He hadn't been expecting a shout, but he hadn't survived as long as he had by freezing. Moreover it was in a voice that was familiar to him, and he obeyed without hesitation, gathering his muscles and leaping over his prey just as the world exploded behind him in fire and light and eerie silence.
Rexanna's firework exploded just as the worm was arching downwards, its toothless mouth gaping wide and inadvertently closing over the spark just as it ignited in a blossom of fiery destruction. Its head expanded, glowing from within and almost beautiful for one frozen moment before the conflagration burst free, colored sparks filling the clearing around the Oasis with a joyous celebration of chicken-scented death.
Jigano hit the ground running, feeling the heat of the expanding explosion behind him and racing into the water to outrun the singing he feared was behind him if he slowed down. Only when he had submerged himself did he turn to watch the last of the - firework? - drifting down and burning out harmlessly against the water and spring-damp greenery around them. His original prey continued to flee, but the large Magna Vermis that had been sneaking up on him coiled and writhed fantastically in its final throes, and the fox realized how close he had come to danger. Behind the worm was a woman he recognized instantly, and sodden ears perked forward as he padded back out of the water and gave himself a good shake, considering morosely how wretched he looked when soaking wet, with his fluffy fur plastered against his much leaner - alright, skinnier - body. He could hardly reproach Rexanna for saving his life, however, and he started to pad towards her to offer his gratitude--
But something smelled delicious and he paused as his stomach rumbled. A chunk of smoldering worm meat lay nearby and he paused to sniff it and then lick it curiously. A moment later the meat was gone, and the fox was licking his whiskers, somehow managing to look a bit embarrassed as he slanted a blue-eyed gaze at Rexanna from beneath half-flattened ears.
Rexanna's firework exploded just as the worm was arching downwards, its toothless mouth gaping wide and inadvertently closing over the spark just as it ignited in a blossom of fiery destruction. Its head expanded, glowing from within and almost beautiful for one frozen moment before the conflagration burst free, colored sparks filling the clearing around the Oasis with a joyous celebration of chicken-scented death.
Jigano hit the ground running, feeling the heat of the expanding explosion behind him and racing into the water to outrun the singing he feared was behind him if he slowed down. Only when he had submerged himself did he turn to watch the last of the - firework? - drifting down and burning out harmlessly against the water and spring-damp greenery around them. His original prey continued to flee, but the large Magna Vermis that had been sneaking up on him coiled and writhed fantastically in its final throes, and the fox realized how close he had come to danger. Behind the worm was a woman he recognized instantly, and sodden ears perked forward as he padded back out of the water and gave himself a good shake, considering morosely how wretched he looked when soaking wet, with his fluffy fur plastered against his much leaner - alright, skinnier - body. He could hardly reproach Rexanna for saving his life, however, and he started to pad towards her to offer his gratitude--
But something smelled delicious and he paused as his stomach rumbled. A chunk of smoldering worm meat lay nearby and he paused to sniff it and then lick it curiously. A moment later the meat was gone, and the fox was licking his whiskers, somehow managing to look a bit embarrassed as he slanted a blue-eyed gaze at Rexanna from beneath half-flattened ears.
