@Karl Kadaver


Apparently it was her lucky day! In a bad sort of way, that is, as one of her informants too late, explained to her that she was now pretty much surrounded by Hunters. Just play along Clari,and they'll never know what you are! She thought to herself, smiling before giggling.

"So, a challenge is it? Last one who challenged me didn't make it out alive!" Clarissa giggled again though before she added, "Though it wasn't my doing! Alcohol poisoning is a bitch!" She drank the mug of hard ale that was in front of her and lifted it up to him, saluting him as gratitude for getting her a drink.

But also secretly it was a promise, a promise that she wouldn't use her powers to cheat. "Well, anyways, I'll give you a 5 minute head start as I just drank my 23rd mug, so I suggest you get drinking!" Clarissa said with a wink, sipping her ale while she passed the bar tender a small stack if pounds, knowing this would probably be a long battle.

Her horns were hidden thanks to a potion but unfortunately it was would it's power if it started to rain. This man radiated an aura she had only seen once before with her mother and father, though his aura would change when he looked at anything besides her.

I guess I'll be seeing this hunter again! It is after all fated to happen! She thought to herself, smirking as she knew that fate had fucked her over. She was destined to be with a hunter? Oh yes, the universe was fucking her over badly, and she knew it. How could she ever love a hunter?! It was absurd! Yes he was well-built, handsome, probably charismatic and a huge.... Partier.... But that didn't mean a thing!

They could never be destined to be together, ever, ever, ever! That was that, end if discussion! Right....?

Clarissa was distracted from her thoughts for a moment when she heard the owner yell at the poor wolf, feeling bad for her. She paid for a raw steak and the bar tender brought it over to Fenros, waving and smiling as she hoped that his wold would enjoy the steak that she got. She had a soft spot for animals, always had, and so she was doing this for the wold, not her master.

@Vocab


Electra's ears picked up the thud, knowing now that it wasn't a deer at all. She turned into an owl once she had climbed out of the water, her clothes seeming to disappear into thin air though in actuality they were just magically teleporting to her body once she shifted back into her human form.

She immediately saw a young man who was bleeding, sensing that he was a hunter but she didn't care. He was too hurt to hunt her and she'd rather have a fair fight and let him die with honor rather than kill him without it. She landed on the ground and transformed her clothes having appeared on her as soon as she had started. She kneeled down and sat back on her legs, looking at his injuries.

"Just.... Hold still, alright? We both know we're enemies but you're hurt and I refuse to kill someone who is hurt as there is no honor in that." Electra explained, slowly reaching out her hand and gently touching his wound. It was a slight gash though it was feel it was a good sized one, and she knew if she didn't get some cloth or something to wrap up his head with that he would most likely die from blood loss.

She pulled out the roll of white linen she kept for herself just in case of an emergency or if she turned into her dragon form again and got cut up quite a bit. She quickly and expertly unraveled the linen and wrapped it around his head, hoping that it would be enough till he could find a weakling to heal him up.

"You should be alright till you can find one of those.... Weaklings. Can you stand?" She asked, knowing that if Medusa saw her she'd have her head for this. But she just couldn't do it.... She was still partly traumatize after her father killed her mother when she was already wounded after he drunkenly beat her and then murdered her in her unconscious state.

She was evil, she knew that, but unlike some she had standards, and this was one of them. Electra stood up and offered him her hand, having a strong grip and a stronger pull thanks to the dragon inside her.

Walking through the various dark alleys Theodore noted how alive this night felt. It felt unlike any other. The first sign of it was the unusual vendor at this time in the night. “ . . . Come all to Fey’s shop of the odd and . . .” His attention span was short and he soon tuned out. He liked these kind of nights. The bigger the crowd, the higher the chance of something interesting happening.

He reached the place that accommodated the hustle and bustle. The tavern. The vendor he had heard earlier was being approached by a rather flashy looking hunter. He only nodded while closing his eyes in sign of greeting as the other hunter was pursuing some possibly lead about a witch coven. Theodore however did not pay much attention, instead allowing the conversation to caress his ears as a mere background static. The corners of his mouth jerked into a faint smile at the sight of the fraudulent wares.

I guess the fictitiousness of these wares lies in the eye of the observer, Theodore thought, contemplating on the nature of these items. He didn’t spend much time doing so however, and before the vendor even had the chance to give response to the other hunter, Theodore bid both of them a good evening and headed for the tavern entrance.

Just as he opened the door a white wolf made its way out on its own. Rather interesting to see it acting on its own like that. No doubt it belong to a hunter. Theodore raised his head and glimpsed inside, and indeed he was right. At least three other hunters resided inside along with the rest of the common folk.
It reminded Theodore of the time when he was first drafted into the hunter ranks and he mentally shook his head at what he had been taught.

Courage? Honor? Is that what defines hunters? What a joke.

He didn’t care one bit about that.
“So, a challenge is it?” He heard a woman sitting at the counter say.
Definitely not the usual night, he thought as he walked up to the counter and lifted one finger indicating he was taking one of the usual. He had tried in the past to drown out his boredom with various ales, yet his body rejected the poison before it surmounted to any form of actual entertainment. The tavern entertainment had to be provided by the rest of the crowd present, if at all.

He looked to his side at the hunter and the lady as they prepared for their challenge. Theodore couldn’t help but lift an eyebrow at the amount of empty mugs strew in front of the elegant lady. The stories he had heard before crossed his mind.

Nah, it can’t be. Can it? He thought.

Before he had the chance to ponder on that further the bartender returned with his ale and after paying, Theodore retreated to a quieter corner of the tavern, where he could observe the entire scene.

It could get interesting tonight. That is if the stories are true. I will watch closely.

---

"Luna," she said, her voice a soft whisper as she continued to rub the cat's fur. "You're so pretty..."

Luna's reply was a soft meow, and a more vigorous rubbing of her head against Elina's thigh. She was indeed a fine specimen of cat, with soft fur, bright blue eyes, pink paws that never seemed to darken and, above all, an acute intelligence. Though she could not speak, Luna appeared to know whenever her master was angry, sad or otherwise down, and take the appropriate steps make her cheerful again. It seemed to the feline, however, that since leaving Castle Ruvina, Elina had been frowning substantially more than before. Yet the reasons behind them, though fairly obvious, were too complicatedly human for her straightforward animal mind to comprehend. She did know, however, that Elina liked it whenever she played with her, and doing so was often the right course of action. So little Luna contented herself upon this.

Yet this was interrupted when the cat noticed a presence coming closer. It was a crimson throb in her chest and an electric buzz over her spine. Such things were instinctive to felines like her, and her instincts did not let her down as when she directed her eyes to a shadowed area of the wood, there it was - a large, scarred white wolf, emerging proudly from the dark. Fear welled up within her tiny heart but the urge to protect Elina was greater.

"Luna? What's wrong?"

The cat made a throaty meow and stiffened towards the direction of the beast. Elina's sight followed and came upon Alltia. The girl's eyes widened, but she knew to remain calm.

"Oh my, a wolf. Don't worry, Luna. Wolves are friendly around people of my House."

Luna's meow was disapproving, almost reprimanding. Elina found it endearing and chuckled. "Now, now, if anything happens, I'll protect you."

In this, the witch was confident. The power of the late Marcus still smoldered within her soul as she hadn't been practicing witchcraft as of late. Even without any recent victims, she could at least mimic a lion's roar or call forth a powerful gust of wind, to scare off the animal should it decide it was a predator. The thought of actually harming the wolf never came upon her mind.

Standing up from her crouched stance, and to the dismay of Luna, who half-cowered behind her legs, she raised her arms in open welcome. "Come here, wolf. You look tired."

@Aerandir

---

---

The walk back to the Castle was one with deep contemplation and worry for her sister, Elina. Though she was loathe to leave the silver-haired girl alone, Vespa was a witch, and that entailed plenty of study and the honing of her skills. Still, perhaps she should have stayed with her. For weeks now, Elina had preferred solitude to mingling with her fellow witches, and seemed to like the outdoors better than the Castle. It occurred to Vespa that perhaps her sister was deeply troubled with their station in life, as feared individuals of power who were hunted by a specific guild, and that she wanted to get away with it.

But what could she do? She was just Vespa, not their mother Reyna. She could not bear to wrench Elina away from her long walks and constant daydreams. Just look at her, with her silver hair, red eyes and overall comely form - she was like a wraith, or a ghost, or a spirit in all senses, even in demeanor. Elina... was frail, vulnerable. And worst of all, too good for this world.

Vespa sighed. "Kings and queens do what they will... the rest of us, do as we must," she muttered. The quote, so old that all scriptures attributed it to 'Anonymous,' was sounding incredibly apt today.

Castle Bloodrose was a formidable fortress without and a luxurious palace within. Its library was expansive and its dungeons went deep into the earth. Coming into this Coven was the right choice, she thought. Had the two continued to wander, she did not know where they would be by now. Since first passing through the gaping, maw-like front gate that now shadowed her, her lore and skills in the art of Blood Magic had expanded greatly. Madame Bloodrose's generosity in taking her and Elina in was something that she admired very much, and what Vepsa wanted to repay by killing any Hunters who dared to assault her precious newfound sisterhood.

While navigating the corridors of the Castle, she happened upon some of her fellow witches: Hazel Lovelace, Alexina Broadchurch, and Lorelai Von'Strauss.

Hazel reminded her of Elina in that she was rather kind, and pleasant in demeanor at all times. The bold Alexina was just as fiery in demeanor as in appearance. And Lorelai - oh Lorelai. She was just second to Madame Bloodrose in the people Vespa respected. A powerful witch, she was the one who slew Hector Digard, father of Fenros Digard.

For a moment, her expression threatened to curl into an ugly scowl. Fenros. He could've been dead by now, his soul empowering her sister's and pushing her powers to the greatest heights. But Elina... she had always been kind.

But enough of such thoughts. Here were her colleagues, chatting amiably. It would be rude not to join them!

"Hazel, Alexina, Lorelai! Hello!" her smile was wide and genuine. The three were literally the first friends she had made. "I've just returned from a stroll with my sister. What are we gossiping about today, hm?"

@Jupiter Hollow@Meiyuki

Lorelai looked up from her contemplation. What she offered Hazel was a big step, and Lorelai thought it best to give her ample time to think on it. She smiled at Vespa as she entered the room. In Lorelai's opinion Vespa was the picturesque image of the up and coming witch, already quite potent Vespa worked constantly to hone and further develop her talents, as well as gain a functional understanding of magical theory in general. Her sister Elina on the other hand...Lorelai liked the girl, but like Hazel she was sweet, and as endearing as that was it simply wasn't practical for a witch. Unlike Hazel though Elina seemed to have little interest in developing her talents.

Perhaps some witches could afford to be sweet if they had strong sisters. Lorelai strived to be such a sister, Vespa was busy enough so Lorelai ensured that she checked in on Elina from time to time.

"Vespa, good to see you. How are enjoying Alice's works? I always found the later volumes to be of dubious value, they're highly theoretical to be sure and from what I understand she suffered from quite a few hexes performed by rival witches near the end of her career."

Looking at Alexina she realized that here, surrounded by what she considered to be some of her closest friends they might as well just get started on figuring out the Fenros problem. Alexina had told her recently that he was in the region, and judging by her love's discomfort she likely hadn't recieved good news tonight.

"Actually, we were just about to discuss Fenros. I really shouldn't in front of Hazel, but considering the apprenticeship I just offered her I see no harm in her being aware." She squeezed Alexina's hand as she gestured to her love. "Alexina has been hearing word that he's nearby, she's just recieved news that I presume isn't all that good judging by your demeanor love."

Lorelai favored her girlfriend's cheek with a quick kiss before continuing. "I also fear he may not come alone. My demonic servitors have informed me that the Parisi brothers have been spotted in the nearby town. The scions of two well known hunter clans nearby at the same time can't be an omen of good things to come." She winced slighly as she shifted sending a small shock of pain up her spine, this really wasn't a good time to be suffering one of her episodes.

"But we've time to prepare, so I wouldn't be all that worried were I any of you. However I do recommend caution in the woods for the immediate future, and if you could gently inform our other sisters as you encounter them I'd appriciate it."

@SillyGoy @Jupiter Hollow @Aerandir

Hazel smiled at Lorelai, gladly, but carefully, taking the book. ”Thank you, I’ll return it to you as soon as I’m done, Lorelai.” The young witch placed on a small table beside her as her eyes opened wide at Lorelai’s proposal. ”Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to be a bother, but I’ll think it over,” she said. There was no way she was going to say no. She would be the first one to admit that she needed help breaking the barrier that was holding her back and with Lorelai’s extensive knowledge she knew she could.

Hazel was lost in her thoughts for only a moment before Vespa came in to say hello and joined the conversation. She enjoyed the company of so many, but there was a slight tension in the room. As Lorelai started talking it was obvious why, though she had to admit that she felt like a bit of a child. While the group was pretty close in age, Vespa being only a year older, they were all so much more mature than she was, with more experience, and so much more power. It was slightly intimidating, but she felt important being involved in such a serious and slightly scary matter.

Fenros was no joke and had killed more than a few witches she had known. The Parisi brothers on the other, she had heard of them before and knew that they came from a long line of witch hunters. Hazel was more than nervous with how close the hunters were. What if they found the coven, she had no way of defending her fellow witches. Yes, she could maybe make a messy get away and be a coward, but she didn’t want to do that. ”We should probably avoid the town as much as possible too, being the Parisi brothers are there and it could be possible that they aren’t the only hunters, right?” It made sense to her to avoid the town, as not only the brothers were there but it was quite possible that it was where Fenros was staying when he wasn’t hunting. ”Lorelai, I am most definitely taking you up on you offer.”

@Meiyuki@SillyGoy@Aerandir

---

"What?" she said, and ultimately she scowled. "Fenros is nearby?"

So it seemed that her family's history will never stop haunting her. Half of the reason why she enjoyed being part of this great Coven was because it let her forget the overbearing weight of her mother that threatened to crush her spirit throughout her childhood and early adolescence. Elina might not have thought the same way and loved Reyna as much as daughters should, but Vespa was not so forgiving. That witch was a selfish woman who wanted the entire world to fit her image or she would corrupt it, change it somehow - or destroy it. She had threatened to kill the two sisters, and her presence returned in the form of Fenros.

"That is not good. I will have to tell Elina about this when she comes back. You do know about their history, right?"

Lorelai did. They'd conversed about it at a prior time, when she was still a newblood to the Coven.

"If the two would ever meet, I fear..." she shook her head, "... this is indeed a grave problem." Her voice became cold, lower and stern then, her expression without care, only hatred. "We need to kill him. The question is, what way? He is the progeny of one of the most powerful Hunters in recent history - he might even be better than his father. Perhaps," she looked towards Hazel, "all of us might need to work together if we are to rid ourselves of him."

"But there are others too, complicating things," she put a thoughtful knuckle to her chin. "The Parisi brothers... I wonder if they're coordinating somehow. Too many Hunters in such a small area that is clearly too close to our Castle. I do hope we haven't been discovered."

@Jupiter Hollow@Meiyuki

Lorelai flashed Hazel one of her rare grins. She knew she had potential, fear was a basic instinct and controll over it had mind-boggling implications. She was determined to ensure Hazel reached the pinnicle of her power. "I'm pleased to hear you accept Hazel, once we'll begin work once you've finish that volume. In the meantime however, I would like to ensure my new apprentice's safety." She retrieved a statue of a frog carved from jade with ruby eyes from her pouch. Alexina and Vespa would recognize this as the vessel she'd bound Rovulug, Lord of Ruin, into after the demon lord had failed her in the battle against Hector. "If you find yourself in dire need break this and remind Rovulug that I nor hell will accept a second failure, also remind him who he fears most."

Lorelai nodded and shared a brief look with Vespa as she voiced a concern that had been on her mind from the moment her love had spotted even small traces of Fenros' passing. Lorelai had no intention of allowing Fenros to...lead Elina astray, no matter her opinion of the girl as a witch, she was a sister. Also Vespa's blood, and she wasn't about to allow harm to come to either of the Ruvinas if she still had breath left in her body. Despite how she was feeling now there was plenty of that breath left.

"I wonder if it is...wise to inform your sister about Fenros being here. Perhaps we could conjure some other excuse to keep her in the castle for the time being? Even if they discover us here they'd have to fight through some of the most powerfull witches I've had the pleasure of knowing, not to mention my sweet making sure their trip here was...eventfull." She squeezed Alexina's had as she let the pride she had in her lover's power show on her faces, then her eyes took on a mischievious twinkle. "Besides, there's more of my blood than mortar in these old walls, and thanks to Medusa's assistance I've managed a feat that would leave my grandmother in awe. Suffice to say that an attack here without anything less than a small army would be suicidal."

Lorelai winced again as small shocks ran up her spine. Binding such an entity had been foolhardy in the extreme, but her will was mighty even if her body was weakened. "Vespa, if you need an excuse to call your sister home I may actually need a curative to embolden my sickly spirit, my bindings are catching up to me of late, and your sister's hands have always been steady at the pestle." She looked to Hazel. "Or perhaps Hazel should go? You do know how stubborn she can get when you display your concern."

@SillyGoy@Jupiter Hollow@Aerandir

Emiliano drank the ale deeply, letting the alcohol soothe his fraying nerves. He and Corradino had been on the road quite a few days, and the closer they got to this town and the supposed coven here the more and more nervous he became. Emiliano had perhaps killed two witches in his day, though he assisted his brother in hunting down and killing many more they had yet to face a proper 'coven'. Oh they had hunted and killed groups of two or three witches before, but from what information Emiliano had been able to gather, being better than his brother at investigation, pointed to a disturbingly large coven. Maybe five or six, possibly seven witches all of unknown power and skill. It was rather worrisome and for all he knew they already knew he and his brother had arrived.

As his thoughts ran through his head wipping him into a panick, none other than Fenros, another of the great witch hunters came through the door of the tavern. This alone surprised Emiliano, and proved that the coven was as large as he had feared. Of course, he was not so interested in Fenros, he was a talented hunter sure, but Emiliano felt speaking to him woul be like speaking to a brick wall so he decided against it. The more obscure hunter entering after him was who interested Emiliano. One Theodore Mortas, who had taken his ale before retreating to a quiet table near the back of the tavern, most llikely intent on watching the drinking competition between the woman who had very clearly had to much to drink and another hunter.

Emiliano had heard of Theodore, a vicious and cruel Witch hunter, which was saying something as all witch hunters are rather cruel when it comes to their prey. Emiliano decided he would speak with the man. He got up from his seat at the bar nd made his way to the table, stopping short before Theodore, "This seat taken?", the question was only a formality as Emiliano woud sit regardless, "So, Theodore Mortas, the vicious hunter. Mutilator of witches, and bloodthirsty killer... thats what I've heard at least! Hahah, tell me what brings you all this way? As a fellow hunter I want to know if we may be here for the same reason. A coven perhaps?"

Alexina Broadchurch

Alexina listened quietly as the four talked, She was pleased when Vespa came along and joined them, she was indeed another powerful witch, with more cause than any to kill Fenros. But the reason she didn't answer for so long was Lorelai, She was more worried for her as her spasms started up, her free hand started to rub her back gently, Her long fingers delicately finding pressure points to sooth the pain.

Vespa expressed concern for the news, and she should. She head heard as well that Elina had fallen for the hunter and failed to kill him for his spiritual power. And what she heard from Lorelai, that would have made Elina possibly far more powerful than her sister if she had gone through with it. Being that Fenros's mother was a witch, be it a good witch but still, and his unnatural strength which none have still figured out why he has so.

She finally spoke up, "Fenros was spotted outside of the town below, killing the three Allistar Sisters... by himself, then he tortured some information out of them. My eyes in the forest found it most disturbing. But it may be clear that he gained some useful information. But I doubt Fenros would come up with other hunters, he's been known to only work alone, If he does not meet up with the rest of the hunters nearby I doubt he can handle attacking the castle alone. "

She squeezed Lorelai's hand and then said, "Let us hope he is not as powerful as his father... who defeated the Lord of Ruin in his old age, A testament to his power, and of The Lord Terror and of Pestilence when he was younger." The black plague caused by the lord of Terror and Pestilence was killed and sealed by Hector at the end of the plague almost 30 years before, how he had managed to defeat two dark Lord's (that she knew of) in his lifetime was scary.

"If he Enters the forest, Ill send Fury Fang and his pack to stop him." Fury Fang being the biggest of the timber wolves in the forest, and strongest, Having taken in two packs after defeating the other's Alpha.

---

Alltia Hesitated a moment at the woman with white hair call to her, she was indeed tired... but her presence confused her...she never met this woman before in her life. Yet she was...familiar somehow. Lowering her head slowly she started to sniff again, but it revealed nothing. She slowly made her way forward to the woman.

Once to her she continue to hesitate, until she sniffed her hand and finally relaxed. Sitting down she was almost to the womans chest. "At least you don't smell as bad as he does..." She said...to her self, as Fenros was the only one who really was able to hear her... "But yes I am tired... and hungry." She looked down at the cat. "I could eat you....would you let me?" She said amused to the cat below her, cowering behind the womans legs.

@Meiyuki@SillyGoy@Jupiter Hollow

Theodore thrusted his chest forwards and arched his back causing popping sounds to reverberate through his body. He always felt it had an oddly calming effect on him. He took another gulp from his ale from his mug and observed in a slight expression of boredom, hoping the competition would start soon. His attention however fell on another hunter coming his way.

He looked peculiarly familiar to him. A moment of contemplation and his mind flashed back to when he was outside at the intriguing vendor’s stand. Yes, the hunter present there was familiar to the one approaching him. Their garments were also similar, although this one’s was less flashy. Surely they must have been associated to each other.

His thoughts were cut short as the hunter was now in front of him asking if the seat was taken. He barely managed to motion towards the seat, as the hunter sat down regardless of his response. It certainly seized his attention for the time being. Moreover so when the hunter began talking about his reputation. Theodore’s reputation was not a bright one, however it wasn’t a wide-spread one either. His actions were arbitrary and based on how his emotional state at the time being, which resulted in a rickety notoriety.

Theodore took another swig from his mug and finally spoke to the hunter. His contemplation had ensued in a nearly awkward period of silence after the fellow hunter had finished his sentence.

“Ah, it seems my reputation is slowly being incorporated into my shadow, making it hard to part with it. Not that I’d want to.” He snickered at his last comment and then inhaled deeply.
“Boredom.” He said rather abruptly and unlike his calm demeanor so far. “That’s what my reputation lacks to mention. The reason why I am . . .” his words were deep, and he obviously did not deny his reputation “. . . such a bloodthirsty killer. Though I’d prefer being called a bored man, opposed to that. It is also what brought me here. Indeed I may have heard of this coven you speak. I hope it to be a fountain of entertainment that will drown the dullness.”

Theodore rubbed his chin. “That aside however, allow me to apologize first. I have no doubt you have a reputation of your own, however I tend to not recognize that by the looks. How embarrassing of me.” He shook his head with a rather satiric smile plastered on his face.

“What was your name again?” He asked in spite of the fact the fellow hunter had not mentioned his name before.

@agentmanatee

Lorelai leaned into Alexina's touch, she had a talent for alleviating the pain that no one ever had. She had wondered whether the twisting effects of the dark powers flowing through her lost their grip in the presence of her lover's touch, but was that specific to Alexina? Or to their love? With any luck she'd never get the chance to find out.

Indeed, the thought had occurred to her that she could simply trade her life for those of her sisters. Lorelai's mother had sent her away when she was young for training, and was hesitant to allow her to return when she became a woman due to her prodigious power. In a way Marian Von'Strauss wasn't so different from Reyna Ruvina, but would her mother have killed her to keep her power safe? She didn't know, she prefered to keep fonder memories at the forefront. What this all meant was this coven was the first and best family she'd known.

One life for many, Hector understood that. She wondered what her old nemesis would have done. Hector was a foolish man to be sure, to face darkness was always foolish. Before there was flame there was darkness, and no matter how bright the light the darkness would return once it faded, light was the illusion, a flickering and fickle thing. Hector was brave and powerful though, and failure to respect that would also be foolish.

Sometimes she missed Hector, the thought that the opportunity to face him in his prime escaped her was depressing. Perhaps she would have died, but the battle would have been all the sweeter. The thought of Fenros approaching, possibly with other hunters, made her fear for her new family and her love. But she'd be lying if she said it didn't also excite her. Ever since Hector died other hunters had seemed dull, simple men, she struck them down with little satisfaction and as much passion as the tide had when it sweeps away children's sand castles.

A real challenge again? After all these years? She felt her heart surge with that rage that she remembered when she was young. She felt the infernal influence all around her, reaching out, offering itself up to her power. Would Fenros taste as sweet? Perhaps the Parisi brothers? She would love to find out.

Her eyes fell on her companions, Hazel a young witch near the beginning of her road to greatness, Vespa a cunning and potent witch already with the potential to be so much more. Then her eyes fell on her love, she scanned her face, committing it to memory.

When you'd lost as much as she had you learned to treat each moment with those you care about as if it might be your last. She impressed the feel on Alexina's hands on her back into her mind. She had a vast library of such moments, the night they met and Alexina stopped her lifeblood from adding to the forest's power, stolen kisses under silvery moonlight, the first time they'd made love.

With an effort she calmed her trembling heart. Sqeezing her love's hand she drug herself back to now. Lorelai simply had too much to lose to be careless, no matter how much it might please her. She turned her mind instead to the task at hand.

"We should use every opportunity we have to increase of supply of sacrifices and other reagents. Vespa, perhaps I could keep an inccubi or succubi ready for you to...absorb power from? Unless you have a better partner in mind of course." Lorelai kissed her love's cheek. "And if there's anything I can do for you my sweet you only need ask." She gave Alexina a look that said both 'I love you' and 'don't you dare die'.

---

---

Sousiel walked towards the little mountain town fuming, to be deposited from her sleeping perch so rudely, and by her Mistress no less. Ever since Lexi had entered the picture she was feeling neglected. She sighed, she was pleased that her Mistress was making powerful allies, and Alexina was certainly among the most powerful of them, but sometimes she missed the days when it was her and Lorelai against the world.

Oh, and armies of demons waiting in the wings, to afraid to disobey her Mistress. She grinned, she wasn't ashamed of the pride she took in Lorelai's power, how could she avoid it? To revel in such hatred, such capacity for destruction, it was intoxicating.

Sousiel was born the day Lorelai was, forged in the pit for the task of acting as her familiar. The Von'Strauss birthright, some of them never took their power beyond that first binding. She remembered the first day Marian had shown her Lorelai, asleep in her cradle as they approached the infant Lorelai stirred already sensitive to the infernal. She knew then she would have to be powerful if she intended to stand next to her witch with any sense of pride. So she rose through the ranks quickly, on the broken bodies of her peers and superiors.

Years later she heard of the fall of the Von'Strauss dynasty, of course well before it happened. Hell knew what was coming long before the witches did. The strangest thing happened though, the word went out to keep it silent. They weren't going to warn the witches. Rumors in the flesh pits were that the Von'Strauss Matriarch had offended the Adversary, King of Shadows for the last time, and that they were keeping the intel to themselves. She hadn't worked so hard to become some simple demon, content to lash tormented souls for all eternity. She made an appeal to The Adversary, she remember how his laugh nearly shook her apart. He said that if she could save my witch she could be bound as planned.

That launched a many month long campaign to ensure Lorelai was out of the picture by the time Hector and his paladins arrived. Marian was already threatened by her daughter's development so it only took a few subtle manipulations to convince her that her bonds with Lorelai needed to be broken, then several more to delay Marian's plan to kill her daughter.

Months later Sousiel met Lorelai for the second time amid the ashes of her family. Grief-stricken the strange girl looked at Sousiel for the first time she would remember and what she offered wasn't a pact, nor was it a demand, Lorelai bound Sousiel as simply as someone stated the sky was blue. That moment was perfect, the first time she felt her Mistress' dominion wash over her, it was like coils of steel wound through her essence, even thinking of resisting made her feel sick inside. From that moment on the two of them went on to slay more hunters than I can count, and bind demons most of the Von'Strauss would have worshipped. Eventually they even slew Hector Digard himself.

To be displaced now by some red headed meatbag whose sole purpose (other than defending Mistress) seemed to be rolling around naked with Lorelai, and generally making her smell like sex or the forest. Suffice it to say it was infuriating.

Sousiel sighed again, she wasn't being entirely fair she supposed. Lexi did save Lorelai's life, and her Mistress did seem to be more at peace with her around, she just wished Mistress would have ended up with someone with more ambition, perhaps Medusa, Electra would have been fine as well. Her and Vespa got along, why not her?

Sousiel finally stopped in front of the mountain village. She spotted her weaker kin out and about. Not all demons were born in the pit, some of them coalesced from the darkness within the hearts of men. Barely useful for anything beyond information she paid them no mind.

Taking on her fully human shape was difficult. Lorelai's power was largely tied up elsewhere, but there were enough of the urge demons about to eat, and she managed it.

Demons had a nose for hunters, each one of them carried a scent that was distinct from normal humans. There's a common misconception that a hunter is just a man that kills witches, but there's a reason there aren't many of them, and why they're all men. Perhaps finding out precisly how many hunters where holed up here would earn her Lorelai's favor again.

She headed to the tavern.

@Aerandir@SillyGoy@Jupiter Hollow@NanoFreakV2@agentmanatee@Vocab

(Sorry for the wall of text, Sousiel needed a backstory apparently.)

---

Luna hissed at Alltia. "Go ahead and try mutt," she said. "I may be small, but my claws are long and sharp!"

Elina, of course, could not understand the discourse between the two animals. All she saw were two adorable furred beings that sat around her legs. Unlike Luna, she did not have to crouch to pet the wolf, and even though her fingers brushed the rough patches of her scars, she never ceased to smile at Alltia. Elina particularly noted the wolf's eyes, which were sharp and of a blue-white hue.

"You have such pretty eyes, wolf. My, what's with these scars? You need to be more careful out hunting. By the way, are you hungry?" she kneaded the back of Alltia's ears. "Are you? Oh, I'm sorry. I was only out for a stroll, not a picnic. I'm here plenty of times though, so I could return here tomorrow by about the same time right now. I'll have some sandwiches for you then. Nod if you understand, wolfie."

Luna absolutely despised how Master was talking to the wolf. That affection was supposed to be hers and hers alone - Luna the White Cat's! She meowed an angry one. Elina just chuckled and said, "Now, now, Luna. Be nice!"

---

---

"Vespa," Lorelai said, "perhaps I could keep an inccubi or succubi ready for you to...absorb power from? Unless you have a better partner in mind of course."

Now, Vespa was normally a calm and collected girl whose bearing was dignified and thoroughly aristocratic. There was little that could move her or shake her confidence, but the few were powerful upon her composure. All of a sudden, the Blood Witch of the Full Moon and Heir Apparent of Castle Ruvina - officially, anyway - blushed. Her cheeks turned to crimson and her eyes widened. Now, she may have been a witch, but she was also a princess. There were several traits that were more or less common among such a peerage, and a firm believe in romantic love was one of them.

"F-Fueehh?! An incu- or su- ah," she realized quickly she was stuttering and closed her eyes to compose herself. "Oh, uhm, I mean- I thank you for the offer, Lorelai but ah, I'm more comfortable with sacrificing something." That, and she was a virgin, even though she had kissed in the lewdest manner possible. "Really, thank you. Uhm."

The way she brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face was in the realm of the most vulnerable maidens, unfitting for someone of considerable magical power. Her cheeks remained rosy.

"Anyway, yes. We will have to prepare to our fullest extent if we are to face the coming storm of Hunters. And, uhm, regarding my sister - I think," the blush had gone, "that we should tell her the truth. I don't think she would run off to Fenros simply because he's here. She maybe shy, introverted and a little unfriendly, but she isn't stupid. She is my sister and a noble of House Ruvina, the Blood Witch of the Crescent Moon." She smiled then. "She knows how to take care of herself."

@Aerandir@Meiyuki