First Pulse

The dry heat beneath my talons stirred first. I drew in a breath, feeling real air expand inside my chest rather than remaining frozen in plastic silence. Opposite me, the ape figure raised its crystalline axe in mid-bellow. Slowly, intentionally, I shifted my weight forward. My heavy tail scraped the sand, leaving a deep furrow behind me. A low, rumbling vibration rose from deep within my throat, vibrating against the dry ground. The challenger remained frozen, but the earth beneath my claws answered my pulse.