@Kyrisse
"Or they will come prepared to kill you as well, now that they know about you" Callie said worriedly, looking him over, concerned still. "It was...it was meant to kill me, yes" She said softly, hugging him again, wanting that contact. Needing it to reassure herself that he was alive, that he was well, to make sure all the magic had broken.

She nodded, "Seems like it" She said softly, picking up the herbs she had gathered after a moment, and glancing about them. "i didn't think that they would attack so soon..." She sighed heavily, turning back to face him "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to bring you into this, really" She said softly, leaning in close to him, as she cast a quick spell to give her a bit more waraning if someone came to attack them again.

"Lets go"

@Caits

You're not what you appear to be, wolf.

The words echoed in Caius' mind. What did the witch mean? Did it have something to do with why a spell meant to kill failed to bring him down?

"There's no need to say sorry. No matter what happens, I'll be here and I'll protect you," Caius reached out and hugged Callie as he made the promise. There was no way he would leave her alone now. If the witches in her old coven wanted her dead, then he can't leave her side. He won't allow any harm to befall her. He would fight til his last breath to keep her safe.

He slowly released her from his hug and took her hand in his. He intertwined his fingers with hers and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Where else do you need to go?" he asked.

Callie returned the hug, holding herself close against him, and laying her head on his chest, wishing for a brief moment that things could be different. That she didn't have the covens death threat on her and that she could just simply enjoy...whatever this was with Caius. "I don't want you to die" she said softly, looking up to him, swallowing.

She sighed, shifted the herbs she had, glancing with a little bit of paranoia to her bracelet, and then back to Caius, "I don't really need anything else, what I have is enough I think and the rest I can make do with she said, not wanting to put herself and therefore Caius at risk when she didn't have to. If she could work a few person specific spells, for defense perhaps she could rest easy.

Twining her fingers with his, she glanced about worriedly, even though she knew no one was out there, she felt like there was. [color=fff200]"I wish there was some way to get the coven to leave us alone"/color]@Kyrisse

@Caits

"I don't want you to die..."

Callie's words registered a little late in Caius' mind. "I'm not going to nor do I plan to," he assured her. He gave her hand another reassuring squeeze. He knew better than to assume that she felt as strongly for him as he felt for her. But all the same, it was nice to hear that concern in her voice and see that worry in her eyes. He'd only seen it several times in his life. In the eyes of his foster parents whom he ran away from in the fear of hurting them. In the eyes of his twin sister who was probably running around all over looking for that something she had always been looking for. And finally in the eyes of Silas, the uncle or guardian who always looked out for him. He was a mystery and Caius was no closer to figuring out what or who he was and why he was looking out for him in the first place. He was thankful though. He made a mental note to show his gratitude a little bit better next time they saw each other.

He looked at Callie. It was nice to add her to that list. It gave him a warm feeling.

He shook his head and reminded himself of what was the most important now.

Her safety.

"I would suggest you leave this all behind and start fresh somewhere else but I don't think you're willing to leave behind the coven," he said.

@Kyrisse
Callie sighed softly, knowing full well that Caius would put her safety before his own, and that while he could promise he wasn't going to die, he couldn't assure it, and she would do what she could to make sure that didn't happen.

Leave? She didn't think that that was a possability now. She looked to him, eyes a little wide, "But...I don't want to leave you" She said softly, then sighed softly. "And I can't leave my town to the coven, nor the vampires" She said, her tone strong, she gave him a smile. She gave him a tight hug, keeping herself close to him, liking his warmth, the strength he had. Steady.

And for some reason, he'd imprinted on her.

She might no understand imprinting, but she did know he'd do anything for her. She swallowed, and glanced away, laying her head on his chest, "There has to be another way" She said softly, before sighing again, faking his hand, to start heading back, she was nevertheless wary of their surroundings.

@Caits

Caius was acutely aware of their surrounding, his enhanced hearing able to detect even the smallest of sounds. If Callie was up against powerful witches that could cast deadly spells on a whim then he had to step up his game. Earlier had been a close call. He might have blocked the spell from hitting Callie but had the witch launched another attack, he would have been incapacitated. He can't let that happen. He was sure that the woman he had imprinted on was fully capable of countering spells with her charms but an attack like the one he took earlier would be fatal to her. Even to an aberration like him, it hurt like hell. If he was taken out of the picture...

"I don't believe that I've come fully prepared to take you on. I'll make sure to be when we cross paths again."

He pushed the thoughts away. He looked up at the sky. Full moon was still several nights away.

"Do you not have friends among the witches in your coven? Those that would side with you?" he asked as they headed back.

"She made a mistake. Now, i'll be fully prepared for her, and now I understand what she is capable of, truly. She won't catch me off guard again. None of them will" Callie intended to go create as many spells, potions and charms as she could, to prepare herself. She had recently found that she could store spells, to be used when she needed them, within herself. It was hard, complicated and time consuming, but it would mean she'd be able to prepare before hand, and fling powerful spells that required rituals out in seconds.

She shook her head, taking his hand [color=yellow]"None that I am perpared to ask for help, not when it could mean their own deaths"[color] She said "Not when the vampires are working with the coven, to try and create vampires that can use magic. I won't risk them" She didn't want to risk him either, but she couldn't stop him trying to protect her.

"I'll be prepared next time" She said softly, "if I have to, I'll...I'll try and block her access to magic" She said, feeling a little ill just thinking about it. @Kyrisse

@Caits

As soon as Callie got all that she needed, Caius brought her back to his place and the day passed by uneventfully. That night, he paced by the window, occasionally looking up at the moon. It wasn't full but it would be in a few more nights. "This unnatural surge of new vampires here would no doubt attract werewolves in an effort to bring back balance," he shook his head. "I would need to rejoin my pack at the night of the full moon to try and bring order to the chaos of newly turned wolves."

Callie looked up from the potions that she was making, charms and containers spred out around her. She hesitated, looking back to her potions, "Alright" She said softly, knowing that should couldn't distract him from his pack, but knowing that that would then be the perfect time for a strike to happen on either of them."I will see what I can do, before then, to work on this woman's...threats to us" She said softly, carefully splitting up the potion so that it was equally in all seven bottles laid out before her, capping them, and standing. She stretched, before scooping it all up, setting it aside where they couldn't be knocked off and carefully hanging up the charms she had made as well, pocketing a handful that were alredy envoked.

"I may be able to make a few charms that could help keep the newly turned slightly calmer, to make things easier if you want" She said, going over to him@Kyrisse

@Caits

Caius smiled at Callie's offer but shook his head. It would definitely be easier if the newly turned wolves were calmer but it was not how things should be done. Being turned on the night of a full moon and fighting with the older wolves was in itself a rite of passage, a sort of initiation for a life that would no doubt be more difficult than what the young ones could ever imagine. "Thank you for the offer but I'll have to say no. Chaos is a part of us and the young ones will have to learn to control it without any help. But I appreciate the offer."

He looked around his place. What used to be his place alone now showed signs that a female was living in it. It was nice. "I would, however, have you enchant this place to keep out everything and anyone, including me, on the night that I need to be away. Your witch friends might take the opportunity to attack."

Callie nodded in understanding, although she wanted to be of some use. Still, she didn't know how wolves did things. She supposed that it was just the way of things. She frowned at his concern, and his request. Shaking her head, she said "any witch that could come up against my wards would bring others and then it would only be a matter of time before the collective broke through. I can keep myself hidden though, so do not fear. Besides" she gave him a bright smile, confident, "i can protect myself, especially if i take them unawares. Setting up wards will let them know for sure i am here. When we went back, i took whatever they could use to track me."

She shrugged, not really worried too much about that, about being attacked here. "besides, anything supernatural, including witchez, generally needs an invitation to get through a threshold, or they leave most of their power there. I'm not foolish enough to invite someone in" she explained, "and this threshold?" she waved a hand at the door, giving him a small, almost shy smile, "well. Imprinting...that fierce need to protect? It would effect your...our threshold is all the stronger for it."@Kyrisse

@Caits

Callie's explanations made sense. And Caius was sure that she's very capable of protecting herself. But it didn't keep him from worrying. What would happen if the witches broke through the treshold? What would happen if they found her? What would happen if he's not there to take the brunt of another spell like the one casted earlier?

He shook his head and crossed over to the dresser that stood beside the bed. He pulled out a small drawer and took something silver on a fine chain from it. As soon as he had it in his hand, he walked towards Callie. "Here," he dangled the necklace in front of her. It was a silver necklace with a silver wolf pendant on it. Caius unclasped the chain and fastened it around her neck, the wolf pendant resting above her heart. "This will call me to you whenever you need me," he stepped back and looked at the necklace. "It's ironic that it's made of silver," he chuckled.

Callie could practically see the worry eminating off of Caius. She knew she couldn't stop him worry, but she was more then prepared to protect herself. yet despite the fact that she had seen him in action, she couldn't help but worry about him as well. She hoped, desperately, that he'd be okay out there tonight. The coven now knew who he was, and that....he was important. She didn't want them to harm him. A circle could do him some serious damage. She watched him walk over to the dresser, and then back to her, watching as he held out the necklace, standing still as he put it on. She looked down at it, reaching up to gently clasp it.

"I...thank you" She said softly, looking to him, she hugged him, muttering a few words, a spell or two that would given him a little bit of defense against magic. "please be safe" She said softly, leaning up to give him a kiss, before moving back, and giving him a smile. "I'll be okay" She said, "This is not the day I die" Among other things, Callie had visions, and she was sure that if she was going to die...she'd see it. "Really. Don't worry about me, okay? You have a lot to worry about" @Kyrisse

@Caits

Despite the worry he still felt, Caius gave a small chuckle. "Well, you'd better not die yet. That would..." he trailed off, considering his words. He wanted to tell her that it would be earth shattering for him but he stopped and reminded himself that imprinting wasn't something a human really understood. And being too open about it might actually sound creepy despite the fact that Callie was showing him affection too. "...really suck," he finished instead and then gestured at the pendant. "Just keep that on you and call me whenever. I'll come find you no matter where you are."

Callie gave him an almost knowing smile, aware of what he had wanted to say, but hadn't. "I will" she promised, giving him a hug, and a kiss, a surprising feeling of normalcy flowing over her. It was almost as if....she was merely saying goodbye at the door, on their s3perate ways for the day. She gave him a small smile. "I'll see you later" she said softly, knowing they could be there all night, but that he needed to go, that he had responsibilities, and that she couldn't keep him from them. "I'll make breakfast" she said, nudging him towards the door

@Caits

Caius gave Callie a lopsided grin, returned her hug and kiss and then nodded. "Hopefully, the new wolves won't be too much trouble. I'll be back soon," he said before turning away and heading out the door. Once outside, his thoughts turned back to what had happened earlier. The encounter with the witch brought so many questions to mind.

You're not what you appear to be, wolf.

What did that mean?

I am a wolf. What else would I be? he thought as he made his way out of the building and into the darkness.

Callie watched Caius leave her, to go help lead and protect the young wolves. While she was proud, Callie was worried... what if he didn't come back? She turned away from the door, lowering her head at her own foolishness... she hadn't known him long, what right did she have to feel this way? And yet... she did. She couldn't seem to help it. The way he made her feel... she sighed softly, and began to put up some wards, if only to give Caius peace of mind that she was alright, and safe.

She busied herself, gathering up her supplies, and packing them up, readying herself in case something did happen, and then, with some hesitation, she sat on the bed, cross legged, and bowed her head, closing her eyes, she opened herself to visions, as if she could see if anything would befall Caius and stop them... but it had been a few days since she'd let herself see anything, and she knew that she needed to. Plus... it gave her something to do while she waited.

@Kyrisse

@Caits

As the darkness enveloped Caius, he phased into his wolf form, howling up at the moon. He ran in and out of the trees, heading towards the clearing where the other wolves would gather. As he neared the place, he could feel the new minds joining their collective thought. Nervous, excited, uncertain and scared thoughts all filtered into his head followed by Darric's calm, commanding voice. They were all gathered already and he could sense restlessness in the pack. Some of them were revving up for a fight, something that was common on a day like this.

He stepped out of the trees, the moonlight shining on his black fur. Clear blue eyes looked around at the smaller wolves, their new addition, called into the bloodline with the sudden influx of vampires. The growling ceased as several pair of feral eyes rested on Caius.

Darric's laughter echoed in all their minds. The calm that Caius brings with him. Ever since you joined the pack, Caius, all full moons have been easy to manage.

At their leader's words, one wiry haired wolf that was standing closest to Caius bared his teeth and growled low, a clear sign of challenge.

Caius turned his blue eyes to the smaller wolf, bared his own fangs and growled back.

Don't mistake my calmness for gentleness, wolf, Caius warned. But the young wolf had no plans on heeding his peer's word and launched himself, bangs bared and claws extended, ready to tear and maim. Caius met the wolf's attack head on.

The older members of the pack stepped back, including Darric, making way for the first challenge of the night. Those that remained in the center were the new wolves, most of them getting worked up by the courage that the wiry haired one displayed. Some of the more level headed ones stepped back.

---

Several hours and several fights later, just as Caius was catching his breath from all the challenges he had to take, a malicious singsong voice echoed in the night.

"A gathering of mutts, I see. It'll be so much easier to rid the world of your kind now that you're gathered in one spot." The witch that had attacked Caius and Callie before called out. All wolves turned their attention to where the voice came from. She was floating mid air, the shadows of the trees hiding her from plain view. "Let's make sure you don't interfere this time, Lupo Dio," the witch pointed a finger at Caius and a red sigil appeared underneath his feet. "You'll die a painful death after I deal with your... minions," she added and started raining spells on the other wolves.

Caius poised himself to attack but found that he couldn't move, all four feet glued to the spot where the sigil glowed. Pain lanced through his whole body the more he struggled against it. He saw two young wolves fall dead on the ground as several more witches hovered into view. He struggled harder, the pain intensifying as he did. The older wolves were furiously attacking, managing to catch and tear through two witches who screamed in pain as fangs teared through their flesh. Darric and the silver wolf, Anaia, were heading towards the witch's leader.

His flesh screaming in pain, Caius continued to struggle against the transparent binds that held him in place. He growled, grinding his fangs in frustration. It made no sense why the witch singled him out. He pushed the thought aside and focused on setting himself free.

He could see the witch readying an attack to hurl at both Darric and Anaia. He didn't know how but he knew that it would be fatal to the wolves if the spell hit them. If he could only break free...

And then it happened.

Everything seemed to slow down. As Caius looked around him, he could see wispy strands that snaked up his body from the sigil. While they looked thin and easily broken, they held him in place tightly. With a snarl, he snapped at the strings and as they broke against his fangs, he immediately felt his body become lighter, the pain ebbing away. He didn't waste any more time and shrugged the rest of it off.

As soon as he was free, he launched himself at the witch, catching the full brunt of her spell with his body, the same way he did for Callie. His body immediately became numb and he hit the ground with a thud. At the same time, he heard a scream as the two wolves descended on the witch, his timely intervention letting them successfully proceed with their attack.

Lupo Dio..

Callie leaned back on the bed, thoughtful, the laptop she was using on her legs, as she stretched out, notes spread over to show that she was doing some research. She figured that she needed to know truly what she was getting into… and the internet had some truly supernatural corners, if you knew where to look. Her book of shadows also helped her, and she had stumbled across the… name? Title? Of Lupo Dio.

Wolf god.

She wasn’t too sure if the source she was reading from was reliable, and yet… There was something to it, she thought… Maybe she should as Caius, once he came back. It would certainly be an interesting conversation, and… She wanted to ask him about what he had done, earlier. She sighed, glancing out the window at the lightening sky, more than a little trouble. She knew she shouldn’t worry about Caius, but she couldn’t help it. She sighed, and ran her hand through her hair, pushing her laptop onto the bed, she rose.

She padded towards the kitchen, opening the fridge, cupboards, anything, not sure what she was looking for, if she was looking for anything that was, before she moved around the apartment, filled with energy that she couldn’t seem to get rid off, going towards the window, and looking out. She saw nothing, and yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched. More than a little unnerved, Callie walked around the apartment again, checking her potions and spells, walking around again. As the sky grew lighter and lighter, Callie decided that she couldn’t just stay in the apartment forever. She needed to find Caius and make sure that he was alright.

She armed herself with potions, and spells, draping charms about her person, and shoving potions into her satchel, and started out. She had a general idea of where Caius would be, and where she could look, and with her magic, she was sure that she could hunt him down. She stopped, muttering a few words, before continuing.

@Caits

A woman wearing a tight black leather suit switched off the ignition of her motorcycle and removed her helmet, revealing long black hair, a handsome face and piercing blue eyes. She looked around, wrinkling her nose in disgust. While she could smell the scent of wolves, the town reeked of vampires and witches. Why Caius wanted to stay in a place like this was beyond her comprehension.

She looked towards a woman across the street. From the distance, the newcomer could sense that she was a witch and the words she was muttering were most probably incantations. She swung her leg off her bike, leaned it on its stand and jogged towards the woman. As she got closer, she caught a whiff of Caius' scent. It was all over the witch.

She narrowed her eyes.

"Hey, witch. Where's Caius? What have you done to him?" she called out, hostility obvious in her voice. Last night had been horrible. She felt a sharp pain in her chest as though someone had stabbed her with a knife. She feared that something happened to her brother and so she wasted no time getting on her bike and speeding towards the direction she smelled his scent. If the witch had done something to Caius, she was ready to tear her apart.