Raven

[Cloudy]

<sub>What did you expect? Jai responded, though his voice was tired and worn. He curled his fingers around the object, stepping back into his home and closing the door. He locked the bolts in quick succession - a security measure one could call it, against the Strigoi or any of the beings that hated Jai. He'd acquired quite the hating fanbase over the years. With a tired sigh, Jai trudged up the stairs and placed the animal gently in his closet. He didn't want to have it in sight; it would bring too much hurt, too much pain. But he handled it gently, and made sure that it went unharmed as he stepped back, quietly closing the closet door of his room. Without another word, Jai returned to his studio. He needed to vent, and the artistic ability of painting allowed him to do such a thing.

"I'm not sure. What would you like to do?"</sub>

[Spotify]

<sub>Ember darted through the trees, weaving in and out, each time in a different form. First, it was the doe, then it was a beautiful eagle, after that it was a cheetah, and than finally it was her. She stopped just outside the front door of her house, she peered up at the house and ache shot through her heart. She missed her mom and it didn't feel right stepping inside that house without by her side. "Daddy? Alfar?"she called, peering into the darkness that was her home. Cold fear shot through her, where were they? Surely, they were here. She took a step inside the house, her icy eyes fearful.

Sarafina pondered for a moment,"Can we test my strength?"she asked, she was curious about how strong she was and she wanted to test it.</sub>

[Cloudy]

<sub>"Alfar is dead," Unole said grimly, stepping out of his office. "We were ambushed, and the Cibarium cast a spell that burnt Alfar's soul from his body. He is dead." Unole looked tired, worn and rubbed at the right sight of his face. "The Cibarium is dead now. But so is Alfar."

"Certainly," Malachi said. "Back to your home it is, then. Wouldn't want the mortals watching us uproot trees, now would we?" With a wink, Malachi zipped away.

Jai let out an anguished cry, crumpling to his knees. There was a ripping, a tearing, at the core of his being, and he knew that a Schimba had been murdered. The guards of Unole shared a close bond, and knew when one another were injured, alive, or dead. Through the haze of pain that resulted from the loss of a guard, Jai felt the soul of Alfar slipping away.</sub>

[Spotify]

<sub>Ember crumpled to her knees, tears blurring her vision. She hadn't known the guard long, but he had been kind to her and it was a blow to her every time one of her people lost their lives. She nodded to her father,"They must pay."she whispered, through gritted teeth. No one was going to get away with murdering a Schimba. She took a deep breath and got up. She would not be weak. Now was a time for revenge. She tilted her head,"Who will be my guard? And if may father.. I need more training. If there is to be a war... I must know how to protect my people. Please, father. Will you train me?"she asked, bowing her head to him.

Sarafina laughed softly as chased after her mentor, it wasn't long before a boulder blocked her path and she vaulted over it and onto Malachi's back. Now was she losing this time. She grinned as she catapulted herself from his back. She flipped in the air and landed directly in front of him. She didn't stop moving though, she kept running as fast as her legs would carry her.</sub>

[Cloudy]

<sub>Unole took a deep breath. "You will not leave this home," he said. "You will remain with me at all times; I will guard you. There are none more skilled in power than I." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Every Schimba who is not trained in fighting will withdraw to the Schimba Mansion, where training will begin." He turned, pacing, glaring at the floor. "I want every Schimba battle-ready within a month. Costin will not wait long, and we do not have the luxury of time. He will seek to push us from the very lands our ancestors spilt blood for." Unole pivoted to look at his daughter. "I must speak with Doru. Come, it is time you placed yourself in the political matters of the Schimba."

Malachi huffed and pushed harder, becoming a single blur of colorless air. He pulled up next to Sarafina, huffing in laughter.</sub>

[Spotify]

<sub>Sarafina laughed, shaking her head, as she vaulted over another large boulder. She grinned,"How was that?"she called, grinning. A frown touched her lips,"Uprooting trees? Are you crazy? I'm not that strong!"she said.

Ember's eyes flashed with surprise, but she nodded. Her dad was guarding her? What? She nodded and followed after her father. Her eyes hardening, how dare they! They had attacked her guard on her terriotory. They were asking for an ugly war. Alfar I swear to you.. You will be avenged. she ducked her head, wondering what the heck would happen when they met with the wolves.

Alec padded softly around the pack house, his fur bristled and ears flattened. He felt like something was coming and he didn't like. Not one bit.</sub>

[Cloudy]

<sub>Malachi huffed, his hand flying out. It seemed his very fingers sank into the bark and the heart of the tree when, in a smooth movement, he ripped out the tree from the very earth. "Easy." He winked at Sarafina.


Doru lifted his gaze, tilting his head in greeting to Unole as the Schimba King entered the office of the Schimba house. The Priciolici had been there for a little while, having arrived in America a short time before.

Jai clenched his jaw, letting out an anguished howl as Alfar's soul finally slipped away, joining the departed souls in the Witch-King's realm. It hurt. It was a deep, heart-ripping, soul-tearing hurt that tore apart the very matter of your being. Jai ground his teeth together, struggling to regain control of himself, to throw up a barrier against the pain and the anguished wails of his comrades.

It hurt.</sub>

[Spotify]

<sub>Ember curtsied as she silently entered the room of Pricolici king. Her eyes drank in the room as she made sure there were no threats to her or her father. She didn't say anything, but she hadn't expected to. The Pricolici was their allies and friends.

Sarafina stared at him for a long moment before her gaze slid to the tree. Surprise, shock and confusion could all be found in her gaze. She shook her head in amazement as she went to the nearest tree. She reached inside the tree. The tree didn't bulge for a moment and than it was out. It roots dangled toward the earth they had just been pulled from.

An unexpected cry escaped Ember's lips, something was off. Sorrow and grief plagued her system, but it wasn't her emotions. She whimpered, her mind reeling, physical pain shot up in Ember's chest and she clutched it. After a moment the pain subsided and she turned to stare at her father."What was that?"she whispered.</sub>

[Cloudy]

<sub>"See? It's not that hard," Malachi said. "You got it on your first try. Good job!" He grinned at Sarafina, half-heartedly tossing the tree he'd uprooted further into the forest.

Unole greeted the Priciolici king. "Welcome to my home, Doru," he greeted, "though I would rather it be on less troubling matters."
"But of course," Doru said wistfully. "Would that Costini be satisfied with the land he's been awarded, we would all be happy." The wolf king quite literally jumped at the cry that Ember emitted. "By the power of the White Wolf, what has become of you?" he muttered, shaking off the surprise.
Unole looked at Ember, shock written clear across his face. Slowly, his features melted into the warm look that he often wore. "It seems you've made the connection with your life mate at long last."</sub>

[Spotify]

_{Ember tilted her head,"What?"she all but cried. Her eyes wide with shock, surpise, confusion,"What?"she repeated. Her gaze slid to the floor, she must have heard her father wrong, lifemate? No, she had heard him right. She paled, who could it be? Her gaze lifted and she met Doru's gaze. She had forgotten that Doru was even there and immediately shame filled her. "I'm sorry, Doru, I do not know what became of me."she shot her father a pointed look. Who? she whispered in his mind, though of course there was no need. She closed her eyes as she tried to access that feeling again. She had to know.
(Eating)}