This is a cuter chapter <3

The painting I done is of Alexis in her human form while Leiden watches over her in his animal form

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"Leiden," she called from within the cave, the walls carried her soft and gentle voice as she sat playing with the beads of her braided, black hair.

"Yes?" he answered as he surveyed the encampment with his mismatched eyes, one blue and one green, the cool evening breeze blew through his half shaved head of long and silvery hair. The setting sun ignited the sky in a furious, fantastic blaze of orange and pink, the dying light causing his stretched right cheek piercing, and the spearhead of the arrow embedded in his skull, glisten.

"When will the fight be over?" she asked him, his muscled, tattooed shoulders dropped as he sighed at the question, turning on his heel and beginning to walk back to his younger sister.

He held her eyes for a moment, his gaze softening to one of tenderness and affection, as she took in the sight of his battle weary body. All of his life fighting, and for what-the scars? The scars that made the pain real. From having an ear half chewed off, to having two cuts crossing his eye and another two cuts on his abdomen. And lastly the burns from the fire that scarred them all and killed their mother-the burns that crippled his arm, the burns that melted his lips off and left his face permanently disfigured in a twisted grin forever carved into him.

"When the demons have paid for what they've done," he answered flatly as he looked her dead in her good eye, his expression tightened in a slight wince as he took in the sight of the raised scars which twisted the side of her face and blinded her in one eye, the burns healed deep pink. The pain gnarled on her face, the agony and memories, it always made him instinctively flinch.

The only thing that rivalled his love for his sister was the hatred he had for demons to have done all of this to them-they could not be forgiven nor forgotten.

They were the reason he fought. His reason to live.

Then he looked deeper, losing himself in the other side of her face. Her lips, coloured light pink like a rose bud, seemed to always display a smile which endured all. Her eye was the green of spring, delicate and budding and blossoming with hope and life, flourishing with flickers of pine green.

They were the reason he stayed alive, because when everyone around him was killed a part of himself forever died with them. He wanted to be with them, but he knew he had to stay with her in this life-she had already lost so much, they were all they had.

"When will we have peace?" she asked. War was all she had known for so long peace was till more than a distant memory. When the demons first invaded blood was shed for years, after the peace treaty was signed Leiden enlisted a rebel alliance and continued the struggle against the demons.

She was tired of never ending war, battle fatigue had aged her beyond her years. It had aged both of them, truly killing what little innocence they had left after a lifetime of loss. She had seen the effect it, she was losing him to the monstrous war machine.

"When?" she asked, her voice bled with grief.

Saying nothing, he wrapped his strong arms around her and pulled her into a tight and close hug, one hand holding her head against the beat of his heart as her body began to shake and sob. Just this morning she was the one holding him after one of his frequent night terrors.

For a long moment they both sat, till her body ached and eye burned, till the fear had drained away, when that was done he gave her a final squeeze before letting go.

"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you Alexis," he told her, "nothing."

The sound of padding paws alerted them to a new presence. Leiden looked to the entrance of the cave, where a white wolf like creature approached them.

It's eyes were an icy blue with flecks of ashen grey, a harsh mixture of a frozen lake and a brooding storm. Two scars sliced across its muzzle, healed pale pink, with two stubby horns above it's small black ears. It's back was coloured black, with two tall fins protruding, it's tail was long and adorned with rings of black fur, ending in a powerful fluke.

It slowed to a halt at the mouth of the cave, gently bowing its head as its wet nose wiggled, sniffing at their scent.

"Nikolai, report in," Leiden greeted, waving his arm at the creature which immediately shifted, the limbs elongating and fur receding, into a pale human with pointed eyebrows and a black buzz cut, a sleeveless blue hoodie fitted loosely around his muscled body, displaying sun faded tattoos.

"Demon security seems to be on the rise since we've increased our scouting parties, there's rumours of an impending attack but no reliable source," Nikolai explained, "our numbers are increasing as predicted, more rebellions are straining the peace treaty-"

"The cowards treaty," Leiden sneered, his eyes inflamed with rage as he glared at his commander in chief.

"Yes sir, cowards treaty," Nikolai corrected himself.

"Make no mistake, we are the brink of war," Nikolai spoke, "we need a plan for when all Hell breaks loose," he continued.

"I'll send for the generals to be gathered," Leiden spoke, walking towards the mouth of the cave, "dismissed," he stated bluntly. He shifted into his animal form; a gigantic wolf-like beast with praying mantis-like front arms, coloured grey with a black strip along his long muzzle and a light grey underbelly, a shaggy mane of black fur, two black stripes in its back legs and a docked tail, before disappearing into the bustle of the rebel encampment.

Nikolai ventured further into the cave, sitting next to her so fast he bounced, a small giggle escaped his lips. He turned to face her, an infectiously bright smile playing across his face and dimpling his cheeks, "missed ya Alexis," he cooed sweetly as she reflected his joy.

"I missed you too," she said, resting her head against his shoulder, her eye closing in exhaustion and for a long moment, the only sound was their heartbeats, warm and uninterrupted.

Nikolai stirred slightly, his gaze slinking over to watch her. Her chest rose and fell gently as she breathed softly, each breath just barely audible and sounded so sweet to him, her expression was blank and calm, she was at total peace.

His fingers brushed along her jawline, tilting her face so their eyes met, her eye slowly peeked open, "you're beautiful Alexis, you know that right?" he asked, a heartwarming smile teasing his lips apart.

"Sometimes," she answered as her gaze fell away from Nikolai to the cave floor.

Her lips parted, as if she was about to speak, instead a hollow sigh escaped from them.

"Were you about to say something?" Nikolai asked, looking to her.

Her eyes darted away from Nikolai's probing gaze and a silence fell upon the pair for a long moment, "I was," she spoke eventually.

She met his gaze, "but not now."

Nikolai's brow furrowed with a mixture of disappointment and concern, silently pleading with her to tell him what, for a moment, had been on the tip of her tongue.

She sighed in defeat, not wanting to let him down, "Leiden is straining this peace treaty to its limits, we all know that," she admitted wearily.

"Until now the demons have been on the offensive, when they decide to really push back with all they might it'll be a bloodbath," she continued.

"Everyday we get closer to that carnage," she spoke, her voice flat in acceptance of the wake of what was to come.

"Just watch you back," she warned in a dismissive hush, as if she already regretted speaking and wished for her words to be forgotten.

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