Slow breaths Heavy breaths More slow breaths

Komutzu's each breath was filled with agony, it's painfull but necessary.

He can regrow body parts but not now, he's to young, to unexperienced with anima. So instead of regrowing his jaw we 'reattached' his old jaw. How did I do it? By playing god of course, and an unholy amount of primitive alchemy.

It should be complete by now, he should shed any moment now.

Any moment.

"Nothing is happening."

An impatient and concerned voice came from behind ma, Freya. Mallia doesn't know of all the wisdom and knowledge I hold, but Freya does but unlike Komutzu she asks questions.

"How do you even know this works?"

"How do you know to speak."

Unlike Mallia Freya is actually concerned for Komutzu. Mallia was just playing along for the leader rolle but Freya, no there is something else behind her eyes. Something I don't want to be caught in.

"He's fine, he just needs help."

"Then help!"

Yep, she's definitely out of patience.

I moved closer to Komutzu and whilst my legs moved on their own, I got thinking.

'Why doesn't he ask questions? I understand that he has anima but this far beyond that matter. Why is he the leader? As a strider he shouldn't have such desire and that he doesn't go hunting further proofs it. Ugh I guess I will find out the old way.'

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the one infront of me, his murky eyes unable to see, his chest moving only bit by bit with each breath. The reattaching works by holding off his shedding and forcing his body to shed at the same time, it always ends the same.

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I dig all of my four claws between his shoulder plates or atleast try to. A chittenious hunter mostly relies on his jaw for the killing blow meaning our arms and claws have a much more defensive role and the multilayered anima imbued husk I'm trying to tear of isn't bugding.

"I'm not strong enough, he needs you."

I could have wprded it differently but with how concerned she is for Komutzu this might have been the better option or atleast I hope.

She looked at Komutzu and that thing behind her eyes came back, I still don't know what it is and I'm afraid of it.

I backed away from him and bump into the soft silk wall of his nest. Only he has a nest because he has leader privileges, the others sleep on trees. From the outside its alot more intimidating than its allowed to be because Ernyök had the great idea of 'decorating' it, I will spare you the details. From the inside it's just a silk dome, it's pitch dark in here but we can see perfectly fine.

Freya used her size to it's fullest by standing over him in order to get a as good as possible grip on him, that sounded dirty especially for me because I know how arachnids mate. She breathed in deep and also tried her luck at tearing the husk, of course it would be more efficient if Ernyök was to do it he has a great physike, but she should also have her moment. She became red quite fast and sometimes I think there were tears between her sweat.

Then a smell came to my nose, a foul and familiar one.

Freyas arms moved away from each other, tearing the husk that has been torturing Komutzu. Once the hole was big enough she grabbed onto his neck and with a strong pull...

"YYAAAAARRRRRGGGHHHHHHHH"

Komutzu was understandably out of breath and exhausted. The thing behind Freyas eyes is basically on fire and there was an uneasy feeling on my tongue. Komutzu is very vulnerable right now since his chitting is as soft as we were just hatchlings, however only his upper body is free we will need Ernyök for the other half.

I left to get him, no hurry, she won't take him away from us. I hope.

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Meanwhile

He is in my arms, his chitting soft and white. A wrong move of mine would kill him, so I was gentle. There just was this thing about that makes him different, an aura of patience as if he was waiting for something.

His head turns and our eyes lock. His eyes only half open I'm not even sure if he sees me, he won't be awake for long. There is this feeling, it shouldn't be, it's unnatural, yet I'm the one holding on to it.

He muttered something, I couldn't hear it.

I brought my head closer to his, his hot breath against mine.

Again he muttered, what does he say?

My face still red I brought it closer until I heard it. With his last breath before losing consciousness, I heard it.

"Beautiful"