Little Huntress ~Battle of "Right and Wrong"~

[Asa]

Emily

Ohhh don't give me that look you know you get pissy when you have to ask for Gregs help or Bishops or My help. I just worry that Rayna is all but literally beating her head against a wall to get Greg to see the beauty that she does in his wolf. I mean that part of him is not as bad as he wants it to be... remember when he shifted in the house and it would not attack you or me even though Wolves and Vampires are supposed to be some kind of enemies and he never cowered from me like he does Batai... I think thats one thing that really hurts her is his hatred of that part of him. But tell him that and it will be all boo hoo woe is me another screw up on my part can't do anything right but its a disease a plague... how can she love that thing... nevermind that she was married to a werecat for years.

Emily quieted some when they neared the house and shook her head. This little family of theirs had soooo much to deal with and now Rayna was the be all end all of the Boston vampires... it was all becoming way too real way too fast.

Rayna

She heard the beginning of a statement and set the knife down and turned to look at him. She started to say something but thought against it and opted instead to go for a walk. She had to figure out a way to get him to see the beauty of it all. She felt a presence near her one she knew all too well and missed all too much as she walked along.

Thank you for agreeing to take care of the meeting for me brother... No tricks on your part nor surprises that I will have to fix or clean up after. You would not want to piss off mother especially now that she wishes to claim us as her children.

Pausing she turned around but kept her dark glasses on to hide the blood tear struggling to fall.

Please inform Ember and her mate and the pack that I will need to speak with them in the next few days... They will need to meet all of my counsel after all.

She was looking right at his face and eyes falling into some grand memory of when they were closer as siblings and choked back a tinge of sorrow.

Do you remember the last time we were in Moscow Bishop? 18 something wasn't it?

 

[Veroe]

IC: Darren Cross

Emily continued, "That is why I get soo sick of the macho bullshit from you about not needing help when clearly you do or the boo hoo woe is me from Greg... I swear Rayna had better kick both of your asses out of that mentality soon or maybe I will have to."

He quirked an eyebrow at her at that. Greg was the whiner. Darren never whined. He had problems and occassionally voiced his struggles overcoming them, but that was hardly whining, now was it?

"Ohhh don't give me that look you know you get pissy when you have to ask for Gregs help or Bishops or My help. I just worry that Rayna is all but literally beating her head against a wall to get Greg to see the beauty that she does in his wolf."

Darren shook his head beginning to wonder if Emily was able to talk without stopping to inhale back when she was alive.

"I mean that part of him is not as bad as he wants it to be... remember when he shifted in the house and it would not attack you or me even though Wolves and Vampires are supposed to be some kind of enemies and he never cowered from me like he does Batai... I think thats one thing that really hurts her is his hatred of that part of him. But tell him that and it will be all boo hoo woe is me another screw up on my part can't do anything right but its a disease a plague... how can she love that thing... nevermind that she was married to a werecat for years."

Darren nodded gaining some odd attention to the few people on the bus with him. One or two were looking to see if he had earbuds in and was listening to a hidden mp3 player-which wasn't a bad idea considering how Emily went on and on while he or Greg wasn't able to respond to her without gaining the wrong sort of scrutiny.

As the bus turned into their neighborhood Darren thought on what Emily had said. The truth was he didn't think Greg would ever accept his wolf, not for yet a few more years of living with it. And all the pulling and pouting Rayna and Emily and even Batai was only going to make Greg dig his heels in deeper in resistance. Darren their friend needed to get over it, but the first step in that was for everyone else to accept that the wolf by the innocent reason of its existence had indeed hurt Greg. It was a constant threat and attack upon him, his sense of identity, his humanity.

Darren remembered when Bishop had turned him, and his own adjustment period. It had taken him about a decade to truly accept it down deep in the depths of his soul. Greg has had about a year or two, maybe three, but Darren believed this was something only Greg could do on his own, no matter how silly and pig-headed it was. As his friend Darren could only stand by him and support him as Greg wrestled with the inevitable and necessary struggle for his new identity.

The bus reached their stop and Darren got up and exited on their street. He and Emily headed back to the townhouse door.

-------------------------------------------X

IC: Gregory Wolf

Greg shook his head, "Rayna I'm not..." He thought better of it and returned to his own prepwork. He decided he'd make them all omelettes.

He could feel her eyes on him, but she stopped and left out the backdoor. Into the small overgrown backyard area of the house. He bit his lip. His pig-headedness had driven her away. Greg felt terrible about that, but he couldn't take that step she wanted him to take, not now, and probably not ever.

So he stayed inside like a coward as the first woman he loved since...since he ran away from Claire, his fiance...sulked in the backyard about his stubborness.

----------------------------X

IC: Bishop

Bishop was leaning on the side of the house so Rayna would have to turn around to look at him. "You always did love to collect strays, sis. The more pathetic the more appealing they were to you. Why is that?"

"Thank you for agreeing to take care of the meeting for me brother..." Rayna said not rising to his bait-pity, Bishop had enjoyed the arguments of their youth.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Me and mother and the councillors don't leave for the council hall until tomorrow evening. Then it will be all on your shoulders, Rayna. For once you get my left-overs."

"No tricks on your part nor surprises that I will have to fix or clean up after. You would not want to piss off mother especially now that she wishes to claim us as her children."

He spread his hands affecting an innocent air at that. "There are always surprises, otherwise eternal life would get unbearably boring."

She then turned to face him the glasses hiding her eyes. He got a whiff of blood but it was not much and the breeze snatched it away from him. "Please inform Ember and her mate and the pack that I will need to speak with them in the next few days... They will need to meet all of my counsel after all."

"Sure, though it would be delicious to see how they treat your lovely little puppy dog in there," He gestured a finger to the kitchen window where Greg was working. "Ember isn't the delicate and subtle type."

She looked at him for a long moment an expression of nostalgia coming over her, and Bishop straightened. "Do you remember the last time we were in Moscow Bishop? 18 something wasn't it?"

"It wasn't Moscow. It was St. Petersburg, January 11, 1800 and...I forget the exact date, but it was when Napolean invaded Russia and we were stuck between them and the Russians. I remember how cold it was....we were on the brink of starvation and freezing to death..." He shook his head, "...Why would you bring that up now?"

 

[Asa]

Rayna

She shrugged a little.

The two young Werewolves that helped us... kept bringing food to us once we managed to find that little nearly destroyed ruin of a house... They had told us about how they had learned to dwell in both worlds as they called it... the world of the humans and the world of the beasts... They knew the beauty and the darkness of both and how to survive and use both to protect and make the other better.

A blood tear fell as she spoke

I wish I could Greg learn or develop what those young still nearly children had learned after their turning.

Wiping the tear and trying to set herself against that infernal heart that kept trying to sneak up on her.

That really is one of the curses of our existence we have seen the darkness and the beauty in all creatures and people. Thank you for your help and Ember will tow her place since he is of my council she is good at that and keeping both mate and pack in line as well unless the task calls for something heavier. Do come back to visit brother... we have... alot of catching up and ... mending to do in this new chapter.

She smiled to him almost wanting a hug from her big brother. Resealing that infernal heart away she straightened her shirt and nodding to him started to walk back towards the door to go back in the house.

They will watch over me brother... you chose well in a childer even if he is a little strong willed... you were too and so was I at his age. Though are there any you would suggest I keep an eye on now that I have Boston... any that tried to cause trouble and might redouble their efforts due to my being new to this?

Emily

Once they got near the house she paused tensing a little. Her eyes wide as she looked to Darren and for whatever reason whispered as if she was afraid he would hear her.

Bishop is here... back yard alone with Rayna...

She was not sure what it meant she could still sense both of them so they were still in the land of the living as it were but still there was that bloody tinge to things which always creeped her out a little since it meant from what she had learned that vampire blood had been shed.

Getting that red tinge too...

She bit her lip when she realized that neither Batai nor Greg seemed to know

They don't know he is here with here...

 

[Veroe]

IC: Bishop and Darren Cross

"It wasn't Moscow. It was St. Petersburg, January 11, 1800 and...I forget the exact date, but it was when Napolean invaded Russia and we were stuck between them and the Russians. I remember how cold it was....we were on the brink of starvation and freezing to death..." He shook his head, "...Why would you bring that up now?"

"The two young Werewolves that helped us... kept bringing food to us once we managed to find that little nearly destroyed ruin of a house... They had told us about how they had learned to dwell in both worlds as they called it..." Rayna replied. "They knew the beauty and the darkness of both and how to survive and use both to protect and make the other better."

"Ah yes, Andrev and Petra."

"I wish I could Greg learn or develop what those young still nearly children had learned after their turning." She said wiping a tear of blood from falling down her cheek. "That really is one of the curses of our existence we have seen the darkness and the beauty in all creatures and people."

"That's the Rayna I remember," Bishop said with a smirk, "You're never happy unless you're fixing something or someone."

"Thank you for your help and Ember will tow her place since he is of my council she is good at that and keeping both mate and pack in line as well unless the task calls for something heavier. Do come back to visit brother... we have... alot of catching up and ... mending to do in this new chapter." She replied turning back to the door, "They will watch over me brother... you chose well in a childer even if he is a little strong willed... you were too and so was I at his age. Though are there any you would suggest I keep an eye on now that I have Boston... any that tried to cause trouble and might redouble their efforts due to my being new to this?"

"Wait," He said reaching out to grab her by the wrist. "Why were you reminiscing about those Russian twins. Are you trying to emulate their approach with Darren and the barely housebroken pup in there?" He nodded his head to the townhouse's backdoor where Greg still worked on making breakfast. "Do you think its really possible for you, for us? Darren tried the same thing when he moved into this house. He could since he turned his back on the community here in town and on me, but you won't ever be able to, little sister. Whether or not you realize it or not you are the heart of the community your place is within the hotel leading us not pretending you are human again. The moment of choice will come for Darren and it will come for you even sooner, Rayna. The both of you should stop playing pretend and return to the hotel and lead the vampires of this city and leave behind the ghost and wolfling. Save them the ordeal of sinking into the darkness with you and Darren."

"Bishop," Darren said as he and Emily came around the house to the backyard, "You had this conversation with me when I left you and it didn't work then. It's even less likely to work now with Rayna. She'll make it work. We'll make it work, all of us together. A new world, our world to live in."

Bishop looked up to him then back to Rayna letting go of her arm. He looked into her eyes as he said, "The problem with dreams is that you wake up. No matter how sweet, my dear sister, my childer, you always eventually wake up."

That said he turned to leave. "I've tried to help you, both of you despite yourselves....I hope when you two finally are forced to wake up from this dream......" He turned to look at both of them over his shoulder waving good bye to his sister and childer. "...I hope."

 

[Asa]

Rayna and Emily

Now it was her turn to stop him. Rayna reaching a hand to Bishop's wrist. Removing the sunglasses this time and tossing them to the steps. Her eyes searching his as she spoke.

Just like Father's attempt to overcome his madness... and make it a different world for us brother? You do realize that Maxwell was the one that led him so deeply back into his madness. When he was able to get away from the council with us... do you remember Bishop? To a mortal it may have been many years but our time with him that was happy. I know he had little moments of madness and we always protected each other from those bouts of madness but Maxwell... He could not have that... so Isabella was placed in your path to ensnare you and draw you away... I know you loved her and I believe she came to love you brother... I was always so happy for you to have her and what became of all of that for a time. Just like our time before that. All of our traveling and the parties and grand palace balls and...

She smiled almost deviously

Warkick England... That charming young Noble who assumed that he would have had no chance to win my hand suspecting we were together due to our always being around each other.

She laughed as she watched to see his reaction. The darkness that Emily had seen around her before seemed to fade into this warmth and happiness. Emily watched Rayna's eyes dance as she talked about the past with Bishop and even his energy seemed to soften as well. Emily smirked... Cold cocky jackass had a heart after all. Emily still could not imagine these two as young "teens" or foolish youth but it seemed they even had a time like that together as vampires. Emily raised a brow though looking to Darren though that smirk never left her face. Rayna took a step closer to her brother as if completely forgetting the other two were there.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Bishop

That said Bishop turned to leave. "I've tried to help you, both of you despite yourselves....I hope when you two finally are forced to wake up from this dream......" He turned to look at both of them over his shoulder waving good bye to his sister and childer. "...I hope."

Be he was stopped when Rayna grabbed hold of his wrist. Bishop turned to regard her.

"Just like Father's attempt to overcome his madness... and make it a different world for us brother," She asked.

His jaw set, their sire was a sore issue for Bishop. He knew he had times where he had succumbed to disjointed delusions, but....unlike Rayna beleived...together they could've brought Draven out of it and returned the great and powerful vampire master and father they had known and loved.

"You do realize that Maxwell was the one that led him so deeply back into his madness."

"I knew," He ground out to her, "And I would've dealt with him for it and for Isabella, in time. Once I removed his support from the council. I never thought Mother would've turned on him so absolutely. She has really taken a shine on you, my dear sister."

"When he was able to get away from the council with us... do you remember Bishop?"

Muscles worked in his jaw and neck as he relived those happier days.

"To a mortal it may have been many years but our time with him that was happy. I know he had little moments of madness and we always protected each other from those bouts of madness but Maxwell... He could not have that..."

His voice was gruff, thick with unwanted emotions, "Don't, Rayna, I can't go there to memories of her again."

But Rayna continued on with all the merciless intent of a doctor cutting away flesh infected with gangrene. "so Isabella was placed in your path to ensnare you and draw you away... I know you loved her and I believe she came to love you brother... I was always so happy for you to have her and what became of all of that for a time."

He was there kneeling before the funeral pyre again crying out his rage and grief and despair to an uncaring world for taking the one pure thing he ever truly loved as either man or vampire from him. He looked away as tears of blood welled in his eyes. Isabella, he had sworn undying revenge for her, dined and laughed with his lover's murderer, only to have his revenge met by another.

There was a humiliating impotence to that.

"Just like our time before that. All of our traveling and the parties and grand palace balls and..." Rayna smiled deviously. Bishop had missed her mischeivious smiles, "Warkick England... That charming young Noble who assumed that he would have had no chance to win my hand suspecting we were together due to our always being around each other."

Despite his previous emotions he smiled and chuckled, "The callow young Earl, Frederick. We took him to the old hellfire club meetings. If anyone could die of shock and embarassment in a night he came perilously close. He did feint outright when you suggested the two of us fuck you against the tunnel wall. He probably awoke the next morning convinced it was all a wicked dream."

He reached out and stroked her cheek fondly like he used to before the loss of Isabella and the exile of Rayna had hardened his heart. "Do not think I do not realize what you are doing, Rayna." His hand lowered to rest over her heart. "I appreciate the attempt, but all that was warm inside me was frozen over and I'm not ready to thaw it out...yet, dear sister, yet."

 

[Asa]

She knew the words would hurt but she also knew that no one would talk to him about it as she would. No one would care enough to make him think on it and heal from it and move on. Mother had set right the wrong Done to both of them. She suspected that mother would try to work with him and help him heal. Resting her hand over his over her heart. Then leaning close to him she kissed his cheek and whispered.

My words as always are from love and care for you precious brother.

Reaching a hand up she wiped away a blood tear from his eyes as she placed her hand over his heart as well in that immortal silent bond they have always shared.

Emily

She watched this unable nearly to believe Bishop was acting so human and Rayna was light her energy and aura was... so soft and warm.

Darren is this... normal... good or bad?

She wanted to move over to Rayna but didn't she felt sure that Rayna had done more than Bishop realized. She was sure she was just that sneaky and devious. Even if it was a slow seed planted to be added to over time.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Bishop

He reached out and stroked her cheek fondly like he used to before the loss of Isabella and the exile of Rayna had hardened his heart. "Do not think I do not realize what you are doing, Rayna." His hand lowered to rest over her heart. "I appreciate the attempt, but all that was warm inside me was frozen over and I'm not ready to thaw it out...yet, dear sister, yet."

"My words as always are from love and care for you, precious brother." She said and somehow Bishop believed her. She reached up and wiped away a blood tear rolling down his cheek.

"You always have to fix people, sister," Bishop stated with a fond smile.

--------------------------------------------X

IC: Darren Cross and Bishop

Darren and Emily stood frozen to the spot watching the brother and sister reminiscing.

"Darren is this... normal... good or bad?"

He shrugged, "I don't know about normal, Em, but I don't think its bad."

When Rayna and Bishop were through, he nodded at Bishop. "We're about to have breakfast. You're welcome to join us."

He shook his head. "I have no interest in human food, or playing house." He turned to Rayna. "I must return to the hotel and the council meeting this morning. Fare well, my dear sister."

He then turned to leave.

 

[Asa]

This time Rayna let him leave as she turned and looked at Darren and Emily a smile on her lips though it was a sad smile. Turning to walk into the house she motioned for them to come on in as well. Once everyone was in she took the necklace from her pocket and placing it around her neck she pulled Greg and Darren both in close reaching a hand to Emily as well. She in a way had confirmation about something she suspected but Bishop never spoke of. Maxwell was out to hurt both of them in anyway he could. His torture of her was direct but his torture of Bishop was perhaps far more brutal.

Emily hovered her arms extended hugging them all in her own way as she in that moment hated that she was unable to truly touch them. She wondered if Batai sensed what was going on and what Rayna was thinking or feeling in that moment. It was truly impressive to watch that moment between sister and brother after all what little she had known of Bishop form dealing with Darren and Greg was he was a pompous ass but in that moment to see real emotion from him and from her was... a little intense.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Darren Cross and Gregory Wolf

After Bishop left them Darren followed Rayna back inside the townhouse. Gregory was still inside the kitchen and glared at them. "Where have you guys been? I need those groceries." He said taking the shopping bags from Darren's arms.

Meanwhile Darren looked to Rayna as she pulled out Batai's necklace from her pocket. Stepping behind her he helped her put it back on. Then when she grabbed him by the wrist then Greg's in tight for a warm and heartfelt three-person hug.

Greg was surprised by this and looked at Rayna questioningly, "What happened outside?"

"Just go with the moment, buddy," Darren leaned his head down to nuzzle the side of Rayna's neck, and Greg did the same as Rayna reached out to Emily who could only make a similar gesture conveying her wish that she could physically join them.

 

[Asa]

Pulling them both close for a long moment she then broke the hug and smiled brushing her hand over the necklace and went about finding what she needed to prepare the food she wanted to prepare to go with his. Tsampa, Butter tea, and roasted potato soup for now.

Everything is fine Greg just... needed a moment with you all thats all.

Emily just nodded at Darrens words about going with the moment and smiled watching Rayna. She seemed a little more balanced if not a little sad. Emily thought for a moment then curious to see if she could slip into the necklace to speak with Batai privately or not.

Rayna began almost dancing around the kitchen as she prepared food humming a little tune that sounded older than she technically was. Her eyes seemed softer and her attitude calmer as she moved about glancing to them from time to time.


Even though we do not eat regular food I do still love the smell of the cooking of home. and Tsampa is a bit of a loophole... it is a ground roasted barley used to soak up the butter tea into little dough ball can't use as much as you would with tea but it makes a soft reminiscent additive to our type of food as well. I do hope you will like what I am fixing Greg.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Darren Cross and Gregory Wolf

"Just go with the moment, buddy," Darren leaned his head down to nuzzle the side of Rayna's neck, and Greg did the same as Rayna reached out to Emily who could only make a similar gesture conveying her wish that she could physically join them.

Rayna pulled them close together in a tight and warm hug. An embrace Greg and Darren both returned in kind.

She looked up to Greg. "Everything is fine Greg just... needed a moment with you all thats all."

Greg nodded, "I understand." He gestured towards the bag of groceries Darren had set on the kitchen counter. "I'm starving, let's get cooking."

Greg and Rayna set off making their meal while Emily and Darren sat in the living room flipping channels on the TV waiting for them to finish preparing breakfast.

Greg noticed the light and content mood Rayna seemed to be in as she worked. In fact it was affecting him as well. He found himself humming the chorus of KT Tunstall's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" as he cracked his eggs inside the frying pan.

He smiled to her as sprinkled the cheese and vegetables in his first omellette.

 

[Asa]

Emily

She sat there finding she apparently could not get into the necklace to talk to Batai. She was glad to see Rayna so light relaxed and happy and hoped that Batai could sense it or something since she was not able to get in there to tell him.

Its good to see her... better than she was at the Hotel.

Glancing back she could hear the two different song softly floating out of the kitchen and smiled turning back to see what was in tv.

Rayna

She was busy moving about the kitchen toasting the ground barley in the oven as she moved to prepare the Butter tea while washing the potatoes for the soup. She paused from her song as she heard him begin his own song and smiled. She listened relaxing as she continued to mill about the kitchen. Her smile grew as the smell of the toasted Barley and began working on the potatoes for the soup roasting the potatoes as she prepared the rest of the soup base and onions.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Gregory Wolf and Darren Cross

They worked side by side contedly humming and then they worked together setting the table. Greg passing Rayna the plates and silverware for her to set, then they're various dishes.

Soon they were done and they called in Darren and Emily from the living room.

Greg sat beside Rayna and Darren took the seat on the other side of her. "This looks really good," He said fillling his plate with an omelette and some of Rayna's sampas. Picking up his fork he was about to dig in, but he paused and looked at the others. "Well, come on guys. What are you waiting for?"

 

[Asa]

Rayna

She smiled and moved the food around as she watched Greg and the others. She reached for the Tsampa and pouring some butter tea she mixed the two creating the little dough ball and ate. A tear touched her eyes as she knew this was just to show Greg how to eat it with it being the butter tea and not blood in the cup. She smiled to them and ladled out some of the roasted potato soup for everyone as well.

I do hope you like it all Greg... I have had little reason in a very long time to fix anything from... that time.

Emily

She sat there with a plate in front of her and smiled it really did smell good. She watched Rayna and wondered about the Tsampa and the tea. She found it really odd that they put butter in tea but it smelled good at least to her.

It all smells really good you two

 

[Veroe]

IC: Gregory Wolf and Darren Cross

Greg sat beside Rayna and Darren took the seat on the other side of her. "This looks really good," He said fillling his plate with an omelette and some of Rayna's tsampa. Picking up his fork he was about to dig in, but he paused and looked at the others. "Well, come on guys. What are you waiting for?"

Darren smiled and said,
Thank you," to Rayna as she ladled some of the potato soup she had made for them. He dipped a spoon into it and stirred it around in his bowl. "It looks delicious."

At that Greg put down the fork and knife he had been using to cut up his omelette and took a spoonful of it up to his mouth for a taste. He blew on it to cool it off first, but when it was put into his mouth he nodded, "Mmmm, this is really good, a little exotic for breakfast but pretty damn good, Rayna."

They ate on Rayna showed him and Darren how to eat their tsampa and Greg was on pins and needles as they ate his omelettes. It had been an ambitious choice for him since fifty percent of the time his eggs turned out too rubbery whenever he made omelettes.

Greg looked at her as she tried it. "Do you like it," He asked anxiously, "Is the texture just right?"

Finally their big breakfast was over and Greg and Rayna set out to wash and rinsed their dishes as Darren dried them and Emily coached them from the sidelines. Greg smiled as he ran the soapy dishrag over the surface of the plate he was washing. This was good. This was normal. There were no vampires, werewolves, or any of that crazy crap that had consumed their lives for so long. This was just four people down and out that had come together to form a family of their own.

Who knew people like them with such screwed up complicated lives could turn out to have a morning as good and normal as this?

 

[Asa]

Rayna

She smiled to them and had gotten used to attempting to eat while living with Batai's people and tried the omelette and smiled to Greg.

Its wonderful Greg.

This was a nearly human moment... that peaceful picket fence happy family thing the tv comedies and hallmark movies want people to think can really exist no matter what they go through. She was truly enjoying this... in a way that scared her but she would overcome that with time she had before.

Emily

Seeing them all calm and happy she thought with that level of peace around everyone she would try again to get into the amulet.

Batai... How do I enter the necklace?

Receiving no answer she simply vanished from their sight and tried to enter the necklace again. http://24.media.tumblr.com/d8a96f7c9d9142264e4df1b9e9fd5f1f/tumblr_mf2qobr6Tv1rxa3p0o1_1280.jpg

As Emily entered the Necklace a scene began to play... it was some strange movie that she was standing in the middle of but was not a part of. She could see Rayna and Batai clearly when he was alive. Scenes rotating between happiness and sorrow... clearly things that were in some way constantly on one of their minds. The necklace simply a recorder of each thought tear and smile. Emily stood in awe staring mesmerized by it all.


Rayna curled close into his arms though her mind was miles away. She wanted to believe that his people would accept her but there had been little sociable contact between her kind and any shifter tribe. She felt him nuzzle trying to reassure her sure they had battled when they first met but when given the opportunity to feed from him she had not done so opting instead even weakened and half dead and nearly crazed she had hunted down a small animal to give her enough blood to begin healing herself. Now his travels were taking him back home and he wanted her to return with him. His kind were far from normal they had in the past aided and protected one of her kind with the help of another feline tribe as well as sacred weapons lost to time and legend long ago.

The next scene that began to play was what appeared to be Rayna in some feral frenzy bloody and crouching over someone but it was not Batai... it was a young person. She seemed to keep sniffing at the body and staring at those gathered around almost as if guarding the body that was clearly dead. Not even letting Batai near hissing something about finding the vermin who have declared war in such a cowardly way.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/c50a38c0dbf0a9702fdca23b16a8e466/tumblr_mjb1fy9Liv1ro7bs3o1_500.jpg

Another scene seeming to flow into place as if she were seeing the moment that Batai and Rayna met fought each other and ended upturning that into falling in love and that first kiss shared. The images were random through time to say the very least and she was curious as to why till the next scene began to play...

Then she saw it... Maxwell Batai and some other being... all circling the other being making a move and then Maxwell crouched over Batai saying something about turning Rayna into the innocently monstrous weapon he had worked hard to transform her into and nothing not even love was ever going to change that since none of them would ever know what his true hand was in her transformation.

Emily wanted to shut off the images at that moment as she saw Batai die but it would not stop as she could see the rest of his people finding him and then trying to prevent Rayna from seeing him ripped up like that till they were sure they could not heal him. Rayna snapping when some of them said that if he had not fallen for the enemy he would not be dead now. The rest of the family and tribe who had accepted her and cared for her permitted her to fight those that sought to blame her for the heart slaughtering loss.



~HOW DO I TURN OFF THESE IMAGES!~ Emily screamed as she tried closing her eyes covering her ears but the emotions from not only Batai but even Rayna's emotions from her centuries of owning and wearing the necklace were bombarding Emily.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Batai

There was somehow an intruder within the necklace, his private sanctum. How anyone could invade the sanctuary of memories without his or Rayna's invitation was a troubling question, and one he needed to find answers to. So he moved through the scenes of his and Rayna's long lives. through the good times and the bad, the moments of triumph and those of his shame. He swam through all the moments of his life like a fish through water. There were currents and eddies here that could trap him and drive him to relive certain times of his life-usually the very worst times in his life. Yet Batai had grown adept at navigating through the never-ending kaleidescope of images and the emotions that went with them.

He did not know who it was, but if this intruder violating the necklace wanted to inflict harm upon Rayna....then he was going to regret this infiltration.

---------------------------------X

IC: The Lion

~HOW DO I TURN OFF THESE IMAGES!~ Emily screamed as she tried closing her eyes covering her ears but the emotions from not only Batai but even Rayna's emotions from her centuries of owning and wearing the necklace were bombarding Emily.

The bushes behind Emily rustled as her cry roused the Lion from his slumber. Golden feline eyes looked up into hers, and regarded her carefully. Casually the cat padded across the ground until it was within armsreach of her. Softly he sniffed her scent, and looked back up into her eyes and reared up high on its hindlegs so it now towered above her. Both forelegs landed on her shoulders and leaned into her. The weight drove her back onto her back with the lion atop her. Emitting a sound hafway between a huffing intake of breath and a mirthfull laugh the lion extended its rough tongue and lick her face in greeting.

 

[Asa]

Emily

No matter where she was Emily was very tightly bound to her house and she was feeling panicked and overwhelmed with emotions and no where to be found. She didn't hear the rustling nor see the lion till it planted its paws on her shoulders knocking her down. She yelped as she landed with this thing on top of her. No longer focused on the images and emotions that was overwhelming her she was a tad more terrified of the massive lion licking her.


Ummm Okay... interesting security system... I... I am not lunch right?

She looked around warily...

UMMMM BATAI!!!!!!!!!

 

[Veroe]

IC: The Lion and Batai

The Lion rose up allowing Emily to get back up off the ground, but when she did it nudged her hand with its head insistently trying to convince her to scratch that pesky spot behind its ear. After all that was what people were put in the world for in the Lion's considered oppinion.

Once done and that pesky spot was finally vanquished, He pushed and prodded her to a new place and memory. On the Mediteranean island the Illedresoi had called home there was a peak all young men visited on vision quest when boys became men and hunters and warriors of the tribe. There Batai as a young teenaged boy sat before a fire with the sun setting over the blue water of the mediteranean at his back a hundred feet below and the full moon raised up above the horizon before him. His eyes closed deep in ritual meditation. His arm wrapped in cloths where the shaman medicine woman of the tribe had scratched him the day before and herbs and plants with hallucinogenic properties smoldered and burned and he inhaled their smoke deeply.

With Emily watching the Lion circled around behind the kneeling boy the playful purr becoming a threatening snarl. The sun had fallen and the moon claimed dominion over the cloudless night sky full and brilliantly clear now. The Lion roared and Batai's eyes shot open, but they weren't human eyes anymore. Now under the full moon this child of the Illedresoi was becoming a man.

The change took some time, and always painful to watch as much as to live through. His mass increased, ears traveled atop his head, his face and mouth extended to a leonine snout with fangs and whiskers. Limbs lengthened fingernails and toenails became claws. There were many times when the young Batai panted lie in a mishapen fetal position and was on the brink of giving up on fulfilling the change but the Lion would roar with a ferocity that echoed off the rocks of the island peak and Batai would struggle through more of the agony. A tail grew out and quivered from the excruciating pain, tawny hair emerged all over his body thickening to fur a mane forming around his head and neck.

Finally the Lion roared one last time and the new inhuman creature that was once a child named Batai of the Iledresoi and a young werecat roared loud into the night with his animal guide in his vision quest. Hearing it the adults of the tribe joined him in greeting and acknowledgement of a new peer among their pride.

The werecat that was the boy named Batai raced off into the forest of the island to hunt and feed and mate until the moon set and the ritual of turning was over leaving the Lion and Emily alone with the fire.

The lion nudged her hand again to scratch that pesky spot once more, but from where the werecat that was Batai had stormed into the jungle the plants rustled once more and the fully grown Batai as Emily knew him emerged.

"Emily," He asked surprised to see her, "How did you get in here?"

-------------------------X

IC: Darren Cross and Gregory Wolf

The house was shaking and the boys both searched around for Emily, but found she had dissapeared entirely. Yet as the house stopped shaking the boys rejoined Rayna on the couch to watch the melodramas of daytime TV hoping Emily would pop up and all would be well again any moment again.

 

[Asa]

Emily

She scratched the lion as it seemed to control what she was seeing now as she sat there with him. Even though that was painful and in its own way emotional it was not overpowering her as the random memories had been. She watched in awe at the transformation. She had seen Greg transform before and it still amazed her. She watched the image run off into the treeline and laid over against the lion there by her scratching again but having gotten in here and bombarded she was feeling a little tired weak something she was not sure what though. Then she heard Batai speak and looked over at him.

I... I wanted talk to you but you never answered so I tried to find a way to find you and here I am. Apparently this lion can help control the images... luckily.

 

[Veroe]

IC: The Lion and Batai

The lion stretched its great body leaning into Emily's scratching nails enjoying every moment of it. She was very good at assuaging that ever-pesky spot behind its ear. It laid down across her legs on its side. The lion's great jaws opened in a contented, drawn out yawn and closed its eyes for another well-deserved cat nap.

Batai emerged from the forest. "Emily," He asked surprised to see her, "How did you get in here?"

"I... I wanted talk to you but you never answered," She replied, "So I tried to find a way to find you and here I am."

He nodded and pointed at the lion laying over her lap, "And how did you meet him?"

"Apparently this lion can help control the images... luckily," She told him.

He laughed, "He ought to control this place since he created it. The lion is my spirit guide and the world here within the necklace is the world of my dreams. He governs and regulates it showing me the way as he did when I was alive, as he seems to be doing for you."

He walked over to them and knelt down. "You seem a little winded, Miresroyo. And the weight of this mangy fleabag can't be helping."

He took hold of the lion's mane and lifted its great head off the ground by the neck. "This isn't funny. She's not your pillow. So get off her."

The lion opened its eyes and looked into Batai's. Then it let out a threatening snarl.

"Don't give me that. You're an overgrown pussy cat and we both know it. Now get up."

The lion looked up to Emily as if pointing out the ingrattitude and impertinence it had to suffer with its charge. Then he rose and strutted off her to rub against Batai's leg. Batai automatically reached out and started scratching that certain spot behind its ear with a casual air that made it clear he was acting out of familiarity rather than thought.

Batai held out his other hand for Emily, "Need a hand up?"

 

[Asa]

Emily

Taking the offered hand up she stood there with them and smiled a little to Batai.

He may control the world within but there are just as many images and emotions of Rayna's in the stone to and ... ALL of that hit at once till he showed up. Like watching a wall covered in tvs and each one of them on a different show at top volume and 3D.

She shivered again thinking about it and smiled again watching the the lion. Tilting her head a little as if making a connection between the lion and something.

You try to calm her too when she wears the necklace don't you sneaky fluff ball.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Batai and the Lion

Batai held out his other hand for Emily, "Need a hand up?"

"He may control the world within but there are just as many images and emotions of Rayna's in the stone to and ..." She said taking his hand and he lifted her up to her feet, "... ALL of that hit at once till he showed up. Like watching a wall covered in tvs and each one of them on a different show at top volume and 3D."

He nodded, "All of it can easily overwhelm someone unprepared for it. Frankly, Miresroyo, I'm amazed you made it at all without cracking like an egg."

She looked down at the lion laying on the ground between them, and cocked her head like she had just figured something out. "You try to calm her too when she wears the necklace don't you sneaky fluff ball."

To which the Lion looked up at her and opened its muzzle and yawned heartily.

"I've tried but he's done the lionshare of the job. He's always been willing to move heaven and earth for Rayna." Batai kneeled down and ran his hands over the lion's back. "It's why he made this place, this sanctuary of our memories, for her. It wasn't for me. She came to him after my murder, begged him to take her to me. So he did, for her." He patted the lion on the side of its belly, "Always such an over-romantic softie."

The lion huffed and nuzzled Emily to join in this most-assuredly well deserved Lion appreciation party.

Batai looked over to her and asked, "So what did you want to talk to me about, Miresroyo?"

 

[Asa]

Emily

She smiled to the lion and pet him as well.

Give her truest love a home in the afterlife to keep him close to her so she does not have to find out if her kind can even become ghosts after they finally completely die. That is a big old romantic softie.

Looking back to Batai she paused trying to remember what she was curios about and then her own comment reminded her.

First can their kind become ghosts and two if they can where could we find Maxwell for Bishop to permanently end him or Isabella and something she can bond with to keep her with him in spite of Maxwell killing her.

She was in fix it mode... if she could help Rayna hand deliver either avenue or both to Bishop it might go a great distance to repair that sibling union. She had no doubt at all that if they were close family like it seemed they were before that they would both be far happier.

Both would be best... I think that would help Bishop more than anything... I mean having you around like this has helped Rayna... right? Maybe if we could find Isabella first see if she would be willing to do this or if maybe she has followed him or something. I know sometimes our kind like to stay around the living just well hidden... could she be the same way and always close to him maybe?

Then a devious grin curled her lips

Then we find Maxwell and hand deliver him to Bishop and tell him how to kill him once and for all with a signed in blood contract that he will never kill you or me or any ghost not well deserving like Maxwell and whatever dark evil like him.