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Warren and Barracker sat off to the side in a secluded area.  Inside the narrow part between shops, Barracker got a full report of the status of The Bats.  Warren sat, his back against a concrete wall that was fence high.  “Fuck, thinking about the causalties in that ambush gets my muscles twitching.  It was stupid of me to get caught there.  The rush to get to the Bazaar was a bit of a strain on the brain.  The Dire Stags leader took a hefty hit to his groin.  Fuck me if I know if he’s alive or not, I got some of our guys to carry him further inside the Bazaar where everyone was being treated.  I think you could do with the break Captain.”

Warren was chomping down on something, Barracker thought it might have been his pouch of chewing tobacco he regularly chewed in his spare time of relaxing, he only remembered this because of their time spent in their younger days as apprentices under Odis Visigni.  Something seemed off, but was it a good time to pry, he wasn’t sure and maybe that came out in his tone.  [color=green]“Warren I mean not to pry, but what is on your mind, friend.  You seemed lost in thought.”[/color]

Warren was about to speak, “Well I…  Don’t mind me, just a duty of an older brother.”

Barracker nodded in understanding.  Krillen was always looking out for him when they were younger.  He had not thought about his own brother in such a long while, but was reminded today. Not a brother in blood, as they were both orphans, but a brother nonetheless.  [color=green][i]Where are you Krillen and what have you been up to?[/i][/color]

Barracker bent to a knee in front of Warren, a hand to his shoulder.  [color=green]“Do not worry friend, on my honour, we will both see our brothers again.”[/color]

Barracker was met a light quip, “Ha, two-thousand to one odds of Valhiem surviving…  …We should’ve placed a bet seeing as we’d have been cashing in.”  Warren was infected with confidence after his captain’s assurance.  “Valhiem will be standing tall in the light of Iris for a long time to come.”  Then he changed the subject.  “Fuck me, Captain will you go get those arrows out of you.  For Quinities sake.”

Barracker smiled then nodded, and bid him a farewell.  He wondered what he would find walking into the group gathering of healing the injured, how many of his party would have taken an injury and how fatal it would have been. How many would be there to greet in person.  It was a bit unnerving though entering where the injured had been stationed, the air was thick with the stench of blood, it was quite overwhelming to the vampire.  Barracker felt fatigued, thirsty and welcomed some rest and some catch up with his friends too. He had hoped that his friends had not gone through alot on this siege but felt it had to have been rough for them. [color=green][i]Valhiem truly owed them their respect and if we all get through this, our lives[/i].[/color]

First member Barracker saw of Second Chance was Zell.  He walked over to his friend, and was met with "Do me a favour and sort out this pincushion next, will ye?  He's got more arrows in him than a map with directions. Ha!"

Barracker grinned looking at all the arrows sticking out of him, [color=green]“one would get lost following this map.”[/color] He clasped forearms gently with his brother in arms.  [color=green]“Looking worse for wear friend.  How was your side of the retreat?  Looks like we did as much damage as we possibly could manage on the front line.”[/color]  As he spoke about the battle and what happened to the lions, arrows one by one were being taken out of his back and shield arm.  [color=green][i]So much blood in the air.[/i][/color]  His fingers raised to gently touch his temples.  

Once he had been healed he thanked the tiefling Cleric for sorting him and his friend out.  He found what Zell knew about the rest of the party members of Second Chance and went off to find them.  Second face he saw was Adam, at the bridge and in talks with that blasted gnome.  He was going to go over, but realised they were busy casting and thought it would be best not to disturb them.  He did wonder what could have been happening but felt the Druid was exceptionally capable of handling the task.  Then he saw MacKensie and Fenna at another medical area.  He didn’t see Sil until he got closer.  His face brightened up when he saw the two but grew immediately concerned when Sil came into view.

[color=green]“How is she?”[/color] Barracker spoke with great concern.  Sil was Second Chance as much as any of them were and Barracker had grown greatly fond of the Falcon.  [color=green][i]Come on girl, you can shake this off, I know you can,[/i][/color] he thought as he looked upon the bird.  Barracker gently patted Fenna’s shoulder in a show of support.  

As soon as the vampire saw MacKensie, his eyes went to the bloody rips and cuts in her clothes that marked her wounds.

[color=green][i]She is covered in blood…

...Blood.[/i] [/color]

He realised now why he was so thirsty.  It had all come on so suddenly, the overflowing urge, and now his brain clicked why these flashes of intense hunger were coming and going.  Although it had only been yesterday that he had taken a vial, he needed another now and the sooner, the better.  He was so ashamed that he had looked at MacKensie this way, reminded once again that he was a monster deep down.  He went to his pouch and then realised he was standing around everyone.  So he excused himself and rushed off, finding his way down an alleyway and away from everyone.  Out of sight he reached into his pouch and retrieved a dark vial of Lamb's blood.  As he drank the vial clean, Barracker immediately grabbed his wrist, his eyes went blood-shot and he could feel his veins bulging. A familiar and painful reaction that happened every time.  A futile effort to refuse to enjoy the blood, but it went down like a treat and not because of the sugar and spices that seasoned the blood.

This worried Barracker a lot, how the thirst could just sneak up on him so quickly.  It must have been the state of feeling fatigue, bloodloss and on top of that, he guessed it must also have been because of the stench of blood filling the air.  [color=green][i]Can I really carry on like this? Or will I put everyone in danger?[/i][/color]