((Okay, FINALLY Found the time to read through all the posts. XDD ))

Lyora groaned with displeasure as Kyrian and Adarik left her behind, running off with inhuman speed. Shrugging, she decided to explore, knowing they'd come to find her when cyri had been recovered. But it was not the Avians she came across, it was anemormous lion, the very cat Cyri and Silent had brawled over mere hours ago. It spotted her, and slowly began to approach, growling low and feral. She ran. It followed. She made not a sound, hoping not to alert anyone of her plight. She would be so very embar*censored*ed. She managed to get high enough in a sturdy tree. It circled the base, clawing at the bark and yowling, making a great fuss. That was when Silent came along, grappling with the beast, easily taking it down and feasting upon its body. 

Lyora had to look away, for she could not bear the sight of her love to be drinking the blood of a fallen animal. It was too strong a reminder of what he had become. When he was finnished, staring sadly at his bloodstained hands, she climbed down from the branches and went to his side. "You are no monster", Lyora whispered, laying a gentle hand across his shoulder, "You are a good and gentile person who has had monstorous things happen to him."  She embraced Silent, the animal's blood rubbing off onto her clothes and body. "I love you for who you are, Silent, not what species you have become. Not for what they have tried to make you."

Sickened by they way Kyrian looked at Cyri, Adrik left the pair to ogle over each other. Pity that such a talent is wasted on a love-struck fool. The forest seemed to fight with every step he took. Avian by body and soul, Adrik knew how to walk the earth but at times he just couldn’t seem to get it. This was one of those times. Hidden ruts made him stumble while branches snapped under his pressure making him plummet to the ground, or were so stubborn that he would run straight into the trunk.

Finally, after the third fall, Adrik lashed out with talons sharper than any natural falcon. Slicing through the foliage easily, he grew he shifted to his demi-form. “Why am I out hunting for a lost child? I have no part in this,” he grumbled, but his warrior conscience wouldn’t seem to let go of the fact that Lyora had been human and defenseless. With a sharp screech, half broken by his human mouth, Adrik’s lavender eyes heightened to pick out broken paths that Lyora might have taken, or created.

Nearing the barn, Adrik’s gut tightened with an emotion he wasn’t about to admit. He had never failed to bring back someone that he was to guard. Technically, I’m not the one that was told to guard her, but he had taken it upon himself anyway. He cursed stupid, pea-sized robin brain. Then spotted the clearing where Silent had a show down with Cyri, over their latest ‘meal’. Movement gave him a surge of adrenaline, but it was smothered quickly when the same prey came into view stalking Lyora. With a growl deep in the back of his throat, Adrik folded his wings to streak down from the sky.

Just when he was thinking he might not be fast enough, Silent bust through the dense forest and attacked the cougar. Silent slaughtered the mighty creature with abandon, and Adrik watched silently from the air above. When the dirty deed was done, to his surprise, Silent had a look of shame on his face. Don’t like what you’ve become, beast? Using the down draft, Adrik’s foot touched solid ground, and his missed the air almost instantly.

Keeping back, Adrik rolled his darkening eyes. How easily the human accepted the monster. It was unnatural and disgusting to him. Eyes violet with pent-up rage, Adrik spoke stoically, “As touching as this reunion is, the big, bad vampire is still alive so I would suggest getting back to the semi-safety of the barn.” Feeling that he had done his duty, Adrik lifted his head regally, and stalked off without a backward glance. Reaching out with his mind, Adrik whispered to Kyrian, I’ve found her. She is in Silent’s care now, so you can come straight back. Withdrawing from the other avian’s mind, Adrik thought to himself, or save me a grueling night of hearing you two sighing and take a detour out of my life.

Feeling more alone than ever before, Adrik wondered how he had ever thought his life was wonderful. All around him true happiness bloomed, yet His White Queen would only stamp on his bud. Stunting any growth of longing or hope at actually living a real life, and he had followed her so blindly! His anger was so overwhelming at the fact that he had followed so obediently, so blindly for so many years that when he looked down his hands glowed in the eerie indigo of his magic. Knowing that his eyes and indigo streak in his hair must also be glowing, Adrik took a calming breath. He would not lose his temper. Never would he lose his temper. He might snap and grouch, but never would he honestly erupt. Come to me my peace, em’Ecl’adri’ka. The blessed void of darkness taunted him, promised peace from everything, but he wouldn’t go there. He would dance the death dance with the master of consuming, but he would win. Adrik always won…sometimes.

Longing for emerald eyes filled him with something new, something he didn't want to poke at, as his whispered, "Where are you, Trinity." His feet bare, he walked silently into the barn. Zephyra was rolling her eyes at something and grumbled about not getting anything to eat, but he ignored it. His deep violet eyes were riveted on Trinity. Her pale complection, ebony hair, and beguiling emerald eyes.

OoC: >.< I wanna post! So I shall have Zephyra do a filler, maybe find Lyora and Silent...I don't know.

With a fierce rumble from her stomach, Zephyra groaned. Her mouth watered as she thought of the sweet, honey buns that she had missed out on when her and Lyora had escaped from Jaguar's home. An odd squeeze deep in her belly happened at the thought of Jaguar, but her back also ached from the lashes of a whip. She would not kneel to him again, yet she thought of Lady Dagamar. The cook had been stern with her, but she created the most delicious meals.

Unable to handle it any longer Zephyra turned on her heels and left the shelter of the barn. She hardly saw Adrik, blending in the shadows, as she left. Curious to why he wouldn't simply enter Zephyra paused by him. His violet eyes were so dominating when he turned to stare at her. The air around him was different. It was lethal, almost, but an undercurrent of mercy kept the fear away from her. I definitely don't want to get him angry, she thought as she quickly left him without a word.

The forest was full of little critters and a gentle breeze, but her deep sapphire eyes took time to adjust. As they did, Zephyra relaxed because, although she liked company, she had been strained by Trinity's and Silent's presence. When she spotted a huckleberry bush Zephyra almost squealed with delight. The little, pink berries were more sour than sweet, but still wonderful to her empty belly.

After curbing the hunger, Zephyra collected a good handful. She didn't know where to put them as she looked down at her torn, dirty tunic. The night was warm enough that she had left her boots and cloak back at the barn. Looking around to make sure that no one was around, Zephyra held the bottom of her tunic like a bowl. Dropping the berries there, Zephyra decided that the cabin should have either a cup or something that could hold the berries so she went in search of it.

When she found it, the cabin was dark and foreboding. It sent chills down her spine and the hair on her arms stood up. "Sure is creepy at night," she whispered to herself. Wearily edging closer to the door, Zephyra pushed it open, and was surprised to find the hinges well oiled. Peering into the darkness, she waited until she could make out shapes before she stepped in. When inside it was easy to find the table since the cabin was quite small and simple. On the table was a set of plates and cups. Perfect! Grabbing a cup, Zephyra transferred the berries to it, and decided to pick more on the way back to the barn.

She ended up eating more berries than putting them in the cup and had to wander deeper into the woods to find more. The trees looked less dense up ahead, so she headed that way, only to find Silent and Lyora talking. "Oh," she mumbled, "am I interrupting?"

(( Sorry guys. Lost track. ))

Silent growled and backed away from her. "Lyora. For once, open your eyes. Look at me." His eyes flashed angrily. He bared his blooded hands and body at her. Then noticed Zephyra. "You shouldn't be out alone at night. Creatures stalk the darkness." he said with a strange bitterness. With that, he vanished into the shadows. He walked through the forest, letting the vampire part of him take over. His claws raked across a tree, marking his area. He hissed and he crouched, walking with an odd, yet unnervingly graceful, gait. His long upper canines, sharp against his lower lip, were bared as he caught the scent of another. It was one of his own kind. He cautiously edged forward. Almost instantly, the two vampires faced eyes and froze, staring each other down. The other was slim, with dark hair and a wolfish face and silver eyes. He was skinny and long, but Silent knew that he was perhaps even more graceful and swift than him. Finally, it was he who broke the silence. "Who." The stranger hissed through two fangs. Silent growled. "A wanderer in the woods, nothing more. But you shouldn't be hunting here. It's my territory." he snarled. The vampire snarled back. "I smell none of your scent. Therefore, it cannot be yours." he hissed. Silent bristled and his eyes flashed dangerously. Instantly, the slightly older vampire stranger became aware of something. "You are a newborn." He said simply, the venom gone. Silent curled his lip, revealing slightly bloodstained fangs. The man straightened slightly and made a pece gesture with his hands. "Please. I mean no harm. I was just p*censored*ing. May I ask your name?" He asked, his tone instantly friendly. He was wise not to provoke a newborn. Knowing their unstable strength, speed, and stubbornness. "Silent. No surname. I have no master." He said, the words flowing as if he had been born into the vampire world. Te vampire nodded and slowly, Silent relaxed. His sense came back over and he sighed, his face becoming downcast. The stranger noticed. "My name is Ryu. I'm slightly older than by a thousand years or so. But I have to ask, have you ever killed a human yet?" He asked, curious. Silent thought back. "I have killed, but not a human. The vampire that bit me first changed me into a halfling. Then another finished the job, allowing me to drink his blood. But I have not feasted upon human flesh." he said with a thoughtful ex
pression. "Then why so sad? You have no murdered a friend or loved one. Why so depressed?" Ryu asked, genuinely curious. "The one who loves me is human. I cannot be around her without wanting to tear her throat out. my sister has become a vampires, bitten by the King. She has fallen in love with an Avian boy. My life is messed up. I had just wanted to escape the camp with my friends. Not endure such horrible tortures..." He whispered solemly. Ryu sighed. "Alas, I understand well. " he sighed and they smiled sadly at each other. "It was nice meeting you, Silent." Ryu said. Silent nodded and he turned to leave, Ryu noted the scars crisscrossing the boys back and wrists from when he had been human. Those cuts hadn't healed. Why? It confused him. Then he realized. They would only heal if he drank his master's blood, or a human's blood. He watched Silent go and sighed. He would watch the boy. He interested him.

"Why, Silent...?" Lyora breathed, tearing up. She saw that he had become afraid of himself, afraid of what he would do to her if they remained too close for too long a time. Naturally, she followed him into the darkness, stopping upon hearing another voice. Another vampire. They exchanged a few words, all of them saddening. Silent ran because he was afraid that he would kill her... His vampiric urges kept them apart. Would they still tell him to attack her if she too was of their kind? She wanted nothing more than to be human, and to remain so wit Silent constantly by her side, but it seemed that she would have to choose between the two.

Lyora resigned herself to the fact that there was no other way to do things, and continued on Silent's trail. After several moments, she came across a form. Thinking it was Silent, she approached. But she had thought wrong. This was not her love, this was Ryu.

Lyora did not shrink back at the sight of Ryu, but merely smiled sadly. "My name is Lyora... I am a human, as you can clearly see... I am an escaped slave.... I am lost, confused, and afraid... And I am in love. I am in love with the chill a cool breeze gives you as it p*censored*es on a hot summer day, with the sound of a bird's song on the wind, with the beauty and hidden harshness of a rose.... With the only one whom I can never truly have.... Silent..." She sighed, chuckling and shaking her head slightly. "He thinks he has it rough... All I've ever wanted was to love, to be loved, and to be free.... Yet, when I have them all, I am unable to enjoy them because of what has happened to Silent... I've been waiting my whole life to be with someone like him, to love and be loved... But because he was bitten, because he is a vampire, every moment we spend together is harmful to us both... The closer I get, the more pain I cause to silent, and the closer he gets to me, the more sorrow overcomes my being... I do not care what species he is, or what he looks like.... But he insists that he is a monster... We love each other, yet can never be together..."