He expects to hear soft huffs as the Darkwalker moves unencumbered by the forest, grunts and sniffs as though it were some sort of beast and not a thing that has the capacity to taunt them. He knows the tuunbaq, a thing that thinks like a human but acts like an animal, a protector of the land through vicious and terrifying means, but the Darkwalker is a devourer, a taker, and nothing else. It torments and destroys and eats, and Crozier can feel hate without purpose, fear for pleasure, anger without reason.

His arms creep around to Raju’s front, hand and what’s left of his left wrist splayed out to cover as much of his heart as possible. The Darkwalker’s footsteps seem to fade instead of growing loud in its approach, but Crozier keeps his hold - if he lets go then it might turn around, stalk its way back towards their little cabin instead of pursue another person. And it’s an awful, selfish thought, to let someone else bear the brunt of this, but he’s desperate not to lose again.

He shudders and holds his breath, waiting for that final shriek when the Darkwalker finally finds its prey. There’s silence, terrible silence, and then the scream comes. Crozier lets out a quiet sob.