The air thrummed with a palpable tension, a heavy blanket smothering Sigurdr. His icy blue eyes narrowed to slits and his ears disappeared beneath his thick mane as the massive onyx stallion lumbered forward, a mountain of muscle and menace. Though undeniably outmatched in size and weight. Sigurdr felt a surge of adrenaline, his muscles coiling as he lowered his head and reached out with his front hoof striking the ground with a sharp, challenging stomp.

The onyx stallion unleashed a torrent of empty threats, boasting of devouring Sigurdr and wearing his hide. But the chimera stallion remained unfazed, a smirk playing on his whiskered lips. "I am not such easy prey you would find in mares and foals, or helpless strangers in the Commons," he growled, his teeth bared. A cold fire ignited in his glacial gaze as he accepted the looming confrontation.

Then Hymn's voice, laced with desperation, sliced through the tension, begging the onyx stallion to spare Sigurdr. His gaze flickered toward her, the raw pain in her voice and the etched worry lines on her face tugging at a deep, buried ache. The fresh sting of their separation resurfaced, each breath a suffocating reminder of the loss.

A thousand unspoken words clawed at his throat: words of comfort, of promises, of wanting to ease her pain. He yearned to feel her heart pulsing against his, to whisper assurances that this time, he would keep her safe. The sound of their daughter's small voice deepened the ache in his chest.

Tearing his gaze from her, Sigurdr surrendered to instinct, positioning himself protectively between his family and the threat. He felt the space widen as Hymn urged their child deeper into the jungle's shadows, their safest refuge.

"Now," Sigurdr said, once he was sure they were secure, "it would be best if you returned to whatever hole you crawled out of, and I returned to my home." He had never encountered this colossal stallion before, but a chilling premonition told him this wouldn't be their last.