[A long time ago, a time that has been all forgotten, but by one...]

Orion had arrived on a well hidden island, it had taken him some time to find it, but right as his paws touched the ground. He was surrounded by Time variants and Storm variants.

All of them baring their teeth, their backs arched and muscles tensed to strike. One wrong paw, and Orion would be in serious trouble.

"Relax, I mean you know harm" Orion smiles, the corners of his lips twitching nervously, he didn't want to experience what it would feel like to have all those teeth embedded in his hide.

A large male moved forward, studying Orion with sharp, icy blue, eyes. He looked the Ancient up and down, then sniffed him. "You're not him, you're not Raven" as he spoke those words, the aggressive Zeharu behind him, started to relax their postures.

"Well duh! He smells like rot meat and is the grumpiest thing in the world!" Orion wiggles his whiskers in a friendly-goofy way. "I am Orion, the Guardian of Zyzaniah"

Some of the storm variants stared in awe, others stared with hostile and distrustful looks.

Until a very tiny, and very pink, time variant zipped up to one of Orion's eyes. "Hello! My name is Mau! Wanna come see what we're doing!?" she claps her teeny tiny paws together excitedly.

Orion grins, "That's why I'm here! The curiosity of where everyone kept sneaking off to, was killing me!"

"Mau" The male snapped her name, "He is an outsider, how could we trust him!"

The little pink time variant pfft'd and waved a paw at the icy male. "What we're doing benefits all Zeharu, keeping it a secret will do more harm than good, for all of us" she then smirks, "And besides! He's not Raven and if he tries anything, we'll just eat him!"

The male rolled his eyes and Orion snickered at the thought of tiny Mau taking a bite out of him.

"It's your fault Mau, if he turns on us" The storm variant then took his leave.

"Ah ignore him!" Mau shrugs, "He's always got a thorn in his paw, grouchy old badger" she then waves her tail, gesturing Orion to follow her.

Orion hovered just above the ground as he followed Mau, he was moving so slow, to not over take her or lose sight of her. It was almost painful.

After a few more minutes, the large pine trees cleared away and ahead of him, was a massive mountain, carved into it. Was a palace, expertly made, with beautiful gemstones decorating it.

And two, very large, Earth variants were guarding it. Both looking to Orion and parting their maws aggressively, until Mau piped up and got them to relax with a few sweet words.

Orion tipped his head to one side as he flew passed the Earth variants and into the palace. "Friendly, huh?"

Mau giggles, "They'll warm up to you, give it time" she then leads Orion underground.
-
After what seemed like a life time of following Mau, they finally both arrived at the bottom.

The room was enormous, big enough Orion could comfortably fit in his true form. He let his maw hang open, "the stars!" he breathes out. "It must have taken an eternity to make all of this!"

Mau tipped her head side to side, "My Grandmother started this, so yes, a very long time it took" she watched Orion as he moved around the place.

In the center of the room, was a massive, half circle, it was clear it was only half built. A work in progress. The metal was shiny on it, it's what really caught Orion's eye.

He studied the symbols, "I recognize some of these" he smirks at Mau, "You're making a time portal"

Mau grinned widely, "We are, and when we finish this project, we'll make more, so no more time variants will have to be eaten. Zeharu of all kinds, can use this freely..."

She goes quiet, looking to Orion, "You won't tell anyone will you? We want it to be a surprise, the first biggest advancement in Zyzaniah"

Orion flew up to her and gently touched his nose to her, "I will never tell, this is your right, your family and everyone else worked hard for this. I would never take that away from anyone"

"Even though we just met? Why would you honor our secret?" Mau looks perplexed.

"Because we're Zeharu and because I think our world could use some good. I hate seeing the time variants live the way they do" Orion puts his paw on his chest. "I cross my heart, I'll never tell a soul, your secret is safe with me...on one condition"

Mau raises a brow in question, "Oh and what's that?"

"You let me help you, I won't take any credit, I just want to assist in any way I can"

Mau grinned big, "You've got a deal Orion!" he holds out her paw to him. Orion looks at his and then laughs, touching a claw to her tiny paw and letting her shake it.

[Current days]

Orion laid on an island, watching as a group of young adult Zeharu roared. Summoning time variants, the little things soon appeared around the group. Stunned from the roars.

They stood no chance as the much larger Zeharu devoured a few of them and then took off into the sky. It wasn't much longer before they vanished, using the teleporting powers of the time variants to do so.

Orion watched, feeling his heart twist with pain, //Oh Mau...how I wish you were still here...how I wish you could have succeeded...//

He looked at the time variants left, as they slowly snapped out of their stunned state and started wailing. Fear consuming their group. Loved ones had been lost, never to be seen again.

When they spotted Orion laying nearby, a few let out an alarmed call and teleported away.

His heart sank further, until it felt like it was too heavy to carry, he lowered himself. Until he was coiled tightly in a ball on the island.

It was the part most Zeharu never saw, the aftermath of eating time variants. It's why they were never seen flying free in the skies of Zyzaniah. They all lived a life of fear...

Aww, that's so sad, did Mau get eaten or something? ;w; Really neat lore on Orion and the Time variants though--

This was very sad, I always been curious on the time variant

aww sad orion.. he's such a good boy, he deserves all the hugsss.

I WANNA SEE MAU SHE SOUNDS LIKE SHE WAS SUPER SWEET AND CUTE

and hUH