Spoiler Alert!
It goes without saying that I don't own rights to either YuGiOh! or the animated series "Gargoyles".
Halloween 2021 FanFic Yu-Gi-Oh! X Gargoyles
When a Gargoyle Falls
Chapter 4:
The Skeleton in the Closet
Cerulean eyes opened as what sounded like cracking glass filled the air, her ear filled with a low rumbling that startled her to stumble back a few steps. A glance to the horizon confirmed that the sun was setting and awe filled her as she watched the stone spiderweb across his being. Anzu was not prepared for the explosion of shards that followed an ear splitting roar that caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand upright. The slight panic she felt at the display dissipated as quickly as it had formed as amethyst met her gaze when he finished stretching and ridding himself of the lingering stone fragments. "Atem?"
He hurried towards her, though her call had been no louder than a whisper his hearing had been enough, and came to a stop in front of the young woman who he examined closely. One of her fingers rose in a way that reminded him of the time when she flicked his nose but was taken by surprise when it instead tapped the headpiece he wore. Before he even realized it himself he had grasped her wrist and brought it up to his nose, taking a quick sniff. "It seems that the toxins are no longer in your system. " A smirk raised his lips in self satisfaction then rose into one of amusement as she snatched her hand back saying that his method of checking was a bit odd for her taste. "Perhaps to humans"
Heat flooded her face as he crossed the remaining space too fast for her to see and trembled as his warm breath teased the sensitive side of her neck that was still healing. A squeak slipped between her lips as he collected her in his arms. She blinked when a something brushed against her neck and wrestled against his hold until she was facing away from him. "Wipe that smirk off your face before I do it for you!" she growled, cheeks heating as the chest that was against her back rumbled with what she was certain was laughter when she remained his captive.
His sensitive nose brushed against the area that was still red, inhaling deeply as Anzu's scent filled his senses; peaches, that hint of a flower that he didn't know the name of, the faintest hints of dried blood. "Truly a relief that I cannot smell it," Atem whispered against her skin, careful so as not to agitate the area in question then pulled bak so that their gazes could meet, "but I will have my comrade check once more, his sense of smell is stronger than my own." He removed himself from her, tilting his head to the side when he found her face incredibly red. "Anzu?"
Her cerulean eyes narrowed. "When you say that he's going to also check…" They widened as she backpedaled several feet away from him. "No way! I'm not gonna let you or anyone bite me like a freakin' vampire! I'm not some sort of snack!"
This time he was unable to keep back the burst of laughter that rose up his throat at the display.
Anzu was left speechless as she watched the dark violet gargoyle before her quake and hold onto the nearby brick banister as his being wracked with the rich laughs coming from between his lips. A thrill slipped down her spine as he became serious, that crimson ring appearing around his pupils as he stalked towards her. Even her bones trembled as a low reverberating growl was heard just before he cornered her upon the concrete, each of his hands on either side of her head. That smirk was back, the one that has been filling her dreams since their meet.
Could he hear the blood rushing through her veins and the hummingbird trapped within her chest as he loomed over her close enough that their noses brushed? Absolutely. "Anzu, do you not know that vampires only feast upon the humans for physical pleasure?" He asked lowly, the growl in his voice causing the young woman beneath to shiver. "The blood of animals is more than enough to sustain them for at least several moon cycles before they must feed again."
She blinked as his words struck her oddly. Then it hit her as he chuckled and she gasped, eyes opening almost so much that he thought they might just pop out of her skull. "Do vampires actually exist?! Have you seriously met one?!"
"Of course not." Atem laughed, helping her stand as he allowed the smirk raising his lips to become a grin as she puffed her cheeks. "None have encountered one of those since long before my own time."
"Then what are some of your secrets?"
The smirk returned as he pointedly met her gaze once they had righted. "Unfortunately for you, that will have to wait."
Her jaw dropped. "You- I could just- How can you-" Words failed her as his head fell back, his laughter filling the air as she glowered at him. "Atem, stop teasing me already…y…" Nausea crashed over her as the rooftop view tilted, bile rising in the back of her throat. That all too familiar sour taste in her mouth meant only one thing.
He watched in silent observation as she disappeared behind the brick chimney, almost moving to follow if not for the loud retching that soon followed. Side effects of the toxins would probably take a while to subside but hopefully this meant that she was on the road to recovery. The minor scratches and wounds that he had spotted the other night seemed to have developed scabs, another thing that he could worry less about. It was only when silence had lasted longer than a minute that he finally approached the corner, his sympathy going out to the girl as she grimaced up at him. "Should I have taken you to one of the healing centers?"
"I'm glad you didn't," she coughed, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "I hate those places. They always feel so depressing and smell awful."
"Is it truly wise though to not?"
Anzu rose to her feet, darkened azure eyes meeting calm amethyst as she swayed dangerously. "Too many people need those doctors and nurses more than I do. It's better that their precious time is not wasted on someone like me." She didn't even make it past him two strides that she crashed back to the ground gasping as if she were breathing through a straw, leaning heavily against his form as he caught her just before the concrete could scrape her knees. Horror dawned on her as she stared out across the cityscape, the lights that had first enchanted her now only fueling the fear rising within her chest. "He knows where I live."
Atem's hand rose to cover her eyes as waves of terror rolled off of her now trembling being. "It would appear so." The fear intensified so much that it made his confined anger bang itself against the cage he had locked it within to better control as she quaked. "You cannot go back there, Anzu, it is much too dangerous."
"I have no where else to go! What am I supposed to do?! He'll come after me again when he finds out that I'm still alive-"
In a fluid motion, he lifted her from the ground to embrace fully. Each arm was wrapped around her lithe form, as if hoping to lend Anzu his strength, as she sobbed into his shoulder. "If he ever attempts to," he whispered lowly within her ear as she clung to him, "than I shall see to it myself that he is punished." His hold adjusted so that it was as if he were cradling a child who needed comfort with one of his hands rising to the back of her head while the other arm easily settled the majority of her weight upon his forearm. "I will not allow you to go back there so I have made arrangements that you stay with us within the palace until a better plan of action can be found."
"…I don't want to be a bother…" came her muffled reply from his tunic.
"I can assure you that will be impossible."
"…what about your clan?…"
His chest puffed. "I am their leader, Anzu, and as such they will follow." A knowing smirk raised his lips. "If I know my comrade, whom you briefly met, he has already been speaking about you a great deal enough to drive the others mad." Atem glanced down at her when no other objection came and found her peeking up at him through her chocolate hair. The sight was odd, almost alien to him. Never has he held anyone in this way but having her so close and looking up at him with those large azure eyes of hers was making something within his being awaken. "Is this position comfortable for you or shall I give you a moment?"
She blinked, raising her head. "Huh?" The answer to her inquiry was answered as he took the step up to balance upon the rooftop's banister. New York City's chilly nighttime breeze raised the hairs across her body that was still incredibly sensitive from the recent activity. "Wait wait wait!" Slender arms wrapped around his neck, pulling her upper torso even closer against his own while her bent legs adjusted so that his arm that had been beneath her was now tucked within the crook of the knees. Anzu was thoroughly impressed that even with all of her moving around he had not lost hold on her once nor had he stumbled or given any indication that she was a bother to him. Just how strong was this gargoyle?! Amethyst filled with calm acceptance as she nodded after a few seconds of wiggling to find the most comfortable position. "Okay, I think this'll work." Heat seared across her face as the teases she would surely get if anyone found out she was allowing anyone carry her bridal style echoed within her ears.
Atem's head tilted to the right in curiosity when she lightly smacked her own cheeks but chose not to question when her expression became one of determination. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
He flashed her a smile when her being trembled when he crouched, wings expanding to ready for the next breeze. "You stayed with me all day, Anzu, and you trusted me with your life. None have done what you have to prove that your worth of my trust. I will not let you fall and if you ever do, I swear that I shall always be there to catch you."
The shadow of Anzu's bangs fell across her eyes, hiding them from his gaze. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep." She shook her head as his lips parted. "Never mind, forget I said anything."
There was no mistaking it now: there was bitter betrayal within her tone just now and the faintest note of regret within the words that came from between her lips as she hid her face within the crook of his neck. He wasn't going to press her on the subject any farther though. She'd been through enough for now. He took to the sky as the wind angled just right, his wings naturally moving and tilting when needed to help them climb through the air towards the awaiting palace in the distance.
Silence weighed heavily between them as his wings carried them higher and higher than any elevator would. Her hold upon his tightened as they approached the wall of clouds that hid the very top of every skyscraper, as if she were afraid they would crash into it and be sent back downward to the bustling streets below, and he gave her a comforting squeeze as she braced for the impact that would never come as they pierced the near transparent wall. He had seen how she admired the stars the night of their first encounter. They were truly spectacular tonight, even the ancient gargoyle had to admit they never looked nearly so bright as they did now, and gently nudged the young woman as he leveled with his chin.
"Look, Anzu, the stars are here to welcome us."
Azure eyes fluttered open, their long lashes lightly tickling his skin as her head almost painstakingly slowly moved away from the shelter she had found against his neck. Awe filled her as her breath was stollen by the sight before her. It was as if the clouds had been a gateway to a whole other world that only her childhood self had dreamt about all those years ago. As if the Milky Way was responding to her awe, the stars seemed to intensify and glitter brighter than all the fine jewelry pieces she had seen within the fancy windows of the stores only high society members were allowed within. No diamond could hope to compare to the shine of the twinkling stars above their heads to her.
Atem exhaled with a muted breath of relief as the tension in her body relaxed with each passing second that Anzu's gaze remained upward and fixed upon the night sky. The joy and sparkle within her eyes grew as one of her hands rose as it had that night to trace similar patterns that he had seen when she danced around the courtyard fountain. "Your adoration for the stars is as profound as that within your dancing."
She turned her gaze to him, the oxygen in her lungs nearly abandoning her as the stars above were reflected within his amethyst gaze. Somehow they seemed even more beautiful with the shards of various shades of violet shimmering alongside the millions of stars. Her hand fell to rest upon his shoulder as she nodded. "Ever since I was little, I had two great loves: dancing and stargazing. I would sometimes stay up past my bedtime just to see them."
"They are indeed beautiful to behold." he agreed, his gaze about to rise when her other hand hesitantly rose to cup his chin. "Something is weighing heavily on your mind."
"How could you tell?" She chuckled, her thumb lightly brushing against his skin. "You knew my name but I never told you. I guess that whole 'I have eyes and ears throughout this palace' would explain that. Right?" A smile raised her lips as he confessed that it had been one of the other gargoyles who had overheard someone calling her by it that late night. Honestly it didn't really matter how he found out but it was nice knowing that it hadn't been through shady methods. "And what about the name I called you? I never got to ask if you liked it or not."
He hummed softly. "As I have revealed, the name previously used by humans was 'Yami'. How did you come up with such a name as 'Atem'?"
Anzu sheepishly shrugged. "From what I could tell of your outfit it was Egyptian style and I felt that it suited you since you seemed to shine even though you are a nocturnal being." Her cheeks warmed as he seemed to ponder deeply on her words. Had she said too much?
"I accept."
The young woman blinked. "Huh?"
"Why are you so surprised?" His lips lifted into a side smile. "I quite like the name you have chosen and I much prefer it over my last. How can I thank you for such a fine name?"
"Pfft. The same way that I can ever thank you for saving my life: you just can't." But maybe, just maybe, a gesture was in order. Before she lost her nerve, the hand upon his cheek tilted his head downward so that her lips could meet the violet skin of his temple. "Thank you for saving my life, Atem."
The whisper of her thanks ghosted across his skin, bringing with it warmth and sensations such as he's never experienced before that nearly made him want to fly farther upwards to the heavens as she released her hold and hid her face within his shoulder. Such a strange gesture to place one's mouth against another's area of the body that wasn't their hand or knuckles. For gargoyles, such a display was interesting to behold. Many of their kind had horns or facial features that would prevent her from this action but he himself had none to speak of. Just as his lips parted to inquire about the action, one of the glittering stars streak across the sky to leave a trail. "Never have I seen one fall from the sky."
"A shooting star?! You saw one?!" Her hands cupped his face, bringing it down so that their gazes could meet and found Anzu's eyes filled with panic. "You have to make a wish!" His head tilted in confusion, earning an exasperated huff. "When someone sees a shooting star, it means that a wish will come true! Hurry up and make it before it disappears!" Slender fingers pressed against his lips when they parted then rose to cover his eyes. "You can't say it aloud, then it won't come true! Only when you wish it with your heart will it come true!"
Even he had to admit that that particular human custom was a bit on the odd side, expecting a falling star to grant someone's wish was bizarre, but the sincerity and excitement of the young woman within his hold was enough to make him want to humor her. "And what, Anzu, exactly should I be wishing for?" A chuckle rumbled within his chest when she explained with quick words that it could be anything. Say just for a moment that he believed the superstition, but only for a second, and from deep within his heart rose a wish before he had even consciously put it to thought: to see the lone gargoyle that his predecessor had deemed worthy to be their mate. He honestly had not minded the choice since they had grown close during their hatchling days within the Rookery, but the odds of him ever seeing her again was beyond what any god or higher power would allow.
"If it's that hard to think about, you don't have to worry about it."
His hand rose and collected both of her own, lowering them so their gazes could meet. "I am alright. It seemed that my heart has made the wish for me."
Alarm filled him as a high pithed cry pierced the air, the sound of wings slicing through air giving him just a moment's warning as a shadowed figure reached for the girl he held.
It wasn't until she wrapped her arms around his neck while returning to the position she had found earlier that he locked his focus upon the dark figure watching with with blazing eyes. "State your business, stranger. Why do you attack those who have done you no wrong?"
The scream they unleashed was enough to make his wings and talon itch from the fury hidden within what he now recognized as a battle cry.
"So be it." From between his jaws erupted his own roar of challenge, its deep and rich baritone octave ringing through the air closely followed by their answer. Having Anzu clinging to him was dangerous but he held confidence in his battle skills enough to evade the claws reaching for not him but the human girl he held. Anger filled him as they appeared behind him, their tail landing a lash against his right side that earned a stifled yelp from she who he held as it too nicked her. He had to get her to the palace if he had any chance of fighting off the threat with his full strength, his hope that the other gargoyles were ready and waiting. A flap of his wings carried them up the skyscraper until they hovered just above the sandstone wall when they struck.
The ground rushed to greet them as he curled himself protectively around Anzu in brace of the fall, grunting lowly as his back took the brunt, and unleashed a ferocious roar as he felt claws attempting to separate them. A quick spin caused his tail to meet their chest, earning a hiss as they stumbled back a few steps that gave enough of an opportunity for him to collect Anzu within one arm so as to free the other for combat. Where was the clan?! Why weren't they answering the calls of battle?! "What have you done to them, the members of my clan? Tell me!"
"I would never harm them, you of all should know that."
All fight left him as a female voice filled the night air, his eyes widening as the figure across from him relaxed out of the hostile stance they had taken. "No… it can't be…"
Anzu raised her head ever so slightly as his voice came out as a croak. Tilting her head, she could just make out the figure who was beginning to take steps towards them, reminding her of a feline stalking its prey except this creature was swaying their hips as many of the human prostitutes would standing on a street corner. The muscles beneath her relaxed as he took a step backwards when they reached for his face. Only in the moonlight did she see the utter shock within his features as he struggled for words. From the corner of her eye she spotted another gargoyle, this one with rose hued skin and long flowing golden hair, pause in their advance. She was so gorgeous that even the dancer was momentarily stunned.
"Oh, hun, you look as though a banshee has screamed in your ear." The female gargoyle's sultry voice filled the air as she extended her hand once more to him. "Are you not filled with joy at our reunion? Why are you still clinging to the human when you should be embracing your mate?"
"Mate?!" Anzu's exclamation was as much of a wakening call to the one holding her as it was to the surrounding gargoyle clan who too had been rendered speechless.
Atem shook himself roughly, taking another step back. "How are you here? I thought you had been shattered by the intruders along with the others! Only those that I had sent to the Rookery as punishment survived along with me!"
"I had gone after you instead of remaining in the palace the day Zorc had attacked. It was disobeying your order but I had to follow where my heart led me and it had warned me that you were in danger the moment you had left." She quickly crossed the space until her outstretched hand met his cheek, bringing her face inches from his own. "The sun came up before I could reach you, but I was quick to follow your scent back to the palace upon awakening. Do you have any idea how much I wept when I found that Zorc's sorcerer had placed you and the last surviving members of our clan who were not destroyed by those wretched human bandits had been cast under a spell to slumber as stone statues for the next millennium? No matter how much I begged of him, he would not cast his spell upon me so that I too could join you all." Her voice grew soft as she stroked his cheek. "My dearest mate, I should be the one within your arms," the other hand rose in preparation to strike from his blind spot, its aim locked upon the one he held, "not this filthy human!" The clan leapt into action; two taking firm hold upon her arms, one securing her lower torso, the elder standing between her and their leader when he had leaned back when he saw the female gargoyle's strike coming. "Traitors!" She hissed, thrashing against their hold with eyes blazing brilliantly with anger. "Why do you all protect the human?!"
"Maybe it's because I don't go around attacking everything that moves!" Anzu's brow twitched as she slipped from Atem's grasp but was unable to fully escape from his hold even as she nearly threw herself towards the seething gargoyle. "You said you were his 'mate', right? Shouldn't you have at least announced yourself or allowed him to explain why he was carrying me before you went after us?!"
"Anzu-"
"No!"
He was taken aback when the girl's head snapped in his direction, finding her eyes filled with anger.
"Don't you dare try and stop me! She could have nearly killed us with that stunt and you want to defend her?!"
Shrill hissing filled the air, earning Anzu's full attention as the gargoyle being held back locked her mauve eyes with cerulean. "How dare you speak to him like that, you lowly human! I'll gut you and feed your innards to the crows when I get my claws on you!"
"Oh, yeah? I'd like to see you try!"
"Unhand me so that I shall rain that human's blood down upon those below!"
The other brow twitched as her anger reached a new boiling point when the image of the gargoyles standing side by side filled her mind. "So what did you do to land him as your mate, huh? It might just be me, but he doesn't seem the type to swoon if you jiggle those big boobs of yours or flutter those eyelashes at him!"
A collective gasp rose from the clan, all quickly retreating when the rose hued gargoyle unleashed a roar so bloodthirsty that it made their own self preservation instincts rise when she locked each with a glare that warned them to not interfere. Her gaze returned to the female with a smirk, one of her hands resting upon her left hip while the other rose to tangle within her locks. "What would a human understand? Is it truly so hard to believe that we were destined to be-"
"He deserves someone who is as loyal and considerate as he is! Your leader came looking for me even though we don't know each other very well and did everything he could to save my life!" The brunette's eyes clenched shut. "Someone really despicable hunted me down then injected me with drugs. I was left there to die but he came for me when no one else did!" Her eyes opened, revealing hardened lapis hued gems. "In the last twenty-four hours, he has shown me nothing but compassion and kindness! I know that it can never be repaid but I'm going to try my best so maybe I should help him start by helping find someone who will be putting his happiness first!"
Mauve darkened until they were nearly black. "You insolent little ant. It was decided long before you were even born, human. Do not think that your tiny underdeveloped mind could even begin to comprehend the fact that his predecessor, our previous leader, had appointed us to become a pair so as to farther strengthen our clan. The bloodlines between us would give rise to new gargoyles unlike any our clan has seen."
"So none of you decided to ask what would his opinion would be when it was his future?!"
The violet gargoyle, for the first time in his life, was too slow to stop Anzu who lashed out with her foot to land a hefty kick against female's core that sent her reeling to the ground and gasp for breath. He was however quick enough to regain a hold on the girl to prevent her from repeating the motion. For the girl to have enough strength within her to send one of their clan's greatest female warriors to the ground was astonishing! Her words though were causing old wounds to open up that caused his being to fill with the emotions he had swallowed when the announcement had been made to the entire clan of their union. Anzu was right: none had asked what he'd wanted.
"Every living thing on this planet deserves the opportunity to find true happiness. If anyone should be given that chance it should be him and I can't see that he ever would allow himself to be chained to someone like you! Yes, your offspring would be next generation warriors, but at what cost: his sanity or his wellbeing?!" She raised her chin. "Welcome to class, everyone, here's your first lesson to help you better adjust to the twenty-first century: follow your heart. We have laws and rules, as well as a justice system for those who chose to harm others, but so long as one is capable of keeping themselves in check has the freedom to do as they want."
"I'll feast on your flesh this night, you wretch!"
"ENOUGH!" Silence reigned even long after the lead gargoyle's roar faded into the distance. His gaze drifted from the girl he was confining who now looked up at him with weariness. That must have been a bit too loud for her being so close and made the mental note to apologize for it later. Amethyst rose up to the female gargoyle who now looked on the verge of snapping. Anything he said would only make her feel worse but maybe there was still a way to prevent physical violence. "I have missed you, mate, forgive me for not greeting you properly."
Anzu couldn't believe her ears! Here he was, speaking so softly that even the cotton clothes she wore lacked in comparison, and calling her "mate". Why did it hurt her hearing that word leave his mouth? Her teeth roughly bit into the flesh of her lower lip as it quivered. He shouldn't have to be tethered to such a horrible being such as the other gargoyle.
"And yet you still do not relinquish your hold upon another female." Mauve narrowed, then widened. "Why do I smell her all over you?! Do not tell me that you have turned your back upon the bond we once shared!" The other gargoyles fell back as she shook them off when his lips parted. "We have fought in battle together, hunted together," she took a step towards him as her voice dripped with a tone that made all present tense, "you even loved me once, Yami. Are you truly capable of throwing something so precious away for that lowly human?"
The lavender hued gargoyle blinked as Anzu visibly flinched, his eyes rising to lock upon his leader. What could he possibly be thinking? All knew of the rose gargoyle's temper and quick wit so not even he would be capable of seeing how this was going to play out.
"That is where you are wrong." Amethyst shone brightly as he raised his chin, the hand pressing against Anzu's back shifting slightly to regain her attention that he had felt slipping; she needed to hear what he had to say as well. "You may have been my chosen mate, designated by the leader before me, but no matter how I tried my view of you could not be changed. Even now the most I could ever offer you would never be enough to satisfy you." His head bowed lowly. "Your heart was not mine to hold and I am sorry that it has taken this long for me to tell you," amethyst met teary cerulean, "it took the kind and passionate words spoken by one who may not know of our customs but would make a fine member of our clan."
The seemingly endless crushing weight that had been keeping tight hold of his chest for as long as he could remember suddenly released, as if whatever invisible force that had preventing him from finding or releasing it had snapped, and the flood of oxygen that entered his lungs had never tasted so sweet. The shadow that had him constantly overthinking every decision then disregard his initial choice for that which his predecessor would have made instead. Each breath he took released more and more of the internal tension he had built up; muscles came undone, knots unraveled, even the beating of his heart now pumped with less strain.
"You cannot be serious, Yami, allowing a human to enter our clan is blasphemy!"
"I have been given a new name by someone who has become a close ally and friend since we have come to this city. It has helped me find strength that I never knew I possessed. No longer am I known by 'Yami', former mate, from this night forth I am known as Atem." He raised his head to fix the rose hued gargoyle with a final glare while releasing his hold upon Anzu when she looked up at him in curiosity, the hand that had been resting against her back rising to collect a few strands of chocolate hair between his claws. Only when his amethyst eyes met azure did his tone and features soften. "Perhaps you would honor the rest of the clan with names, hm?"
Cerulean blinked then narrowed. "Oh, now you want me to name them all when you teased me about 'what is with humans naming everything' bit? I don't see how they just can't pick their own names." Her tongue peeked out when he made to comment. "Just pulling your wing, Atem, I'd love to, but-" He quickly moved to break her fall when her knees wobbled, leaning farther down so that her lips reached his ear as her voice dropped. "I'm still a bit out of it. I get some rest. I think that stuff was more potent than we thought and I'm starting to feel a bit sick again."
"Of course," he whispered back, "is it alright if I have one of the others take you there while I finish here?"
Nodding, her cerulean eyes passed over the gargoyles just barely visible from the shadows as one steppe forward. "Glad to see you're looking much better than the last time. I can take you somewhere where you can get all the rest you need."
Her hand extended towards the lavender hued gargoyle who hesitantly took a step towards them. The young gargoyle hurried forward to grasp it when given the nod of approval and offered her a smile as she did the same. "You've done a lot just to help him find me but think you can help me out one more time?"
"As if you have to ask." His arms carefully accepted her when she was passed to him, though his small size would require her to bent at the knees a bit, his strength was nearly level with the clan leader's. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you're far away from her just in case she tries to pull anything when we aren't looking. She's known to act rash when jealous."
She flashed him an appreciative smile, allowing the majority of her weight to settle against him at his encouragement. "Thanks." Darkened azure slid to the rose hued gargoyle who watched with a scowl, her voice growing in volume so that the female could hear her. "You make me think of a holiday that a lot of people- sorry, single people -like me don't like very much so it only seems fitting that it is the name I think suits you. Maybe some other time you can rip into me with those claws of yours, Valentine."
Atem's amethyst eyes widened as the rest of the clan swarmed her the second they had stepped through the doorway that lead to the hallway. "She will need rest, so try not to be a bother to her."
"We won't!"
The elder gargoyle remained when the others closely followed the pair until it was just them three within the courtyard, his gaze first upon the clan leader then the female. It was not his place to break the silence, he was merely there as a spectator and to bear witness to their clan's change of society. One of the things they had adopted from the humans centuries ago was that the highest form of authority would designate pairings so as to guarantee the future of the clan or to strengthen bonds between tribes. Just from what he has seen upon the television and "net", this time was vastly different.
"Yami, surely you cannot think that our lives should be tainted any farther by the humans, especially that filthy-"
"Anzu."
Mauve narrowed. "What?"
"Her name," his lip rose in a snarl as amethyst flashed in warning at the gargoyle's icy tone, "is Anzu." The only acknowledgement he received was a low growl as she turned her back on him. "Where would you prefer I begin?" He softly asked, folding his wings close against his body as hers did the same when a breeze whipped up.
See you next time!
