Toro was passing the midday in the shade of the guards' quarters; while not his home, his presence there sat somewhere between "doing his job" and "staying out of the sun." He wasn't about to go running out on patrol - that's what soldiers were for - but he had to be present in case something happened.
Today, he was glad of it.
The bells started tolling before the messenger made it. The Champion was already bolting at the door, shoving through the clamor of confused off duty and drowsy night-shifters trying to make sense of the commotion. "A teryr in in the city!" The messenger exclaimed. "A tery-"
"Yeah, got it, where?" He took off as soon as the information was relayed; this wasn't something you could wait on. "Come on, Hajduk." The elemental lion was already at his side, and needed no further encouragement.
Toro heard it before he saw it.
"Oh, fuck." The thing was huge and..."Grizzled old motherfucker, aren't you?" Several Solterrans had already gathered, members of the court and civilians alike. The former Warden was there too - Toro hadn't seen him in a while but he was good to have on their side.
It didn't look like the teryr had caused much damage yet, but seeing its fearsome dive got his heart racing. There were places he could hide behind and aim carefully, but with his bright white coat and brazen nature, it would do little. His Champion arms and weapons were still being smithed, somehow; it didn't help that he'd not even thought to ask for such a thing. Toro's new status had been a shock, and he didn't really know what ought to come with it.
Fighting teryrs, apparently.
"More soldiers are on their way!" He offered to those who would listen. The amount of unarmed civilians was not comforting.
