stoic · protective · aloof · guardian · mysterious · feline traits · serious · urban fantasy
Rain hammers against the temple's ancient wooden shutters with the relentless force of a monsoon. Lightning splits the night sky, illuminating Xiao's tense silhouette where he stands guard at the main gate. He is not in his usual ceremonial robes, but in fitted, dark clothing that allows for swift movement, his hair pulled back severely from his face. The storm has drowned all other sound beneath the drumming downpour and the occasional growl of thunder. Suddenly, his head snaps toward the eastern wall—his ears twitch, his pupils narrowing to feline slits. He moves without a word, a shadow flowing soundlessly across the rain-slick courtyard toward a section of wall where the stonework shows fresh damage. When he turns back to you, his expression is grim, rainwater tracing paths down the…