her teeth lunging to my throat. She catches my ear. It's gone. Birdsong can no longer be heard as my ears, no, ear is pierced with a ringing din. Faintly, I can hear snarling. Bracing myself, I run backwards into the mud, begging Ardor that I can make it to my burrow at the centre. Splashing, right behind me. Another snap, and my tail too, is gone. I have to keep swimming.

She's getting closer, I can see the waves caused by her growing too near. They get larger, more frequent. I swear I can feel teeth around my neck. I touch ground, and shamble to the burrow with as much haste as I can muster. The ringing ceases, and I can hear her swimming now. It's not right though, it sounds too, slow. I've known her for many moons, without realising it I've learnt what she sounds like, and I know something's wrong. Even if she tried to kill me, she was my friend and she was...reasonably within her rights to suspect. I hear the snarl again, louder. I turn and see her struggling to swim, she must have cried herself near to exhaustion. In that moment I didn't care about what she'd done, I just wanted to make sure nothing else died that day. Staggering, I took a step closer, trying to read if her expression still screamed with hatred. But her face was blank, her eyes didn't hold rage they held, nothing. Dim. Yet the splashing and thrashing continued, her legs flailing madly as if she was being jerked around by an unseen force. As if she... oh Ardor no.

A tusk was gored through her throat, tossing the lifeless body to and fro in the mud. I wanted to help, or to run, only I couldn't. I, I wanted to watch. I wanted to see her suffer for taking my ear and my tail, loathing the very notion that I had been fond of her. I wanted-

Something's wrong. I don't think like this.

Its snarl rose to a cry, and the region fell silent. It was watching me. The thing latched onto her, was watching me. It looked.. rotted. There was nothing to read about its face, for there was barely any to be seen. What wasn't coated with the Nymph's remains was just, bone. Bone and rotted flesh. The tusk on which my friend hung was the only one present, the other seemingly having been shattered at the base. Blood wept from its chest, I could see right through to the torn heart. Whatever cause that should have killed this abhorrent creature.

But it hadn't died. Something, some force was keeping it here. It began to sink beneath the mud, not struggling as it did so, just watching. The Nymphasuchus which just a few minutes ago had wanted me dead, was slowly being pulled down with it, decomposing into the mud as it did so.

Needless to say, that is the last time I visited the swamp. I made a new home in Flower cove. Herbivores are the only things which live there permanently, so I shouldn't have to worry ever again about predators.

Animus is the Tyrant of Hate and Agent of Wither. Rarely is this old boar ever seen, but when he is it's within the lake in the swamp. Despite his worn form, he isn't actually an elder, being closer to a young adult. His exact age is unknown, even to Sellenous, as she is unsure when he first entered the lake. He doesn't care nor interact with the other Tyrants, Demonic has been quoted as saying "It's because he's a bitter old sod"

He.. doesn't look great. I am already unsure if this entry passes beyond what is allowed so I will not delve into greater detail. Personality wise, he's Eeyore if he was both depressed and grumpy.

On one occasion a creature spotted him playing with some Rukig pups, it's unknown what happened to both the creature and the pups.

Profanity warning for both of these, as well as mention of death, heavy emphasis on "my mom"